South Dakota Whitetails

[stownsend]

Just got back from my yearly trip to South Dakota for deer hunting. I finally shot something that I am getting mounted. Its a decent 5x5 whitetail. This guy didn't even let me make it to my spot and walked right past me. Shot him opening morning by about 7:10. Of course I am all set up and practiced up for long shots, Winchester Model 70 in 300 Win Mag. with a Bausch & Lomb 4-16x50 scope...of course this guy walks across me at about 30 yards. I used Winchester 150 grain XP3 bullets this year and they seemed to do their deed. Went through the front shoulder and exited in the neck. He ran about ten yards and fell over dead.
Not to be outdone, my cousin shot a 4x4 with a really nice spread.
We are blessed to have a large amount of family land, but commercial hunting by the neighbors have really brought the numbers of deer down. We were very lucky to see and get both of these guys on the same hunt.

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

two great bucks!! congrats, looks like you two had fun on that trip

 

[Newt]

Congrats! Both are great bucks and you should be proud. Better to see one real close and be prepared than to see one too far off and be unprepared.

 

[stownsend]

I agree, I am a belt and suspenders type of guy and would rather be over prepared than under prepared.
We have been blessed with very successful deer hunts over the past years. It helps that most of the neighbors help to manage the herds by not shooting anything that is less than 4 points on a side and at least as wide as the ears. Everyone wants to shoot a big buck but very few people will let them grow. That's part of the reason I have quit hunting in Michigan, that and not having any private land access. Public land deer hunting makes me nervous around here.