The only problem with huntig with my GPR...

[jethro224]

...is the Taxidermy bill.

Yesterday morning, 11-17-06, just before 8:00am, I shot my best buck ever. He's a big 11 pointer, 10 typical with a split tine on one side. 22 1/2 inch inside spread. Over 200#, the scale quit there.

He was the 16th deer I saw that morning. The 3rd one that I cocked the hammer on. I drew a bead on a medium size 8-pointer about 10 minutes into legal shooting time. Then changed my mind. Too early to settle for a medium 8-pointer.
Then around 7:45 I almost shot a really nice size doe. Changed my mind again. I was in a GREAT spot and had a good feeling.

Not 10 minutes later another doe ran across the opening and went to the neighboring farm. Just before she jumped the fence, she stopped and looked behind her. I thought "Here we go"!

And out stepped this big ol' buck. I had about 2 seconds to decide he was a shooter and take my shot. He was 100 paced-off yards out and crossing a cleaing. My .490 PRB pushed by 70 grains of 2f Goex passed completely thru taking out both lungs and breaking ribs on both sides.

At the shot the deer just stopped. Didn't even flinch. Then, as the smoke cleared, he turned and took 3 steps up the hill.

I thought, "S#*t! I missed!"

Then he wobbled! He swayed left, staggered right and folded up. I sat down and watched for a few minutes before I went over to him.

I've heard of ground-shrinkage before but this buck just kept getting bigger and bigger the closer I got to him! Seemed even bigger yet during the uphill drag. Luckily for me some other hunters were kind enough to help me get him up the hill.

Anyway, here he is. My best ever buck.

 

[Roy]

:shocked2: Great buck :thumbsup:

...wish I had those sort of problems... :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Very nice, congrats. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Congratulations, Jim on a fine trophy, and a great hunting story to go with him. It was awful nice of those fellows to help you drag him up that hill. That is a pretty typical reaction of a deer to being shot through both lungs.

 

[renovato]

What a great hunt. Congrats!

 

[jethro224]

Thanks guys. I still can't get over it that I finally got one of them bigguns that I see once in a while. I've been after this one for a few years. And I know where there's 2 other bigger ones living. No, I ain't tellin'.
Usually I only get one chance a year at a BIG buck. Generally when I'm unprepared, too far, too much brush or after legal hours. Then they disappear. This time luck was in my favor. :grin:

 

[bramble]

Congratulations. Thanks for the story.
bramble

 

[Bountyhunter]

Now, that's a nice buck, certainly one to be proud of.

Congratulations, it looks like you might have got the alpha buck.

 

[freetrapper20]

Beautiful ! :hatsoff:

 

[wtilenw]

That is an AWESOME BUCK! Sounds like a new "Polaroid Moment" to review in your mind when things get too normal to handle. Nice shooting too.
Idaho PRB

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Jethro,

NICE buck! Good shot at 100 yards. And yeah that one is definately worth the taxidermy bill. :thumbsup: GW

 

[rabjr]

Wow nice jethro224! :thumbsup:

 

[RC]

Atta boy! Nice Buck! Congrats! :thumbsup: RC

 

[leadball]

But, but, but I thought the prb is supposed to be ineffective for game? According to the "experts" and their ballistic charts, that deer is supposed to be just wounded to die many days later.

 

[Smk50]

I thought that about the PRB also, but the doe I shot this AM acted like an anvil had fallen on her. VERY NICE Buck.!!!

 

[jethro224]

Yeah but deer can't read ballistics charts and don't much listen to the experts... :blah:

Thanks again everybody. Good luck to ya all in your deer hunting.

 

[highbrow]

Awesome buck! :bow:

 

[Dayne]

Nice buck. I wish I had the problem with the big taxidermy bill.

 

[barebackjack]

Nice buck!

Sounds like you need to learn taxidermy, than no worries, lol.

:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Grinnydog]

Very nice!!! Good story too!