My '09 Trip to the Peace (Pic Heavy!)

[RustyRipper]

Got back from my trip up to region 7-20A on the peace river a couple weeks ago and I've finally got my act together to get this thing on here. Unfourtunately a few days after I got home my dad passed away after fighting cancer for 4 years so as you can imagine I wasn't up to doing this for a while. However I've now got some time and will to do it so here goes.

Headed up northward near the last week of october to get the last bit of elk and moose hunting in and be there for the opening of deer season. Myself and my good buddy took my truck and his dad and buddy took theirs while towing the jetboat. It seemed that the rain followed us the entire way from the island right to fort st. john; non-stop! fraser canyon was hell, foggy and rainy, and pine pass was the same. Needless to say we were not impressed about how warm the weather still was. Got where we were headed on a weekend and it deemed to be much too busy with jetboaters so we decided to head up to Pink Mountain to try and find some swamp donkeys and come back after the weekend. Made a nice camp in a small clearing off a GSR.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/139.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16464&limit=recent)

It turned out to be a bad move, as the warm weather and rain made it very difficult to find any moose; albeit for a few cows and calves, we hardly saw anything. Although we did manage to get a few grouse and tarmigan to keep the itchy trigger fingers happy and which made delicious additions to dinner.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/317.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16466&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/413.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16467&limit=recent)

It was pretty uneventful up there, saw few animals, including some wild horses, but nothing like we did last year. Also we were lucky not to run into any big grizzes but we did cross this guy's tracks, glad we didn't see him!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/59.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16468&limit=recent)

We decided not to waster any more time up there and drove back down to our other spot with our tails between our legs. We decided to try our luck with the elk and hit the river with the jetboat. We noticed that everyone else was just cruising the river watching the shores, and saw this to be the quivalent of road hunting on the water, which we didn't have any luck at.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/75.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16471&limit=recent)

so instead we used the boat to get to remote areas beach the boat and cover some ground on foot. We put some serious miles on our boots and I wouldn't have done it any other way, it was a blast. The thrill of having a small herd of 4 or 500 pound animals erupting out of their beds in front you is uncomparable. However they were few and far between in places so we really covered ground.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/66.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16469&limit=recent)

We had a few chances at some cows but at first held off for a bull. I had a chance at a big bull that eats away at me still. I had spooked him out of his bed in the thick stuff (I knew right away he was a bull because I could hear his antlers breaking every branch in his path). I immediately started cow calling and he stopped. I looked about and after a couple scans through the bush caught sight of him, not more than 20 yards away looking right back at me. All I could see was his head neck and base of his antlers. I could only make out a single brow tine on either side and so could not be sure that he was legal. I went from scope to binoculars back to scope for 5 minutes, which seemed like and hour until he finally had enough and took off, moments later my buddy calls me on the vhf to say he just saw a bull jump out of the bush like a lab into the river and run up the other side. Damn. Here's a pic of the havoc he reaked through these trees.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1310.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16478&limit=recent)
As the open days were quickly dwindling away we became less choosy. Again I had the first chance at an elk when I spooked a couple cows out of their beds and luckily they ran out into a field and a couple cow calls stopped them too. I could only see the one now but she was 100 yards broadside to me, but I was in the bush still, unable to move without her taking off. So I shot through the bushes, free-handed, aiming for the lungs and after the bark of the .300WSM went off, she just took off running like a bat out of hell. I walked up to where she was expecting to find blood and nothing. No sign of blood at all. After searching for some time I came to the conclusion that I had missed. I was so angry with myself. Not too long after I heard a shot go off fairly close to me and waited for the call on the radio asking for help with an animal. Sure enough our buddy calls saying hes got an elk down. Three of us meet back at the jetboat and head to where our other buddy was, only able to get within a couple hundred yards of where he was (too shallow) we beached the boat. When we got there he said there were two elk. Sure enough there were two cow elk laying a mere 40 yards from each other both stone dead. Apparantly the elk I spooked doubled back and crossed the slough in front of my buddy and he nailed the first one coming out and mine dropped dead there too. I hit her in the lung just behind the shoulder so I guess the thick fur there soaked up the blood. Anyway we were happy, but now the work began.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/85.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16472&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/104.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16474&limit=recent)

To add to it by the time we had dragged the first one to the jet boat and came back for the second, it had started snowin like hell.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/94.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16473&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1116.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16475&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1212.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16476&limit=recent)

But we managed to get em all on board, one and a half on the bow and half of one riding with us. Those were the only elk we got, which seemed a shame we got em both on the same day but we were happy nonetheless. The skunk was off. Deer season opened in two days...

[hunterofthedeer]

Well two elk is always nice! I love the taste of it. Next year I will defienetly be going up North for some elk. Thanks for the good read.

[RustyRipper]

moose and elk season behind us and deer season upon us we parked the jetboat and opted for the truck and hike option. We had permission to hunt on a few different farms from previous years and made arrangements to do the same. We had seen a few nice big bucks during our elk hunts and so we were in high hopes. Of course once it opened for deer we hardly saw any deer for a couple days. Of course there were elk and moose running around without a care but what good was that. Finally My buddies dad and his friend each got a buck at the same time. A pretty nice 4x3 and a 3x3 which were standing beside each other. (It was in the evening so by the time we met up with them it was dark, so no pics) Also his dad shot a doe that morning so we were falling behind quickly. The farmer must have felt for us as after hearing this he decided he would show us a couple of his spots he wouldn't normally show people. Now we were excited, secret spots always seem better. We checked out one first thing in the morning, a huge field with lots of cover around and thick islands of trees. Tons of sign everywhere, but unfourtunately no deer to see. So he says we'll try another spot, and by this point it's getting into the later hours of morning so I was not overly optimistic. Anyway we walked down the edge of this field towards some tree islands
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/162.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16481&limit=recent)

When all of a sudden I notice some small branches sticking up out of the snow in one of the islands. A double look and I notice that they are not branches but antlers. Buck! I said quietly and we all looked at these antlers, moving ever so slightly as it listened for us. We all confirmed it to be legal, definitely a 3-point muley, and maybe a 4. I took a rest and waited. It was about 125 yards but all I could see was bone. I tried whistling and deer calling and it would not get up for what seemed like an eternity, and then finally he pushed himself up with his front legs, and before he had a chance to lift up his rump fully I put a bullet just below his spine and he went down quicker than he'd gotten up. We walked up to him and noticed he had a sticker off his right antler, a 4x3, big body though which i was happy about.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/143.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16479&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/152.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16480&limit=recent)

Now all that was left was for my buddy to bag himself a buck. And so he did. That evening we went back out and hiked some coolees and eventually hid in an island of trees and waited for dusk. We didn't see any bucks but my buddy took a whitetail doe who had come out just before last shooting light, and I almost got me a black wolf that had come out right after the doe dropped. It sat at the edge of the forest watching us, stupidly we dint have flash lights so not wanting to worry about a wolf watching us I shot at it but missed and it took off. Point made anyway.
Next morning we went to a spot where my buddies dad had seen a real bruiser of a muley but couldnt shoot cuz they were tagged out. So we went there and sure enough he was standing out in the middle of this field. We were still in the truck when we saw him (now all 4 of us in 1 truck as we only had my buddies tag left) and there was no way to sneak up on him in the middleof the field so we just chanced it and slowly drove towards him to close the distance. We got to within 350 yards until he started to look uneasy so we stopped and my buddy got out and got prone for a shot. He was huge! First shot, nothing happened. Second shot, again nothing. Third, fourth, the deer is still looking at us and my buddy is cursing at the top of his lungs. Finally the deer has enough and trots off. His dad says "your gun has got to be off because I know you can shoot." I look around us and notice there are two bucks standing a couple hundred yards behind us and then tell my partners. Theres a big buck behind us with a little fork!! They all look back and sure enough there's a couple bucks looking at us and one of them was a monster. So my buddys dad says "here take my gun, I know it shoots well" he takes it and sure enough boom flop down goes the buck. We all celebrate and then walk up to the buck. Very nice indeed, amazingly the first buck was even bigger but this one was still a beauty. Huge body on him and great character. Some guys have all the luck.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/172.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16482&limit=recent)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/182.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16483&limit=recent)

A nice 5x4, with his dads gun. Sure enough later we went and sighted in his own gun and it was about 2 feet off at 100 yards. How that happened we don't know. Dropped somewhere along the way I suppose. Anyway we shot another whitetail doe which completed our Taylor Christmas tree. (Elk not pictured nor one of the does)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/201.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16484&limit=recent)

All in all it was a great trip after what started as a terrible trip. We had fun and came home with a load of meat which is the best part. Here is what I call a money shot.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/218.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16485&limit=recent)
Not going hungry this winter! Hope everyone else has had some luck this fall and if not I hope you will before the season is over.

[Johnnybear]

Hey Zeus Rusty Ripper!!! Great stories and photos man. Thanks for sharing.

I just realized you are the guy that asked me about jump starting my trail 90 by the outhouse at Stoney Lake this year!!!!!!!:-D:lol:. Sorry I didn't stop to talk more. We were the camp next to you guys before the gong show showed up.

[gamehunter6o]

Congratulations on a great hunt.

Might I suggest you learn where the flat joint is on the leg joints. Save you having to hump a chainsaw around. LOL.

[kwasky]

way to go. looks like lots of fun. congrats on the elk and some nice bucks.

[RustyRipper]

Congratulations on a great hunt.

Might I suggest you learn where the flat joint is on the leg joints. Save you having to hump a chainsaw around. LOL.

Thanks for the advice gamehunter60 but we had the chainsaw anyway and after cutting off the legs we cut the elk in halves for easier dragging back to the boat. So we needed the chainsaw regardless, but I do know the flat spot as I do it with deer often.

[5 spike]

great pics sounds like you guys had a great time. congrats

[bowhunterbruce]

awome story and even better pics,i love hunts like that where everyone goes home with meat and memories of good times with great friends.
very well done congrats
bruce

[sparkes3]

way to go and im stil eatin tags .hope to change that this weekend though.

[kennyj]

Congratulations on an awesome trip.Sure filled the freezers up there.
Great story and photos,thanks for sharing.
kenny

[hunter1947]

Your hunting party did very well getting the job done ,very nice pic you posted up and great story ,congrats to all of you http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif.

[thunderheart]

rusty .. truly sorry about yer ole man .. its tuff, i know .. my heart goes out to you and your clan .........thanks for the photos and story tellin .. great success
much cudos to you and your budz !!!

[guest]

Thats some hanging pole .....
looks like a great trip ....

Congrats. CT

[jrjonesy]

Condolences on your Dad passing.

Thanks for posting all the pictures and story. It was a great read. Congrats on your successes.

[Blainer]

Great adventure!Great story!Great pictures!
Sorry to hear about your dad,I lost my dad to cancer in 98(55 years old),very hard on the family.
My condolences.

[Bowtime]

Thats one good looking christmas tree!

[leadpillproductions]

looks like a good year up here congrads

[RustyRipper]

Hey Zeus Rusty Ripper!!! Great stories and photos man. Thanks for sharing.

I just realized you are the guy that asked me about jump starting my trail 90 by the outhouse at Stoney Lake this year!!!!!!!:-D:lol:. Sorry I didn't stop to talk more. We were the camp next to you guys before the gong show showed up.

Sorry Johnnybear but I don't remember this, I think maybe you've mistaken me for someone else. unless I was blind drunk? haha which is possible.



Blainer
Great adventure!Great story!Great pictures!
Sorry to hear about your dad,I lost my dad to cancer in 98(55 years old),very hard on the family.
My condolences.



It's a crappy thing to have in common with someone but you understand what it's like as I'm sure many do on here. He was 49, much too young to go but I suppose you can't always choose your time. Hell always be with me on my trips now though, as I'm sure yours is too.

[Kudu]

Great story - well written sounds like you guy's had a great time. Sorry about your dad - it's hard, both of my parents are gone now.

[trigger]

awesome post. conrats on all the fine animals.

[d6dan]

Excellent trip RR, Love the pics and enjoyed the story..:-D
Sorry to hear about your Pop..:(

[Brett]

Holy crap!!!!!

[RustyRipper]

Here's a pic of those wild horses we saw near pink mountain. We kept seeing them every day while up moose hunting but miles and miles apart from where we last saw them, they covered a lot of ground and but not seem as skiddish as I had heard they were. Anybody know the story behind these horses? like where they came from?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/224.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16503)

[Mik]

Excellent photos,great story. Congrats to all. Sorry to hear about your dad.

[RustyRipper]

Nobody knows? has anyone else seen these horses even? I'm really keen to know what their deal is

[d6dan]

Nobody knows? has anyone else seen these horses even? I'm really keen to know what their deal is

Pm Bridger, maybe he will know something of them?.

[boris71]

Hey Rusty

Looks like you had a awesome hunt. I recognize that camp spot at pink mountain as my friends and I camped in that same spot, I recognized the homemade table by the tree. If I am correct that spot is about 1km in off the highway on the left hand side in an open area. You pass 2 roads on ur right hand side just before it. Correct? lol I ran into those same grizzly tracks also, We did not see much in there also, Only got one little spiker. There was a pack of wolves running around in there so that made the hunting a little hard for us. Just out of curiousity was I correct on thinking where you where?

[boris71]

Here's a pic of those wild horses we saw near pink mountain. We kept seeing them every day while up moose hunting but miles and miles apart from where we last saw them, they covered a lot of ground and but not seem as skiddish as I had heard they were. Anybody know the story behind these horses? like where they came from?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/224.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=16503)

I see those horses when I am there also, I believe they belong to an outfitter around there who just lets them roam around in that area for the winter, that is what I heard.

[Phil]

You guys cleaned house on that trip. Nice work! Thanks for sharing all the pics.

[RustyRipper]

Hey Rusty

Looks like you had a awesome hunt. I recognize that camp spot at pink mountain as my friends and I camped in that same spot, I recognized the homemade table by the tree. If I am correct that spot is about 1km in off the highway on the left hand side in an open area. You pass 2 roads on ur right hand side just before it. Correct? lol I ran into those same grizzly tracks also, We did not see much in there also, Only got one little spiker. There was a pack of wolves running around in there so that made the hunting a little hard for us. Just out of curiousity was I correct on thinking where you where?

well I think you are talking about the same spot, only it was on the right side of the highway about a km in. If you're heading north that is. there had definitely been some people just before us as there was a moose hide not far from our camp and some firewood leftover, which we used, (thanks if it was yours) it was a good spot, if only there had been some meese.

[ydouask]

Condolences on your Dad's early death... obviously you are taking good care of his culture and traditions.

[RustyRipper]

Thanks ydouask, and everyone else for the condolences, and yes I am doing the best I can to keep up his traditions and morals that he has taught me.

[BCrams]

Great trip you guys had there!! Congrats.

[Rattler]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Looks like he taught you well...

Congrats on your hunt.

[Dutch Ppoacher]

relating to the picture of the gouse on the fire, is that a "tilley stick" camp fire roasting stick? my best friend makes them and look "exactly" like the one in the picture.

[RustyRipper]

relating to the picture of the gouse on the fire, is that a "tilley stick" camp fire roasting stick? my best friend makes them and look "exactly" like the one in the picture.

To be honest I'm not sure what it's called. It's my buddy's dad's and he's had it for a long time. It's got a wood handle and the rest is steel and the points face backwards off the end. If it's not the same one then just same idea I guess. works great though!

[d6dan]

relating to the picture of the gouse on the fire, is that a "tilley stick" camp fire roasting stick? my best friend makes them and look "exactly" like the one in the picture.

We own those exact sticks. They are for roasting wieners (hotdogs)...:wink:

[RustyRipper]

Yes they are but they sure roast a good grouse!

[cariboocooper]

Let's see now, first your buddy can't shoot... I mean FOUR shots from prone and no hits? After TWO shots didn't somebody figure out something wasn't working? Oh yeah, don't brag about shooting a deer in the spine... at 125 yds a preferrable head or neck shot would do. It seems you guys had way more meat than you needed so is it another unfortunate case of killing because you can? The excuse of giving meat away to friends and neighbours is not a valid to reason to kill more than you need. Unfortunately there are too many Cretins like yourselves out there with loaded guns and too much bloodlust. Pathetic.:cry:

[rifleman]

holy man that was a great story & pics. thanx for sharing

[Farmer John]

Let's see now, first your buddy can't shoot... I mean FOUR shots from prone and no hits? After TWO shots didn't somebody figure out something wasn't working? Oh yeah, don't brag about shooting a deer in the spine... at 125 yds a preferrable head or neck shot would do. It seems you guys had way more meat than you needed so is it another unfortunate case of killing because you can? The excuse of giving meat away to friends and neighbours is not a valid to reason to kill more than you need. Unfortunately there are too many Cretins like yourselves out there with loaded guns and too much bloodlust. Pathetic.:cry:

Uhhhh. Welcome to the site?

[RustyRipper]

Let's see now, first your buddy can't shoot... I mean FOUR shots from prone and no hits? After TWO shots didn't somebody figure out something wasn't working? Oh yeah, don't brag about shooting a deer in the spine... at 125 yds a preferrable head or neck shot would do. It seems you guys had way more meat than you needed so is it another unfortunate case of killing because you can? The excuse of giving meat away to friends and neighbours is not a valid to reason to kill more than you need. Unfortunately there are too many Cretins like yourselves out there with loaded guns and too much bloodlust. Pathetic.:cry:

I think you should look through the rules of the site before you start going off thinking you are some high and mighty hunter. First off, as I said in the story, we sighted my buddys gun in later and it was over a foot high, from hitting his scope at some point. Secondly my spine shot on the deer wasn't completely intentional, it was higher than I would have liked but thats where it hit so thats what I wrote, why should I lie? thirdly We do not have too much meat, it was between 4 hunters who all have families and who love to eat wild game meat, and in fact I very rarely ever buy meat because all I eat is game, believe me it will not last until next season. I don't know why I felt that I had to explain myself to an idiot like you but maybe it will make you think twice to judge someone you don't know.

[rifleman]

I think you should look through the rules of the site before you start going off thinking you are some high and mighty hunter. First off, as I said in the story, we sighted my buddys gun in later and it was over a foot high, from hitting his scope at some point. Secondly my spine shot on the deer wasn't completely intentional, it was higher than I would have liked but thats where it hit so thats what I wrote, why should I lie? thirdly We do not have too much meat, it was between 4 hunters who all have families and who love to eat wild game meat, and in fact I very rarely ever buy meat because all I eat is game, believe me it will not last until next season. I don't know why I felt that I had to explain myself to an idiot like you but maybe it will make you think twice to judge someone you don't know.
perfect reply !!!!!!