Orangethunder
11-28-2007, 09:49 PM
With the 30th looming and no more days to get out my brother and I thought we would go for it. We have both been chasing deer all month but we have been putting the effort into finding a good buck. We have both had some good chances and I personally have blown it on some great bucks, oh well!!
We got to our spot and were greeted with fresh tracks right where we were parking. I hopped out and had a look, big, big, big wolf!! Those buggers already spoiled a day for us across the valley in some selective cuts and now they were here. Oh well might as well work the area and see just how spooky everything was. We made plans to work about 5-600 yards apart eventually meeting up and then regrouping.
About 10 minutes after we split up I cut a big track, buck this time. He appeared to be chasing some does but I couldn't really tell how old they were so I kept going. Further along I crept to the edge of a large draw and I could hear a deer walking in the bottom. I did my best to get close but nothing doing. All I found was what looked like my doe tracks bounding away. I followed for about an hour and couldn't get close again so I worked my way towards where my bro was headed.
Another hour or so later I cut more wolf tracks, about a day old. I back tracked them for a bit and then cut some fresh deer tracks heading in the right direction. A half hour later I could hear ravens squawking so I set up and did some glassing. I finally spotted what they were after. It looked like the wolves had gotten a doe the day before. No wolves though. I was running a bit late by this time so I started whistling every so often to get his attention. I kept heading his way and still nothing. Did he get one? I hadn't heard a shot. Did he twist an ankle and head back to the vehicle? I decided to cut across the hill and try and cut his tracks.
I stopped and whistled again but he must have been out of earshot. Took another couple of steps and looked up to see a deer materialize in the brush. Right on it must be my doe. Quick look with the binos and damn it there is an antler. Look again and is that a drop tine? He isn't massive but I liked what I saw so I threw up the .280 and let him have it. He dropped from sight but I could hear him moving. As I crested a small rise he was just getting to his feet. Another quick shot and he was down.
Here is where he fell, three feet from his bed.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530845.jpg
Not a hog but pretty decent, I did some celebrating and took some pics and then struck out to find my brother. Turns out he was only 300 yards away and he had heard the shot. Time for a few more pics.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530850.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530861.jpg
We had a look at the GPS and only 2km to the vehicle. No pack frames, like idiots we only brough our day packs. He was a big bodied deer too. We halfed him and had him out in about 4 hours. It was a bit of a grunt but worth it.
Cheers
We got to our spot and were greeted with fresh tracks right where we were parking. I hopped out and had a look, big, big, big wolf!! Those buggers already spoiled a day for us across the valley in some selective cuts and now they were here. Oh well might as well work the area and see just how spooky everything was. We made plans to work about 5-600 yards apart eventually meeting up and then regrouping.
About 10 minutes after we split up I cut a big track, buck this time. He appeared to be chasing some does but I couldn't really tell how old they were so I kept going. Further along I crept to the edge of a large draw and I could hear a deer walking in the bottom. I did my best to get close but nothing doing. All I found was what looked like my doe tracks bounding away. I followed for about an hour and couldn't get close again so I worked my way towards where my bro was headed.
Another hour or so later I cut more wolf tracks, about a day old. I back tracked them for a bit and then cut some fresh deer tracks heading in the right direction. A half hour later I could hear ravens squawking so I set up and did some glassing. I finally spotted what they were after. It looked like the wolves had gotten a doe the day before. No wolves though. I was running a bit late by this time so I started whistling every so often to get his attention. I kept heading his way and still nothing. Did he get one? I hadn't heard a shot. Did he twist an ankle and head back to the vehicle? I decided to cut across the hill and try and cut his tracks.
I stopped and whistled again but he must have been out of earshot. Took another couple of steps and looked up to see a deer materialize in the brush. Right on it must be my doe. Quick look with the binos and damn it there is an antler. Look again and is that a drop tine? He isn't massive but I liked what I saw so I threw up the .280 and let him have it. He dropped from sight but I could hear him moving. As I crested a small rise he was just getting to his feet. Another quick shot and he was down.
Here is where he fell, three feet from his bed.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530845.jpg
Not a hog but pretty decent, I did some celebrating and took some pics and then struck out to find my brother. Turns out he was only 300 yards away and he had heard the shot. Time for a few more pics.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530850.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e122/Orangethunder/SD530861.jpg
We had a look at the GPS and only 2km to the vehicle. No pack frames, like idiots we only brough our day packs. He was a big bodied deer too. We halfed him and had him out in about 4 hours. It was a bit of a grunt but worth it.
Cheers