thatsjet
Well-known member
This year was my first time hunting anything... my target was mule deer. I'm 48 years old and after years of trying to find someone to take me hunting I finally planned a hunt on my own, put in for a tag, drew a long shot, and went hunting!
I drew Oregon Unit 61 - Imnaha Buck tag. My plan was to backpack it, and haul out any catch on my own. I got OnX, scoured Google Earth, and felt (what I thought) was familiar with the area. I had glassing spots planned and ready to go. I activated my InReach explorer a week in advance, made sure my contacts were getting messages, did a final pack up and headed out at 4am the day before the opener.
I arrived at BigSheep trailhead (~6300ft) around noon Friday and started up the mountain. It took me a few hours to make the 5 mile trip to the top (~7800ft), I spent the evening glassing and looking for any sign. I had seen quite a bit of sign on the hillsides below, but absolutely zero up here and nothing moved on any hill for miles from then until dark. I picked out a couple of trees on a nearby flat spot and hung my hammock to bed down. It got COLD that night... down about 28° but I was reasonably comfortable in my 32° bag. But... I was whooped. I had only enough appetite for a bowl of potato soup and crashed quickly.
Next morning up early and on the mountain before dawn to set up and glass. I had chosen this spot because it gave me access to several nearby canyons. I spent the day hitting a few nearby spots to look across into each canyon from above and glass, glass, glass trying to catch even a hint of movement. Nothing. Nowhere.
Around noon I decided perhaps a new strategy would be in order. I felt like the weather was changing and perhaps deer were heading for lower elevations. I sent a request for weather report to the InReach satellite and got back... "overnight low 14°, snow accumulating 3-6 inches overnight".... UGH! I knew I wasn't really geared for that. I decided to head back down the the truck and perhaps catch a nearby valley that I'd heard might be productive from a friend.
Back down the five miles, with my 46lbs of gear weighing on me hard given the hiking I'd been doing. I got to the truck, put my gear in the back and sat down in the driver's seat to ponder my options. As the snow started falling my body all at once felt the soreness that I'd accumulated over the past 48 hours. I started driving down the trailhead toward the main road that would take me right to the next canyon, or left... headed home.
I went left.
Postscript: Lessons learned
- Always have both a topo map, as well as trail maps when they're available. Trails are better than bushwhacking. You'll make less noise, travel more ground, and be less tired.
- Scout it at least once. Going in cold means you'll spend lots of time just getting familiar, and you'll make mistakes you could have avoided with a little scouting.
- Pace yourself. Have more than one option and don't be afraid to change strategy EARLY
- Camping at the truck is probably fine in most cases. You don't have to be Bear Grylls and carry every speck of gear with you. Get close in the truck, have a good place to stay warm at night, then cover lots of ground with your pack in light mode.
- You can't over train for a backpacking trip. I ran 2-3 miles 3 days a week with a 25lb vest. I still got my ass kicked carring 46lbs up 2500ft elevation in five miles.
I drew Oregon Unit 61 - Imnaha Buck tag. My plan was to backpack it, and haul out any catch on my own. I got OnX, scoured Google Earth, and felt (what I thought) was familiar with the area. I had glassing spots planned and ready to go. I activated my InReach explorer a week in advance, made sure my contacts were getting messages, did a final pack up and headed out at 4am the day before the opener.
I arrived at BigSheep trailhead (~6300ft) around noon Friday and started up the mountain. It took me a few hours to make the 5 mile trip to the top (~7800ft), I spent the evening glassing and looking for any sign. I had seen quite a bit of sign on the hillsides below, but absolutely zero up here and nothing moved on any hill for miles from then until dark. I picked out a couple of trees on a nearby flat spot and hung my hammock to bed down. It got COLD that night... down about 28° but I was reasonably comfortable in my 32° bag. But... I was whooped. I had only enough appetite for a bowl of potato soup and crashed quickly.
Next morning up early and on the mountain before dawn to set up and glass. I had chosen this spot because it gave me access to several nearby canyons. I spent the day hitting a few nearby spots to look across into each canyon from above and glass, glass, glass trying to catch even a hint of movement. Nothing. Nowhere.
Around noon I decided perhaps a new strategy would be in order. I felt like the weather was changing and perhaps deer were heading for lower elevations. I sent a request for weather report to the InReach satellite and got back... "overnight low 14°, snow accumulating 3-6 inches overnight".... UGH! I knew I wasn't really geared for that. I decided to head back down the the truck and perhaps catch a nearby valley that I'd heard might be productive from a friend.
Back down the five miles, with my 46lbs of gear weighing on me hard given the hiking I'd been doing. I got to the truck, put my gear in the back and sat down in the driver's seat to ponder my options. As the snow started falling my body all at once felt the soreness that I'd accumulated over the past 48 hours. I started driving down the trailhead toward the main road that would take me right to the next canyon, or left... headed home.
I went left.
Postscript: Lessons learned
- Always have both a topo map, as well as trail maps when they're available. Trails are better than bushwhacking. You'll make less noise, travel more ground, and be less tired.
- Scout it at least once. Going in cold means you'll spend lots of time just getting familiar, and you'll make mistakes you could have avoided with a little scouting.
- Pace yourself. Have more than one option and don't be afraid to change strategy EARLY
- Camping at the truck is probably fine in most cases. You don't have to be Bear Grylls and carry every speck of gear with you. Get close in the truck, have a good place to stay warm at night, then cover lots of ground with your pack in light mode.
- You can't over train for a backpacking trip. I ran 2-3 miles 3 days a week with a 25lb vest. I still got my ass kicked carring 46lbs up 2500ft elevation in five miles.
