Ava's Buck - 01/19/24
My youngest daughter Ava took this beautiful buck last weekend. Several years ago, Santa brought her a Tikka T3X in 6.5 Creedmoor fitted with a classic Leupold VXII 3-9X40. On this hunt she was using factory Hornady precision hunter 143gr. ELD-X ammunition. The deer was shot at about 80 yds. on impact the buck turned in the opposite direction running in a circle traveling about 15 yards from where it first stood, the buck stumbled and fell and was DRT. There was a very small entry wound, the bullet did exit but there was not much blood flowing out of the exit hole. We're all glad it didn't go into the brush! It's not often that we get the opportunity to hunt one of the big ones on this property but on this day, we were given permission to take a good deer if the opportunity presented itself.
My wife and I sent Ava hunting with the ranch manager, we wanted no mistakes... We sent my middle girl Emma with her boyfriend and Ava's boyfriend all together to a separate hunting area and my wife and I went to another blind all looking for a really good buck that we could possibly put Ava on. At the boyfriend's area a bunch of turkeys showed up, and the boys harvested two good turkeys but, meanwhile, they ruined any chance that a nice buck would show up.
Ava's spot was not producing much as she sat with the ranch manager (Clay). My wife and I saw this beautiful buck where we were hunting and quickly informed the Clay that we had a good one at our location. Clay quickly recognized that this elusive buck was one that he has seen in past and knows him by the name, "Godzilla". After a bit of contemplation, Clay and Ava decided to head our way and then sneak in on foot to see if they could get a chance at Godzilla. As they quietly approached on foot the deer spooked and ran into the brush. The two replaced us in the blind hoping that the buck may show himself again. Against all odds and 30 minutes later, Godzilla appears and the video shows what happens next.
Check out this quick video of the culmination of the hunt. I'm a goof ball and have fun when filming anything or really doing anything, don't mind me. lol!
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/3Nee6JW.jpg)
My wife and I sent Ava hunting with the ranch manager, we wanted no mistakes... We sent my middle girl Emma with her boyfriend and Ava's boyfriend all together to a separate hunting area and my wife and I went to another blind all looking for a really good buck that we could possibly put Ava on. At the boyfriend's area a bunch of turkeys showed up, and the boys harvested two good turkeys but, meanwhile, they ruined any chance that a nice buck would show up.
Ava's spot was not producing much as she sat with the ranch manager (Clay). My wife and I saw this beautiful buck where we were hunting and quickly informed the Clay that we had a good one at our location. Clay quickly recognized that this elusive buck was one that he has seen in past and knows him by the name, "Godzilla". After a bit of contemplation, Clay and Ava decided to head our way and then sneak in on foot to see if they could get a chance at Godzilla. As they quietly approached on foot the deer spooked and ran into the brush. The two replaced us in the blind hoping that the buck may show himself again. Against all odds and 30 minutes later, Godzilla appears and the video shows what happens next.
Check out this quick video of the culmination of the hunt. I'm a goof ball and have fun when filming anything or really doing anything, don't mind me. lol!
