Here is my perspective of this trip
I got out there on Sunday evening prior to the Thursday morning opening day. I was scouting morning and night, seeing 3 bucks that were on my "short list". One was a very symmetrical 4x4, one was a big 3x4 (unique configuration of the 3 side) and then a 3x3 with a kicker that got my blood going.
Needless to say, I met up with the farmer, and was under the impression that there were only going to be a couple other deer hunters on his lower property (sadly I was mistaken).
Opening morning comes around, I set up on the spot where I had been seeing the bucks leave the field into the BLM. About 1 hour before the shooting light, I see two headlamps coming towards me, I flash my lamp at them and they head to the other side of the nearly 1/2 mile draw and set up. About 20 minutes before light, two other lamps come down the edge of the field. I yell at the two men to get them to sit with me. I tell them that I'm after 3 bucks and if anything else pops out, they can shoot it. We agree on out fast arrangement. Needless to say, 3 deer are shot by these 4 guys (who were all hunting together). Not to mention about 3 other deer were shot on the same field by other hunters who showed up early opening day.
Ole Vandeman shows up about 8am with his partner while I'm gutting 3 deer (none of which were mine). Camp gets finished by Vandeman and David while I finish up with the three deer.
Opening evening rolls around with us hiking around the BLM with no luck, lots of does.
The second day, I am following Vandeman and David and decide to take the south side of a huge valley while they hunt the north side. I'm about 1/2 mile behind them as they work their way up the north side. I see a lil 3x3 white tail hiding behind a juniper tree and standing in some black soil (gotta love that bentonite soil). The buck doesn't see me, so I set my pack down. He hears something, turns and looks right past me. I decide that this lil buck is going to get lead poisoning if he doesn't run away. He's not bigger than about 50", about 100" short of my goal, but hey, if you can sneak in on a buck and shoot him in bow range, why not. I get the gun out of the pack frame's scabbard. Still not seeing me, the deer gets nervous and hops the bottom of the draw to his right. He's about 40 yards away and turns broadside. I give him one shot from my Tikka .270 and down he drops.
Vandeman and David were working on 2 bucks of their own that were bedded down, so I quartered my buck out and did one heavy pack out with the lil guy. It was about 1/2 mile all uphill (per the gps) to the road where I was allowed to drive my truck. All in all a good day.
The rest of my hunt was working with the farmer to get on some better ground (they owned nearly 7,000 acres near this ranch) for David and Vandeman to shoot a buck (hopefully 2 on).
After a drive with the farmer and being shown the 150 year old house and outbuildings, I get some more land secured for us to hunt on. The farmer tells me that not many people get to go where we are going...I was stoked!
Well, we get up to the top and the hunting was great, lots of close encounters with some big bucks, Vandeman gets a buck down (he can tell his story)...I was busy listening to satellite radio of the 'Hawks game anyways...
That's my side of the story
For those that know the rest, we will keep that secret to ourselves.
Can't wait for next year! Won't be hunting on this property again, but hopefully I'll draw a good first choice unit and not get a left over tag.
Pics will follow soon....
