With muzzle elk and deer done for me. And I had already taken my 3 point mulie during muzzle season I was now outfitter and guide for rifle for Matthew and Danielle who was on her first hunt. Matthew was coming from WSU and did not get to camp until late Friday night. We got to the glassing spot at first light and found some does and a two point. We only had a couple of other hunters to manage and we kept them to our advantage as we worked our area. Later in the morning we jumped a two point that was within Danielle shooting skills, but he was slick with no eye guards. Just before noon, we found several deer with another two point and off by itself a pretty big buck –he was way out. Again keeping the other hunters in mind we closed the distance and Matthew took a minute to get him in the spotting scope – plenty legal ( the pic does not do it justice but a 25 inch 2x4 with great eye guards). We had no choice but to climb straight at it. Finally it stood and I ranged it at 230 yards – this was going to be Matthews shot. First shot missed and then he lost track of the buck as it moved off just walking. Matthew got back on it and shot again. I was glassing it on the third shot which was a solid hit guessing about 300 yards or so and the buck went down. Danielle was in on her first buck down and with her help we had the buck in the truck at about 3. Matthew is buried in school work needed to get back to Pullman so we got him back to the trailer, ate a big meal and Danielle and I headed out for the evening hunt. We found a herd that had a really nice buck in it but they were where we did not have permission to hunt. I decided that we needed to watch them and after a few minutes the lead doe started heading to the side of the road where we did have permission. It was just a matter if they would get there in time. I got her set up as best I could on a fence post as the does came into our field. The buck was the last to jump the fence and for the first while he was blocked by does with no shot. Finally he was clear about a 125 yard shot with a good rest – within her ability and I told her to take him. She shot and what looked to be a good hit. The buck ran across the field and she shot a second time, another hit and he jumped a fence and went down. We re-grouped and headed across the field and could not find it at first and ended up jumping it up with no shot opportunity. It went up over a hill and we tracked it until almost dark when I decided it was best to let it lie up and find it in the morning. Sunday morning we resumed the trail and went slow. I kept glassing ahead and after quite awhile I spotted a buck but could not tell much about it. Through the spotting scope it looked like the same white horned buck and was lying not quite right. So we put a move on it and as we got closer I was positive this was her buck. We got to within 20 yards and she finished it off. After seeing the shots from the night before I could not believe it made it as far as it did. I could not have been more proud of her - an honest 4x5 mulie . Danielle made pretty good shots for her first time, was there physically, helped cape, skin, quarter and pack everything back to the truck. It was like she was borne into this.
And one heck of a buck at that!
Guess off to Idaho now…. Maybe another couple of whitetails yet to be tagged
2014 hunting has been really good to me so far....
