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well, it seems that I simply can't kill a dear before the closing day of the season anymore, but even without that added pressure, this was still a GREAT hunt! I was working with a friend and client and we had an absolute BLAST...

Garfield County, Nebraska (Sandhills), last half-hour of rifle season (11/23/08)... camera was back at camp...

we hadn't seen jack from any of the ~12 stands on the property over the course of the weekend, and opted to get in early (~3pm) spot-stalk at a known dining location. surrounded by trees or hills on every side and over a mile from any roads, the deer seem to congregate there. although no one has ever seen anything much bigger than a nice 4x4 buck there during late afternoon, there are usually a number of smaller bucks (see below!) and smoothies out the wazoo.

we climbed a knob about 600-800yds from the main grazing areas and spotted some does early, but the wind made our desired approach impossible. we ended up huffing it out and around to the far southeast end and working in from there over a mile to finally get a decent vantage, on the way in we must have spooked out half a dozen does, but they were all over half a mile from our intended targets and had no way of spreading the panic, and as such we didn't do much to avoid them.

we got a first glimpse of horns from probably 500 or so out, and worked up to a ridge at ~425(?) and determined that there was a shooter buck in the bunch (for me at least, especially on the last night of the season (9-day rifle season SUCKS)). we had to backtrack down to some lower ground a work around to a low ridge that would obscure our approach... we were still about 225-250 from his original position but he had moved out and over, netting us about a 175yd shot... I stayed as low on the back-side of the ridge as I could and kneeled and brought up the gun. As I took a couple of breaths and got calmed down, my buddy was watching the rest of the group to make sure no one picked us off... and prepped to follow-up my shot if I missed or didn't get the job all the way done.

i waited for him to clear a small patch of taller grass and let him have it... "ye ole howitzer" done did the deed. .358 250gr Speer Spitzer that broke two ribs on the way in, three on the way out and broke at least one arm/shoulder. not to mention tearing his lungs up pretty darn good. he tried to run but obviously couldn't get his front legs to work or even pick his head up as the remainder of the deer scattered. he piled up 15-20ft away. no need for a follow-up or insurance shot. it was DONE.

funny thing, a spike buck sat about 150yds off at the edge of the trees and watched us for about 30mins while I waited for my buddy to go get the truck and bring it in... I walked up maybe 70-80yds from him and he just stood there and looked at me... it was kinda creepy, never seen anything like it.

here he is, 2008 Rifle Buck..

Green = "camp"
White = stand I sit in quite a bit
Red = glassing spot
Blue = place where they like to feed in the evening
Orange = spot I took the shot from
Yellow = "Dead Deer Down"

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When someone says a rifle is "ugly," what they really mean is "push feed."

-me

(long live the Mauser 98!)