Central ND - 10 Point

by Rocky Thomas
(McLean County, ND)

Having not seen but 1 or 2 decent bucks all summer, and having spent 3 - 4 weeks prior to hunting season looking for a trophy to pursue, to no avail... I walked up on this old boy 3 hours into the 2010 season.

We'd crossed a pasture, tip-toeing around a few sloughs, and spotted an old gravel pit, sporting a few cottonwoods growing out of it. In the adjacent Waterfowl Production Area. As I walked up to the fenceline I spotted a single antler sticking out of the grass and brush at the bottom of the pit, 25 yards downhill.

Pulled my gun up and couldn't see anything else, put it down and eased forward about 15 feet motioning for my hunting partners to hold up in the process. Pulled up again and still couldn't see anything but the left antler. Wasn't sure if it was a live deer, a carcass, or a single antler sticking up! But I was sure I didn't want a running away shot!!

I put the crosshairs on the base of the antler, moved down and back where his neck should attach to his head, and gently squeezed the trigger. Up to that point, there had been not even the slightest hint of movement, but when I touched the round off, the horn disappeared. I quickly cranked another round in the chamber of my Ruger 77 Featherweight, while looking for some sign of movement in the grass and brush below me.

Seeing nothing moving I eased over the fence, and down the hill, discovering this handsome 10 point laying dead in his bed. The 110 Nosler round from my 257 Roberts having broken his neck at the second vertebrae.

Green scored he grossed 155, netted 149 7/8. Didn't weigh him, but we guessed he would have gone 300 lbs plus on the hoof... In comparison, last photo, I'm 5'11" and tip the scales at about 280.