So close....

[brotherjack]

Tough morning. Woke up hours before daylight for the I don't even know how many days in a row and headed up the mountains for mulies. This has been the worst year I can recall for them; I haven't heard a gunshot up there for about 10 days straight now. Usually there's one every 3 or 4 days (and usually one of them is mine!!!). But, despite all that, my hopes were pretty high. -10 by my thermometer; first really good cold morning since the rut started good. In years past, if it's going to be any day, it's the first cold day.

The Wife(tm) drove me up to a nice point high up the ridgeline for a drop-off, and then drove back around down low to start her hike up towards me. We had about 45 minutes before legal shooting light (about an hour before "practical" shooting light), so we both kind of sat tight for a bit waiting on sunlight.

About 10 minutes after legal shooting light, it was finally light enough to see more than 30 yards, so we started moving; her up the mountain, me down the mountain.

After maybe 5 minutes, The Wife(tm) calls me on the radio and says there's a big group of deer up close to my position that I should go have a look at -- she can't tell in the dim light if there's a buck there or not, but it's easier for me to walk 300 yards down to them than for her to walk 600 yards up to them. Just as I slip over the edge of the little plateau I'm standing on, I see another hunter slipping through the morning twilight about 100 yards down-mountain from me. He's looking intently down-mountain, seems totally unaware of my presence. He's heading the direction The Wife(tm) said the deer are. This don't look good...

It doesn't take long. 90 seconds or so later, so close it makes my ears ring... BOOM.... BOOM..... ..... BOOM..... The Wife(tm) calls me on the radio all excited, thinking that was me. I had to break the bad news to her... wasn't me...

I sucked it up and went down to congratulate the guy and lend a small hand with the dragging job. Turns out I've seen him and his dad around that mountain off and on for years. His dad was wearing our shoes last year when The Wife(tm) pounded her 4 point while he was about 400 yards up this same hill from us. If it had to be someone, I'm glad it was him. I honestly was (and am) happy for him. It was his best buck to date, too.

But, I do admit, during the worst year of my life in the non-hunting sense, and after having the worst hunting season of my life thus far this year (by a mile!!!), and having pushed myself to the mental/physical limit with effort trying to get my freezer filled without having to resort to shooting another LEH doe (I'm just not a fan of shooting girls, if I'm being honest)... I wasn't upset with him, I was just upset that I've worked this hard and it still ain't over yet. :(

[GoatGuy]

sometimes you're the dog and sometimes you're the hydrant.

Don't know why you'd be chasing muley bucks for meat when you could stroke a wt doe and a buck.

Those does are the best eating around.

[Chuck]

Good to be gracious and helpful......but don't give up yet, you may well get your chance too.

[brotherjack]

Don't know why you'd be chasing muley bucks for meat when you could stroke a wt doe and a buck.

Those does are the best eating around.

I know, people spread rumors like that, but honestly --- the worst eating deer we ever had was the 2-ish year old LEH whitetail doe that The Wife(tm) shot last year (It ended up 100% burger, even the very best cuts were like chewing shoe leather), and the best eating deer we've ever had was the big mulie buck she shot last year. And, generally speaking, the best whitetail we ever got (buck or doe), still wasn't as tasty as the worst mulie buck we've ever had. I rate mulie meat as second only to elk, out of the wild meats I've tried.

[Everett]

Good on you Adam for giving the guy a hand. Most people would have just walked off. The mule deer hunting has been a bit strange this year, but have hope my wife got hers last week and I got mine this morning latest I have ever left it. I could have used someone showing up to help me drag it down the mountain:mrgreen:

[hunter1947]

Thats the way it goes sometimes BJ you loose some you win some in this case you lost ,it won't be your last time this will happen ,the only thing you can do is do what you did go over and congratulate the shooter http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

[hunterofthedeer]

well i guess you will have to go back out there:-D
and there isn't anything wrong with that

[brotherjack]

Good on you Adam for giving the guy a hand. Most people would have just walked off. The mule deer hunting has been a bit strange this year, but have hope my wife got hers last week and I got mine this morning latest I have ever left it. I could have used someone showing up to help me drag it down the mountain:mrgreen:

I know, I know -- this is THE TIME for hunting mule deer... my brain knows, that anyway. I'll be out there hunting, make no mistake, but man, I am just mentally and physically drained down to the last drop. Even if (when?) I pop one, at this point; my strongest emotion is probably going to be relief that I can go home and rest for a while.

Some days, I wonder if I'm really a "hunter" or not. I have the strong suspicion, that way down deep, I'm just a guy who like to kill and eat stuff, and this whole "hunting" business isn't really for me.

Bah... nevermind all that crazy talk, I'm just tired and grumpy. I'll (hopefully) be back tomorrow or the next day with tales of triumph, and all this unpleasantness can be forgotten!

[boyd050]

I know, I know -- this is THE TIME for hunting mule deer... my brain knows, that anyway. I'll be out there hunting, make no mistake, but man, I am just mentally and physically drained down to the last drop. Even if (when?) I pop one, at this point; my strongest emotion is probably going to be relief that I can go home and rest for a while.

Some days, I wonder if I'm really a "hunter" or not. I have the strong suspicion, that way down deep, I'm just a guy who like to kill and eat stuff, and this whole "hunting" business isn't really for me.

Bah... nevermind all that crazy talk, I'm just tired and grumpy. I'll (hopefully) be back tomorrow or the next day with tales of triumph, and all this unpleasantness can be forgotten!bite your tongue!!! you ARE a hunter!!! or you wouldn't be out there doing it.. it's easy to say but it really is about the hunt... and as hard as it seems, at the end of a season, you're already anticipating the next one. it ain't over till it's over don't give up!! we all have years like this one is for you!!! good luck !!!!

[GoatGuy]

I know, people spread rumors like that, but honestly --- the worst eating deer we ever had was the 2-ish year old LEH whitetail doe that The Wife(tm) shot last year (It ended up 100% burger, even the very best cuts were like chewing shoe leather), and the best eating deer we've ever had was the big mulie buck she shot last year. And, generally speaking, the best whitetail we ever got (buck or doe), still wasn't as tasty as the worst mulie buck we've ever had. I rate mulie meat as second only to elk, out of the wild meats I've tried.

That's very interesting. :???:

[hunter11]

Even though you knew the guy I would still be :mad:. Sorry to hear about the bad luck! Atleast you know where the deer are.

[steepNdeep]

Maybe you should be praying to the hunting spirits instead of a carpenter... :biggrin: :wink:

[Jelvis]

Sorry to hear that brother. Sounds a little odd no deer in Cranbrook but I guess it's a different year and won't always be the same, someone might have nailed a couple when you were not there too.
Jel -- keep on praising brother --

[Everett]

sometimes you're the dog and sometimes you're the hydrant.

Don't know why you'd be chasing muley bucks for meat when you could stroke a wt doe and a buck.

Those does are the best eating around.

I am going to back BJ up on this one Wife shot WT doe last year tenderloin was like rubber. Turned the whole deer into sausage.

[blackbart]

Hello BJ. How do you know what elk tastes like?

I also prefer mule deer meat over some whitetail. May be more of a function of what I tend to get though.

[islander7mm]

Keep your head up Brother. We all have wilderness experiences at times in our lives but it only means He's bringing you through to the Promise Land. So much of hunting is the right place at the right time. So get to as many places as you can.
7mm

[boxhitch]

Sounds like a tough go.
Maybe change it up a bit. If the same-old-same-old isn't producing, time to adapt.
Besides, failing at some new venture never hurts as much.

[Jelvis]

Try Little Sands creek for wide and high muley buck$, wife drives you up, drops you off, and she drives down, and meet at the bottom, with huge mule deer buck.
Jel sands and lil sands 4 beeeeg vunz

[BCBigGame]

Tough luck but your 'good karma' will pay off. I had somebody a similar situation and managed to shot a nice 5 point the next day.
Keep your spirits up and you will succeed.

[budismyhorse]

I personally think you are gripping the stick too hard....I get stressed even reading your stories.

The deer can sense things like this ;) Enjoy yourself out there! It'll happen......but some years, you will not tag anything, that's huntin'

[Gateholio]

I personally think you are gripping the stick too hard....I get stressed even reading your stories.

The deer can sense things like this ;) Enjoy yourself out there! It'll happen......but some years, you will not tag anything, that's huntin'

x2

Stop focusing on killing something and start focusing on having fun. If your hunting day is deemed "unsuccessful" unless you kill something, maybe its time to look into raising cows or buying one from a farmer.

[brotherjack]

Even though you knew the guy I would still be :mad:. Sorry to hear about the bad luck! Atleast you know where the deer are.

If it was like he'd known I was there and stormed across the mountain at a dead run to get ahead of me, I'da had a whole different reaction. But he was just an honest guy sneaking along a mountain that shot a buck he saw. Can't hate a guy for that.

[brotherjack]

Hello BJ. How do you know what elk tastes like?

Umm... cuz I've ate it before? :)

[TheDuckinator]

Good on you for suckin it up and helpin out, karma has a great way of repaying you :) Hope everything works out for you hunting and non also.

Best of luck!

[hunter1947]

I know, I know -- this is THE TIME for hunting mule deer... my brain knows, that anyway. I'll be out there hunting, make no mistake, but man, I am just mentally and physically drained down to the last drop. Even if (when?) I pop one, at this point; my strongest emotion is probably going to be relief that I can go home and rest for a while.

Some days, I wonder if I'm really a "hunter" or not. I have the strong suspicion, that way down deep, I'm just a guy who like to kill and eat stuff, and this whole "hunting" business isn't really for me.

Bah... nevermind all that crazy talk, I'm just tired and grumpy. I'll (hopefully) be back tomorrow or the next day with tales of triumph, and all this unpleasantness can be forgotten!


You got one thing going for you ,your wife hunts http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif ,next time you are headed out take her along and when you think you are getting stressed out ask her to give you kick in the but to wake you up http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

I have been in the same place as you many of times BJ ,just have fun when your out there hunting and things will come your way http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif ,remember it is not always about killing an animal ,its about being out there and hunting with ether your wife or someone else ,good luck on making the best of it in the years to come http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif.

[Little Hawk]

Steady as she goes BJ. It's not always about bringing home meat, is it?

I, too, often question my ability as hunter, feeling as clumsy and weak as us humans often are.
But then something else will happen to remind me again of why I seek out these places in the back country, like the morning we slept in this year while camped not far from the Taseko R. and I climbed out of the old Mo Ho for a leak and was humbled by the vision of the first golden rays of sunlight as they swept across a snow-swept Mt. Tatlow in the distance. That image will stay with me till I die.

We also got skunked on elk and WT antlerless just south of Fairmont Hot Springs this year. Never seen such an absence of game in the five yrs we've been going there. I've shot does before too and although the meat was fine, I never really felt good about it. (which is actually hypocritical when you think about it cause I also eat doe-cattle and don't blink an eye)
I passed on a nice (EK) doe when - after one of my better Davey Crockett stalks - discovered she was with two fawns-of-the-year and that they'd probably have a better chance of getting through the winter with Mom around...

[DV-67]

I know, people spread rumors like that, but honestly --- the worst eating deer we ever had was the 2-ish year old LEH whitetail doe that The Wife(tm) shot last year (It ended up 100% burger, even the very best cuts were like chewing shoe leather), and the best eating deer we've ever had was the big mulie buck she shot last year. And, generally speaking, the best whitetail we ever got (buck or doe), still wasn't as tasty as the worst mulie buck we've ever had. I rate mulie meat as second only to elk, out of the wild meats I've tried.

A friend of mine just told me the other day that whitetails taste way better than muley's.:-?

[6616]

Well I have to agree with BJ. Mule deer do seem to be a little more tender then WTD in most cases and I've shot plenty of either, both big and small. Maybe because MD are not as high strung and twitchy as WTD. WTD are still OK, especially if you get one before the rut that's been hanging out around alfalfa fields.