No migration yet

[Rainier10]

Pretty tough late archery season. The migration isn't into full swing just yet.  We saw 15-20 deer a day. Mostly does and a few spikes and two points. This is the second biggest deer I saw all season. Someone got the bigger one the day before I got this one. Shot it at 35 yards thanksgiving morning. Chased him downhill until I lost him and for some unknown reason just got a feeling I should hike back to the top of the bowl where I first saw him. There he was sneaking back uphill and looking down behind him just 110 yards away. I waited for him to crest over the next finger and made a b-line to cut him off. I came over the finger with him 40 yards below me still looking down. He walked five yards closer and looked right at me. I was already drawn back and I let him have it. Next thing I saw was hooves then antlers then hooves as he tumbled down to the bottom of the ravine.

For those that have followed the threads about my kids' hunts you know we have been really blessed this year. This harvest was the one I was most concerned about. This was my first since dad passed and I just didn't know how it was going to feel not being able to share the story with him.

With as tough as the hunting was for everyone in camp I believe he was looking down and helping out. There is no reason I would think to go back to where it started but I just had a feeling to go back. Glad to have this one behind me. Life goes on, miss you dad and thanks for sending me back uphill.

[Lever-Action-Outlaw]

Awesome story man! Congrats on the buck


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[PlateauNDN]

Congrats and he's proud.

[Timberstalker]

Awesome.  Congrats Rainier.

[fishnfur]

Nice!  A great hunt and story.  Thank you, and congratulations.

[boneaddict]

Tough year. I'm glad you had the extra help.  Congrats on your buck.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Tough year. I'm glad you had the extra help.  Congrats on your buck.

 

[DaveMonti]

Great job Rick, great job ALL YEAR!!!  Your father was definitely with you on that hunt, and your daughter's hunts as well.  Great Buck!

[blackveltbowhunter]

Way to get it done. Nice buck!

[Muleyslyr]

Good job. Nothing wrong with that for a late archery buck!

[jackelope]

Way to go, Rick. Your dad is watching down and smiling. Well done.

[andr3wxmma]

Great story, congrats on the buck .

[jstone]

That's awesome I am one ridge over and we only saw about 4-7 deer a day. A very crazy year in my part of the unit. Saw only 3  legal bucks in 5 days. Not sure what is going on this year. No does in my area either

[MtnMuley]

You guys aren't missing the migration. What you see is what you get up here these days.

[NOCK NOCK]

You guys aren't missing the migration. What you see is what you get up here these days.

  The Entiat herd is not to far behind the Methow Herd...Fires-Hunt pressure-Winter kill-Several types of illegal hunting+= A very reduced herd. 

Nice one R10, congrats on a great year for your family...time to buy another freezer yet? 

[UBA]

Plus the summer range has been nuked the past three years in a row. However in the future that range should be able to carry more deer. Just to bad they never rebound very fast or at all. However I'm still seeing deer way way up valley.

[Birdguy]

Great story and cool buck! It is always great to have a little "extra" help  .

[mhbrewster71]

You did share the story with him, and the hunt. He was with you every step.

Congratulations on a beautiful animal, and thank you for sharing the hunt with us as well.

[Skyvalhunter]

This is probably going to be all you will see as far as migration. Too many special permits and it doesn't help with the does being shot. Congrats on your deer.

[jrebel]

Congrats on a nice buck.     

[Pathfinder101]

Congratulations!  Nice buck 

[Woodchuck]

Well done my friend. Your dad is smiling. 

[bowhunterforever]

Nice buck, congrats

[Rainier10]

Thanks everyone, it was a great week with the family. Here is a photo of me with "the pink hat". My wife used to give a tshirt away for big deer each year. One year she said no tshirt this year, it's a hat. Then she unveils the pink women's hat assuming she was going to win. Well she didn't and the hat became a traveling trophy. Each year since big deer in camp wins "the pink hat" for the year. You sign it with initials and the year. Five years now I have come in second. Four of those deer were bigger than this years.

[pope]

Great buck and thanks for sharing.

"With as tough as the hunting was for everyone in camp I believe he was looking down and helping out. There is no reason I would think to go back to where it started but I just had a feeling to go back. Glad to have this one behind me. Life goes on, miss you dad and thanks for sending me back uphill."

I had an experience like this (not hunting) exactly one year after my brother passed. More than ten years later, I absolutely know it was not my imagination, it was a message.

[Pathfinder101]

Thanks everyone, it was a great week with the family. Here is a photo of me with "the pink hat". My wife used to give a tshirt away for big deer each year. One year she said no tshirt this year, it's a hat. Then she unveils the pink women's hat assuming she was going to win. Well she didn't and the hat became a traveling trophy. Each year since big deer in camp wins "the pink hat" for the year. You sign it with initials and the year. Five years now I have come in second. Four of those deer were bigger than this years.

That's a cool tradition.   

[Rainier10]

Lots of family traditions in camp. My wife's family has been going there since the seventies. This year was a low turnout but there was 8 hunters and 9 non hunters in camp. We take everything out of our wall tent for thanksgiving dinner and have a huge feast in the tent. Turkey, ham and all the fixings get cooked in camp between all the trailers and motorhome ovens.
Here is a pic of camp.

[jstone]

That's what its about.... FAMILY TIME

[DaveMonti]

Now that looks like a great trip!  Do you want to adopt me so I can get in on this family tradition???

[NOCK NOCK]

I know where I'm going for thanksgiving dinner next year 

[Rainier10]

I know where I'm going for thanksgiving dinner next year 

You should, I figured you must be close with all the pic's of the sheep.  Stop on in, all you need is a chair.  You can use it around the camp fire before dinner, carry it into the wall tent for dinner and back out to the campfire after.

This year we didn't mess around, we had two cords of dry fir delivered for campfire wood.  It was awesome.  We hauled almost a cord home with us.  It wasn't as cold as in the past so we didn't go through as much as we thought we would.