elmochilero
09-14-2015, 08:02 AM
Hey guys, thought I would share on here as I like reading other people's stories.
I've always been interested in hunting and 3 years ago decided to pursue it. Took a year to do my PAL and CORE (busy life) and last year was excited to hit the outdoors. I had rented all the books from the library I could, watched a ton of MeatEater (awesome show on Sportsman), a ton of youtube videos, and tons of reading on this forum (thanks). I spent a total of about three weeks in the bush spread out over the season last year. In December I was able to do good tracking thanks to a good snowfall. On my last day I had two beauties in my sights but couldn't count the tines and wasn't comfortable making that distance of a shot.
I've been hooked since then.
I got up to my area near Merritt and was excited to hit the trails. My first night was a late arrival so I only had time to walk a few kms around camp. The next morning I was up at the cracka and went to an area I'd be able to glass with good east facing slopes, with not much hopes. Around 9 I left checking small gulleys and ravines for deer sign, put on 15 kms on the boots.
That afternoon I left camp around 4 to hike down to my 'honey hole', about 10km away from camp. I made the decision to not be a road warrior this year. I make it to my favourite spot, some beautiful south facing grassy slopes backing into forest. Buck heaven. By 6ish I spot a buck, big one, lots of headgear right at the top of the slope near the trees. Then I spot another, beside him. I get into a good hidden position and count the big buck a four pointer, and the other buck a 3 pointer. I'm too far for an accurate shot with my current ability so I move in closer. The area has some nice deep ravines that I was able to sneak up pretty close on. I creep up to about 50 yards from them both, and lie down prone to take a shot, my best position. The grass is too tall and I'm having trouble getting in position when the big buck spots me. I freeze. I stare, he stares. I am a statue. At last he loses interest and starts eating again. I decide to back away down into the ravine and move further up towards the trees, taking shelter behind some shrubs. I get there, get in position, and he spots me again. I cool my nerves, double check he's legal, take steady aim, and just as he's about to walk over the crest of the hill gives me a beautiful broadside. I take him, and he jumps over the hill into the neighbouring ravine, out of view.
Immediately I can't help but worry about the shot, and not being able to track him, as it will be dark within an hour. I give him about 20 minutes to die if the shot wasn't the best, and make my way over to him. Sure enough he's lying at the bottom of the ravine. Awesome!
I feel like hunting shows that end right at the kill shot aren't doing justice to the animal, or the hunter.
I take a few minutes getting comfortable being right beside a huge animal that I killed, only being up close to one a year before that someone else shot. Because I was tired from my morning hunt I didn't bring my bone saw or game bags, tarp, etc. I open him up and immediately realize he's been gut shot. Shit. I think about doing the gutless method but being my first time wanted to do the regular way, not knowing what was in store for me. It took probably about an hour before I got him all cleaned up and dragged him 20 ft from the gutpile. I know I have a long night ahead of me, as temps won't get below 15ish and I don't want to leave my first kill for the bears, wolves, or coyotes.
The stars are out by the time I get back to camp, get the truck, and head back. He's about a km away from an area I can drive to, down a game trail in and out of some thick brush. I park and walk in, and after about 10 ft of dragging realize that ain't happening. He's at least 6' long, must be 150-200lbs. I walk back to the truck trying to find a way I can drive in. Sure enough after about another hour of decent 4x4ing I get the truck to him. I can't get him into the bed, so I cut off his hind legs and then just barely get him in.
It's after midnight by the time I make it back to camp. I forget to get a pulley and can't raise him on my rope and biner to skin so I do it on his side. At 3:30 finally I'm into bed, having harvested all the meat from the carcass I am able to. I felt very sad and felt like I disrespected the animal by spoiling so much of the meat with the gut shot but I'm happy I got most of the best bits, minus the small tenderloins.
So in under 24 hours within arriving I had taken my first mule deer buck, first big game ever. The next morning I left to drive home, butchered him, and have half of the meat for the grinder and half for steaks, roasts, and other delicious treats.
Thanks for sharing knowledge on here. It helps us new guys out.
Question- would you leave the carcass there until the next morning? How long would you leave the game bags hanging in camp with temps ranging from 10ish to 30 Celsius? I wanted to do more hunting but didn't want to spoil the meat. Interested in your opinions.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5480&stc=1
I've always been interested in hunting and 3 years ago decided to pursue it. Took a year to do my PAL and CORE (busy life) and last year was excited to hit the outdoors. I had rented all the books from the library I could, watched a ton of MeatEater (awesome show on Sportsman), a ton of youtube videos, and tons of reading on this forum (thanks). I spent a total of about three weeks in the bush spread out over the season last year. In December I was able to do good tracking thanks to a good snowfall. On my last day I had two beauties in my sights but couldn't count the tines and wasn't comfortable making that distance of a shot.
I've been hooked since then.
I got up to my area near Merritt and was excited to hit the trails. My first night was a late arrival so I only had time to walk a few kms around camp. The next morning I was up at the cracka and went to an area I'd be able to glass with good east facing slopes, with not much hopes. Around 9 I left checking small gulleys and ravines for deer sign, put on 15 kms on the boots.
That afternoon I left camp around 4 to hike down to my 'honey hole', about 10km away from camp. I made the decision to not be a road warrior this year. I make it to my favourite spot, some beautiful south facing grassy slopes backing into forest. Buck heaven. By 6ish I spot a buck, big one, lots of headgear right at the top of the slope near the trees. Then I spot another, beside him. I get into a good hidden position and count the big buck a four pointer, and the other buck a 3 pointer. I'm too far for an accurate shot with my current ability so I move in closer. The area has some nice deep ravines that I was able to sneak up pretty close on. I creep up to about 50 yards from them both, and lie down prone to take a shot, my best position. The grass is too tall and I'm having trouble getting in position when the big buck spots me. I freeze. I stare, he stares. I am a statue. At last he loses interest and starts eating again. I decide to back away down into the ravine and move further up towards the trees, taking shelter behind some shrubs. I get there, get in position, and he spots me again. I cool my nerves, double check he's legal, take steady aim, and just as he's about to walk over the crest of the hill gives me a beautiful broadside. I take him, and he jumps over the hill into the neighbouring ravine, out of view.
Immediately I can't help but worry about the shot, and not being able to track him, as it will be dark within an hour. I give him about 20 minutes to die if the shot wasn't the best, and make my way over to him. Sure enough he's lying at the bottom of the ravine. Awesome!
I feel like hunting shows that end right at the kill shot aren't doing justice to the animal, or the hunter.
I take a few minutes getting comfortable being right beside a huge animal that I killed, only being up close to one a year before that someone else shot. Because I was tired from my morning hunt I didn't bring my bone saw or game bags, tarp, etc. I open him up and immediately realize he's been gut shot. Shit. I think about doing the gutless method but being my first time wanted to do the regular way, not knowing what was in store for me. It took probably about an hour before I got him all cleaned up and dragged him 20 ft from the gutpile. I know I have a long night ahead of me, as temps won't get below 15ish and I don't want to leave my first kill for the bears, wolves, or coyotes.
The stars are out by the time I get back to camp, get the truck, and head back. He's about a km away from an area I can drive to, down a game trail in and out of some thick brush. I park and walk in, and after about 10 ft of dragging realize that ain't happening. He's at least 6' long, must be 150-200lbs. I walk back to the truck trying to find a way I can drive in. Sure enough after about another hour of decent 4x4ing I get the truck to him. I can't get him into the bed, so I cut off his hind legs and then just barely get him in.
It's after midnight by the time I make it back to camp. I forget to get a pulley and can't raise him on my rope and biner to skin so I do it on his side. At 3:30 finally I'm into bed, having harvested all the meat from the carcass I am able to. I felt very sad and felt like I disrespected the animal by spoiling so much of the meat with the gut shot but I'm happy I got most of the best bits, minus the small tenderloins.
So in under 24 hours within arriving I had taken my first mule deer buck, first big game ever. The next morning I left to drive home, butchered him, and have half of the meat for the grinder and half for steaks, roasts, and other delicious treats.
Thanks for sharing knowledge on here. It helps us new guys out.
Question- would you leave the carcass there until the next morning? How long would you leave the game bags hanging in camp with temps ranging from 10ish to 30 Celsius? I wanted to do more hunting but didn't want to spoil the meat. Interested in your opinions.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5480&stc=1