Guest blog from our longtime friend Vinnie C. from Florida, who has blogged with me from day 1 since I launched Big Deer 8 years ago. Thanks for your support and this great hunting post man:
Left Florida with 95-degree weather and traveled to NW Idaho where temps were in the 20s and 30s. Time to hunt giant whitetails!
I was hunting with very good friends: Lou, who owns the property I’ve hunted for at least 5 years now; Vince, who invited me along years ago; and DJ, the newest member of the group.
Opening day, October 10, was cold and rainy early, about 38 degrees. At sunup I sneaked down a hillside to my favorite rock, a vantage I have been hunting for years. It cleared at first light, and as I glassed the surrounding area a few deer materialized from nowhere. Saw some young bucks and a couple does with yearlings. Herd looked to be in fantastic shape and the animals didn’t seem to be under any pressure whatsoever.
About 8:00 I noticed movement on the plateau below me at about 600 yards. When I put the glasses on the buck I could see pretty good head gear even at that range. I was trying to get into position for a possible shot when he decided to head down the face of the plateau into a fairly deep ravine. I thought about making a play on him but decided to sit tight, being as it was only the first day of a seven day hunt.
About 20 minutes later I heard a shot from Vince, who by the way is also the one who turned me on to longer range shooting. He was hunting way off to my left, and whacked a beautiful 10 point at almost 400 yards. I waited a little at my spot, then went to help my friend drag his deer down the mountain.
The next day was a bit colder, and I got to the rock early. It was a morning you can only dream of, with spectacular mountains in the background and a river running through the breathtaking hillsides. With the country crisp and alive, deer started moving early, looking for a nice place to lie up on the sunny sides of the hills.
Around 8:30 I saw a shape appear on the plateau. Put the glasses on him and knew right away he was a shooter. The buck was about 525 yards down the mountainside. I nestled my Browning A-bolt in 300 Win. Mag. firmly in the crease of my backpack and coat, and ranged and dialed him at 500 yards. I had a solid rest and was ready to send a 180-grain Nosler down the hill. I exhaled and squeezed off the shot.
The deer never flinched! He just moved along his route, across to my right. I was shaking a bit now and chambered another round. I ranged him again and he was 445. I figured I had shot over him, so I adjusted the distance, squeezed off another shot and hit him hard behind the shoulder. He reared up his hind legs and I knew I had smoked him good.
I got a rush and goose bumps. There is no feeling more exciting than knowing you just shot a nice buck! He was biggest bodied deer I have ever killed. Incredible hunt and incredible buck, and a day I will never forget.
On the third day, it was 28 degrees, and deer were on the move, butting heads and thrashing the bushes. I saw a couple more shooters that morning, and then I heard a shot the distance. DJ had shot a nice 10-pointer and the hunt was complete. I spent time with some of the finest people on the planet in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Cannot wait for next year!—Vinnie C. from Florida
Nice job Bigkahuna! That looks like a great time and nice shooting too! The scenery there is beautiful and can imagin how much fun it is hunting. Congrats