White Tails

[furiouzgeorge]

So earlier last month I realized I had 40 hours of vacation I had to use up. Thankfully I was able to schedule that over the late archery season. I started out my hunt on the west side in my usual haunts and then all of this beautiful weather set it.

For whatever reason I got the itch to come over to the east side and try to bag a white-tail. Yesterday I made it over just in time to do a little scouting. I saw a doe and a buck grazing, plenty of tracks, scat...apparently not much scouting needed, they are everywhere!!!!

I made camp at JR Campground in the National forest. WHAT A COLD NIGHT!!! It hit 8 degrees in twisp, must have been colder at 4,000 ft!

Most of my day was spent scouting. At 9 o'clock I saw huge shooter buck standing on a rock ledge 100 yards up. Just to get to know white tail habits I raced up the hill to see what type of escape he would pull. No kidding he just went down the backside of the hill circled back around, crossed my tracks and took off.

Around 230 I found a spot that looked like a few trails bottlenecked. I decided to set up a little blind there and wait for one to come on down. Before doing so I put in every hand warmer and foot warmer I could. I put more layers on and went on too!

Apparently Eastern Washington was prepared for me. That cold set in so fast!

By about 4 o'clock I had had enough. I was shaking so badly I knew I couldn't take an ethical shot. I decided to get in my truck and just drive around to warm up. Apparently it was so cold my radiator was doing its job too well. I could not get heat for a while.

With about 10 minutes of legal light left, I decided to swing back by the area where I had set up and pussed out. Lo and behold, another monster charging off as he heard me drive up.

I am kicking myself so hard right now! I went right to twisp, picked up warmer gear, and I'm laying in the cab of my truck about a half mile from that spot. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night of the week but i cant miss another crack at him.

Anybody have luck with the white tail coming back to a spot you spooked them from?

My game plan is as follows:
.
Wake up, pick the ice out of my beard.
.
Hunt a different area in the morning so I don't spook him again (There's no sneaking in with all this snow and ice.)
.
About noon I'm planning to make a small blind that will protect me from the wind.
.
Planning to put on all the clothes that I own and sit there until I see him again.
.
At 5:00 I plan to warm my hands with his guts.
.
Put him in the back of my truck with all my camping gear.
.
Go home, drink whiskey, sleep!
.
Any advice, comments, suggestions? Also if you're in the twisp / okanogon area I'd love to meet up and high five you.

[300UltraMagShooter]

They make clothes that working in -10 degree weather....  no problem.  It is expensive, but so worth it if you're a bowhunter in late season.

I've sat all day in -6 degree and not even get a chill.   

[furiouzgeorge]

Yeah, I know. I live on Whidbey Island, its never this cold!!! If I ever come out here again, I'll come much better prepared.

[Selkirk]

Sounds like you have a good plan.  One item of clothing I swear by in this kind of weather is a balaclava - keeps heat from escaping from the neck/throat/head area. You may want to take a few practice shots with all those layers of clothes you plan of wearing.  Kill a big one!

[CAMPMEAT]

Wool pants with longjohns with a nice hunting wool jacket. I also use silk liner gloves with my, of course, wool gloves. I also use a silk balaclava with a yes, wool hat or ball cap. It's quiet and the best in my opinion.

[jnevs23]

Make sure you  can draw your bow and shoot without catching your arm with the string when you add all those layers

[furiouzgeorge]

Thanks for the info guys, My usual hunting attire is comprised of the t-shirt and carhartts. I did grab a lot of warm stuff before I came over because I knew it would be chilly but not this cold. Its 1 degree now. And expected to hit 15 around 1pm.

Tonight's definitely been the coldest so far. But I got the whole sleeping in the cab thing down so I was actually pretty warm. Now Ive got to block of 2/3 of my radiator so that I can have heat today!

The matter what happens tonight, I'm going home!

[headshot5]

Good luck!  Stay warm.   

[Elkrunner]

Man stay warm..its cold out there today.

[Knotabite]

Well how'd you do? I live just south of where your hunting and yes it is cold.. Hope you stayed warm and maybe got him? I'll be after him Saturday... 

[furiouzgeorge]

He came in tonight, a couple minutes after legal hunting. He was milling around by the creek and punched a hole in the ice to drink out of. He just would not come close enough. I'll draw you a map when I get home, I definitely want somebody to get him!

This was a big eye opener for me. First of all I was not prepared for sub-zero temps. I do have a -18 sleeping bag which made all of the difference. Each night all of my water in the cab was frozen solid. Totally new experience for me. I have to admit when he didn't come up near the 'blind' I was a little relieved. I would have taken the shot if he did, but not having to track him, gut him, and pack him to the truck in that weather was reasonable consolation.

My experience was, overall, positive. I learned a lot and enjoyed a new area!

Next year WILL be different.