Memorable hunts

[Miles]

Since it's the slow time of year where everyone's waiting for permit results, and planning the 2015 hunt, let's see some pictures from some of the more memorable hunts.


I'll start off with a few of mine.  As a person who grew up on the east coast hunting whitetails, I really didn't get the mule deer bug until living in WA for about 4 years.  Here's the buck that started me thinking about mountain muleys year round, my dad's first good muley.  I was lucky enough to be standing beside him when this guy decided to show himself.

[vandeman17]

back country oregon trip with old man. No elk hit the ground but still one of the most fun hunts I have ever been on

[Miles]

A friend and I were hiking a ridge mid morning and I heard a "snap".  We stopped and started glassing below.  I picked out some antlers sticking out from behind a standing tree, and after what seemed like forever this buck stepped forward and my friend took the shot.  He had bedded down just below the ridgeline and we figure that he heard us making noise and stood up.  Sometimes it pays to have a little luck on your side.  Here's a pic of me with the buck since he may not like his pic posted.  The next day the weather took a turn for the worse and we ended up having to pull out.

[andrew_in_idaho]

One of my most memorable hunts was my bull in Idaho unit 39 in 2013. I had watched elk on one ridge during deer and elk seasons for several years and just never thought I could get to them without killing myself due to the steep terrain and distance. Well on opening day 2013 I decided to overcome those obstacles. I woke early in the morning and hiked the gated road to my glassing point in total darkness, as I neared the top I saw 2 lights coming up the road behind me. When I reached the top I stopped and waited for the 2 people hiking up behind me to let them know I was in the area and see if there was a way we could all hunt effectively without any of us getting into each others way. When they reached the top I had a nice chat with them and we gameplanned where we were going to go I was going to stay put and glass the canyon directly below while they(husband and wife team) headed west into the head of the next drainage. As we were talking I brought up the elk that were always on that far ridge, and the guy said he knew they were always there as well but much like me was afraid of the prospects of putting an elk down that far from camp/vehicles. They headed off as the sun started to rise and I settled in to watch only to discover that all of the drainages were fogged in, so I glassed what little bit of the ridgetops I could see over and over while I waited and waited for the fog to clear. Eventually the fog started to burn out of the drainages and I started to see more and more of the landscape but no elk, then at around 10 I heard a distant bugle. I quickly shifted to glassing the far ridge and saw a bull and 2 cows skylined. I was watching those elk for a couple of minutes when shots began to ring out from that same area. I watched as the bull and his cows took off down the ridge and thought maybe they will come this way, only a couple drainages between us. I kept glassing that area though and eventually elk started pouring over the top of the ridge where those elk had been moments before. I don't know how many total elk there were but I would guess close to 300 head of elk ended up spreading the length of that ridge from west to east, within maybe a 1/2 mile stretch. I counted the bulls that I could see at that distance and came up with 14 but all of those were branch antlered bulls, there is no telling how many spikes and small raghorns were mixed into the clusters of 10-15 elk each. It was at that point that I quit worrying about how far, how difficult or how stupid it was, I was going to fill my tag and the elk were on that ridge all heading from west to east. I grabbed my pack and my rifle and started moving quickly down the ridge I was on practically running where the terrain allowed until I came to the end of the ridge and started dropping into the creek bottom, I started sidehilling then above the stream and across the face of the next 2 ridges until I reached "the one". When I got there everything was vertical. I quickly scanned to be sure no elk were coming into the creek bottom yet and started working my way up. When I had made it about 3/4 of the way up to where the ridge kinda spined and flattened out a little I had to stop for a break. I sat down and shed my pack and sat for a moment when I heard shots very close by, they sounded less than 300 yards away. I sat there a little shocked and heartbroken for now I assumed that someone else had cut off the elk and the shots would push them back the way they had come. I didn't move for probably 5 minutes as I contemplated in my head whether to push on up the ridge or turn back toward camp empty handed. As I sat there I saw 4 cows go running across the opposite hillside roughly 400 yards away but no bull to speak of. Then I heard hooves on hard ground above me and looked up to the top of the ridge I was on to see a calf about 150 yards away and heading down the ridge to my right, directly behind the calf was a spike bull and I settled my crosshairs on him momentarily but something told me to hold off, elk continued to come over the ridge and then he was right there, I saw branched antlers and that was all I needed to see. I quickly adjusted on the bipod found the bull in my crosshairs and let that accubond fly. The elk tumbled instantaneously and began a roll that didnt stop until he was about 400 yards below me. I made my way down to him the whole way in unbelief at what had transpired. Upon reaching the bull I sat there for a moment wondering what I had gotten myself into and fearing that I could not do the job at hand. i spent the remainder of the day deboning and bagging meat and with about 20 minutes of light left I finally started making my way out. I knew the creek bottom below would meet the road sooner than going up and over the mountain so I started making my way out but I was unfamiliar with the territory. I found a trail and started following but it kept zigzagging back and forth and back again across the creek. I was not nearly prepared for 7 knee deep creek crossings that night but after many moments of doubt and a little fear I heard a generator running and knew I was close to some camps. I crossed the creek 1 last time and found the camps with lights on in 1 of the camp trailers, knowing I would have several miles to go on foot I decided to knock at the door and see if I could hitch a ride up the road to my own camp. Luckily I was able to talk them into a ride and broke camp in the dark and moved back to a site next to theirs. The next day I made 2 more trips and recovered all of my meat. The bull is not the biggest but this hunt was memorable to me for the mental barriers that I broke down on my way to fulfilling my mission that day. Sorry for the crappy pic I had a big job to do.

[andrew_in_idaho]

sorry didn't realize this was in deer hunting hope elk stories are ok

[muleyslayer]

Since it's the slow time of year where everyone's waiting for permit results, and planning the 2015 hunt, let's see some pictures from some of the more memorable hunts.


I'll start off with a few of mine.  As a person who grew up on the east coast hunting whitetails, I really didn't get the mule deer bug until living in WA for about 4 years.  Here's the buck that started me thinking about mountain muleys year round, my dad's first good muley.  I was lucky enough to be standing beside him when this guy decided to show himself.

Nice buck! I have the same problem. I catch myself  day dreaming of mountain mule deer everyday

[xxlx7]

Biggest elk I have ever shot at, opening morning about 15 minutes into the day.

[jackelope]

I seem to have pretty fond memories of most of my hunts as I'm sure most of you guys do.
My kid isn't old enough to hunt yet but I've been hunting at least once a year with My buddy and his boy Kyle since 2010, his first year. I'll likely never forget that day. Can't wait for my kids turn. Kyle has since killed 4 bucks in 5 years and I think I'll remember every one of them. I think these are in order. I think he missed a buck in 2012 and the weather screwed us up the rest of that trip.
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[coachcw]

  that boy is laying them down !

[jackelope]

My 2010 Tucannon late hunt is one I'll never forget. My 1st quality permit, the weather, the friends, the mountains, it was all awesome.

[jackelope]

No hunting for my daughter yet but the quality time we've spent outdoors scouting, glassing, counting deer, hiking is all irreplaceable. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[RadSav]

A lot early in life before I had a camera.  A few that I haven't had pictures converted to digital yet.  Need to do that!

Ones I do have pictures would have to be;

The curve ball arrow antelope - Last day, last minutes, wind blowing to beat heck!  Antelope about a mile way sees three does drinking by my blind.  Come in on a rope until he hits a fence he can not get through.  Paces back and forth looking for a way to get at the does.  Finally decided to head out and give up.  At 55 yards I got the arrow to slide between strands of barbed wire while wind drift curve ball of more than 40".  Aimed completely off the body behind the rump and curved it right into his heart.  Less than 20 yard recovery!  Just might be the best shot I've ever made!


Wife's First Bear - Five bear working a hillside.  We sneak within 120 yards and she takes the shot at a medium red bear with grandma's .250-3000.  Complete miss!  All five bear run into the timber and one Big Mother of Turd Boar comes running out of the timber.  We make a small adjustment to our position and he is 80 yards up hill.  Little gun cracks and down goes the monster.  After snorting and chomping he gets back up!  Crack - down he goes again.  More growling, more popping of teeth and up on his feet again.  Crack!  Down he goes again.  Rolls down to about 20 yards from us.  Gets up one more time!!  I drop a 220 grain brush slug in the .308 hand the Winchester to Lorraine and BOOM...Bear dead!  First time ever shooting Winchester Silvertips in 25 cal.  Won't ever make that mistake again!!!  Every shot perfect and not one single jacket made it through the chest wall.  Lead was pounding the lungs but it broke up into little bb sized pieces.  That's about the same size as the pieces of heart after the .308 blew that thing up at 20 yards.  Wife has been a bear killing machine and complete nut ever since!!

[huntnphool]

 Good stuff guys, keep them coming!

[Miles]

Good stuff guys, keep them coming!

C'mon huntnphool, I know you must have a few good hunts/pictures to contribute.   Didn't someone in your hunting party get one 6 or so years back in WA with a lot of mass?   For some reason I think I remember it had fairly large bases...

[face]

most memorable was in 2012. hunting solo as i always do i hiked about 2 miles from camp trying to get away from all the pumpkins. it was around 9:00 in the morning i found a good spot to do some glassing. after 30 minutes of seeing no deer i figured it would be a good time to dose off a little. while dreaming of big bucks i awoke to shots being taken just below me not just a couple but i counted 14 shots go off and never heard any hits. so by now i see 12 bucks running about 500 yards away up a draw. trying to see if theres anything legal. then i look below me i see 2 decent bucks running up the draw that im in . i picked out the biggest  buck, one shot and my deer season was over.