MH’s Quality Buck Hunt

[MHWASH]

 I’ve drawn this tag two previous times, the last time was in 2007. This is a special hunt to me and my dad because we both learned to hunt in this area. Dad was born and lived there for 40 years. This year after drawing dad told me he would not be applied again as he was too old, 70. I was a bit taken back, but not surprised because he hasn’t hunted here where we live for several years.

Dad has always shot the larger buck the previous times, so I was bound and determined not to let that happen again. I had a long and busy summer at work, so I took two weeks off for this hunt. Because my youngest boy drew the Palouse buck tag, I would be coming home for the weekend between. This later proved to be a blessing in disguise.

 On Saturday we arrived and got camp setup in a friends pasture by 1:00. It wasn’t long after and I was up on the hill glassing. That first afternoon I glasses up 4 bucks, but nothing special.
Sunday we hunted the back side of the mountain that I couldn’t glass the night before. This has always been the old man’s go to spot that he always hunted “opening morning”. Because of a bad knee he had to make a long trek in on mostly flat ground. I took the old skid trail that we always hiked in as kids. I could remember the excitiment building during the hour long hike in the pitch dark so we could be in place right at day light. I did not want to chance messing with dads hunt, so when I reached the top I headed north. By 9 am I had not saw a single deer, so I decided to go see dad. I could see him sitting on the hill side watching the mountain top. Apparently all the deer were where he was. He pointed out 2 small 3 points and a forkie. He was tempted to shoot the larger 3, but it was not in his comfortable shooting range and it was not that decent of a buck. At this point I could tell the long hike had taken a toll on him and I knew the hunt would be more of a challenge for him that I expected. He had scheduled knee surgery shortly after we were due to return from this hunt. At this point it was about 10 so I decided to climb above the deer to see if there was anything bigger on top, and possibly spook the 3 point closer to dad. Before I left him, I showed him how to text without any volume. I hunted the the top, but only saw one small 3 and a few does. The larger 3 moved off while I was going up the hill, not giving Pops a shot. I didn’t hunt the afternoon as I wanted to spend some time with my buddy before he went to work the next day.

Monday I hunted the opposite side of the canyon. I had a pretty, but small 3 point walk by through the timber, i followed him to get a better look and he led me to a group of does that were being tended by a much larger 3 with eye guards. The deer did not know I was there so I was able to watch them for a bit, long enough to watch the bigger 3 rub a tree. I hunted the evening with not much action. dad hunted a spot neither of us had hunted before, but his knee was giving him troubles so he didn’t hunt long.

Tuesday I convinced dad to hunt the spot I had hunted the day before hoping he might see one of the three point, both were bigger than the two he saw the first day. He was able to ride his ATV most of the way to the deer making it easier on him. I decided to hunt where he hunted the day before because it was new to me, and it is a very large chunk of public land. I ended up seeing a super two tending a doe while three other forkies stood by. Dad had one of the 3 points give him a minor glimpse, but when he went to get a better look , he some how managed to fall down and twist his ankle. As I walked back from that mornings hunt I noticed what I assumed was the game department working on the fence where dad and I had hunted Sunday. I decided to go talk to the so I could convince them to go somewhere else, or hunt around them. We’ll sure enough they were working on the fence and I could not convince them to go somewhere else. Turns out they were the the remainder of my hunt.

Wednesday dad decided not to hunt because he was still sore, so he went to town to see his sister and get a shower. After talking to the fence guys, I figured this would be the last day I could hunt the Happy Hill side without them getting in the way. I spent the morning there, but didn’t see much. Back to camp to get a sandwich then back up on the Arlington side. That afternoon I watched what I assumed was the pretty 3 point and another smaller buck work a group of does. Off to my right way up on the hill I watched a larger buck work some does. I decided right then and there, that if I had not filled my tag by the time I came back I would have a new spottting scope.

 Thursday morning the thermometer read 17. While getting ready dad knower on my door to tell me his camper was froze up and he was headed home. He was all dressed up to go hunting, but when he discovered he was froze he called it quits. I was very disappointed that he was not going to finish our hunt together. I’m sure he figured this would be the last time he would go deer hunting and most likely shoot a deer. Of course I picked the coldest day of the hunt to get on my ATV and check out some spots on the very top of the mountain. This would be my last day to hunt before heading home for the weekend so I wanted to have a game plan by the time I came back Tuesday. Well I checked out several spots, but didn’t see anything that made me want to come back to the top.

To be continued....

[Duckslayer89]

Tag

[teanawayslayer]

Tag

[MtnMuley]

The end of your second paragraph is what I'm waiting for
 

[MHWASH]

Saturday and Sunday we hunted at home for my son’s buck. Saw little action and only one buck chasing does. We tried to get close, but he disappeared.

I returned to camp Monday afternoon, got the camper situated, which I winterized Friday before heading home. Spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with. My friend and his family. I invited dad to come back, but he declined.

I had high hopes for this week assuming the rut had really kicked in. The weekend provided a nice break because I was getting a little disheartened from the lack of large bucks. I returned with much determination and a new spotter.

Tuesday I decided to leave camp an hour before daylight with the idea of getting above the deer as they made their trek up the mountain after feeding in the fields during the night. The tactic worked, I spooked no deer in the dark on my way to my spot and I got to see see several deer head up the mountain. Included were the two 3 pints I had been seeing the previous week. I decided I would shoot the larger of the two if I saw him Thursday. By 9 am my feet were so sore from being cold I had to move. I had been sitting in the same spot since 6:30. I moved to the highest spot on the bench so I could do some glassing. About 1:00 I decided to move a little further north around a small ridge so I could watch a different part of the mountain. An hour later I was set up and reading my book (the only way I can stay in one spot). I decide to up date Gutpile via text. I had just texted him “same story, lots of does and small buck” when I spot a doe across from me. I pick up the binos and instantly spot the biggest buck  I had seen. My heart rate when through the roof, first time during the hunt. I had been wondering if I’d lost that feeling. The deer were close to going in the timber, so I pull out the spotter and use my pack as a rest. This proved very shaky, but I was able to see a bottom fork and decided this was a shooter! I ranged him at 284, looked up the come up on my app and dialed the 6.5 Creed in. One shot and the buck was down! I couldn’t believe how fast it went from 0-60. I texted Gutpile “just pulled the trigger”, pack up my stuff and headed over.

 The hill side was so steep that I could only push the buck a few times until he rolled down to flat ground. By the time I quartered him up it was dark. I grabbed the head and all my gear and headed to camp. Once I got back to camp, and started back up the hill it was 6:30. I made it up the hill a ways and decided to come back the next day for the meat. By doing this I could clear the Trail the landowner uses to access his spring that feeds their house that would get me 3/8 of a mile from the meat. Not only would I help myself, but I would also help our friends. This area was devistated by the wildfires of 2015. The trees are starting to rot and blow over, making access difficult.

I had my meat back to camp, and camp packed up by noon. After a short visit I was on the road home by 12:30. Thanks for reading my story, I can’t believe how long it took to type up.

[Timberstalker]

Great story and great buck!  Thanks for sharing.

[Sandberm]

Good looking buck.

Thanks for sharing your hunt with us.

[Thehowler]

Great buck and good writup!

[JakeLand]

  good job !!

[DOUBLELUNG]

 

[trophyhunt]

Thanks for the adventure, congrats!

[CaNINE]

 

[jackelope]

Congrats dude! That's a great buck. Thanks for sharing.

[elkrack]

Awesome write up! nice buck too!

[X-Force]

Congrats