The Last Buck on my Lease

I have leased 600 acres for 9 years and intensively managed it for deer. I have killed 5 150-160" deer on the farm over the years. The owner sold it and it closes the first week of January. It will be changed into a landscape with 1000 homes unfortunately.

My kids, 11 and 6 killed their first deer, turkey and squirrels here. They also caught their first bass, rode their first four wheelers and jumped on all kinds of mud puddles here.

I have had the pleasure and misery of hunting a big 8 for two years. Last year we found the matching sheds 6 feet apart.

It all came full circle on Nov 26. I was hunting with my McWhorter 300 PRC on a RRS tripod when The big 8 ran out at 455 yards chasing a doe. They were crossing a 300 yard wide field in a slow lope. I never get buck fever but for some reason I did on this one and somehow pulled the first shot which put him in high gear! The second shot I increased my lead and pressed the trigger. Feeling good about the shot I waited 30 minutes and then went to see him. Time did not disappoint. I have not scored him bet but he is over 160". His matching sheds with a 17" spread put him at 152 last year.

I tried to post pics but I couldn't get them to load.

img_2687-png.620216
Bittersweet. Congrats. A big clean 8 is my dream deer.
 
I have leased 600 acres for 9 years and intensively managed it for deer. I have killed 5 150-160" deer on the farm over the years. The owner sold it and it closes the first week of January. It will be changed into a landscape with 1000 homes unfortunately.

My kids, 11 and 6 killed their first deer, turkey and squirrels here. They also caught their first bass, rode their first four wheelers and jumped on all kinds of mud puddles here.

I have had the pleasure and misery of hunting a big 8 for two years. Last year we found the matching sheds 6 feet apart.

It all came full circle on Nov 26. I was hunting with my McWhorter 300 PRC on a RRS tripod when The big 8 ran out at 455 yards chasing a doe. They were crossing a 300 yard wide field in a slow lope. I never get buck fever but for some reason I did on this one and somehow pulled the first shot which put him in high gear! The second shot I increased my lead and pressed the trigger. Feeling good about the shot I waited 30 minutes and then went to see him. Time did not disappoint. I have not scored him bet but he is over 160". His matching sheds with a 17" spread put him at 152 last year.

I tried to post pics but I couldn't get them to load.

img_2687-png.620216
I don't hunt, but liked to hike and shoot in the sagebrush hills. My last place was the north side east end of Rattlesnake Mountain in south-central Washington. 4o0 years ago, I came down off the ridge above the road to be met by gunfire from the road. I found a big rock, pulled one off into a nearby dirt bank, to announce my presence. The two guys fled. Not too long after, the area that had been between us was turned into a shooting range. Ironic. I joined, but ever after missed my hiking/shooting area, as it was now behind the range and unsafe to hike anymore, in my estimation. Some guys will misss the broad side of a hill.
 
Big 8's are like kryptonite. Sucks you're losing your lease. We've got 1100 acres that we hunt that is for sale also. No buyers yet thank goodness.
 
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