Meat hunt in the Peace produces new record for me!!

[BCrams]

For those who have been curious .... I changed hunting plans this year.

Dad and I decided to hit our old stomping grounds in Region 7b where Dad and I have taken many bucks in the past!

Our goal was to just go up and have a good time and take the first legal bucks we saw. Also in our group (but hunting elsewhere for the most part) were our cousins.

I was hunting with a fine rifle I inherited from my grandfather, one of the early Remington 700's in 7mm with stainless barrel. He is / was well known in the Kootenays and yes - very good friends with the likes of Demarchi and Hatter (of whom many hunters like to point fingers at for the elk problems) Angus Seaton was a Conservation Officer first based out of Prince George and then the bulk of his time in the Kootenays based out of Kimberley. Some of you in the Kootenays may know of him or may have met him.

Many of the trails throughout the Kootenays which exist now were made by him. The country back then certainly wasn't open as much as it is today. Much of the wildlife work back in the day was also conducted by CO's and I have heard quite a few good stories to boot!

Taking a deer with his rifle would be something special! He has harvested countless elk, sheep, goats, deer and grizzlies with this Rem. 700 !!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Good background info!

Now where are our pics of this "personal record buck"??

SSS

[sawmill]

Wait for it,he might be hyperventilating.

[eastkoot]

Don't know if I would admit to being a friend of Rays!!!! His 7mm only shot cows and calves if I remember.....

[GoatGuy]

The reason there's no pics is there's no game in the peace. Everybody knows that a 3 week wt season will kill off every buck from the Willy to Alberta.

[Fisher-Dude]

Rams is having a personal debate whether he should post up the fact that he got tired of dana and had much more fun hunting with his dad. It's okay Rams, we all support your decision! Post up your pics and finish the story! :wink:

[BCrams]

I had a few days to hunt while my Dad would decide to stay up or not after seeing what was happening.

We arrived early at the area we were quite familiar with right at first light. We were loading our rifles and throwing our packs on when the first 4 point buck walks out ~100 yards from us ..... We just couldn't justify shooting a buck right away like that without having 'hunted' a bit and let him walk. We get about 400 yards from the truck (we decided to hunt together) and have already seen over 10 mule deer including another 4 point buck at this point. I know we decided we were going to shoot the first meat bucks .... but with the number we were already seeing ... I figured ok maybe wait a day and see how the first day plays out.

[BCrams]

It was lightly snowing since our arrival so we knew tracking would be good if we saw any more deer. We weren't half way up the breaks when a buck jumped up from its bed and made its way into the thick brush .... damn he was a shooter ..... we hold off for about 10 minutes and start tracking him ..... split up within sight as we hoped to bump the buck again ...... at this point another track joined in......after an hour we saw them again but not long enough for a shot ........ we decided to split up .....I would continue tracking the buck while Dad would go down wind of me on a ridge and still hunt and maybe catch the buck circling.......

[BCrams]

......the buck did indeed go downwind of me ..... but also downwind of Dad......."What??? you didn't see him???" I kept on the track while he decided to go deeper into the forest and work his way back upwind and sit....while I stayed on the track ..... right away the buck circled back towards the breaks and went right back to where we jumped him....... one of us should have just sat there waiting for him to circle back...... I decide to put the pressure on ...... follow the tracks hard until I jumped him again and maybe get a shot off ...... 1/2 hour later I catch a doe 60 yards ahead staring at me (the second track)...... I am scanning the trees trying to find the buck ...... to no avail ..... the doe is getting nervous and takes off ...... another 40 or so yards further was the buck hidden amongst the trees as I only get glimpses of him bounding through the timber away ....... I never did catch up to the buck as he went into bush too thick to manuoever with any silence.

I headed out ..... another 4 pt buck on the breaks working his way down the hill after a couple does .... decide to let him go too ..... while waiting and glassing ... with intermittent doe calls .... I had 2 big coyotes come within 50 yards ..... thought about shooting one but decided against it.

[BCrams]

That night we're comparing notes and it appears another property had 2 whitetail bucks ...... one in the low 170's and another figured to go 180+ in the same field no less only 50 yards apart or so.......Same area where Dad and his cousin took a 170" class white-tailed buck 2 years ago........seeing them is one thing ...... having an opportunity to shoot one is another ......

Dad and I decided we would go check out 2 other properties where we have hunted in the past and see what was happening as well as pay a visit to the landowners we have gotten to know well.

As many of you know .... weather can affect hunting ...... it was now blowing gale force winds and heavy fog / snow conditions.

Even then, we saw quite a few deer...... the property we wanted to hunt though had turned the fields into summer fallow and thus not as many deer hanging around ....... so after a couple visits and coffee we decided to return to where we hunted the day before ......

We arrive and start glassing ..... see quite a few deer up on the hillside including a very nice buck anyone would be glad to shoot .....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/BCrams/PeaceDeer-1-1.jpg

As I only had one full day left ... I told dad I was shooting the first legal buck I can get within range ......(so I can go chase one of those big whitetail bucks on my last day)

[Jetboater]

youre not typing as fast as I am reading.......

[born2hunt]

get to the pics already lol

[Salty]

The suspense is killing.

How about those Canucks eh?

[elkdom]

lol, people never lie so much, as after a hunt, during a war,
or before an election


forbid all comes to "be" at the same time ( joking,eye rolls,haha)

[BCrams]

So anyways ........ we split up and I was going to go sit / glass from one of my favourite spots Dad and I sat at for the first time when I was 14 years old. (a long long time ago.....)

Took my pack off and layed down the rifle on the pack and thought it would be fitting to take a picture of the rifle to send to my grandmother in a Christmas card showing her the rifle is being used as it should be......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/BCrams/PeaceDeerridge-1-1.jpg

[Fisher-Dude]

I curse you, todbartell, for inventing the long-drawn-out-multi-post story! First Rishu copies you (to be expected) and now Rams.

[elkdom]

I know that ridge, DAM YOU, so did you forget your rifle and your pack up there? you want me to go get it for you ? lol ps (i'll give it back)

[Will]

I already knawed off my fingernails on page 1..........:rolleyes:

[rocksteady]

And ????????

[Steeleco]

OMG I'm going to have add to my list of PET PEEVES after this thread.

[BCrams]

finish up after dinner .... sorry guys ....

[elkdom]

finish up after dinner .... sorry guys ....

Youare good, very good, lmao

[Wild one]

Eat Faster !!!!

[rocksteady]

finish up after dinner .... sorry guys ....


You are a bad, bad, bad, mean man....

[rifleman]

don't have desert ok!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

finish up after dinner .... sorry guys ....


Don't hold your breath too long guys....he won't be allowed back on the computer until everyone in the house is fast asleep:-P.

SSS

[PGK]

Dink. Post rest of story

[elkdom]

Don't hold your breath too long guys....he won't be allowed back on the computer until everyone in the house is fast asleep:-P.

SSS yah! first wash the dishes, vacum the living room, pickup your huntin gear, all the while thinking up, Chapter IV, the kill !! lol

[BCrams]

We've had this big dump of snow today and so I have a tonne of shovelling to do .... a repreive of sorts from the other chores but would finish this up before I go shovel.

Its about 3pm in the afternoon and I am thoroughly enjoying my perch!! The weather calmed down and cleared up a little and deer were beginning to move around. I glassed up another nice buck across the valley but knew going after him was not going to happen.

After about 1/2 hour of glassing in one direction I turned around casually and instantly froze while my thoughts instantly registers "buck.... shooter!!!!!!" .... staring right at me ..... motionless like a statue......rifle an arms length away on the pack ....... I dare not move for fear of spooking him but ready to seize the rifle should he bolt ......

This went on for an eternity ....and finally the buck turned its head to look down the slope and no sooner had he turned his head ...... I smoothly had the rifle up across my knees and cross hairs on his chest .......... it was a no brainer at this point....... as the buck turned to look at me again ...I kept my eyes off his rack and focussed on the task at hand ....... I thumbed the safety off ...... and squeezed the trigger .........

C L I C K

[BCrams]

That horrifying feeling of the trigger going click .... the life just drains out of you ....... as the buck heard the click and he is now moving with purpose angling away but uphill on the slope .... I work the bolt and a cartridge ejects ........whaa??? as I lift the rifle at the same time with a fresh shell ...... pick a spot between the trees and grunt .... he stops and I confidently squeeze the trigger again ........

C L I C K

I am still holding the rifle on the buck in utter disbelief and hoping there would be a delayed fire .......it didn't happen.... the buck continues his swag up the slope ....... I work the bolt and catch the shell and see the primer has a dent in it .... whaaa?? I work the bolt and do a series of dry fires about 5 x all the while the buck is still swaggering up the slope like he's king of the mountain ...... confident bugger ...... I jack another cartridge in as the buck stops again and turns his head to look at me ....... "tuck one behind the shoulder....tuck one behind the shoulder........ please fire" just as I squeeze the trigger and the rifle bucks against my shoulder with a resounding thunder echoing through the hills ......

I lower the rifle and the buck is still standing .... I knew my shot was good and another wasn't necessary .... the buck turns his head and tries a couple steps up the slope and falters .....and eventually keeled over ........

I am looking at the buck from where I am sitting ...... I look at the rifle and back at the buck and mutter to myself ....

"unbelievable".........

Somewhere about a km away ... Dad is smiling to himself.......knowing there will be a buck to skin that night ......

[Will]

I just peed my pants........:redface:

[newhunterette]

why is it when you guys are posting a big story I hear elevator music?

tapping her foot..................................waiting for more

[boxhitch]

Now I'm going to be late for work.
Making coffee.........

[SteadyGirl]

Some records never fully mature:tongue:

[elkdom]

this thread would be much shorter if he was tracking a wounded Grizzly

[BCrams]

I took a few moments to reflect what had happened and to reflect on how many successful hunts we've had here ...... I stood up .... grabbed my stuff and slowly walked over to the buck (a mere 70 yards away but at my elevation now)...... as I got close ....... my mind was just reeling ..... I couldn't believe what I was looking at and what had just transpired ......... never in my life had I ever taken such a buck ...... and with my grandfathers rifle to boot!!

I am absolutly grinning ear to ear as I grab those antlers!!!! Thinking to myself ...... all the guys just aren't going to believe this ...... I had just accomplished the unthinkable......

[1/2 slam]

You're killing me.....pictures.

[Will]

I am absolutly grinning ear to ear as I grab those antlers!!!! Thinking to myself ...... all the guys just aren't going to believe this ...... I had just accomplished the unthinkable......

If this turns out to be another Jelvis dream I'm gonna throw up in my mouth.....:neutral:

[newhunterette]

http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/images/smilies/cussing.gifhttp://www.gunandgame.com/forums/images/smilies/censored.gifhttp://www.gunandgame.com/forums/images/smilies/banned.gif

[Jigger]

Oh boy, where are the pics you silly man?

[Sitkaspruce]

Please tell me you didn't!!!!!!:shock:

Oh please, do not let it happen............:smile::smile::razz:

SS

[Ride]

Heh heh i love this story........ good job rams

[BCrams]

This buck now ranks up there as one of more memorable bucks I have ever taken ......... I am sure my grandmother is going to be sure proud when she sees the buck I took with the Seaton rifle.

Here's the buck:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/BCrams/PeaceMybuck.jpg

He's my smallest buck ever!!! By a long shot!!!
He's the first buck under 4 points I have ever taken!!!A personal record indeed!! I am sure FD is proud of this accomplishment!!

A true meat buck!! Fat and not stinky!! Despite seeing and passing up much larger bucks before this and after this photo.......

That evening while back down on the field with the buck and waiting for Dad to pick me up ...... (being old school, he certainly was happy with the buck I took!!) ...... I spotted another buck ...... a BIG one......

[ultramagbob]

Those look like the breaks behind my house???:confused:

[Gateholio]

Looks like a great buck, and sounded like a real memorable hunt! Thanks for sharing, it was a good story! :)

[elkdom]

its about time!! good job!!,,,(canadianis meat-a-mongous)

[Will]

A personal record indeed!!
Yep...said it before I'll say it again, the real trophy is the Hunt itself not the animal taken, sounds like you had a Great Hunt !

Good For You and Congrats on the dink ! ;-)

[dana]

Rams,
LMAO! Good story. Knowing the ending before hand just made it all the better. ;) Nice "rat" buck and I know you won't take offense to that comment. LOL!

FD,
Contrary to your assumptions, I had a very enjoyable time hunting with BCrams and his dad this year. It was great spending time around the woodstove in the walltent sharing hunting stories and laughing our asses off. And this year, we actually didn't catch the tent on fire. ;)

[Ride]

Hunts with meaning like yours are the best hunts. These are the ones that stick with you forever.

[newhunterette]

wowzer - Ramsy - incredible story - you did well and what a great family memory

very nice picture - definitely winter

[Gateholio]

So what was the problem with the rifle? Firing pin grease seize up just enough to slow the pin from smacking the primer anvil?

[BCrams]

That night - the temperatures dropped to -25 and it sure was cold!! We learned the other guys had seen the big whitetails again ....... the morning plan was to go back to the property to see if we could find that big buck I spotted the night before for Dad ...... at first light ...... we're glassing the breaks and inside of an hour we spotted 6 different 4 point bucks and only one of them was a 160-165 buck .... but given where they were and how they were moving ... we decided to pull out and see if we can find one of the whitetails at the other property ...... we had no luck that morning and returned to the field at approx. 2 30 pm and there were a few small 4 point bucks, one in the field one in the bush and the other on the hill .... grinning .... Dad announces if he can get a shot at one of those bucks, he was going to take a meat buck too .... and with that ...... we formulate a plan to sneak up on one of the bucks .... it all went perfectly and in short order we had another good meat buck down (but not before he shot one of the antlers off trying for a headshot first lol) .......

It was a great hunt which I thoroughly enjoyed with my Dad! We then went whitey hunting for the evening ....... it sure wasn't fun sitting out in minus 25 weather and we saw a few whitetails but not the bucks we wanted ....

Dad decided he was going to stay up a few more days and try for the whitetail bucks with his cousin and hopefully the muley buck too.

They never did find those big whiteys ......although he saw a couple legal bucks each day ....

However - my dad's cousin did score on the muley buck !! ........and like I said, those old guys are old school and don't think too much about pictures and racks etc ...... but here's the big boy ...

At least I had a hand in it of sorts!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/BCrams/IMG_2962.jpg

[BCrams]

So what was the problem with the rifle? Firing pin grease seize up just enough to slow the pin from smacking the primer anvil?


Old spring ... I had taken apart the whole thing and cleaned it really well .... as well as refinish the rifle stock etc ....

I have to order a new spring / pin. It worked fine at the gun range but didn't under cold conditions ...

[Will]

And this year, we actually didn't catch the tent on fire. ;)
The way I heard it there was no WE involved with that ! :razz:

Nice Muley Buck ! :-o

[Sitkaspruce]

He's my smallest buck ever!!! By a long shot!!!
He's the first buck under 4 points I have ever taken!!!He has joined the ranks of the....Meat Hunters :razz::razz::razz:

A personal record indeed!! I am sure FD is proud of this accomplishment!!

As well as your wife and family........:-P

A true meat buck!! Fat and not stinky!! Despite seeing and passing up much larger bucks before this and after this photo.......

So how does it feel:?::?:

That evening while back down on the field with the buck and waiting for Dad to pick me up ...... (being old school, he certainly was happy with the buck I took!!) ...... I spotted another buck ...... a BIG one......

The wife thought you were being mean (thats putting it nicely...;):lol:) with you dragging out of the story, even after I told her the outcome....LOL!!!!

Good picture at least:-P:mrgreen:

Cheers

SS

[dana]

Will,
You are thinking about the Fire of 06. You must have missed the story of the Fire of 07. I had no hand in that fire. Luckily Rams got it under control. ;)

[Will]

Will,
You are thinking about the Fire of 06. You must have missed the story of the Fire of 07. I had no hand in that fire. Luckily Rams got it under control. ;)
Yes I guess I did:redface:......I was away in Tibet for most of 07 living with Monks.

Stop playing with matches:p

[BCrams]

I'll have to post up Dad's meat buck later as I don't have it on me right now.

In closing ... it was indeed a great hunt and very enjoyable being back up in the Peace ..... that little ridge is where I stood on my first deer hunt up there with my Dad .... 22 years ago. We have been very fortunate to have been given the privilege of hunting this ranch for a long time.

From my own observations, I would agree deer numbers are down from pre-winter kill numbers. However, those pre-winter kill numbers of deer (and elk) were too high and thus suffered from the harsh winter. The quality of the bucks we saw are very good and the 3 point regulation along with doe harvests in my opinion is a step in the right direction.

The hunting opportunity for deer in the Peace is excellent.

In my view - I do disagree with the 4 point regulation for white-tailed deer. There is absolutly no justifiable reason to have such a point restriction and I do hope consideration is made to remove the point restriction for white-tailed deer in the future.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

You milked this one almost as good as Bartell's Flat top hunt with his son:cool:.

Well written!!

Now where's my beer?? My buck's smaller than your buck.:p

SSS

[ultramagbob]

was this taken around the Beatton??

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Some records never fully mature:tongue:


Well looky, lookie....at who popped out of the woodwork:p!!

SSS

[BCrams]

Well written!!

Now where's my beer?? My buck's smaller than your buck.:p

SSS

Thanks! Remind me at the sheep banquet for your beer!!

[BCrams]

SitkaSpruce -

How does it feel....... feels great!! One of the best hunts I have ever been on!

Its not to say I give up on hunting for big bucks, but it was good for me to experience the other side of the spectrum as far as hunting deer go without the focus of big or nothing.

I will always be a meat hunter and advocate for opportunity first before I ever support regulations which take away opportunity for the hunters of BC.

[Jetboater]

good story... even knowing the out come it was a good read... bet your grampa guided that last shell.......great read thanks for sharing....

[kennyj]

Great story.I was on the edge of my seat the whole time Nice deer.
kenny

[Rattler]

Way to go Rams....

Loved your story, especially the link to your Grandpa.

Good to see you dropping your standards and knowing you that must have been difficult.

[Kitimat Killer]

hey Rams sounds like a great hunt the best hunts are always with family i had the best hunt this year with my dad and uncle when you see your dad smile when you come in to camp to tell him you got one down is the best feeling. really good story Rams way to go on the meat buck

kk

[Moosenose]

Great story, I hope you can continue hunting with your Dad for years to come. The last time I hunted with my Dad was in the early 70's.

[6616]

Great story Rams, reminded me of hunting with Dad, and of my old 250/3000 Savage M99 that Dad originally owned, then I owned, then eventually I gave to my son, and now my grandson is using it - four generations and it's still killin' deer, mostly meat bucks. (I did kill a moose with it once and wow that was a lesson in "you need a bigger gun already").
Your granddad would be pleased and proud. Look after that Remington so your kids and your grandkids can shoot a meat buck with it some day too..!

[rocksteady]

Nice story....Not the size of buck I was expecting, based on the first few pages, but should be a good eater....

Glad to hear you had a good hunt with your Dad, makes the buck taste a whole bunch sweeter...

[hunter1947]

Its sure is a small world out there ,Jim Hatter is the person that I took my trapping course from years ago ,I have been fortunate to have worked live trapping otters with Jim as for crawling under small crawl spaces to retrieve otter pups for him.
Jim is one hell of a nice man http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.
As for the buck you got it is not the size that counted this time ,it is getting one with the rifle that your grandfathers rifle and being there on a hunt with your dad.

Your grandmother must of been on cloud 9 when you showed up with this buck and told her the full story http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif.
Your story was great as for the deer you got.
Sometimes it pays off to look in on the forum the next day ,I did not have to wait in vain to see your buck ,I just scrolled down to where you had finally posted up the buck you got ,LOL.

Congratulations to you and your dad on a real memorial trip http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif.

[riflebuilder]

Great story and a nice eatin buck. You had me glued to the computer to see the story unfold. Congrats.

[doubled]

Rams, that was one of the best stories I have read on here. Thank god I read it after it was done or I would have driven up there and slapped the crap out of you for making me wait on my pc for this to evolve. AWESOME!

[Fisher-Dude]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/BCrams/PeaceMybuck.jpg

He's my smallest buck ever!!! By a long shot!!!
He's the first buck under 4 points I have ever taken!!!A personal record indeed!! I am sure FD is proud of this accomplishment!!

A true meat buck!! Fat and not stinky!! Despite seeing and passing up much larger bucks before this and after this photo.......


Of course I'm proud of ya Rams. You'll enjoy eating that one MUCH more than those rawbone, stinky pieces of leather you shot before. I'm glad to have converted you and SSS this year to into real hunters, guys who hunt for the right reasons (putting meat on the table). How many sets of big antlers does a guy really need, anyway? :wink:

I remember watching 3 bucks with my mom and dad once, when we were coming home from a weekend of fishing at our cabin. There were two 2 points and a nice 4 point. I asked dad which one he'd shoot, and he pointed at the closer of the 2 points, "That little bugger right there". Kinda stuck with me.

Now, all I gotta do, is teach SSS and Rams a bit about shootin' them CLOSER to the road! :smile: Nice buck!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Now, all I gotta do, is teach SSS and Rams a bit about shootin' them CLOSER to the road! :smile: Nice buck!

You'll be happy to know that my 'lil spiker died a mere 150 yds from a quad trail. Drug him to the road/trail...... winched him into tree....drove under him and lowered him onto the rack:cool:.
I see no need for the two nuts that I have......let alone a third one:roll:.

SSS

[Kody94]

Way to go BCRams! Great story and nice buck! Glad I wasn't online when you were torturing everyone last night. :)

I recommend a Ti firing pin. Have had a couple M700s swapped out. The stiffer spring and lighter pin is intended to reduce lock time and improve accuracy, but it also provides a little more latitude in cold weather (if you forget to clean it and use a dry lube), or in the event that your bolt rusts inside on a wet hunt (saw that happen once before and it almost cost a couple guys their lives...long story).

Congrats on a fine hunt and an even better memory. I am a sucker for the nostalgia.

Cheers
4Ster

[Fisher-Dude]

Thanks for the new sig line SSS. :wink:

150 yards ain't bad. Thank God for quad trails!

[moosehunter16]

nice buck congrats