Some Big Whities For Ya...

[Ourea]

Cam was busy capturing over 1000 videos in 72 hrs

[Ourea]

Have a few decent bucks around but still no shooters.
Hoping this fresh dump of snow will bring down a few hammers.

[Ourea]

The 21st and 22nd was insane with daytime activity. Multiple bucks wandering around throughout the day.
I suspect that many WT will go down this weekend.
Get out there folks as it is going off!!

[Ourea]

This lovely young buck entering his prime has been very "killable" lately.

[HarryToolips]

^^^hes a beauty for sure..

[one-shot-wonder]

I thought i would hijack Ourea's thread to provide this update...... The whitetail rut Dave has been informing on over the last few days is 100% bang on!

Where to start....hmmmmm.... Back in 2016 I had a young basket 5pt become known to me and the small crew that hunt my stand. While nothing to get too excited about, nor is he extra ordinary by any means, but the thing I recall about this handsome little 5x5 was that he always narrowly evaded me and Calvin (fellow HBCer, wicked mechanic and good friend). This buck went nocturnal from Aug to Nov and right about Nov 10 he would start day time cruising as evidenced by our cams. It didn't matter as neither Calvin or I seemed to have any luck running into him while sitting. I learned of Calvin getting his buck that year in typical fashion, via text message while seated in a boardroom green with envy!
Ok I will speed things up a bit....jump ahead to 2017, the 5x5 is part of the WT contingent frequenting the area once again. Here he is last year with more mid November daytime showings...won't let this doe out of his sight. Sneaks in a quick nap while she feeds.



With a desk chair strapped to my ass for most of November and the camera revealing the day time action has heated, I was starting to feel the pressure of the season winding down and so Nov. 28, 2017 the plan was Calvin, accompanied by his girlfriend was to sit from dark to dark until he gets his buck. Mid morning I get the news he has taken his buck (a young tasty buck) out of our blind. That's it I said to myself, I tidy up some paperwork and reschedule a few meetings I am going to get into the blind for the rest of the day... Note the time stamp.





I arrive just after 11am the 5x5 came through the stand between us as I narrowly miss him once again!

Jump ahead to this fall....

[Ourea]

Great contribution.
Wt r truly intriguing animals to hunt.

One Shot....what wine r u going to pair those back straps with.!?

[one-shot-wonder]

Our familiar 5x5 has now become a handsome, more mature 6x5 with a split brow tine...




Shortly after this video was captured though, like clock work he went nocturnal for the following 3 months.... as sure as eggs, 2 constants occur...work/family commitments are overwhelming, and yep you guessed it.....Calvin has tagged his whitetail! Before I know it I am sitting in downtown Vancouver in meetings all this past week and it dawns on me that there is only 1 more whitetail weekend in the rifle season for 2018. Sitting in YVR on friday evening I decide to check in on Ourea's thread for on the minute, fast breaking news when it comes to anything and everything whitetail reporting. Over the years I have found amazing consistency and similarity in the whitetail habitats and rut activity as to what Ourea experiences in his area. Receiving the news you have all read above that this week the action has become insane, I plan the weekend itinerary with my wife. I am in for my first sit of the year Saturday morning. With commitments that afternoon and the following afternoon, I can only sit for a few hours each morning....pressure is on!

This morning I was up well before light thanks to the 2month yr old alarm clock. I quickly geared up and was out the door to my treestand. I was greeted by a fresh inch of snow and no tracks in front of me.... Getting into the stand just around shooting light, I layer up and hunker down for what could be a 3-4 hour sit. Calm winds with the thermocline flowing right down my shooting lane has been a little concerned. With the break of day and clear skies, I am optimistic the sun warming the valley will shift the thermocline in a better direction. A few check-in text messages are swapped with fellow hunters and before I know it its been 45 mins and things should have settled down. Before I grab my rattle antlers, I make a few gentle grunts, this is my ritual before I emulate two battling bucks. I usually do this 5-10 mins in advance of any rattling. I am just about to go into rattle mode when off to my left I heard crunch crunch and the distinct gait of a cruising buck. I pick up movement and immediately recognize the buck coming in aggressively to investigate. I ready my rifle and look for an opening in the dense mix of alder and conifers, the buck stops.....oh no, is it picking up my now that it has moved into the downstream path of the thermocline?? My heart skips a beat.... before I can process my next thought, the buck dips his head low once again and continues on, but only for a few more paces and stops again momentarily. At this moment I put the crosshairs behind the slightly quartered away shoulder and Christen my Browning A-Bolt in .284 Win with its first animal since I picked it up this past summer.



The 140 gr Accubond caused the buck to mule kick and spin like I've never seen before. Based on that I knew a lethal shot was made.... I watch intensely for only seconds as the buck scampered off, stumbled and ended skidding up to the base of a Douglas Fir.

Wow! what a rush! It happen so quick, from tranquility to chaos in a matter of seconds.....I reflected as I just sat motionless, a flood of accomplishment over came me, but I am not sure why. I have killed enough game in my life over my 18 years of hunting (including one of those pesky, but tasty urban mule doe a month earlier). I have killed bigger bucks too, this was a different feeling though...not sure if it was the endless camera checks, many of which were after hours at night when I was free after a long day, or all the scouting to find just the right setup areas for my friends and family to be able to target the elusive whitetail....I'm not sure but I was extremely gratified with this hunt.

Now onto the horn porn, sorry to make those wait that just like picture stories and aren't big on the prose......



He was a 6x5 up until first week of November when he decide to do some head banging and ear splitting with some of his room mates.



As I wrap this up, I just want to say thanks to Dave for his unrelenting pursuit of Big Whities and nurturing this thread....he has inspired me to not only respect WT deer more but also pursue and prize them. I appreciate your motivation, as it keeps me accountable and helps climb the mountain sometimes when there are other things I could or should be doing. To you sir I tip my hat...

[one-shot-wonder]

Great contribution.
Wt r truly intriguing animals to hunt.

One Shot....what wine r u going to pair those back straps with.!?

So many choices. I will surely post an update when the loins hit the menu after a couple days of chilling and aging in the garage.

[Ourea]

Great posts One Shot and thx for the kind words.
Nice to know that the intel helps and/or motivates others.

Hope some will share a WT hunt or two on this thread.
People LOVE to read about hunting experiences.