Me and my 10yr old daughter got it done in New Mexico! tagged out on day 4. This was my first archery buck and velvet buck. I had a group of 4 bucks I stalked for 2 days, were the only bucks in the area. A small 3x3, small 4x4, big 4x4 and the wide 3x3 buck I killed, he was a 4x4 but barely. This was my 4th year hunting this unit and had not killed anything yet. But over the years we have had their feeding, bedding travel areas pretty well mapped out. Got to 30 yds on a big 4x4 2 yrs ago but a quick swirling wind busted me quickly.
Day 3 I watched them bed about 1200 yds to my south, them looking north with the wind at their back. this is all flat country, so it took me about 3 hours of circling around to the east and crawling at them perpendicular to the wind with shinnery oaks between me and them. At the 3-hour mark I was at 27yds, the small 3x3 had circled upwind of me and disappeared about 30 minutes before I got settled at 27yds. I sat there about 20 minutes waiting for them to eventually get up when I happen to scan behind me and there is that stupid 3x3 staring at me at 20yds upwind. He had fed along the cross fence apparently and was coming back to bed. He snorted as soon as I saw him, I turned to the bedded bucks and drew, the big 4x4 stood up and stared at me. I had him broadside at 27yds for 15 seconds...but really wanted to get a shot at the wide buck. I initially thought he would be 28" wide and REALLY wanted to hold out for him. Well, the moment the big 4x4 started to trot off the wide buck jumped and took off like a wild banshee. So that was that, went back for a late lunch with my daughter.
Day 4 I watched them cross the same pasture they bedded in the day before and hop the fence into our pasture and bed in the dunes. Again, I circled way down wind and came straight at them from the north, picking my way through the low areas and shinnery. I was going in blind as they had bedded out of sight in the dunes. At 3hrs I was 150 yds from where I last saw them with plenty of tall cover between us. Eventually saw a doe stand up and move and the small 3x3 so I knew exactly where I needed to get. I worked my way to the dune next to them but couldn't see them. They eventually got up from their beds where I could see the tips of their antlers at 30 yds below me in the sand, the wide buck was at exactly 30yds and i looked to me left and the big 4x4 was 16yds to my left. I ducked down, moved to my right to get a shot at the wide buck, I drew and popped over the dune, but he heard me draw and had me pegged the moment I popped my head up. Before I could get my bow over the ridge of the dune he ran off with the other bucks and 2 does in tow.
I really thought that was my last chance, 2 times in 2 days at those distances was insane, based on my past hunts out there. Not gonna happen again. I radioed my daughter what happened and told her I would watch to see what they do but would be headed back to our glassing spot. I forgot to take water on my stalk and was feeling it.
The wide 3x3 did not like to jump fences I had learned watching him. So when they hit the cross fence at 300yds he paced back and forth and eventually bedded next to the only shinnery oak on the fence line. So again, I circled waaay downwind and came up next to the fence. It took me about an hour to get from the dune to 175yds and then I started the painful process of crawling through the sticker burs again. Got to 50yds and setup to draw should they stand. I stood up and moved when the wind gusted all the way to 22yds. The big 4x4 and my buck were again bedded on the other side of the oaks so all I could see were their tips. I stood there for the longest hour and 20mins of my life... when the big 4x4 stood up, again I could have shot him, but at this point it was wide buck or nothing! The 4x4 took off and I drew, the instant the wide buck was all the way on his feet I let it fly, he didn't take a step and died in his bed! Tried to radio my daughter whoopin and hollering but mine had died some time along the way. I gutted him, snapped 2 pics and walked back 900yds to her and the truck. Lots of high 5's and hugs! We took some pics together, got him loaded, packed our stuff and headed to a friend's house to get him on ice.
I was in absolute awe of the whole day. The stalk took 6.5hrs…blown opportunities…Adrenaline...Relief…Redemption… Holy crap was I thirsty.
Put the tape on him and he was a hair over 32" wide. After the blown opportunity at 27yds I knew he was atleast 30 but never would have guessed he was 32.
Huge shout out to my 10yr old...she spent 2 days straight sitting behind a spotting scope by herself watching me stalk. It was an incredible first archery buck and a memory that I was blessed to share with her. Next up, October in Montana for my first pronghorn hunt with my 12 yr old....
