2016 Alpine Blacktail

[skagitsteel]

Well Here goes a lot of pics enjoy 

Started off the year with lots of scouting and one goal: Locate and harvest a mature Alpine blacktail.  Lots of nice scenery, lots of endless hiking, scouting  and learning more about the areas that I hunt.

[skagitsteel]

going to be a lot of sideways pics any suggestions on how I get them to post right?

[2MANY]

Turn the camera when taking them.

[skagitsteel]

Turn the camera when taking them.

I figured it out, just have to crop the vertical ones so they post right

[skagitsteel]

As the snow was melting I began to locate some good animals.  I found some bucks I wanted to pursue in several different areas

[Boss .300 winmag]

AH THE PIC OF A CANIS LUPUS.

NOT WANTING TO KNOW YOUR EXACT SPOT. BUT THE GENERAL AREA/DRAINAGE THAT WOLF PIC WAS?

[Cleetiswillfeedus]

Isn't that a bear?

[skagitsteel]

Isn't that a bear?

that's my scouting partner 

AH THE PIC OF A CANIS LUPUS.

NOT WANTING TO KNOW YOUR EXACT SPOT. BUT THE GENERAL AREA/DRAINAGE THAT WOLF PIC WAS?

I have three different wolves I have pics in the last year.  two in western skagit and one in western whatcom

[Boss .300 winmag]

Isn't that a bear?

that's my scouting partner 

AH THE PIC OF A CANIS LUPUS.

NOT WANTING TO KNOW YOUR EXACT SPOT. BUT THE GENERAL AREA/DRAINAGE THAT WOLF PIC WAS?

I have three different wolves I have pics in the last year.  two in western skagit and one in western whatcom

HE DOESN'T LOOK VERY BIG COMPARED TO THE ONES FROM THE EAST SIDE PICS. WONDER IF ITS A NATIVE GREY WOLF?

[skagitsteel]

Isn't that a bear?

that's my scouting partner 

AH THE PIC OF A CANIS LUPUS.


the bottom picture is my dog- scouting partner

NOT WANTING TO KNOW YOUR EXACT SPOT. BUT THE GENERAL AREA/DRAINAGE THAT WOLF PIC WAS?

I have three different wolves I have pics in the last year.  two in western skagit and one in western whatcom

HE DOESN'T LOOK VERY BIG COMPARED TO THE ONES FROM THE EAST SIDE PICS. WONDER IF ITS A NATIVE GREY WOLF?

[Boss .300 winmag]

Isn't that a bear?

that's my scouting partner 

AH THE PIC OF A CANIS LUPUS.


the bottom picture is my dog- scouting partner

NOT WANTING TO KNOW YOUR EXACT SPOT. BUT THE GENERAL AREA/DRAINAGE THAT WOLF PIC WAS?

I have three different wolves I have pics in the last year.  two in western skagit and one in western whatcom

HE DOESN'T LOOK VERY BIG COMPARED TO THE ONES FROM THE EAST SIDE PICS. WONDER IF ITS A NATIVE GREY WOLF?

I CAN SEE THAT AFTER ZOOMING IN MORE. JUST A CANINE. 

[skagitsteel]

I started off the season with a multi day archery deer hunt (I drew multi season deer).  The weather was un seasonably cold and rainy and even snowed a little bit.  I was after one good buck that had been in the area earlier in the summer and on my trail cam.  Despite the lack of visibility i was seeing deer every day.  I ended up stalking up on a younger 2x4 that will be real nice in a couple years.  I got in to 45 yards and stayed within bow range for awhile watching and video recording him.  I didn't have a hard time passing him as it was only the first day.  I decided I was not going to lower my standard of what I was after just because I have a bow in my hand.  I ended up passing on a couple more smaller bucks before I packed up and headed home at the end of the 2nd day of hunting.  A good test of my new hillberg tent that performed flawlessly and was worth every ounce.

[yakimarcher]

Some awesome scenery so far!

[skagitsteel]

As September wore on I started seeing a lot of bears.  The last four years I have taken bears every year, this year I have been more hesitant to shoot as its no longer much of a challenge.  I love watching bears and will sit and videotape them anytime they are close.  I still haven't decided if I'm going to take one this year or not but I have passed some good ones 

[skagitsteel]

As high buck time came around I got out the rifle and changed locations and tactics as the blacktail habits change drastically once velvet is gone.  High buck opener brought some conditions that were less than ideal: full moon clear skies and warm temps.  I stuck with it and started to see a lot more deer the 2nd week.  I did a few day hunts for high buck and was seeing good deer numbers even a few bucks just nothing I was after.  One afternoon I decided to check out a basin I hadnt been too since early summer.  As I dropped into it I saw 4 deer (one legal buck), a pretty good sized bear and three sets of big buck tracks out in the open.  The morning low temps were around freezing and I was looking forward to the following day