DeepJeep
10-31-2016, 04:58 PM
First off, special thanks to Elchjager for taking me hunting for the first time and showing me the process of field dressing deer.
I’ll try to keep this short…
When I first met Elchjager, I portrayed interest in hunting. This was early September. He mentioned that he was going hunting that day and I asked If I could join. He showed me the basics, gun handling, wind direction, how to get to your spot, etc… We saw 2 does with 2 fawn that afternoon. That was enough for me to get hooked! I loved sitting there in silence. The day was perfect too. Anyways, after that I amped up my efforts and went out every weekend. Sometimes twice a weekend. Researched a lot more. Read a fair bit. Started talking to more people.
Fast-forward to about 12 days ago….
I was headed to Kelowna and Elchjager was going to be there as well and we went hunting together. We go to out spot, park our trucks, get set and make a plan to go up this cut. He goes one way and I go up the other It wasn’t raining too bad at this point… we slowly make our way up to the cut. The wind is in our favour at this point. We are both about 100 yards apart.
For the next two hours, it as rain, snow, rain, snow……. (the weather app said otherwise)
I didn’t have the best gear at this point, specifically pants. I was wearing jeans and had put on PVC rain pants on by this time. But the lower portion of pants were wet. I now own waterproof pants. My toes were getting a bit wet but my hands were frozen. Didn’t have right gloves. I now own waterproof gloves as well. After sitting there for two hours and glassing… I am getting impatient but not disruptive. I get up from the stump and start looking to the right side of the cut. By this time, Elchjager had moved and had gone further into the edge of the timber (and maybe even further in?) hoping to find or scare something and may be funnel them my way… At this point, I was done glassing, Elchjager was not in the cut block anymore and I am about to sit down. Just as I am about to turn and sit down, from the corner of my eye, I see movement. I freeze at this point. A doe is looking right at me. She came up from my left side. My heart beat is up and through the roof!!! I can’t breathe fast enough and when ever I did manage to slowly take a breath, she would see it as it formed fog. I try to calm myself down but she is staring right at me. My heart is pounding. I can’t believe what I am seeing. My gun is on the stump I was sitting on and I am thinking if I move, she will most likely bolt. After about 15 seconds, she looks down and I move my arm 2 inches to reach my gun but she looks up again. I did that back and forth thing for a while. It took me more than a couple minutes to grab my gun and aim. At this point, she is looking dead at me. At this I am thinking... if it walks, it walks but I am not taking that shot. Lucky for me, she broadsides. With my heart POUNDING, I try to hold my breath in and pull the trigger on the Smith and Wessen 1984 30-06 (tel:1984 30-06). She drops about 8-10 yards away. Lung/lower heart shot. Didn’t feel the recoil or the sound. The rush was crazy! Cant describe the feeling in words. I see that she is down and not moving. I wait for Elchjager to come in. We both walk up to her. I feel sad but happy at the same time. We make sure it expired completely and begin the process. 80lbs on the hook.
It was exhilarating to say the least. Got it back from the butcher 2-3 days ago. Already had some sausages…
Once again, abig thank you to Elchjager for showing me the process and everybody else on HBC for their help with my questions. I have met a couple great guys on HBC who have shared their knowledge with me and I am very appreciative of it.
Some pics:
http://i68.tinypic.com/rtotxk.png
http://i67.tinypic.com/10879d2.png
http://i63.tinypic.com/34doa9y.png
I’ll try to keep this short…
When I first met Elchjager, I portrayed interest in hunting. This was early September. He mentioned that he was going hunting that day and I asked If I could join. He showed me the basics, gun handling, wind direction, how to get to your spot, etc… We saw 2 does with 2 fawn that afternoon. That was enough for me to get hooked! I loved sitting there in silence. The day was perfect too. Anyways, after that I amped up my efforts and went out every weekend. Sometimes twice a weekend. Researched a lot more. Read a fair bit. Started talking to more people.
Fast-forward to about 12 days ago….
I was headed to Kelowna and Elchjager was going to be there as well and we went hunting together. We go to out spot, park our trucks, get set and make a plan to go up this cut. He goes one way and I go up the other It wasn’t raining too bad at this point… we slowly make our way up to the cut. The wind is in our favour at this point. We are both about 100 yards apart.
For the next two hours, it as rain, snow, rain, snow……. (the weather app said otherwise)
I didn’t have the best gear at this point, specifically pants. I was wearing jeans and had put on PVC rain pants on by this time. But the lower portion of pants were wet. I now own waterproof pants. My toes were getting a bit wet but my hands were frozen. Didn’t have right gloves. I now own waterproof gloves as well. After sitting there for two hours and glassing… I am getting impatient but not disruptive. I get up from the stump and start looking to the right side of the cut. By this time, Elchjager had moved and had gone further into the edge of the timber (and maybe even further in?) hoping to find or scare something and may be funnel them my way… At this point, I was done glassing, Elchjager was not in the cut block anymore and I am about to sit down. Just as I am about to turn and sit down, from the corner of my eye, I see movement. I freeze at this point. A doe is looking right at me. She came up from my left side. My heart beat is up and through the roof!!! I can’t breathe fast enough and when ever I did manage to slowly take a breath, she would see it as it formed fog. I try to calm myself down but she is staring right at me. My heart is pounding. I can’t believe what I am seeing. My gun is on the stump I was sitting on and I am thinking if I move, she will most likely bolt. After about 15 seconds, she looks down and I move my arm 2 inches to reach my gun but she looks up again. I did that back and forth thing for a while. It took me more than a couple minutes to grab my gun and aim. At this point, she is looking dead at me. At this I am thinking... if it walks, it walks but I am not taking that shot. Lucky for me, she broadsides. With my heart POUNDING, I try to hold my breath in and pull the trigger on the Smith and Wessen 1984 30-06 (tel:1984 30-06). She drops about 8-10 yards away. Lung/lower heart shot. Didn’t feel the recoil or the sound. The rush was crazy! Cant describe the feeling in words. I see that she is down and not moving. I wait for Elchjager to come in. We both walk up to her. I feel sad but happy at the same time. We make sure it expired completely and begin the process. 80lbs on the hook.
It was exhilarating to say the least. Got it back from the butcher 2-3 days ago. Already had some sausages…
Once again, abig thank you to Elchjager for showing me the process and everybody else on HBC for their help with my questions. I have met a couple great guys on HBC who have shared their knowledge with me and I am very appreciative of it.
Some pics:
http://i68.tinypic.com/rtotxk.png
http://i67.tinypic.com/10879d2.png
http://i63.tinypic.com/34doa9y.png