mark
08-21-2009, 01:18 PM
Ive been starring at this little patch of alpine on maps and google earth for too long! With a break in the heat last week I decided to go tackle it!
It was an area Ive never been too, or heard about, it just looked very promising, and I wasn't disappointed!
Working off the backroads mapbook, and many new logging roads in the area, it took me way longer to get to the highest cutblock visible on google earth. I didnt start hiking till 4 in the afternoon, wasnt sure where I was going or how I was going to get there.
The accent was steep, the bush was thick, and when I did get up top the trees were way thicker than they appeared on google earth!
After nearly 2 hours of hiking in the alpine through ridges, valleys and trees, I turned on my cell and was very surprised to have good service. (I cant even think of the nearest town)
I phoned the wife to let her know I was alright and basically reached my destination, although I was bummed as there was little to no deer sign or sightings. :-(
Not 5 minutes after that, as Im heading for a high peak a head pops up and a beauty 170 plus buck is starring right at me at 60 yards :shock:.
Im in the wide open, he's got me pegged, I drop my pack and struggle to dig out my camera, (which seemed like an hour) just as I turn it on, the head dissappears. then all of a sudden the buck is walking right towards me with curiosity. He comes into 40 yards, I got a nice pic as well as the whole thing on video. could of had him with a bow easy!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/medium/IMGA0270.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/showphoto.php?photo=15062&size=big&cat=500)
After that awesome encounter Im hiking down through a draw and jump another buck, actually all I saw was rack flying through the tree tops and my jaw hit the ground!!!
I quietly moved in the direction he ran, I came to a little meadow and spotted a doe..... dam where did he go, suddenly something made me turn 90 degrees and I saw this at 100 yards!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/medium/IMGA0272.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/showphoto.php?photo=15063&size=big&cat=recent&limit=recent)
Sorry about the crappy pic, I took it with my camcorder all zoomed in. I had a full 2 minute staredown with him, also got him on video, all I can say is that this pic doesnt even do him justice!
He had a huge heavy frame, deep symetrical forks, his only weakness is his right eyeguard, not quite an inch. (I hope hes still growing)
A few minutes later 2 more bucks feeding in the next clearing, I climb on the next peak where I intended to camp and another 4 point jumps out of his bed.
I awoke in the morn climbed out of my tent to see 5 deer (all bucks) in a meadow 500 yards out. By the time I got the spotter on them they had moved into the trees, but through the binos I could tell that 1 was the big guy for sure.
I went for a water run to a little creek and clearing the next peak I saw another wide buck that would of been 170 or better but never got a pic of him, as he moved into the timber pretty quick.
In all I saw about a dozen deer within 1 mile, only 1 confirmed doe, only 1 buck less than a 4 point.
I think I found buck heaven!
It was an area Ive never been too, or heard about, it just looked very promising, and I wasn't disappointed!
Working off the backroads mapbook, and many new logging roads in the area, it took me way longer to get to the highest cutblock visible on google earth. I didnt start hiking till 4 in the afternoon, wasnt sure where I was going or how I was going to get there.
The accent was steep, the bush was thick, and when I did get up top the trees were way thicker than they appeared on google earth!
After nearly 2 hours of hiking in the alpine through ridges, valleys and trees, I turned on my cell and was very surprised to have good service. (I cant even think of the nearest town)
I phoned the wife to let her know I was alright and basically reached my destination, although I was bummed as there was little to no deer sign or sightings. :-(
Not 5 minutes after that, as Im heading for a high peak a head pops up and a beauty 170 plus buck is starring right at me at 60 yards :shock:.
Im in the wide open, he's got me pegged, I drop my pack and struggle to dig out my camera, (which seemed like an hour) just as I turn it on, the head dissappears. then all of a sudden the buck is walking right towards me with curiosity. He comes into 40 yards, I got a nice pic as well as the whole thing on video. could of had him with a bow easy!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/medium/IMGA0270.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/showphoto.php?photo=15062&size=big&cat=500)
After that awesome encounter Im hiking down through a draw and jump another buck, actually all I saw was rack flying through the tree tops and my jaw hit the ground!!!
I quietly moved in the direction he ran, I came to a little meadow and spotted a doe..... dam where did he go, suddenly something made me turn 90 degrees and I saw this at 100 yards!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/data/500/medium/IMGA0272.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/../photos/showphoto.php?photo=15063&size=big&cat=recent&limit=recent)
Sorry about the crappy pic, I took it with my camcorder all zoomed in. I had a full 2 minute staredown with him, also got him on video, all I can say is that this pic doesnt even do him justice!
He had a huge heavy frame, deep symetrical forks, his only weakness is his right eyeguard, not quite an inch. (I hope hes still growing)
A few minutes later 2 more bucks feeding in the next clearing, I climb on the next peak where I intended to camp and another 4 point jumps out of his bed.
I awoke in the morn climbed out of my tent to see 5 deer (all bucks) in a meadow 500 yards out. By the time I got the spotter on them they had moved into the trees, but through the binos I could tell that 1 was the big guy for sure.
I went for a water run to a little creek and clearing the next peak I saw another wide buck that would of been 170 or better but never got a pic of him, as he moved into the timber pretty quick.
In all I saw about a dozen deer within 1 mile, only 1 confirmed doe, only 1 buck less than a 4 point.
I think I found buck heaven!