(Photo and text received by eMail and printed as is)

The last weekend of October 2001, I took my wife deer hunting down in unit 34 outside the town of Nogales Az. We stayed at the Patagonia Lake camp ground which provided a comfortable surrounding for the weekend hunt.
2nd day of the hunt, we hiked about 4 miles from camp in the dark and sat on top of a large knob hill. As the sun crept over the horizon, I pulled out my 16x60s and began glassing the hills directly across the canyon. In my first look, I spotted a 3x2 buck feeding on the top of this mountain. As I watched this deer feed around in the morning light, just then, 6 shots cut the air a few miles behind us which spooked all the deer in this valley. As the wife watched many Doe's dashed up and down the caynon sides in fear of the recent loud noise. I kept my eye on that one buck and to my surprise, he laid down in a clump of tall dry grass. All I could see was his antler tips sticking out of the light brown grass patch. I told Brenda to "pack up, it was show time! This was her deer!"
I ranged this bedded buck at 700 yards from where we sat. We had our work cut out for us...

Three hours later and 400 yards gained, we sat under a mesquite tree to gather our thoughts and to see if he was still there. His antler tips were still poking out of the grass. Range was now 283 yards (up-hill). I decided to get her closer to about 200 yards for a comfortable range shot. I really didn't know how I was going to get him to stand up but that wouldn't have to happen until we close-in another 80 yards or so. We stood up and put on our backpacks when I glanced forward, I seen the buck stand up. I whispered, "honey this is it, he is up and you have to make the shot". Brenda instinctively dropped down behind a rock at the same time I through my pack on top of the rock. She got in position, I sat up the bino's and told her to relax and take the shot when ready. 280 yards was a long way!
I could see that Brenda was shaking. I was nervous too! The buck began walking slowly up to the top of the hill. He stopped momentarily and she squeezed the trigger. BOOM! I seen a dust blast right behind the buck's tail. She missed!
I whispered for her to jack in another shell.

The buck just looked around wondering what that noise was. Brenda took a deep breath and just as she was going to squeeze another, the buck began walking again. It was heading over the top of the mountain! I told her that "this was it, she had to do this now! This was your deer!"

The buck stopped behind a palo verde for a few seconds and my heart began pounding. I knew Brenda wanted this badly so I said to her, "take your time honey, this one is yours". The buck took two steps forward between two palo verde trees and without me prompting her, BOOM! another shot rang out. This buck jumped into the air 3 feet and did a 180 summersault. It crashed to the ground on it's back and never got up. She bagged her first coues white-tail at 280 yards with a little bitty .223 (55gr bullet). Perfect shoulder/heart shot!
The look on her face after I told her it was down was priceless! I have never seen her shake so badly. Needless to say - "I have created a monster" she wants to know when she can go again!

This was truly a Classic Spot and Stalk...

(I have learned one important thing that weekend,  not to make my wife mad!- *snicker*)

Lance

Chandler Az