gamer
10-19-2015, 11:08 PM
Well I guess it's my turn to share.
Over the last 8 or so years I have been in on a few successful hunts. Opportunity was never there for me to take the shot but I was there for the gutting, skinning, packing etc. and we always shared the meat. Two years ago I finally got my first buck. This was also the first year I hung and butchered myself.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1741.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1741.jpg.html)
In the last 3 years I have hunted solo many times now and have gotten quite comfortable with it. This year I connected while solo.
It was the last day of my trip in 3-20 and all I had seen was bull moose and does. Alarm went off an hour before shooting light as usual, but with the sound of rain I just didn't feel like getting out of my warm bed. Hit snooze a couple of times and next thing I know I can see it getting lighter out my truck window. I got up and realized I wouldn't have time for breakfast. I geared up and decided to hike right from the truck. I turned to head up the mountain side and see a white bum facing me a few hundred yards away at the top of a replanted cut. Binos up and confirm it is a mulie. Looks to have antlers but it is too far away to be sure. Deer moves and I lose sight of it behind some small spruce trees. I slowly start moving closer and glassing to confirm if it is a buck. The deer turns and starts towards the old growth along the edge of the cut.
I decide to stalk my way up there and maybe it will pop out again or maybe there are more deer there. Takes me almost 2 hrs to slowly and quietly make it up there. I used the draws and low areas to move as stealthily as possible. When I make it to the top of the hillside I see a load of fresh sign but no animals. I patiently waited and glass like crazy. As I take down my binos I see this guy off to my left working his way down the hill. Binos up and confirm it is a buck. I was always a little apprehensive as to how "after the shot" would go while alone so I hesitated. Also with him being only a spiker I hesitated. One thought of the empty freezer at home my mind was made up. Made sure my scope was set where I wanted it, chambered a round, lined him up and boom. He jumped and ran downhill, towards the truck, and then turned behind a small rise and I lost sight of him. I went to where he was when I shot. No blood. I went to the top of the rise he went behind and looked down. There he was only a few yards away.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1734.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1734.jpg.html)
With the size of this deer it was very manageable alone. Gutted him out, dragged him to the truck and loaded him up. He was quartering away and stepped as I took my shot. Lost some meat on and broke the left front leg. I was going to take the heart this time but the 180gr 30.06 round exploded the heart. Skinned him on a tarp on my tailgate and it was time to go home. Wednesday will be butchering day.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1735.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1735.jpg.html)
I can't wait to do it again. Hopefully I can find something in region 8 in November.
Over the last 8 or so years I have been in on a few successful hunts. Opportunity was never there for me to take the shot but I was there for the gutting, skinning, packing etc. and we always shared the meat. Two years ago I finally got my first buck. This was also the first year I hung and butchered myself.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1741.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1741.jpg.html)
In the last 3 years I have hunted solo many times now and have gotten quite comfortable with it. This year I connected while solo.
It was the last day of my trip in 3-20 and all I had seen was bull moose and does. Alarm went off an hour before shooting light as usual, but with the sound of rain I just didn't feel like getting out of my warm bed. Hit snooze a couple of times and next thing I know I can see it getting lighter out my truck window. I got up and realized I wouldn't have time for breakfast. I geared up and decided to hike right from the truck. I turned to head up the mountain side and see a white bum facing me a few hundred yards away at the top of a replanted cut. Binos up and confirm it is a mulie. Looks to have antlers but it is too far away to be sure. Deer moves and I lose sight of it behind some small spruce trees. I slowly start moving closer and glassing to confirm if it is a buck. The deer turns and starts towards the old growth along the edge of the cut.
I decide to stalk my way up there and maybe it will pop out again or maybe there are more deer there. Takes me almost 2 hrs to slowly and quietly make it up there. I used the draws and low areas to move as stealthily as possible. When I make it to the top of the hillside I see a load of fresh sign but no animals. I patiently waited and glass like crazy. As I take down my binos I see this guy off to my left working his way down the hill. Binos up and confirm it is a buck. I was always a little apprehensive as to how "after the shot" would go while alone so I hesitated. Also with him being only a spiker I hesitated. One thought of the empty freezer at home my mind was made up. Made sure my scope was set where I wanted it, chambered a round, lined him up and boom. He jumped and ran downhill, towards the truck, and then turned behind a small rise and I lost sight of him. I went to where he was when I shot. No blood. I went to the top of the rise he went behind and looked down. There he was only a few yards away.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1734.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1734.jpg.html)
With the size of this deer it was very manageable alone. Gutted him out, dragged him to the truck and loaded him up. He was quartering away and stepped as I took my shot. Lost some meat on and broke the left front leg. I was going to take the heart this time but the 180gr 30.06 round exploded the heart. Skinned him on a tarp on my tailgate and it was time to go home. Wednesday will be butchering day.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac32/gamerN49/IMG_1735.jpg (http://s883.photobucket.com/user/gamerN49/media/IMG_1735.jpg.html)
I can't wait to do it again. Hopefully I can find something in region 8 in November.