The whole story behind my buck Now it has changed!

[Idaho Ron]

Last night was,, confusing and today it is CLEAR!
Well the story starts out on friday. I saw a nice 180 class buck and he got away. He was a spooky devil and I could not get close for a shot. I went to another hunting area and found some NICE deer. One buck was real wide and the other was nice but a little narrow.  Well after talking to my friend we went back Saturday. I found both bucks and the big one was still hanging out on the ridge and only dropping down to breed does. Then he went back up to catch the wind of the next doe. The other buck was after a doe to the bottom of the canyon.
 It took us all day to get there where we last saw him. About 4:00. We were glassing when I looked down and a BIG deer was coming out of the canyon.  I got to a place to shoot and took him at under 100 yards. At the shot the buck was SLAMED to the ground. My buddy and my son were both watching. Then all of a sudden He was up and gone. I ran to catch sight of him as he was going down hill. I saw him still going down hill. The canyon was full of Rock pillers and Huge bolders. Then I see him for a split second at about 40 yards. I took the shot and instantly turned to yell at my friend John that the buck was running to the left. In less than a minute he shot, and I see a buck that is shot in the butt. My shot felt good so I didn't know if he had shot it or me.  I took a shot at 160 yards and hit him. We ran closer but he was way out there. I shot again at 275 and the shot was just a pinch low, but he only took a few more steps and went down. I took another shot at about 160 and hit him again.  Soon he was done. I get home and post I had shot a buck. The problem was when we gutted him my first shot was no where to found.
 Well Today we found out that my son had lost my shooting sticks and we went to find them. The last place we had them was the 40 yard running shot that felt good. We found the sticks, and the FIRST deer I shot at. He was below and to the left in the bushes behind the rock. He had ran about 10 feet past the opening in the rock and fell dead. When I shot him that time a SECOND buck flushed. That was the smaller buck I saw that morning.
When he flushed John thought it was the buck I hit and shot him in the A$$.
Now things came together. I shot the buck I thought was 30" I put a tape on him he is 29 3/4"
 It took all day but we got them both out. He is a great buck actually both are.  The buck was wounded from fighting. His Cheek on the right side had a antler tip in it. Man it smelled bad. The sore was nasty and it ruined the cape. I plan on using the cape off the smaller deer for a mount.
 I learned some things with this hunt. If something doesn't seem right check it out. Also a Hornady 410 will go from the flank to the shoulder at 150 to 160 yards. A Renegade with a GM barrel and a Lyman Peep are great hunting combo.
Last big bucks are where you find them. We got lucky, very lucky. Well better go and remember to thank the lord again.

[simonkenton]

May I suggest a little more practice time at the rifle range.

[offhand35]

Idaho Ron, when I first read your story, about the buck popping back up, I wondered if it was the same one you originally shot!
I'm glad that you were able to retrieve both bucks.

[Idaho Ron]

The buck got up after the first shot. That shot hit just under the spine and clipped the spine just a little. The second shot on that buck killed him a couple of feet out of my line of sight. When John shot the buck in the butt I never thought about it being a different buck.  All I could think about was getting the buck stopped. I am not sure if I even looked at his antlers after I started to shoot at him.
simonkenton, I shot twice at my buck hitting him once standing at just under 100 yards and once running at about 40 yards. I never missed the buck I origanally wanted to shoot. I hit the other wounded buck 3 out of 5 times at ranges of 150, 160, and a ffinishing 40  yard shot. The 275 yard shot was a desperate attempt to stop a buck on the move. The other was just a miss I can't say why. I don't know if more range time would have helped since i can shoot sub 1 inch groups at 100 yards at the range with that rifle. I can say that my comfort range with that rifle and load is 150 yards. At that range I only missed once, but I was pretty worked up when I was shooting because I didn't want the buck to get away wounded.
Ron

[simonkenton]

Ron I didn't read your story carefully enough. Sounds like you made two fatal shots on the first buck.
Then, your buddy made a bad shot at a running buck, but he thought it was the buck that you had already wounded, so, fair enough, you should try any shot at an already wounded deer.
Then, you made some pretty good long range shots at that butt-wounded deer.
Sorry I needed to read the post more carefully.
That was some pretty good shooting after all.

[jlbeebe]

Idaho Ron,
   That is some dang good shooting no matter what you are using. You are making accurate hits at ranges that some would have us believe only those "space aged" inlines are capable of. Congrats on some fine shooting.

[Idaho Ron]

jlbeebe,  Thanks
After shooting this rifle for the last two years I have grown very confident in the rifle. It has been a rifle I carry around all the time. I have it with me where ever I go. If you see me you will probably see the rifle. It has been fun to see my project rifle turn from a rusted up Mississippi swamp rifle ( I got it on eBay) , to a hunting rifle with serious long range abilities.  I plan on using it on my cow elk hunt this december. The hunt is for centerfire rifles but i will give it a go with the " far speaker "
Ron

[Slamfire]

Very nice spread, my best was a lot narrower, but of course, talller. I hunted hard for a wide one. Congratulations, to you both. 

[Idaho Ron]

Slamfire, How tall was the G2 on your buck? Mine is 18 6/8 the G3 is 9 6/8.   Ron

[CROWHOP]

Very nice deer.