Mikey Rafiki
10-06-2014, 03:34 PM
Got out well before dark Sunday morning and hiked several grueling kilometers into a road closure. Got into some really nice looking ground and saw nothing. No animals, no tracks, no crap other than bear, wolf and coyote. Got out of there.
Went to check a camera in the afternoon and sat down to do some light rattling for muleys. I hear something running around 50 yards away from me, rolling rocks around, which I'm assuming was one of the black bears I got pictures of.
I wanted to get away from the bear before it got dark (no tag), so I got back to the truck and drove a little further up the mountain. Turned around and started creeping along and spotted this buck bedded downhill about 80 yards. Looked at him for quite some time and it was starting to get dark. His rack certainly wasn't very big, but he looked somewhat mature and had a nice big body. I started to think about last season and how I didn't cut a deer tag and didn't even shoot my rifle. Then I started thinking about my dwindling smokie and jerky supply, and how good eating an early mule deer is.
My thought process must have made him uncomfortable as he got up to leave, but I didn't give him a chance. Only had a neck shot through the timber but a very solid rest and a hand loaded 200grain TSX did the job. Gonna make some jerky tonight and I'm already planning the next sausage party.
http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r685/MikeyRafiki/DSCF6015_zpsfd256ad9.jpg
Went to check a camera in the afternoon and sat down to do some light rattling for muleys. I hear something running around 50 yards away from me, rolling rocks around, which I'm assuming was one of the black bears I got pictures of.
I wanted to get away from the bear before it got dark (no tag), so I got back to the truck and drove a little further up the mountain. Turned around and started creeping along and spotted this buck bedded downhill about 80 yards. Looked at him for quite some time and it was starting to get dark. His rack certainly wasn't very big, but he looked somewhat mature and had a nice big body. I started to think about last season and how I didn't cut a deer tag and didn't even shoot my rifle. Then I started thinking about my dwindling smokie and jerky supply, and how good eating an early mule deer is.
My thought process must have made him uncomfortable as he got up to leave, but I didn't give him a chance. Only had a neck shot through the timber but a very solid rest and a hand loaded 200grain TSX did the job. Gonna make some jerky tonight and I'm already planning the next sausage party.
http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/r685/MikeyRafiki/DSCF6015_zpsfd256ad9.jpg