Wyhunter
Well-known member
Hang in there, you got this! Some hunts are downright brutal marathons. Im glad you got some time with the wife and a good reset!
The veil has been opened! 1/11
- Thread starter perma
- Start date
perma
Well-known member
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BackofBeyond
Well-known member
perma
Well-known member
Day 6: Point Blank
I wake up from a warm and comfy bed to head in the direction of a new glass spot. The wind is merciless and has dropped the temps at least 15 degrees. I get to my spot early on and sit in my truck for 30 min trying to find the motivation to start moving. I find it, and head out.
To get to this spot, I had to cross a small stream. No big deal, it’s frozen over. Well to get to it, you need to cross through some willow tangles. Not a big deal, right? It wasn’t until I thought I had my footing and lost it after being submerged ankle deep into the stream. Remember that wind? My toes remember it all too well.
I get to my glassing spot and start planning. The wind caught my spotter and fell right onto the hard rock I was on and broke off the threads on my plate. The glass is still great but I can’t use it on my tripod so now I have no spotter. We’re struggling at this point.
I get up and move to get warm and hike about another half mile. I start to surrender the spot until I look over a canyon. A lone deer was feeding next to a large boulder. I know he’s a buck, but I would not know how big until I get close. I hit him with my range finder: 817 yards. I’m going after him.
I get through the aspen tangle at the bottom of the canyon and the wind is ripping hard. I have good wind direction and it’s loud enough to keep the sound down. I get to the large boulder and he’s nowhere to be found.
At this point, I realize that this will now be still hunting and this shot will be close. I drop my scope to 100 yards, load a round and lowest zoom and start walking. Nowhere to be found.
I stand next to a tree and start to wonder how he got away. As I glass and finished putting my nocs in my harness, here he comes to my left at a measly 40 yards. I see his eyes and then look at his antlers; small four point. I quickly flip my safety off and shoulder him. I led the shot too much and completely wiffed. He stops wondering what just happened, turns to me and books it. He quartered and I took another shot, he keeps running. I try to get ahead of him but he just vanishes.
At this point, I thought he was dead or ran into the next county. I followed his path and scoured the area for blood, hair, anything. I searched for two hours, nothing. Pissed off, I walk back to the truck cussing myself out about how much more easier can it be.
I go back around to the other side of the road to try and relocate him. I searched two patches of trees he may have ran to, didn’t find a thing. No blood, no hair. At this point, I know my tag is still valid and my pride is low. This is the second deer I’ve ever missed in my life.
Tomorrow (yesterday) is another day. Short memory.
I wake up from a warm and comfy bed to head in the direction of a new glass spot. The wind is merciless and has dropped the temps at least 15 degrees. I get to my spot early on and sit in my truck for 30 min trying to find the motivation to start moving. I find it, and head out.
To get to this spot, I had to cross a small stream. No big deal, it’s frozen over. Well to get to it, you need to cross through some willow tangles. Not a big deal, right? It wasn’t until I thought I had my footing and lost it after being submerged ankle deep into the stream. Remember that wind? My toes remember it all too well.
I get to my glassing spot and start planning. The wind caught my spotter and fell right onto the hard rock I was on and broke off the threads on my plate. The glass is still great but I can’t use it on my tripod so now I have no spotter. We’re struggling at this point.
I get up and move to get warm and hike about another half mile. I start to surrender the spot until I look over a canyon. A lone deer was feeding next to a large boulder. I know he’s a buck, but I would not know how big until I get close. I hit him with my range finder: 817 yards. I’m going after him.
I get through the aspen tangle at the bottom of the canyon and the wind is ripping hard. I have good wind direction and it’s loud enough to keep the sound down. I get to the large boulder and he’s nowhere to be found.
At this point, I realize that this will now be still hunting and this shot will be close. I drop my scope to 100 yards, load a round and lowest zoom and start walking. Nowhere to be found.
I stand next to a tree and start to wonder how he got away. As I glass and finished putting my nocs in my harness, here he comes to my left at a measly 40 yards. I see his eyes and then look at his antlers; small four point. I quickly flip my safety off and shoulder him. I led the shot too much and completely wiffed. He stops wondering what just happened, turns to me and books it. He quartered and I took another shot, he keeps running. I try to get ahead of him but he just vanishes.
At this point, I thought he was dead or ran into the next county. I followed his path and scoured the area for blood, hair, anything. I searched for two hours, nothing. Pissed off, I walk back to the truck cussing myself out about how much more easier can it be.
I go back around to the other side of the road to try and relocate him. I searched two patches of trees he may have ran to, didn’t find a thing. No blood, no hair. At this point, I know my tag is still valid and my pride is low. This is the second deer I’ve ever missed in my life.
Tomorrow (yesterday) is another day. Short memory.
perma
Well-known member
Day 7: Stick with what you know
There’s 3 days left, including today. I have an elk hunt I need to get ready for. At this point, that buck is either over here or he sprouted wings and flew off. Either way, if it has antlers at this point, it’s going down. Welcome to the panic room.
I chose to go back to a spot that held does 4 separate trips. Yesterday showed that bucks were rubbing trees so rutting activity is here. I decide to check on the does to inquire what the status is. I get to my spot before first light. Wind is nonexistent, but blowing in my face. Perfect.
I don’t glass for any more than an hour and find the does. I don’t see a buck yet but I quickly make a stalk on them anyway just in case. I get into a clearing half way down the canyon and found a decent two-point buck. He was rutting does going around and checking. He’s going down.
I hit him with the rangefinder at 289. East shot. I dial my gun and take a shot. The does are standing around looking. The buck is unphased and continues to sniff. They move a bit but the buck stops again. Boom. Missed again. Wtf is going on!?
I get lower and closer and recheck wind, nothing down here. The buck starts to follow does again and is checking. I hit him at 325 yards. I refix my turret, boom. Missed again. He actually comes down to check a final doe. I opt to not change the turret and take my final shot.
Boom. *thwack*
I see him go down next to a rock and glass him up. What bull$#!+ shooting that was. But no one was wounded except my pride.
I drop down into another willow hellhole and slip under a fence after jumping over a creek. I scour the area for 15 min and had a hard time locating him. He blended into a rock that he fell on. The biggest sigh of relief I’ve ever had on a hunt.
I do my dirty work and get a good yield of meat. I spent a lot of time getting as much as I could since I had all day. I decide that this canyon bottom is too miserable to do twice so I’m getting him out in one pull. I had to carry the loose meat by hand but my back is miserable at this point. 1.5 mile pack out through creek crossings and willow tangles. I get to the road and drop my pack next to a bush and fetch the truck.
He’s in the cooler chilling down right now, and will be processed tomorrow. That was a miserable pack out for such a small buck. But, I got my first mule deer! 14 days of total hunting, only 3 bucks found in that whole time along with a total month of scouting. Im glad I didn’t settle on a doe, and I wished I didn’t do stupid on that bigger one. But the tag is punched!
We’re 3/4 this year so far!
There’s 3 days left, including today. I have an elk hunt I need to get ready for. At this point, that buck is either over here or he sprouted wings and flew off. Either way, if it has antlers at this point, it’s going down. Welcome to the panic room.
I chose to go back to a spot that held does 4 separate trips. Yesterday showed that bucks were rubbing trees so rutting activity is here. I decide to check on the does to inquire what the status is. I get to my spot before first light. Wind is nonexistent, but blowing in my face. Perfect.
I don’t glass for any more than an hour and find the does. I don’t see a buck yet but I quickly make a stalk on them anyway just in case. I get into a clearing half way down the canyon and found a decent two-point buck. He was rutting does going around and checking. He’s going down.
I hit him with the rangefinder at 289. East shot. I dial my gun and take a shot. The does are standing around looking. The buck is unphased and continues to sniff. They move a bit but the buck stops again. Boom. Missed again. Wtf is going on!?
I get lower and closer and recheck wind, nothing down here. The buck starts to follow does again and is checking. I hit him at 325 yards. I refix my turret, boom. Missed again. He actually comes down to check a final doe. I opt to not change the turret and take my final shot.
Boom. *thwack*
I see him go down next to a rock and glass him up. What bull$#!+ shooting that was. But no one was wounded except my pride.
I drop down into another willow hellhole and slip under a fence after jumping over a creek. I scour the area for 15 min and had a hard time locating him. He blended into a rock that he fell on. The biggest sigh of relief I’ve ever had on a hunt.
I do my dirty work and get a good yield of meat. I spent a lot of time getting as much as I could since I had all day. I decide that this canyon bottom is too miserable to do twice so I’m getting him out in one pull. I had to carry the loose meat by hand but my back is miserable at this point. 1.5 mile pack out through creek crossings and willow tangles. I get to the road and drop my pack next to a bush and fetch the truck.
He’s in the cooler chilling down right now, and will be processed tomorrow. That was a miserable pack out for such a small buck. But, I got my first mule deer! 14 days of total hunting, only 3 bucks found in that whole time along with a total month of scouting. Im glad I didn’t settle on a doe, and I wished I didn’t do stupid on that bigger one. But the tag is punched!
We’re 3/4 this year so far!
Attachments
Wyhunter
Well-known member
Nice job!
perma
Well-known member
Thanks for the comment. I’ve made it kind of like a pact that I wouldn’t hunt a unit more than twice moving forward. I’m sure I’ll redact that statement eventually, and that’ll be for cow hunts for meat, maybe some other hunts like the pronghorn hunt I did this year, who knows. I’m purposely doing that because I think it’ll make me a better hunter. I want to learn about multiple herds rather than just one. Not saying that I know everything about this specific herd, but I knew enough to have opportunities to be successful twice.
Plus, I’m a gypsy. I never stay in one place for long. I like seeing new country and new places.
Also, that hunt was not OTC. Second choice draw that I got to hunt last year. So I got to hunt the same LE unit twice in a row, which was pretty lucky of me. Just got nothing to show for it unfortunately. CO elk hunting is hard, LE or OTC. It’s criminal.
duckhunt
Well-known member
Congrats
perma
Well-known member
I took him to Game and Fish to get tested for CWD. The field tech suggested that based on his teeth, he is approximately 2-2 1/2 years old. He was able to get a sample of the spinal cord after the removal of one vertebrae and a 4” incision down the middle of the bottom of his jaw. He also extracted two bottom teeth to age. I will know the results in 1-2 weeks.
My wife and I ate the tenderloins last night. I did a simple seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic powder, sage and Italian seasoning. Got it to room temperature and did a quick 90 second sear on both sides and basted with butter. A little too much salt but the meat was cooked to medium rare. Served with potatoes and green beans. It was tasty, freshest tenderloins I ever had, around 8 hours old.
Final hunt is an elk hunt in south Wyoming. I got lucky and drew the only bull HMA slip offered in that entire unit for those specific dates, and I also drew a cow slip for this coming weekend. The posts will be slowing down a bit until the Thanksgiving hunt if that still happens. Obviously, stories and pictures will come if I’m able to connect.
One more chance at an elk, and I’ll have completed the Wyoming trifecta.
My wife and I ate the tenderloins last night. I did a simple seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic powder, sage and Italian seasoning. Got it to room temperature and did a quick 90 second sear on both sides and basted with butter. A little too much salt but the meat was cooked to medium rare. Served with potatoes and green beans. It was tasty, freshest tenderloins I ever had, around 8 hours old.
Final hunt is an elk hunt in south Wyoming. I got lucky and drew the only bull HMA slip offered in that entire unit for those specific dates, and I also drew a cow slip for this coming weekend. The posts will be slowing down a bit until the Thanksgiving hunt if that still happens. Obviously, stories and pictures will come if I’m able to connect.
One more chance at an elk, and I’ll have completed the Wyoming trifecta.
Are you concerned about CWD for human health reasons or herd population/biological reasons? Just curious, I've always held off on eating any animal that I get tested until I get the results.
perma
Well-known member
I get it tested for conservation purposes. I know the CDC recommends to toss it if it’s positive but I’ve already ate two meals from it and intend on eating the rest regardless of the outcome. So far, from my research, no humans have ever been sick from CWD.
I like it. Not trying to say it is silly by any means, just always curious how people treat it. It concerns me more from a conservation stand point now as well.
perma
Well-known member
Yeah, no worries. I worked way too hard for that small buck and would be remissed if I threw him out, lol. Until the day we have a confirmed case, I will eat it as normal.
perma
Well-known member
perma
Well-known member
Quick update; i decided to use my lunch hour to go to the gun range down the street and check my zero. To my somewhat not so surprise, I was an inch high at 100 yards. I usually prefer dead zero or slightly lower (no more than 1/2"). So figuring that into account of also adjusting for 300 yards, no wonder it took four shots. Two shots and I'm back on zero. Windage was great!
I usually zero my gun before any hunt, but I did not do it before the deer hunt. So now it's a matter of wondering if it was the elk hunt or the deer hunt where I lost it. I was a bit rough on both trips, so who knows.
I usually zero my gun before any hunt, but I did not do it before the deer hunt. So now it's a matter of wondering if it was the elk hunt or the deer hunt where I lost it. I was a bit rough on both trips, so who knows.
perma
Well-known member
Here’s the plan. I got the only bull permission slip for this HMA I got. CO had some nasty weather where it borders Wyoming. The slip is good for 3 days, and I took this Friday off to hunt it. A lot of people were telling me this was going to be a slam dunk. Won’t know until I get there. I’ve only driven by it and they don’t allow preseason scouting. But people see elk here all year round.
A bull down ends the year for me this weekend. Any other tags (cow) will be donated. If not, thanksgiving weekend is next. It’s me, the only one hunting a bull, and nine cow hunters.
Eleven years is too long.
A bull down ends the year for me this weekend. Any other tags (cow) will be donated. If not, thanksgiving weekend is next. It’s me, the only one hunting a bull, and nine cow hunters.
Eleven years is too long.
perma
Well-known member
Day 1: Do it like Chris Ledoux
I should start by saying that some folks in Laramie built up this overwhelming excitement, suggesting that this tag was a slam dunk on this HMA. I quickly learned there was an asterisk next to those comments. This particular HMA allows no preseason scouting so the idea is scout on day one, locate/shoot day two and pack out day three if needed.
I get to the HMA right at shooting hours. There is a fork in the road that takes you to two different parking spots. My ace spot did not show a road that I visibly saw which is frustrating so I settled for second best. This was mistake one. This spot had terrible wind and sun in my eyes. Not at all productive for glassing.
I walk and walk and walk and do not find anything but some decent sign, about a week old at best. Unfortunately I think I ruined this spot because of the wind. Gusts were in excess of 35. If anything was over these ridges, they would have scented me.
I drove back to the truck and finally found the other road. I get to the end and take a quick nap. I wake up and walk to a knob and start to glass from the north. Nothing found. I drove out thinking that it’s time to go deep into the corner. The wind was really ripe and got right through my gloves to the point of frost nip. I called it right at sunset and drove out.
I should start by saying that some folks in Laramie built up this overwhelming excitement, suggesting that this tag was a slam dunk on this HMA. I quickly learned there was an asterisk next to those comments. This particular HMA allows no preseason scouting so the idea is scout on day one, locate/shoot day two and pack out day three if needed.
I get to the HMA right at shooting hours. There is a fork in the road that takes you to two different parking spots. My ace spot did not show a road that I visibly saw which is frustrating so I settled for second best. This was mistake one. This spot had terrible wind and sun in my eyes. Not at all productive for glassing.
I walk and walk and walk and do not find anything but some decent sign, about a week old at best. Unfortunately I think I ruined this spot because of the wind. Gusts were in excess of 35. If anything was over these ridges, they would have scented me.
I drove back to the truck and finally found the other road. I get to the end and take a quick nap. I wake up and walk to a knob and start to glass from the north. Nothing found. I drove out thinking that it’s time to go deep into the corner. The wind was really ripe and got right through my gloves to the point of frost nip. I called it right at sunset and drove out.
Attachments
perma
Well-known member
Day 2: Where’s Waldo?
I get back to my ace spot and walk out to my knob at first shooting light. I heard another truck pull up to mine so I knew today was going to be busy. Might help to push them around. I shotgun glass and could not turn up anything but a few cattle. I saw my new friend on the knob to my west so I decide to pack up and figured its time to go in.
I walk over three ridges to the east where the border is. I find that this particular drainage has a lot of really good sign, maybe a few days old. I get to the edge on the other side of a fence and start to shotgun glass a little more…
*boom*
My heart sunk.
I decided that since I have the only bull permission slip, maybe they’ll run towards me. Wind and sun are in my face so I have a chance. I wait a few minutes and don’t see anything. I decide to get up to another knob across a creek. I get to the top and learned there’s an electric fence. There’s not many openings around so at that point, my morale dropped a lot.
This is where things got bad in my head. In context, I’m pretty burned out at this point. I’ve had 5 big planned hunts this year and the driving back and forth to this unit has drained my energy. I’m 3 miles in and haven’t laid eyes on ANY wildlife. My wife then also texted me and had a premonition that I was going to get hurt which prompted her an anxiety attack. My family decided it was best to call it for the week.
I start to walk back and take a slightly different route. What’s cryptic is that I found very fresh tracks and fresh scat. I would be very appalled if they walked right under my nose but I can’t imagine they would be in the open like this. Not too many trees but a lot of large drainages. At this point, I’m 2 miles from the truck and I start talking to myself wondering what the hell is going on. Grumble grumble, I get to the truck and call my wife and drove home empty handed.
The burnout has got to me. This year was the most I’ve ever hunted and at this point, I am almost ready to call it quits. However, I don’t know that I can let it go. I think I need snow. So I may not hunt for the rest of the month and start thinking about a December hunt. But after December, my season is over, period.
I get back to my ace spot and walk out to my knob at first shooting light. I heard another truck pull up to mine so I knew today was going to be busy. Might help to push them around. I shotgun glass and could not turn up anything but a few cattle. I saw my new friend on the knob to my west so I decide to pack up and figured its time to go in.
I walk over three ridges to the east where the border is. I find that this particular drainage has a lot of really good sign, maybe a few days old. I get to the edge on the other side of a fence and start to shotgun glass a little more…
*boom*
My heart sunk.
I decided that since I have the only bull permission slip, maybe they’ll run towards me. Wind and sun are in my face so I have a chance. I wait a few minutes and don’t see anything. I decide to get up to another knob across a creek. I get to the top and learned there’s an electric fence. There’s not many openings around so at that point, my morale dropped a lot.
This is where things got bad in my head. In context, I’m pretty burned out at this point. I’ve had 5 big planned hunts this year and the driving back and forth to this unit has drained my energy. I’m 3 miles in and haven’t laid eyes on ANY wildlife. My wife then also texted me and had a premonition that I was going to get hurt which prompted her an anxiety attack. My family decided it was best to call it for the week.
I start to walk back and take a slightly different route. What’s cryptic is that I found very fresh tracks and fresh scat. I would be very appalled if they walked right under my nose but I can’t imagine they would be in the open like this. Not too many trees but a lot of large drainages. At this point, I’m 2 miles from the truck and I start talking to myself wondering what the hell is going on. Grumble grumble, I get to the truck and call my wife and drove home empty handed.
The burnout has got to me. This year was the most I’ve ever hunted and at this point, I am almost ready to call it quits. However, I don’t know that I can let it go. I think I need snow. So I may not hunt for the rest of the month and start thinking about a December hunt. But after December, my season is over, period.
Attachments
perma
Well-known member
Well here’s a rundown of my final plans for the year. My wife has decided that she’s not ready to hunt. She had a hard time grouping at 100 yards so we’re going to surrender her tag to a vet that can use it hopefully.
I’m taking this weekend and next off to recoup and enjoy some family time. I also bought myself a new rifle so I’m going to spend some range time with it.
I’m going to apply for the HMA again since I’m familiar with it, just need some snow. Hopefully mid December is when I’ll get the access. If not, I have Christmas week. Regardless, I’m going those last few days for a final push. Between those two attempts, that should add up to 8 days.
Plenty of time.
I’m taking this weekend and next off to recoup and enjoy some family time. I also bought myself a new rifle so I’m going to spend some range time with it.
I’m going to apply for the HMA again since I’m familiar with it, just need some snow. Hopefully mid December is when I’ll get the access. If not, I have Christmas week. Regardless, I’m going those last few days for a final push. Between those two attempts, that should add up to 8 days.
Plenty of time.
