C.Groves
11-21-2013, 01:24 AM
I am lucky I was able to hunt this year considering the fact that I tore my ACL and meniscus in April while on a trip with my mountain bike team in Oahu Hawaii. The whole year was basically shut down for me. All I was looking forward to was opening day and hoping that my surgery date didn't ruin it for me.
I put many more hours in the bush this year then last year and I learnt a whole lot more. Got my first deer on my trail cam after several attempts and that was pretty exciting. Had many young bucks show up to the area and am looking forward to hunting it next season as I didnt get my blind finished in time.
As I was affraid of all year, I got a call from my surgeons office with my surgery date... October 10th! Right smack dab in the middle of the season, which really didnt leave me much time to get out. I started the season with two tags, muley & whitey as usual.
Five days before rifle season opened I was out scouting and observing deer habits in an area I like to hunt. I saw a couple decent whiteys and over the next couple days I went out at the same time and observed there daily routines. Two days after rifle season opened I was able to make it out. I sat on this ridge where I could have a whole 360 viewing area to watch all directions. I was leaned up against the base of a burnt tree and sat for about an hour before any action started happening. At first the same does came down the regular path which led straight into a nice draw. Shortly after the does appeared I noticed another deer facing away from me with its head in the bushes. A few minutes later and I could define it. It was one of the White Tail bucks a saw a week before, not the shooter out of the two I saw but a unique buck for sure. I wish i had a photo to show you of his rack, the left antler dropped down beside its cheek and grew outward really strangely.
After letting him pass through I waited a little longer, the sun was just starting to set and the temperature was dropping, even though it was still +20 degrees out it was a nice change. The shooter buck out of the two I had seen when scouting appeared behind me on the hill. I stood up, aimed and got the first of the year gitters, so I lowered my rifle, took a few deep breaths and got him in my scope again. The shot opportunity was very narrow but I made a clean shot into his shoulder/back area and he hit the ground.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5334-1.jpg
He had a nice little 4x4 basket with a kicker off his left brow tine which measured out to be an 1" 1/4 making him a 5x4.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5332.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5352.jpg
About 3 weeks later my birthday came around and a couple friends and I decided to go on an evening hunt that day. After seeing dozens of deer from way to far away we decided it was time to head back to the house and have a few celebratory drinks for my birthday but on the way back to the truck sure enough a mule buck walked onto the road right in front of us, he didn't walk very far. My friend put a great shot in and he got his first buck of the year.
The next day was Oct 9th, the day before my surgery and my last day of the season to hunt. I went out with two of my buddies up Jack Creek and not 15 minutes after leaving the truck and hiking into a cut I was onto a group of deer. There were two small mule bucks munching on some greens along with some does. It was a 2x2 and a small spiker. With my jacket smelling strong like deer from the evening before I was able to get within 50 yards of them and I just watched, hoping a bigger shooter would come out. After being patient for about 15 minutes and with the sun dropping quick I decided to pull the trigger on the bigger buck out of the two.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5425.jpg
I feel very fortunate I was able to come across a couple mule bucks on the last day of my season and tag out before surgery. Now its time to rehab and get back on track. Can't wait for next year!
Thanks for reading!
I put many more hours in the bush this year then last year and I learnt a whole lot more. Got my first deer on my trail cam after several attempts and that was pretty exciting. Had many young bucks show up to the area and am looking forward to hunting it next season as I didnt get my blind finished in time.
As I was affraid of all year, I got a call from my surgeons office with my surgery date... October 10th! Right smack dab in the middle of the season, which really didnt leave me much time to get out. I started the season with two tags, muley & whitey as usual.
Five days before rifle season opened I was out scouting and observing deer habits in an area I like to hunt. I saw a couple decent whiteys and over the next couple days I went out at the same time and observed there daily routines. Two days after rifle season opened I was able to make it out. I sat on this ridge where I could have a whole 360 viewing area to watch all directions. I was leaned up against the base of a burnt tree and sat for about an hour before any action started happening. At first the same does came down the regular path which led straight into a nice draw. Shortly after the does appeared I noticed another deer facing away from me with its head in the bushes. A few minutes later and I could define it. It was one of the White Tail bucks a saw a week before, not the shooter out of the two I saw but a unique buck for sure. I wish i had a photo to show you of his rack, the left antler dropped down beside its cheek and grew outward really strangely.
After letting him pass through I waited a little longer, the sun was just starting to set and the temperature was dropping, even though it was still +20 degrees out it was a nice change. The shooter buck out of the two I had seen when scouting appeared behind me on the hill. I stood up, aimed and got the first of the year gitters, so I lowered my rifle, took a few deep breaths and got him in my scope again. The shot opportunity was very narrow but I made a clean shot into his shoulder/back area and he hit the ground.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5334-1.jpg
He had a nice little 4x4 basket with a kicker off his left brow tine which measured out to be an 1" 1/4 making him a 5x4.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5332.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5352.jpg
About 3 weeks later my birthday came around and a couple friends and I decided to go on an evening hunt that day. After seeing dozens of deer from way to far away we decided it was time to head back to the house and have a few celebratory drinks for my birthday but on the way back to the truck sure enough a mule buck walked onto the road right in front of us, he didn't walk very far. My friend put a great shot in and he got his first buck of the year.
The next day was Oct 9th, the day before my surgery and my last day of the season to hunt. I went out with two of my buddies up Jack Creek and not 15 minutes after leaving the truck and hiking into a cut I was onto a group of deer. There were two small mule bucks munching on some greens along with some does. It was a 2x2 and a small spiker. With my jacket smelling strong like deer from the evening before I was able to get within 50 yards of them and I just watched, hoping a bigger shooter would come out. After being patient for about 15 minutes and with the sun dropping quick I decided to pull the trigger on the bigger buck out of the two.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cgroves91/IMG_5425.jpg
I feel very fortunate I was able to come across a couple mule bucks on the last day of my season and tag out before surgery. Now its time to rehab and get back on track. Can't wait for next year!
Thanks for reading!