Help me with mountain whitetails
- Thread starter TheJason
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npaden
Well-known member
Nice buck! Congrats!
TheJason
Well-known member
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- Oct 21, 2024
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So, I hunted Monday and was out very early and into a good clearcut. I saw a number of does, no bucks. I really focused on very slow movement. At about 0800, I saw a spike pushing a doe. I had forgotten my binos for the first time I can ever remember, I thought they were in the truck. They weren't. I had to look a this buck for a couple of minutes with my scope on 10x to make sure he was legal. I decided I was going to shoot him and make it home in time for my daughter's volleyball game. I missed. Several times.
I was very bothered by the misses, and finally checked zero on my rifle. Off by a foot to the right. WTF? Still can't figure out what happened, but it wasn't good. Rifle re-zeroed, had to hike back to the truck for more ammo. Kind of went into stupid mode and reverted to hiking farther and faster on the road, checking different clearcuts. Not a good day, and I was unhappy with myself on several different levels.
I almost didn't go yesterday. I was going to take my dog and go hunt roosters instead. My wife pointed out I was being a candy ass, and that I could shoot roosters in December and January. I got up at 0400 and headed north. Three inches of virgin powder, and then the rain started at 0630. I couldn't have been more wet if I was snorkeling.
I thought about what Pinecricker said and the pressure. I noticed how visible hunters were walking the roads. I counted how many mature bucks I saw in the clearcuts (zero) and I began looking for soft spots of refuge. I was less than a 1/2 mile (air miles) from the main access road. I wasn't even close to clear cuts. I was on a ridge I had eyeballed Friday night and thought it looked really good. I was going slow like Ric told me to.
I saw him first. I watched him for about 5 minutes waiting for a shot. I offhanded him at 100 yards. I had no idea how big he was when I shot him, I just knew he was a buck. I was beyond thrilled when I laid hands on him. Mentally, this was one of the toughest hunts I've ever done. I wanted it to be like hunting mule deer, glassing the cuts and hunting the open stuff. I had to really relearn my thought process. I don't think I'm completely there yet.
So is this ridge a spot I should focus on year after year (not being sarcastic)? Will it be a likely spot to find good bucks each year? I'm thinking it's more about he security of the location than anything, is that correct?
I was very bothered by the misses, and finally checked zero on my rifle. Off by a foot to the right. WTF? Still can't figure out what happened, but it wasn't good. Rifle re-zeroed, had to hike back to the truck for more ammo. Kind of went into stupid mode and reverted to hiking farther and faster on the road, checking different clearcuts. Not a good day, and I was unhappy with myself on several different levels.
I almost didn't go yesterday. I was going to take my dog and go hunt roosters instead. My wife pointed out I was being a candy ass, and that I could shoot roosters in December and January. I got up at 0400 and headed north. Three inches of virgin powder, and then the rain started at 0630. I couldn't have been more wet if I was snorkeling.
I thought about what Pinecricker said and the pressure. I noticed how visible hunters were walking the roads. I counted how many mature bucks I saw in the clearcuts (zero) and I began looking for soft spots of refuge. I was less than a 1/2 mile (air miles) from the main access road. I wasn't even close to clear cuts. I was on a ridge I had eyeballed Friday night and thought it looked really good. I was going slow like Ric told me to.
I saw him first. I watched him for about 5 minutes waiting for a shot. I offhanded him at 100 yards. I had no idea how big he was when I shot him, I just knew he was a buck. I was beyond thrilled when I laid hands on him. Mentally, this was one of the toughest hunts I've ever done. I wanted it to be like hunting mule deer, glassing the cuts and hunting the open stuff. I had to really relearn my thought process. I don't think I'm completely there yet.
So is this ridge a spot I should focus on year after year (not being sarcastic)? Will it be a likely spot to find good bucks each year? I'm thinking it's more about he security of the location than anything, is that correct?
VAspeedgoat
Well-known member
First off what a hog, I love the tall tines. I find that certain spots tend to hold bucks from season to season. Its hard to say if this is one of those areas for sure, only time will tell. Its deffinately one to check on.
npaden
Well-known member
Wives are generally pretty good at telling it like it is! Mine has convinced me to stay after it a few times when I was ready to throw in the towel. Of course I never came home with something like you did as a result of staying out that extra day.
