fozzy
11-02-2013, 09:08 AM
My 2013 season so far....
I left home October 6th and headed for region 8. The first week of this years trip I was accompanied by a friend and co-worker. He wasn't going to be fussy he said and just wanted to fill the freezer. We saw a fair number of bucks, as usual lots of spikes and forks and of course Doe's and fawns. I noticed many of the Doe's had twins and a few with three little ones. Friday the 11th morning rolls around and he picked one out for the freezer and headed for home Sunday morning.
I was looking forward to Sunday afternoon as my Wife was arriving to join me for a week. She had also announced that she wasn't going to be fussy. In fact she said that she wanted to shoot a buck on the first day so she could relax for the remainder of her time away from home. Sure enough, the first buck that came out of the timber and she put him in the freezer.
Ok, now it's my turn...
I met up with a good friend for a half day hunt on the Sunday. His wife wanted to sleep in :-) After they arrived he and his wife went one way and I went the other.
I found a spot in the shade to sit and watch an area. It didn't take long to spot a fork buck pushing a group of Doe's. I watched as they slowly made their way towards me. The little buck gave up and decided to get back towards the edge of the timber and went out of sight. A while later a 3point and the fork appeared on top of the rocky ridge as they headed back into the timber.
After a while I went over to investigate the area closer and spotted two more forks and a reasonable 4 point just as they headed back to bed.
Over six days I got glimpses of the larger buck 5 times and saw many smaller bucks that were hanging around as well. Each day I would learn a little more about his habits and patterns, slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I learned where they went in the morning and where they came out of the timber as the sun was setting.
Each morning just after the sun had come over the horizon the larger buck and three of the neighborhood forks would make their way into a thin finger of timber along a steep ravine. One morning I watched from over a kilometer away across the valley as they warmed up in the sun on the rock bluffs.
One morning on their way back to the timber I watched a pair of the smaller bucks in the area sparring. They would take a break and have a drink then spar some more. I watched them do this for quite some time which was entertaining. At one point the larger fork poised himself behind a third fork, the smallest of the bunch. I could see what was going to happen here, yup, sure enough, the larger one mounted the poor little guy and gave him a few strokes.
The area where they lived was perfect for them. The prevailing wind would warn them of any danger as the only way in to their area was from up wind.
On about day three I was kneeling 27yards from one of the forks, of course I was carrying my rifle that day. I would only shoot a fork if it was with the bow.
On the sixth day the wind had changed slightly and the larger buck had other things on his mind. About an hour and a half before light I set up with both my bow and rifle about 20 yards from where I had seen the forks drinking. . As it was barely getting light out a Doe and fawn didn't like me being there and were stomping their feet and blowing away. I stayed motionless as they kept getting closer and finally gave up and went about their business.
With the increasing light I could start to make out the shapes on the hillside of many deer, both bucks and Doe's. I kept picking apart the shapes looking for the 4 point. I knew he had to be there somewhere. Sure enough he finally materialized. The sun was now peeking over the horizon and I was looking right into the sun, not a good scenario at all. I was shading my eyes with my toque until I dropped it by accident onto the other side of the root ball I was hiding behind. The buck was chasing Doe's around a bit and the group slowly made their way uphill and out of sight.
I made my way up the steep slash quietly until they were out of sight then I picked up the pace. At 100 yards I found the buck again, he was watching me but not too concerned.
I took the shot and down he went. I followed up with one in the back of the neck as he was squirming around.
It was a fun hunt patterning this guy and watching all his up and coming small bucks.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u264/fozzy_M40A1/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps003fcd4a.jpg
I had my fingers crossed to see spike fork Moose so I changed locations again and was joined by another friend and co-worker. His first morning he sat in a blind I made a few years ago and tagged a 4x4.
I left home October 6th and headed for region 8. The first week of this years trip I was accompanied by a friend and co-worker. He wasn't going to be fussy he said and just wanted to fill the freezer. We saw a fair number of bucks, as usual lots of spikes and forks and of course Doe's and fawns. I noticed many of the Doe's had twins and a few with three little ones. Friday the 11th morning rolls around and he picked one out for the freezer and headed for home Sunday morning.
I was looking forward to Sunday afternoon as my Wife was arriving to join me for a week. She had also announced that she wasn't going to be fussy. In fact she said that she wanted to shoot a buck on the first day so she could relax for the remainder of her time away from home. Sure enough, the first buck that came out of the timber and she put him in the freezer.
Ok, now it's my turn...
I met up with a good friend for a half day hunt on the Sunday. His wife wanted to sleep in :-) After they arrived he and his wife went one way and I went the other.
I found a spot in the shade to sit and watch an area. It didn't take long to spot a fork buck pushing a group of Doe's. I watched as they slowly made their way towards me. The little buck gave up and decided to get back towards the edge of the timber and went out of sight. A while later a 3point and the fork appeared on top of the rocky ridge as they headed back into the timber.
After a while I went over to investigate the area closer and spotted two more forks and a reasonable 4 point just as they headed back to bed.
Over six days I got glimpses of the larger buck 5 times and saw many smaller bucks that were hanging around as well. Each day I would learn a little more about his habits and patterns, slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I learned where they went in the morning and where they came out of the timber as the sun was setting.
Each morning just after the sun had come over the horizon the larger buck and three of the neighborhood forks would make their way into a thin finger of timber along a steep ravine. One morning I watched from over a kilometer away across the valley as they warmed up in the sun on the rock bluffs.
One morning on their way back to the timber I watched a pair of the smaller bucks in the area sparring. They would take a break and have a drink then spar some more. I watched them do this for quite some time which was entertaining. At one point the larger fork poised himself behind a third fork, the smallest of the bunch. I could see what was going to happen here, yup, sure enough, the larger one mounted the poor little guy and gave him a few strokes.
The area where they lived was perfect for them. The prevailing wind would warn them of any danger as the only way in to their area was from up wind.
On about day three I was kneeling 27yards from one of the forks, of course I was carrying my rifle that day. I would only shoot a fork if it was with the bow.
On the sixth day the wind had changed slightly and the larger buck had other things on his mind. About an hour and a half before light I set up with both my bow and rifle about 20 yards from where I had seen the forks drinking. . As it was barely getting light out a Doe and fawn didn't like me being there and were stomping their feet and blowing away. I stayed motionless as they kept getting closer and finally gave up and went about their business.
With the increasing light I could start to make out the shapes on the hillside of many deer, both bucks and Doe's. I kept picking apart the shapes looking for the 4 point. I knew he had to be there somewhere. Sure enough he finally materialized. The sun was now peeking over the horizon and I was looking right into the sun, not a good scenario at all. I was shading my eyes with my toque until I dropped it by accident onto the other side of the root ball I was hiding behind. The buck was chasing Doe's around a bit and the group slowly made their way uphill and out of sight.
I made my way up the steep slash quietly until they were out of sight then I picked up the pace. At 100 yards I found the buck again, he was watching me but not too concerned.
I took the shot and down he went. I followed up with one in the back of the neck as he was squirming around.
It was a fun hunt patterning this guy and watching all his up and coming small bucks.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u264/fozzy_M40A1/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps003fcd4a.jpg
I had my fingers crossed to see spike fork Moose so I changed locations again and was joined by another friend and co-worker. His first morning he sat in a blind I made a few years ago and tagged a 4x4.