Stillhunting
11-09-2010, 10:53 PM
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=21040&cat=500&ppuser=10114
It was a tough slog this year, one of the most discouraging hunts I've had in a long time. We were going to pack up early because of the lack of animal sightings, but on the morning of the supposed last day I bumped into a bunch of whiteys, so we decided to stay for another day. I left camp just as it became light enough to road hunt on my way to a nice stand of timber that I planned on still hunting. Not two minutes from camp I spotted a small whitey doe with another small deer, but I had seen a doe and her fawn there a couple of times during the week so I was pretty slow on the uptake and by the time I realized she was with a small 3 point they were bounding for the treeline. If I had been on the ball I could have probably had both, so I was none to pleased with myself.
I drove on to the spot I wanted to still hunt and headed into the timber stopping every 5 to 10 yards to look for movement, fur or tines, and after a few minutes I spotted a nice little 4 point whitey. He dropped down the other side of a small ridge so I carefully stalked up to where I last saw him, but couldn't find him. I took a couple more steps and oh crap, busted he sailed out of some thickets about 20 yards away and never gave me a shot.
I was starting to get a little rattled by now thinking that it might just be one of those days, but I kept on with my still hunt and actually bumped into him again but couldn't get a shot as his vitals were behind a tree and he didn't hang around long enough for me to get another angle.
I kept on pushing deeper into the timber and soon spotted another deer and this one was was the biggest yet. I began another stalk as he was facing directly away from me and I wanted to come in for a broadside shot. Again I was busted before I could get the shot I wanted, but I kept after him and bumped him another time before I decided I needed to try and outsmart him. He headed for a ridge on the other side of a bowl so I thought he would probably bed over there and watch his trail. I looped around the bowl and spotted the telltale shine of sun on antler. He was bedded 50 yds below me watching his trail, so I snuck in another 20 yards to get a good shooting lane, took a good rest, put the crosshairs at the base of his skull, and slowly squeezed the trigger. He was dead in his bed, and I was thrilled to have some meat for the freezer. The only problem was that I was now a couple of klicks from the road and he was a good sized deer. What a grunt to get him out but well worth it, and boy are those whiteys ever sharp.
It was a tough slog this year, one of the most discouraging hunts I've had in a long time. We were going to pack up early because of the lack of animal sightings, but on the morning of the supposed last day I bumped into a bunch of whiteys, so we decided to stay for another day. I left camp just as it became light enough to road hunt on my way to a nice stand of timber that I planned on still hunting. Not two minutes from camp I spotted a small whitey doe with another small deer, but I had seen a doe and her fawn there a couple of times during the week so I was pretty slow on the uptake and by the time I realized she was with a small 3 point they were bounding for the treeline. If I had been on the ball I could have probably had both, so I was none to pleased with myself.
I drove on to the spot I wanted to still hunt and headed into the timber stopping every 5 to 10 yards to look for movement, fur or tines, and after a few minutes I spotted a nice little 4 point whitey. He dropped down the other side of a small ridge so I carefully stalked up to where I last saw him, but couldn't find him. I took a couple more steps and oh crap, busted he sailed out of some thickets about 20 yards away and never gave me a shot.
I was starting to get a little rattled by now thinking that it might just be one of those days, but I kept on with my still hunt and actually bumped into him again but couldn't get a shot as his vitals were behind a tree and he didn't hang around long enough for me to get another angle.
I kept on pushing deeper into the timber and soon spotted another deer and this one was was the biggest yet. I began another stalk as he was facing directly away from me and I wanted to come in for a broadside shot. Again I was busted before I could get the shot I wanted, but I kept after him and bumped him another time before I decided I needed to try and outsmart him. He headed for a ridge on the other side of a bowl so I thought he would probably bed over there and watch his trail. I looped around the bowl and spotted the telltale shine of sun on antler. He was bedded 50 yds below me watching his trail, so I snuck in another 20 yards to get a good shooting lane, took a good rest, put the crosshairs at the base of his skull, and slowly squeezed the trigger. He was dead in his bed, and I was thrilled to have some meat for the freezer. The only problem was that I was now a couple of klicks from the road and he was a good sized deer. What a grunt to get him out but well worth it, and boy are those whiteys ever sharp.