Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 2023 OK rifle

As I alluded to in the thread on my annual CO hunting trip I had to hustle to make it home for the rifle opener.

I had promised my 8 year old son that I’d be there for opening morning so he could try to fill his buck tag. So I rolled in at 1:30AM and set an alarm for 5:30 to have time to get him up and get ready to be to the ranch by shooting light.

I will say I was a little groggy but I perked up when I saw that he’d laid all his clothes and gear out before bed. It’s been a while but I remember how excited I was for opening day at his age, Christmas didn’t compare. We got dressed and hit the drive thru for a cup of coffee, a hot chocolate, and a sleeve of chocolate Donettes to get us primed. Pulled in the gate and decided to park and walk the mile or so to one of our favorite spots that is known to produce good bucks when they’re running the does. We made it almost 100 yards from the truck when I looked over towards the edge of the creek and saw antlers headed our way.

I told the boy to get down there was a buck coming as I got the shooting sticks off my daypack and set them up. I handed him his rifle, no sling on the old 760 so I was toting it for him, and got him on the sticks before I pointed toward where the buck was coming from. When he came up the rise and into view I asked if he wanted to shoot him and immediately got the affirmative. Dad and my rules are that us grown people will pass smaller bucks but kids get free run.

I told him to take his time, wait for him to stop, and don’t forget to squeeze. At 50 yards or so the buck stopped broadside when I gave a soft whistle and I knew it wouldn’t be long. POW! Roared the old 300Savage and the buck gave a big jump before stumbling off a little ways with a 150 Hornady through the shoulder and heart. 9 minutes into the opener and my sidekick was officially a buck slayer!

We said a little prayer thanking the Big Man upstairs for the moment. Took a pile of pictures. And then he used his new Case Barlow pocketknife he got for his birthday in October to dress his first buck.


After we got his buck hung in the lean to, unloaded our CO camp, and had a nap. I grabbed the Mrs and got her geared up and we headed back to the hills. We walked up and sat where the boy and I had planned to and sat and watched the show. I think we saw 6 nice bucks, one real good 9 pointer, and a handful of forkies, all shoving the girls around looking for love. We didn’t get a chance to make a play on the big 9 and our neighbor and good friend ended up rattling him up and making a great shot on him with his bow.

She and I along with my dad hunted pretty much every available moment the next few days. Seeing a few good ones but with no opportunities at anything better than mediocre. She was getting ancy and wanting to settle like she has in years past but I kept reminding her that you’ll never kill a big one if you shoot a smaller on first. This would turn out to come very true.

We got up what would be my last day to hunt for a while as I had to go back to work the next day and the wind was howling. I prodded her to go but she said it was too windy and the bed was nice and warm. So I cinched my boots and put on an extra layer before I headed out alone. Sure as shooting as I peeked over the last saddle before I got to my spot for the morning there was a long tined buck chousting a couple does. His neck was swelled and he was doing the dance 75 yards from me with no idea I was there. A quick look through the glasses told me he’d do and I got my old Featherweight into action. A single 165 Gameking through the high shoulders put him down to stay. Two shots with the old M70 for two bucks in 2023.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more symmetrical buck, certainly never shot one. He was rolling in fat like no buck I’ve ever seen from out there as well.

Concentrating on getting the wife a buck now we were back after them when I was done with my 4 night hitch. We didn’t get to hunt as much due to juggling her monthly Dr appointment and her work schedule but we still had time for some quick runs in the evenings. We saw and passed a few more decent average 8 and 10 point bucks with her getting frustrated and my constantly reminding her that we have meat in the freezer so we aren’t going to starve and to be patient because the next one can always be a big one that makes his last mistake.

Last night she got off at 4:00 and it was nasty Seattle weather out with banks of fog and drizzle rolling through by the minute. We were short on time with the cloud cover meaning less shooting time but I told her to get her raincoat because I had a feeling. The past 3 years the last weekend of season there’s been an ancient old buck that has showed up on a certain cedar covered ridge and tonight might be the night for him to be holed up under a cedar out of the weather. He’d done exactly that last year on the last day and our son had missed him clean when he finally stood up.

As we scrambled to make it up the ridge the drizzle began to turn to full on rain and it started to thunder and crackle. Almost as soon as we sat down I spotted three does 125 yards from us standing in a gnarly thicket. They were looking our way but we had the wind and they didn’t seem alarmed. Just as I told her to keep a sharp eye around the girls I saw a big dark deer coming down towards them about 200 yards further back. A quick glance through the rain as my binos were fogging told me he was definitely a shooter and he was heading our way. Rifle on the sticks I finally guided her onto him just as he pushed the does out of sight and quickly followed. 20 minutes of light left we gotta boogie.

We scurried down the top of the ridge to intercept them, staying in the cedars and thankful for the wind. As we peeked over the lip there was a doe, then another, no buck. We sat waiting as time ran out thinking he may have slipped down the draw and out of our life forever. Just then, there! He’s under the piss elm broadside, 200 yards get on the sticks! She lined up as he stood the oblivious to us. BAM! Clean miss, reload and get back on him he may stop. He stopped broadside again but she couldn’t find him in the glass. He sauntered over the hill not really alarmed, maybe to him it was just another thunderclap.

Okay we got to hustle. Down the draw and up the other side, careful on the slick rocks and be sure to close your scope caps. We nearly ran the 300 yards across the draw hoping we hadn’t lost our only chance. As we neared the top I softly reminded her to slow down and catch her breath, there would be no third chance if we even got a second. As we crept to the top he was making his way up the opposite side of the canyon. Again, on the sticks, 200 yards, deep breaths and don’t forget to squeeze. BOOM! My 270 Weatherby she’s decided she likes barked again sending a 130 ETip screaming on its way.

At the shot he began to trot off and I could almost feel the wind coming out of her sails. I had to smile as I told her he was looking pretty sick right before he crashed down in the rocks. I let her know then that not only had she finally shot a big one, it was the one I knew would be there because he has the last three years now.

He likely wouldn’t score well, not that we care, but what an old warrior. Teeth down on the gum and giant mass all the way out. Really a great old buck.



So once again thanks for following along. We are truly blessed to get to enjoy chasing bucks every year in a magical place.