Schaaf
Well-known member
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we found ourselves hunting some public land in Eastern Montana. We have spent years around this area and have long known that the country holds some bruisers. We were able to see a group of does bedded down in some buck brush after walking a shallow draw. On closer inspection we saw this buck bedded about 30 yards away. Everything was working in our favor from the lowered visibility from snow, the wind in our face, and a small fold in the ground to conceal our stalk. We were able to close the distance to about 150 yards when one of the many does spooked. The buck instantly bolted but stopped nearly broadside to take one last look at us. He was at 220 yards and we were ready to start packing. What happened next I have truly never been a part of. Just when I am ready I hear my dad's new Thompson Center single action give a loud click. Before we know it the buck is 450 yards and still bounding away from us. My dad has had probably the worst luck I've ever witnessed first hand when it comes to big bucks. I can count many separate times when bad luck, impatience ,or buck fever has influenced him missing out on several 30" muleys. I could sense in him that he had come to the conclusion that after the latest stroke of bad luck it just wasn't in the cards for him to hold what he considered to be a real trophy deer. Both my uncle and I tried to cheer him up but you can only do so much when talking to someone who has missed an opportunity like that. After we got home we took a closer inspection of the bullet and the rifle. Everything about it pointed to a bad Remington Core Lokt round. The pin had contacted the primer with the exact force that all of the previous rounds had. The gun had been cleaned prior to the season and had only been hunted with a handful of times. We ultimately decided that we didn't feel like we had pressured the buck too much to push him into new country and with the size of the group of does he was with he wouldn't wander too terribly far. On Friday we went to the same general area, after seeing the group from about a half mile away we were able to get under 250 yards away with the exact same buck presenting himself for a good shot. This time the luck went my father's direction and before he knew it he had his trophy down. I really couldn't be any happier for the guy who taught me about the greatest hobby I've ever known. Just prior to this season he was able to spend some money on new equipment for himself that he couldn't afford by pushing my brother and I through school and with this buck you could see in him that his love of hunting had been rejuvenated and that if you keep pushing on things will eventually go your way
He came in at 28" wide on the inside and about 29 1/2 on the outside. I was wishing I wouldn't have tagged out so soon!
He came in at 28" wide on the inside and about 29 1/2 on the outside. I was wishing I wouldn't have tagged out so soon!
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