I left for Trinidad on Wed Oct 16th. Met the outfitter on Thursday, to exchange the landowner permit for my license and show me the ranch I would be hunting. He said if I would buy the On X maps app, he'd drop a pin on the ranch, so I would know the property lines. 1320 acres total. Started hunting on Saturday the 19th. Warm, windy weather and the moon had older bucks nocturnal. Wind blew 40 mph on Sunday and gusted to 52, so I didn't bother trying to hunt that day. Started snowing about 10 pm on Wednesday and didn't stop till Thursday around noon. 12-13" in Trinidad and around 16 where I was hunting. Started seeing mature deer Thursday afternoon, but only across the property lines. Saturday morning around 10:15, I spotted a big bodied deer bedded in the shade. Front half of the body was covered by the pinion tree, but every once in a while, I could see part of a decent rack. Waited and waited and waited and finally at 11:15ish, he stood up and stretched.....and turned facing me, behind the tree. Started eating grass and moved about 5-6 yards NW of where he was bedded and continued to eat. Tree limbs blocking any shot opportunity, but I could see enough to know I was gonna let lead fly, if I had a shot. At 11:30 or so he came back towards me and stood broadside at 240 yards with about a 30 degree decline from where I was sitting. Limbs still covered the head and vitals, all I could see were his legs. He bedded right there in the shade. Still couldn't see his head, but his right shoulder was clear and I flipped the safety off on my APR 270 win. Took a deep breath and sent a 130 gr Nosler Accubond. He never got up, flopped over on his right side and moved his head a couple times. Sat there and watched him for a minute or so, to make sure this 300+ lb buck didn't get up. He was done, so I started back around the mountain where I came up at. I get to where he was bedded and see that he is a 5-6 yr old 4x3. The side without a back fork still has some velvet on it. 26" inside spread.
Attached Files
Comment