Andrewh
10-30-2012, 05:14 PM
Well my buddy and I are two for two in this little area somewhere in region 8. Two weeks ago Matty took a nice 4x4 out of the same area and this weekend it was my turn. His thread is here and I shot mine about 100yrds from where his hit the ground. http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?87832-Region-8-Buck
We went up for a few days and it happened on the last morning. On Friday and Saturday it was snowing and blowing like crazy, viz was terrible except in the timber. On my morning hunt Saturday I was able to get my crosshairs on a nice little spiker at about 100 yrds but the viz was terrible. I was 98% sure it was a buck but I couldn't take the shot with 100% confidence so I let him walk. He was standing right in front of some buck brush and not moving so seeing the spikes was too tough even through my 14x Zeiss (damn snow!!!!).
That night was pretty unproductive other than freezing out butts off waiting in our night hunt perches. The 4 of us ended up back at camp after dark and exchanged stories from the day and all the close calls.
The next morning it was like a totally different area, great viz, fresh snow, and a little sun with broken blue skies. The only issue was the 30mph wind!!! We left out camp before sunrise and all went our different ways in the snow lit alpine. I was in shock at the difference between the two days before and this morning. Anyway, after about a 20 minute hike I got myself into my little secret spot at the top of a basin and basically dug myself into a tree-well out of the wind so my eyes wouldn't water as I was glassing. About 45 minutes after sun-up I see a large dark object/animal walking through my basin and sure enough it was the moose that my friends and myself found last year. He is a stomper 9x9 now and looking very healthy to say the least. He drank from a creek broadside for about 5 minutes at about 125 yrds and I was just wishing it was Nov 1 when our successful LEH draw kicks in.
About an hour after that I started to make my way slowly down the side of the basin and worked my way into the clearing at the bottom. My buddy and I have the area pretty figured out and we know where the bucks like to hang out in the mornings. Sure enough with my buddy about 600yrds away on an opposite draw facing me I signal to him "buck" by holding my hands up next to my head (we were glassing each other). The moment before this I was able to spot a nice looking buck in a little timber and could definitely i.d him as a buck this time. He was standing broadside to me in a little clearing with snow as a backdraw at a little over 200yrds but with a few trees in the way. Rather than trying to thread a round through some branches I worked my way down just a little more. Sure enough it only took 15 more yrds down the slop for me and he was in the clear. I lined him up and took the shot, anchored him in his tracks...just like those Barnes Bullets commercials!
I stood up and gave myself a little fist-pump and started to make my way over to meet Matty at my buck. He saw the whole thing unfold from the opposite slope and said it was one of the coolest things he had seen while hunting. Not often can you watch a complete sequence like this from a distance.
The buck was basically a nice 4x4 with a little 2" cheater on one side to make him a 5x4, not bad though...
I should also add that when we were processing him we heard a little grunt from very close. Matty grabbed his rifle and went for a little look hoping to see the immy moose I found the week before. He ended up about 10yrd from the nice 9x9 moose, they looked at each other and gave each other a few grunts and then he slowly turned and walked away; truly a memorable experience for him.
Shot was from the slope in the background though the trees.
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/DSCN0772copy.jpg
Cheater 5x4 skinned out
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/photo-1.jpg
Ready for the hike out
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/DSCN0793.jpg
We went up for a few days and it happened on the last morning. On Friday and Saturday it was snowing and blowing like crazy, viz was terrible except in the timber. On my morning hunt Saturday I was able to get my crosshairs on a nice little spiker at about 100 yrds but the viz was terrible. I was 98% sure it was a buck but I couldn't take the shot with 100% confidence so I let him walk. He was standing right in front of some buck brush and not moving so seeing the spikes was too tough even through my 14x Zeiss (damn snow!!!!).
That night was pretty unproductive other than freezing out butts off waiting in our night hunt perches. The 4 of us ended up back at camp after dark and exchanged stories from the day and all the close calls.
The next morning it was like a totally different area, great viz, fresh snow, and a little sun with broken blue skies. The only issue was the 30mph wind!!! We left out camp before sunrise and all went our different ways in the snow lit alpine. I was in shock at the difference between the two days before and this morning. Anyway, after about a 20 minute hike I got myself into my little secret spot at the top of a basin and basically dug myself into a tree-well out of the wind so my eyes wouldn't water as I was glassing. About 45 minutes after sun-up I see a large dark object/animal walking through my basin and sure enough it was the moose that my friends and myself found last year. He is a stomper 9x9 now and looking very healthy to say the least. He drank from a creek broadside for about 5 minutes at about 125 yrds and I was just wishing it was Nov 1 when our successful LEH draw kicks in.
About an hour after that I started to make my way slowly down the side of the basin and worked my way into the clearing at the bottom. My buddy and I have the area pretty figured out and we know where the bucks like to hang out in the mornings. Sure enough with my buddy about 600yrds away on an opposite draw facing me I signal to him "buck" by holding my hands up next to my head (we were glassing each other). The moment before this I was able to spot a nice looking buck in a little timber and could definitely i.d him as a buck this time. He was standing broadside to me in a little clearing with snow as a backdraw at a little over 200yrds but with a few trees in the way. Rather than trying to thread a round through some branches I worked my way down just a little more. Sure enough it only took 15 more yrds down the slop for me and he was in the clear. I lined him up and took the shot, anchored him in his tracks...just like those Barnes Bullets commercials!
I stood up and gave myself a little fist-pump and started to make my way over to meet Matty at my buck. He saw the whole thing unfold from the opposite slope and said it was one of the coolest things he had seen while hunting. Not often can you watch a complete sequence like this from a distance.
The buck was basically a nice 4x4 with a little 2" cheater on one side to make him a 5x4, not bad though...
I should also add that when we were processing him we heard a little grunt from very close. Matty grabbed his rifle and went for a little look hoping to see the immy moose I found the week before. He ended up about 10yrd from the nice 9x9 moose, they looked at each other and gave each other a few grunts and then he slowly turned and walked away; truly a memorable experience for him.
Shot was from the slope in the background though the trees.
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/DSCN0772copy.jpg
Cheater 5x4 skinned out
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/photo-1.jpg
Ready for the hike out
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g426/Andrewshorvath/hunting/DSCN0793.jpg