Success Stories: Robert Gets a Mountain Buck

from Robert C in Maine.

After going to Hal Blood's seminar in Rumford, ME with Operation Reboot Outdoors a while back, I told Hal that I thought I might be getting a little too old to start Mountain hunting for big bucks. Putting on 10 miles or better a day was killing me. He kinda chuckled and said something like,” It will definitely test ya.” I said I would put his experience/knowledge to use. Two years later I finally got my first big mountain buck. I don’t know a weight yet as I finally got done dragging out tonight at 8:15.  Tomorrow first light I will be at Mills Market to get a weight. I know it’s heavy and a big bodied deer, so here’s hoping for over 200, but I’m not holding my breath as I’ve been hunting off/on for 47 years and haven’t shot one yet.

However, back to the ramblings of an old man. I hiked the mountain across the ridge and down to a pond. Not seeing anything I changed up my game and went on a walk about between two more mountains. Phew!! That one about did me in. Still not seeing anything I crossed the stream and hiked another mountain. Saw a lot of sign, but no deer. It was getting a bit late in the afternoon, so I returned to a spot where I saw a “sign post” Now it’s getting to be that 5 o’clock prime time and I hit my grunt call two times and put it back in my pocket. Up on the top of ridge edging a clear cut I say 150- 200ish yards away I saw the movement of an antler. Immediately the safety came off and I found the buck in the scope. No shot but all he has to do is keep coming about 4 more feet and it will be all over but the crying…🤪🤣Ya right!!! One shot barked from my ‘ol trusty Browning 7mm mag. Shock and awe hits me as this deer didn’t even act like he had been hit and stood looking around to see where the shot came from. Without hesitation another “well” placed shot and that ol boy kicked, tucked tail and bolted a whole 20 yards spins around walks back 10 of those and kneels down to rest. At this point I’m like there is no way any deer can take two well placed rounds. Then I remembered hearing the local guides here say mountain deer are way tougher than them lowland deer and I’m thinking they be right. Split second later I give him another one. Down and out goes the beast. Later I will learn that two shots ripped the liver to shreds and one took out both lungs. Here I pay homage to the lessons learned, the cold but awesome day in the big woods and one old amazing mountain buck.

UPDATE: The buck weighed 202lbs!!! My first mountain buck, my first patch buck and first time ever tagging a deer on opening day.