July 16, 2010
Tonight I went back to where I saw the buck last night. As I got closer to the ranch I could see the fog had beat me home. I had a couple of ranch chores to do so I didn’t get out hunting until after 6:30 .
I didn’t see any action in the spot I had the day before, but as I eased around on the two track road, a young spike stood up in the brush across the draw at 73 yards. I was able to ease up in full sight of him to 40 yards and come to full draw. It was comforting to know I could get to full draw on a deer, even if it was a spike I had no intention of shooting.
I worked around the hill to get the wind right to peek down into the hollow. The wind was full on gusting in my face as the fog rolled into the valley. I moved a little to quickly and heard a jump and just one crash ahead of me. I’d bumped something and never even saw it. I hunkered down for 15-20 minutes and glassed the brush choked draws. Then I moved to the East as the wind started to swirl in the pocket.
Just as I rounded the finger I saw a spike buck standing with me pegged dead to rights. I recognized him as one I’d seen earlier in the week by his unique forehead that was less dark than other deer in the area. My heart sank as I saw another, more mature buck stand up in the brush and move purposefully down around the hill into the trees at the bottom of the draw.
With 30 minutes of shooting light left, I didn’t think I would get a shot at this buck but I circled around the draw to view from the other side. I am hopeful that the deer held up in the deep brush ravine, rather than leaving the country entirely. I only saw a lone doe in this end around.
Tonights deer count: 1 doe, 2 spikes and 1 shooter buck.
