kennyj
03-01-2016, 03:49 PM
I first hunted this area in 2012 with my dad, and was lucky enough to take a nice even 160 net typical. Last year My hunting partner Allison and I hunted here, a little later then we would have liked due to family stuff.With the peak rut over the bucks were moving a lot looking for love.They zigged and we zagged and we just missed each other all week.
This year our timing was bettor and hopefully the bucks would be with the does.
The first day we split up and I went to the spot where I shot my buck in 2012. I made a big loop up the mountain and around and back down seeing a few does. Allison checked out a spot that she found last year and saw does as well. Last year there was lots of snow, this year there was none.
The second day we decided to check out some new country. We drove half way up the mountain and parked the truck. Allison went up the road 200 yards andI went back down the same and we still hunted across the mountain parallel to each other. We had a plan to meet up at 1:00 on an old skidder road I found on google earth. The back up plan if we missed each other was to meet back at the truck at dark.
As I was lower on the hill I had a bunch of big steep gulleys to go through and it took longer than expected causing me to miss our 1:00 meeting. Oh well,not the first time. I decided to head down and check out the lower section of the mountain then make the long hike back up to the truck.I started down the skidder road and there was Allison. She had the same idea I did. We followed the trail down the mountain until it started to level out then we spread out a little and started heading back across the hill.
We had a long ways to go so we were walking a little fast, but still being quiet. There was a lot of tracks in this area.
I was angling down a bit and Allison was of to my right. It was fairly thick second growth with old skidder roads running up and down the hill. I looked down the hill and suddenly there was a doe walking towards me on a skidder road. Allison was 20 yards away and couldn't see her. I froze and signalled Allison to stop moving.
The doe was heading my way at about 60 yards or so. Then another doe came from the left,then another and another and another. Then from behind them coming up from the right another 2 does then a buck.
They were all heading up the road in my direction. I only saw the bucks right side as he was behind the does and on the edge of the road. Solid 4 point.He was in my scope but the does were in the way. Then the does turned and started to head into the trees and as the buck started to turn to follow I had a quick shot opportunity and I took it.
It all happened very fast, maybe 10 seconds start to finish. I was left wondering if I made the right decision to shoot. It was a front on shot, and the buck almost went right over backwards, then recovered and went the same way the does did. Allison took off to the right in the direction the does went. She didn't even see the deer it was so thick. I slowly walked down the road to where he was standing when I shot.
Not surprising there was no blood. I found his tracks and followed them 30 yards or so and there he was.
We took a few pictures then got to work skinning and de-boning. It was 4:00 by now and Allison offered to pack the deer down to the road if I hiked up to get the truck. I'm not sure who got the best deal there. It was along hike up, but I love telling everyone that Allison packed out my deer for me. What a great partner, and a great Trip.
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae166/kennyj3/001_zpsmvayuxrz.jpg (http://s968.photobucket.com/user/kennyj3/media/001_zpsmvayuxrz.jpg.html)
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae166/kennyj3/002_zpskar7xt1j.jpg (http://s968.photobucket.com/user/kennyj3/media/002_zpskar7xt1j.jpg.html)
This year our timing was bettor and hopefully the bucks would be with the does.
The first day we split up and I went to the spot where I shot my buck in 2012. I made a big loop up the mountain and around and back down seeing a few does. Allison checked out a spot that she found last year and saw does as well. Last year there was lots of snow, this year there was none.
The second day we decided to check out some new country. We drove half way up the mountain and parked the truck. Allison went up the road 200 yards andI went back down the same and we still hunted across the mountain parallel to each other. We had a plan to meet up at 1:00 on an old skidder road I found on google earth. The back up plan if we missed each other was to meet back at the truck at dark.
As I was lower on the hill I had a bunch of big steep gulleys to go through and it took longer than expected causing me to miss our 1:00 meeting. Oh well,not the first time. I decided to head down and check out the lower section of the mountain then make the long hike back up to the truck.I started down the skidder road and there was Allison. She had the same idea I did. We followed the trail down the mountain until it started to level out then we spread out a little and started heading back across the hill.
We had a long ways to go so we were walking a little fast, but still being quiet. There was a lot of tracks in this area.
I was angling down a bit and Allison was of to my right. It was fairly thick second growth with old skidder roads running up and down the hill. I looked down the hill and suddenly there was a doe walking towards me on a skidder road. Allison was 20 yards away and couldn't see her. I froze and signalled Allison to stop moving.
The doe was heading my way at about 60 yards or so. Then another doe came from the left,then another and another and another. Then from behind them coming up from the right another 2 does then a buck.
They were all heading up the road in my direction. I only saw the bucks right side as he was behind the does and on the edge of the road. Solid 4 point.He was in my scope but the does were in the way. Then the does turned and started to head into the trees and as the buck started to turn to follow I had a quick shot opportunity and I took it.
It all happened very fast, maybe 10 seconds start to finish. I was left wondering if I made the right decision to shoot. It was a front on shot, and the buck almost went right over backwards, then recovered and went the same way the does did. Allison took off to the right in the direction the does went. She didn't even see the deer it was so thick. I slowly walked down the road to where he was standing when I shot.
Not surprising there was no blood. I found his tracks and followed them 30 yards or so and there he was.
We took a few pictures then got to work skinning and de-boning. It was 4:00 by now and Allison offered to pack the deer down to the road if I hiked up to get the truck. I'm not sure who got the best deal there. It was along hike up, but I love telling everyone that Allison packed out my deer for me. What a great partner, and a great Trip.
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae166/kennyj3/001_zpsmvayuxrz.jpg (http://s968.photobucket.com/user/kennyj3/media/001_zpsmvayuxrz.jpg.html)
http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae166/kennyj3/002_zpskar7xt1j.jpg (http://s968.photobucket.com/user/kennyj3/media/002_zpskar7xt1j.jpg.html)