Primitive Weapon

I shot this buck with my .450 Bushmaster at a state park deer reduction hunt a couple weeks ago.

It is no giant but my personal best. I'm guessing around 120".

He's an 8pt. 15 1/2 inside spread. Would have been a 9pt but a split brow tine was busted.

MUZZY 100

That's a nice buck, congrats !!!

Grawlix

Freakin' CONGRATULATIONS!!

Good for you, man. You should be proud

In my neck of the woods, even if not in yours, that would be considered a wall-hangin' monster.

I am sincerely happy for you.

Great end to a great hunt.

Primitive Weapon

Thanks guys. Here's the story on that hunt.

It was about 9:30 and I had just stood up to stretch and to keep from getting too stiff.

I was only standing for a minute or two and I could hear something running through a thicket that was behind me. Soon I could see a small doe bounding towards me.....must have been spooked by another hunt is my guess.

I was wanting to see if she would stop on her own but she didn't. Once she went past me, I turned all the way around so I wouldn't get tangled in my tree strap.

Just as I was about to "grunt" to see if she'd stop, I heard a stick break to my right. It was loud enough that she stopped too.

I am looking in the direction of the sound but I didn't see anything until the doe started to walk again. I saw the buck turn his head a little to keep an eye on her.

At that point, being a deer reduction hunt, I had decided to shoot the buck instead because I figured it had to be bigger than that doe.....she was pretty small.

I really did not pay attention to the rack but knew it was probably an 8pt but was probably a smaller basket rack.

A few yards in front of him I could tell there was a decent gap of about 4-5ft that I could shoot through. It took a couple steps forward while keeping his attention on that small doe and I squeezed off a round from my .450 Bushmaster.

I knew the buck was hit but the thicket was thick enough that I still didn't get a good look at him but knew the direction he went and was sure I heard him crash soon afterwards.

I was going to give him 30 min or so and go look for him. Just as my 30 min was about up, my buddy called me on the radio and said he was going to walk into the other side of the thicket and see if he could bump something to me.

Another 20 min passed and nothing. I got down and started to track him although I knew he didn't go that far. I kinda enjoy following the blood trail.

To my surprise, it took me a good 5 min to find blood and there was not much blood. Naturally I got nervous wondering how I could have put a poor hit on him from only 60yds or so.

I followed the spotty blood for about 40yds and finally found the kind of blood I was looking for. When I follow blood I am always looking out in front of me too see if I see the deer. I didn't see him but once I passed the place where he seemed to be pouring blood, I didn't find any more.

As I am standing there a bit confused about what I'm seeing, my buddy calls me on the radio to see if I found the buck.

As I am describing what I am seeing (and not seeing) I noticed the buck was about 15ft to my right piled up beside a cluster of saplings.

While I was relieved to find him, I felt silly for not seeing him sooner.

It wasn't until that point that I realized that he was bigger than the basket rack I had assumed.

To quote Roger Raglin, "I had a pretty good day....."

Tundra10

Nice , congrats!

Primitive Weapon

Thank you.

Ridge Runner

spotty blood is typical of a high shoulder hit, congrats on your PB
RR