Thanks everyone, for the congratulations and kind remarks! I've been away for a bit for work, and caught some sort of germ there, but I'm a bit better now.
I regret that none of the rest of my party were successful on this hunt, but we still all had a good time. There were additional hunters in the general area where I found this herd, the next day. I expect they heard the shots and came searching.
Yes, that's right, I said shots. I regret to report that my first shot missed cleanly. More on that in a moment.
Their 'point man,' a doe, 'spotlighted' me shortly after I sighted them. I figured they'd raise their flags and put it in high gear since the breeze was moving directly at her/them. However, it did not. I actually got closer to them as she was watching in my direction. Her spotlightling did give the bucks and other does some concern, however, so they started moving more quickly. Shortly, they appeared to me to be about to bolt (all tails now raised, and increasing speed), and I saw this beautiful buck much closer to me and a bit to my left.
I took a too-quick off-hand shot as I turned, and missed cleanly. However, the shot seemed to confuse him a bit, because he lowered his 'flag' (tail) and returned to a walk as he passed behind a large tree. As he emerged from behind it, he turned so that he was facing directly away from me. Not a great shot, but I'd regained my wits, knelt down, and had my rifle ready.
Just as the shot broke (I absolutely LOVE the 2-stage trigger on that Ruger), he began to turn his head, and I was concerned I'd miss him again! However, the Creedmoor pushes even 140-grain bullets fast enough that he didn't get much rotation accomplished in the 50 or so yards between us, and he was taken cleanly and humanely by the high neck/spine shot.
I wish I had not been hasty with my first shot. That was a mistake which could have cost me a deer. I feel extremely fortunate to not only have seen such beautiful deer as these, but to be afforded a second shot on this buck.
The taxidermist was measuring this buck when I left for my work trip. I'm not normally a trophy type of person, to be honest, and know nothing of scoring or anything like that. However, the butcher rightly pointed out the great and unusual nature of this buck, so I'm having a european mount made for the skull and antlers.
Thanks again for the kind remarks, everyone!
