Maybe the first one isn't as wide as I originally thought. We all seem to agree that the 2008 buck is 30 inches plus on the outside. Which is what I was thinking when I pulled the trigger too. But there was some ground shrinkage.
For alot of years, I'd passed on "decent" mature deer, hoping for a chance at something in the 30" or better class. My requirements were 30" wide, and at least 4 main points on each side.
When I first saw this buck, he was running full out....fast as he could go. The closest he got to me was about 300 yds. I could see his left side from above (I was up on a butte). I thought he was probably the one I'd been waiting so long for, so I tried my luck at about 350. Lead was over 2 body lengths easily, and swinging with him. The shot felt really good, and looked good too (I saw dust just opposite his shoulders on the off side). I chambered another, and in the scope I could see him carrying his left front leg. He had also slowed and was now quartering away more, so I reduced my lead and shot behind him...Darn! Now he was over the hill and out of sight!
7MM Sendaro and I made our way to the other side of the ridge and found the blood trail. He continued to follow it while I went back and got his dad. His dad and I then circled way ahead (in the direction the buck was last going) in an effort to "head him off". Ended up meeting up with 7MM Sendaro and he was still on the trail. The trail was headed toward another ravine. We split up, I took the left side.
The buck had decided to bed down at the head of the ravine in a 3' deep hole/pocket. I walked to within 3 yds of him before he could be seen. When I did spot him, I was almost directly above him............he bolted again! Now I could see his drop tine and was Really Excited! All I could see was his head/neck and backline above the sagebrush. He wasn't moving very fast now, and was only about 50 yds away..........I held on his withers, fired and down he went.
After examination we determined that the first shot had broken the shoulder/leg joint and did some damage to the brisket, just needed to be a couple inches higher to be up in the vitals. There's obviously more to the story than room allows, but that is the ammended version.
Had him scored officially after the two month drying time:
186 3/8 SCI Non Typical Official Score
28" wide (tip to tip of T3's).
23" main beams.
20 1/2" wide inside main beams.
14" of non-typical tines.
Gross typical score (leaving out the trash) would have been about 172.