Yeah, been watching him for a while, was actually hoping that Coues84 would have got him when he was up here archery hunting. I left the house at 0545 and was on a rocky outcropping looking down into a dry wash and an oak cluttered hillside by 0600. Picked up a small spike and fork coming up the wash and heading into the oaks, thought that I would take the fork as all I wanted was something for the freezer. I could never line up on either one of them as they were in and out of shrubs and oaks constantly. The fork finally decided he found his spot to spend the morning and laid up under a manzanita. I lost track of the spike and never did see him again. I was wonder where the 4x4 was as I had been seeing him on a regular basis in this general area and had not seen these two guys before, go figure. I got the spotting scope out and was trying to pick out a good shooting lane when I noticed some movement off to the side of the fork, figured it was the spike and didn't give it a whole hellva lot of thought. The fork jumped up and started moving up the hill, thought I had better put him down before he is hidden in the bushes, gave one quick look to the left of the manzanita and there HE was and that is were he died. About 300 yards, one shot, Ruger #1, 25.06, 117grain Nosler Partition, 39gr IMR 4320 at about 2800fps on my crony.
Don't know where you guys hunted today but it was hot as heck down here. I was soaking wet when I got home. As luck would have it my son and his buddy were visiting when I got home. They hung him, skinned him, butchered him and wrapped him. All except the backstrap which they said was going on the grill, so in about an hour or so we are going to have some fresh venison, some baked tatters and a good bottle of wine, or maybe two.
Don't think I'll have him mounted, didn't score him but will probably only go in the high 70's, maybe low 80's. He does have a nice spread and is fairly high, picture doesn't do him justice.