ND, Wide Open Muley @ 56yds

Cameron Hunt

New member
Joined
Apr 1, 2003
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659
Location
the metropolis of Ca
Hi all,

Thought I would share with you my Nd, trophy.

Had a fantastic day here in Nd. Started out later in the morning when we didnt have much work to do. Clay said, lets go find a deer. So off we went to some private land not far from home that we had been watching for several weeks. We saw the 5x5 muley we usually see, but he was moving away from us at a good click. We decided to go look for another buck that I had seen Friday night on another piece of land that is owned by the same family. That buck looked extremely tall as the sun was going down friday night, and I knew he wouldnt be far. We saw the friday night buck about 300yds off the road running a doe, and we decided that we had a good chance of finding him from the opposite side of the property, with the wind in our face. We drove around the 1000 acre plot and began the hike in to find him, and came across a forked buck bedded down in a draw. After deciding to move past him in search of the big buck, Clay soon stopped me as he saw the bigger buck not far from the forky. He was 100 yds out, and we didnt have any cover to put the sneak on him. We tried to call and rattle him to us, with no luck. We watched him, and contemplated how we were going to get an arrow in him for about 45 min. The buck then moved down the side of the bowl into the bottom, giving me the chance to close the distance to 55 yds. I could see him standing close to the doe holding his ground. I clipped my release on my string, stood up and drew back. Knowing he was all of the 50 yards on my pin, I sighted in and touched the release. I watched my arrow arch and dip as it closed in, and just before it hit, the wind fish tailed it a few inches. We heard the arrow hit, and the buck skipped about 30 yards uphill. As he turned we could see that the arrow hadnt passed through, and was sticking out both sides of the buck.
I turned, ran back and tackled Clay in the excitement as the buck then turned and went over the top of the knoll. We shared high fives, and gather all the gear we shed over 40 yards of side hill sliding. As we entered the bottom of the bowl where the buck stood, there was a large splash of lung blood in the snow. We knew he wouldnt go far, and after only 2 hours the journey was complete !
We humped over the hill and down the other side, and there lay this toad ! More high fives, and the pictures began ! This was a very surprising outcome, after seeing where the buck stood when it all began. Clay stated, Damn that was an amazing shot ! I couldnt have asked for better flight from the arrow as I watched it hit its mark.
I couldnt have pulled it off without Traci, the best woman in the world, who let this journey begin in Rapid City with the new PSE ! And for Clay, who was my spotter as I was sliding across the hill closing the distance on this amazing buck.
Much thanks to all !

Today, I stopped at my butcher to pick up my order. Oh how great the snack sticks turned out !!! I have yet to tap into the summer sausage, kinda scared to thaw any after watching a package of snack sticks get vaporized by myself, Traci and the boys.
 

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Thanks guys ! Wyopitz, I was down your way a couple weeks ago, and saw a real nice buck not far from Rushmore. He didnt have a care in the world with his girls in tow.
 
Congrats on the nice buck. The open country looks challenging and fun!!
 
Thanks guys. When we saw him at a little over 100 yds, I never thought I would have closed into 56 yds, let alone be able to stand up and draw. I still can not believe the little fork stood 20 yds from my buck and never gave me up to him. I think he was only thinking, yea nail him.... so I get a chance to nail her.
 
Elkmagnet,
Of course I was excited ! I am always excited when I have the chance to shoot, and harvest. What really made this great was that I had just gotten the new bow the previous week, and ran about a dozen arrows through it. And, this was the furthest archery shot to date.

Thank you guys.
 
Good to know You got on some land. Congrats on the buck. I am too whimpy to go out in the cold to archery hunt. I am frm AZ. and can't call it fun when I'm freezing. Too old to (56),but can handle it in rifle time. Bad enough I gotta work in , don't wanna play in it....BOB! ( I put this post in the wrong place the other day,I put it on that other ND. thread)
 
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