3 Species - One Season - One Bow

[IronNoggin]

Bear with me for a moment as this starts off with a hunt in which I carried the rifle as much as the bow. That will change in a post or two...

So, a little better than 2 weeks ago I set off for BC's mainland in hopes of finding a cooperative moose and a deer or two.
Encouraged by good reports of sightings in our area from a few locals (THANKS!) An Island Buddy and I set off on the long run to Area 3-29B where we had drawn bull moose LEH tags. Arrived rather late at night, and so simply camped in the ditch adjacent to the hunting area we had been directed to...

We headed into the hills before daylight, and began to check the area out rather intensely. Not having been there before, we wandered around checking out the various ice and snow covered trails. Shortly into the look, I spotted a moose around 275 yards out, but could not see it's head to ensure antlers. With the Weatherby, that distance is more than do-able for me, so I settled in and hoped the animal would show it's head. It did, as it turned and presented an ass-on shot, running at now over 275 yards through the timber. I simply will not take that kind of shot, and the little two-point (apparently the odd immature bull does exist there) got a reprieve to wander.

Not much after that my Partner spots a small-palmed bull just shy of 100 yards out on a lightly timbered hillside. Off he goes to try his luck, but that canny critter deciphered what was up, and slipped quietly over the hill into VERY dense timber. An effort to trail him showed well that the crunchy snow certainly wasn't going to allow for a stealthy approach, and the second bull we encounter also made a clean getaway...

Hmmm... At it an hour and a half, and already seen two! This is gonna be a cakewalk I recall thinking...

WRONG!! A week literally flies by. Up at 4:30 am, and back to the relocated camp (lakeside) a couple hours after dark every day. Worked it Damn HARD! 1,200 kilometers on the truck, split up to different trucks and had help from a couple of Local Ladz to increase the effort, 200+ kilometers on the boots, and not another single bull seen! Did see several sets of cows and calves, but the bulls had seriously decided to get into Stealth Mode!

A quick shot of the area we were working:



Every day we would encounter in excess of 200 fresh deer tracks laid down over night. And did see quite a few rubs indicating at least a decent population of deer in the area:



But despite working the area heard we saw but 6 deer between us over the week and change. Here's one, a Big Two-Point Muley Buck (4 point only zone) asleep on his feet next to his Lady Of The Moment:




And a Runner doing exactly what almost every other deer we saw in that zone was doing... Running HARD!



I did however have an interesting encounter with a nice 4 point whitetail buck up there though. Sneaked over a ridge above where a bull moose had recently wandered to see if I could spot him. Long Gone obviously, but as I scrutinized the distant bushline, a good 4 point whitetail stepped out and began wandering... RIGHT AT ME! Having taken literally dozens of whitetails in this class over my many years of hunting, I decided to try and get my Partner in on him. Long story short - one little squeak from a boot, and he is off like a racehorse! No shot presented for my Buddy, and although I could have taken him, I decided not to as I had an upcoming whitetail bow hunt with another Buddy just around the corner...

More to come...

[IronNoggin]

There was of course a reason, well... several reasons really, why the game was acting so SPOOKED!

Damn near everywhere we went we encountered wolf tracks, and almost always running deer.
For perspective, that is a 300 Weatherby Mag round laying next to the Big Dawg's track. Good Sized One for sure! And Yes, it was right on two sets of deer tracks:



This experience was to be repeated rather often, if not the wolves, then the cats:




Or the wolves... again:



Over the week and a bit we saw over 250 sets of fresh wolf tracks, and around two dozen sets from the Big Kitties.
On the way back to camp one evening, we ran across a wolf stalking a small herd of mulie does and fawns. I tried to close the distance, but MAN! Are they Ever FAST! That bugger was kicking snow and gravel 15 feet into the air behind him as he made his escape! But rarely take up the gun with them any more, but at that point I was MORE than willing had he presented the opportunity!

Ahhh... But it wasn't only the wild ones playing havoc with the local prey items. Night Runners from the local reserve were out frequently, and judging from the moose carcasses hanging in a few of their back yards, they were obviously enjoying some success with those efforts.

And smack in the center of one prime area a camp of eleven Gentz was based. Most were running quads, and from the tracks they knew the area well and were covering it HARD as well. Pleasant enough fellows to chat with when we encountered them, but I have to kinda wonder if they were packing "only deer tags" why they put a man on several sets of fresh moose tracks they encountered?

Between all of this pressure, the deer and moose in that area had more than sufficient reason to be Very SPOOKED! And I can't say as I blame them one little bit!

After a frustrating week of expending as much effort as I ever have, we decided to pull the pin. It had become obvious that pulling a moose out of the woodwork there at that point in time had about as likely odds as pulling 3 Island Elk Draws in a row!!
So, I bid farewell to my Island Companion, and set off for points South to hook up with my Bow-Totin' Buddy who lives down that way...

More...

[IronNoggin]

I called my new Hunting Partner just as I entered into the zone I had a muley doe LEH tag for (south of Kamloops). He was somewhat insistent that I forgo that tag for an opportunity to take a buck in his area with the bow. So, I reluctantly passed on dozens of too-easy shots in the LEH area, and actually packed my rifle and bow far too deep to get to quickly as to help resist the temptation they presented...

Upon arrival it was easy to see why my Buddy wanted me to hold off. On opening day of the bow buck season, he took a Very Nice muley with his bow, right smack in the area we were intending to hunt! SWEET!
And Congratulations again my Friend!!

So, we set off that very afternoon, and enjoyed many sightings of does and little ones. Over the next three days we hunted, sometimes together, sometimes solo as my Partner also has a business to run. And over those three days, we saw literally dozens upon dozens of does, sometimes single, sometimes with little ones, and sometimes in family groups:







After three days of this, it became apparent that my Buddy had likely taken the area's Last Rutter, as buck sightings were limited to but one - again displaying the Rocket Retreat at 100 yards. I was just starting to question whether I should run back to the doe zone, when he suggested we check another area for bucks...

More...

[IronNoggin]

After arriving and headed in to the heart of that area, I happened to glance up a hill and saw a couple of "odd-looking sticks" centered on the top of the knoll 75 yards out. Is that an EAR below the one stick? TWITCH! aYUP!! Bail and try to get closer as he was a little ways out. Downright amazing how well they can blend in even when you have a damn good idea where they are! By the time I did pick him up, I realized he had me BUSTED! Still laying down, all I could see was a little bit of his chest, and the whole neck and head. Rangefinder said 44 yards, but with an uphill slope of ~ 55 degrees, I calculated that as a near bang-on 30 yard shot. I have practiced a LOT with this bow, and literally shoot a loonie nine times out of ten at the 30 yard distance. Tricky shot, but I was Very Confident of the outcome. Placed the 30 yard marker right where the neck meets the body, and aligned with where I assumed the offside shoulder should be and let the arrow fly. LOUD SMACK! The buck jumped to his feet, and scrambled 30 steps before flying head over heels into the timber. A short wait, and upon approach from the incredible blood trail it was obvious it was over. The broadhead cut both jugulars, the windpipe, and buried into the ball joint of the offside shoulder.

Picture Perfect:



When I first saw him, and even when I shot I thought he was a true 4x4. When I got to him however, I discovered that he was actually a 2x4 (forever now known as the "Board Buck"... LOL!). Massive body on him, we would have approached 300 pounds on the hoof - largest bodied muley I've ever taken with a bow, and his Euro-mount will soon be gracing the wall. A young animal, his teeth showed little signs of wear. Obviously very good genetics in that neck of the woods! And going to be some Great Sausage in short order now...



More...

[IronNoggin]

Tagged out for mulies, we then set our sights on whitetails. Opening morning the next day found us a fair ways south, and sightings began almost immediately. From the signs, the trails had seen some awfully busy times from the last of the rifle hunters the week before, even most of the little known Hidey-holes carried evidence of having been recently "surveyed". Nonplussed by this we carried on, and over the first day saw several dozen whitetails. But once again, all does and bambis.

The next morning we again wandered the same hills, and again the same results. At this point with well over fifty sightings, it had become apparent that the rut was most likely over for the whitetails as well. So, in the early afternoon I spotted and staked a young dry doe to with 25 yards. Broadside shot, great placement, and down the hill she tumbled. 125 YARDS downhill that is! The two men in their mid-50's that saddled up to the task of dragging her UP to the closest trail were huffing and puffing like old draft-horses well before we reached the top! But we managed to persevere and Get 'Er Done!



Interesting occurrence with that last one. After the arrow passed through the doe, it ran smack into a tree about 10 yards or so behind her, imbedding right well:



I REALLY LIKE these Big John Arrows, and certainly wasn't leaving one behind... LOL!



That same afternoon my Partner took a HUGE older dry doe with a great shot, and we were wrapped for the season down there.
Took a day down to recuperate, then saddled up for the wander home...



That was an "adventure" unto itself! On the Connector between Kelowna and Merritt, the snow was somewhat intense. I stopped and piled snow on top of the load to keep it cool, and then dropped down towards Merritt to be greeted by Driving Rains. OUCH! Back up on the Coquihalla, the rain once again turned to snow, so I took advantage of that with another stop to pile snow in as high as the cab of the truck. By the time I got down to Vancouver, ALL of that had been melted off by the once again Driving Rains! Pounding down so hard the wipers on full could not hope to keep up!

A far-too-quick visit with a Buddy and his Lovely Lady in Vancouver, and on-board the boat... Island Bound...

Only to be greeted once again by hurricane force winds and rain!! AAAARRRGGHH!!
Slow running, but made it...

The deer are now hanging, survived that brutal run well. A bit of work to catch up on them over the next few, and some time to ponder next season's FUN...

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

WOOPS! Damn near forget! I did say "Three Species" this season for the bow...

Just a day or two before I wandered over to the mainland had me working an area reasonably close to town for one of three decent bucks in there. Snowing in the upper elevations that day, and super quiet for stalking. Ran across a a large doe feeding. By herself Obviously mature - she either has bambi hidden nearby, or one of those bucks ain't far off...

Ten minutes pass, and she feeds into the timber. I worked close as quietly as I could and peered into the jungle she had departed in there... What's THAT? Big Body, on it's feet GLARING at me from 35 yards! HORNS! Centered the bow, and let it go! Dropped like a rock! Sweet!

Upon wandering close, I realize this one is an older "Retrograde" Blacktail. Roman-nosed, blind in his right eye from an antler injury seasons past, scarred up and a MASSIVE Body! Antlers had obviously regressed and formed into but a semblance of their former self. But I now think I "met" the GrandDaddy of the 4-point and 3-point that grace the same area...

Jubilant with the moment, I turned to realize I had just presented myself with an UPHILL (45 degrees or better) drag of over 275 yards - solo
That took me quite a bit of time to accomplish, as the body was very close to 200 pounds on the drag! Managed to pull it off though. My Buddy in town asked why I didn't call for help. Too Damn Proud was my reply. That's going to earn you a heart-attack one day was his response. Given it took 3 days to recover, methinks I'll be taking him up on that offer next time around!

The Old Retrograde as he lay:



And so that's a wrap on my season. Did manage three species, and did manage them all with the pointy sticks!
Shame about the moose, but we have more than enough grits to see us through the winter with these three.
Going to try for the same next season, and hopefully track down a decent whitetail buck to add to the pile.

And if Lady Luck is on my side, maybe even an Island Elk! (One HAS to DREAM!!)

Cheers,
Nog

[SUAFOYT]

Good stories and pics. Told ya about the wolves, we've been living that nightmare the last 3 years here. Good job on the deer. See you in Ukee in the summer.

[coach]

Awesome stuff, 'Nog! Congrats on a very successful season. Great story and pictures. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[kennyj]

Way to go Nog! I've been looking forward to your post. To bad about the moose, but thats hunting. What a great deer season you had. That BT is a BRUISER!
kenny

[The Dude]

There was of course a reason, well... several reasons really, why the game was acting so SPOOKED!

Damn near everywhere we went we encountered wolf tracks, and almost always running deer.
For perspective, that is a 300 Weatherby Mag round laying next to the Big Dawg's track. Good Sized One for sure! And Yes, it was right on two sets of deer tracks:



This experience was to be repeated rather often, if not the wolves, then the cats:




Or the wolves... again:



Over the week and a bit we saw over 250 sets of fresh wolf tracks, and around two dozen sets from the Big Kitties.
On the way back to camp one evening, we ran across a wolf stalking a small herd of mulie does and fawns. I tried to close the distance, but MAN! Are they Ever FAST! That bugger was kicking snow and gravel 15 feet into the air behind him as he made his escape! But rarely take up the gun with them any more, but at that point I was MORE than willing had he presented the opportunity!

Ahhh... But it wasn't only the wild ones playing havoc with the local prey items. Night Runners from the local reserve were out frequently, and judging from the moose carcasses hanging in a few of their back yards, they were obviously enjoying some success with those efforts.

And smack in the center of one prime area a camp of eleven Gentz was based. Most were running quads, and from the tracks they knew the area well and were covering it HARD as well. Pleasant enough fellows to chat with when we encountered them, but I have to kinda wonder if they were packing "only deer tags" why they put a man on several sets of fresh moose tracks they encountered?

Between all of this pressure, the deer and moose in that area had more than sufficient reason to be Very SPOOKED! And I can't say as I blame them one little bit!

After a frustrating week of expending as much effort as I ever have, we decided to pull the pin. It had become obvious that pulling a moose out of the woodwork there at that point in time had about as likely odds as pulling 3 Island Elk Draws in a row!!
So, I bid farewell to my Island Companion, and set off for points South to hook up with my Bow-Totin' Buddy who lives down that way...

More...

Mind if I use those for the Wolf site, Noggin?

Loving your write-up so far!

(Note- Proof read the first post, you cut-n-pasted too much )