# Started hunting last year at 31, dropped my first buck this morning



## Fbreezy

Cooper's Creek WMA


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## oops1

Never too late to start..and your first one a buck on public land? You've done well! Congrats


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## deadend

That my friend, is a true trophy. Good work. Put him on the wall so you can reminisce. Start planning to get one next year. However, you forgot the most important thing. Where is the story?


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## Fbreezy

deadend said:


> That my friend, is a true trophy. Good work. Put him on the wall so you can reminisce. Start planning to get one next year. However, you forgot the most important thing. Where is the story?



He's definitely headed for the wall!

The story was pretty straight-forward. Hike about a mile up the south side of the top of Rocky Mountain on the south side of the WMA. Sat just off an old logging road facing downhill, freezing my rear end off when just after 9 I saw something moving about 200 yards down coming straight toward me. I glassed it and saw that it was definitely a deer, waited until he stepped out from behind a tree and knew I was on a buck.

He made his way up the hill slowly, which was good because it gave me some time to collect myself. He tucked behind a tree about 75 yards from me and I lost him briefly until he came out from behind a closer tree 50 yards away just to my right. He was broadside when he stepped out and I squeezed one round from my Savage  .30-06. He took off in the direction he had been facing over a ridge toward a buddy of mine.

The joke is, my buddy came over to help me look for blood after I got collected. He comes down the hill and asks me where I shot it, etc. I'm looking around like some sort of special forces trail finder when he says "we can keep looking if you want just to make sure we would have been able to track it, but I already know where it's at- I passed him on my way over here".

I've never been so happy.


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## deadend

Did you drag or pack him out?


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## Fbreezy

deadend said:


> Did you drag or pack him out?



Field dressed and dragged him out, that took a little while.


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## antharper

Heck yeah , congrats on a beautiful public land buck !


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## deadend

Fbreezy said:


> Field dressed and dragged him out, that took a little while.



I realized after I typed that the whole deer in your picture answered my question.


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## Fbreezy

deadend said:


> I realized after I typed that the whole deer in your picture answered my question.



Haha, I didn't even think about that.


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## wvdawg

Congratulations on a nice first buck!  Awesome job.


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## 1eyefishing

Public buck AND mountain buck!
Saa-lute!


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## jbogg

I didn't start hunting until I was around 27.  That is a fine buck, especially for your first one.  Way to get it done in the mountains during a tough year for hunting.


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## cr00241

Congrats!


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## Killer Kyle

That's a heck of a buck, and a heck of a place to kill your first. Great work man!!!


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## Broken Tine

Awesome. Just awesome. Public land. Great hunt. Great buck. First buck. Hunting with your buddy. That combination will be hard to top! Congratulations.


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## OptimumShine

Congrats, that is a beautiful buck!

I started hunting at 31 as well (last year) but have yet to take out my first, looking forward to the feeling.


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## Northwestretriever

Congrats to you sir!!!  Nice public land buck!!!


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## bany

judging from that smile that's only your first buck. congrats. 
great mountain deer are hard to beat!


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## Milkman

Congrats


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## whitetailfreak

Congrats on a dandy buck.


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## josh chatham

Just saw this thread.  The pic is gone I think.  Wanna repost it?


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## blood on the ground

Dandy first buck! Congratulations brother!


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## bowhunterdavid

Congrats.


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## Michael F Sights

Congrats!


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## Uptonongood

Congratulations!  I was 31 when I shot my first deer and yours is MUCH bigger! And now you're really hooked.


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## kmckinnie

WTG for sure. Thanks for sharing.


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