Tough 2018 Quality Hunt

[Tschaefer72]

I have really enjoyed this forum, the stories I get to read, the pictures I get to see and the help I got for this hunt. Wanted to contribute my quality hunt story.

I was heading up to the full draw film tour in June when I checked my drawing results and saw I was selected for the Chewuch Quality Deer hunt. I was so excited. I have been selected for two other tags (spring bear and buck deer) and unfortunately wasn't able to go on those trips. In fact for the last 3 years I have not been able to deer hunt due to some very challenging times with consecutive pregnancy losses. this last year we experienced our miracle and have a wonderful, healthy little girl.
Hunting is a passion and something I am constantly trying to learn and improve on. I have had to learn in the field and from my mistakes early on that cost me lots and lots of chances. My first 7 years deer hunting I didn't get a thing despite several great opportunities. Prior to this hunt I had only shot two 3 points and the opportunity for a great deer filled my mind.
Truth is I didn't know much about the unit. I hunt se washington normally and the units I hunt do not have a quality tag. I had begun applying for a quality tag for two of the units with the hardest draws. A guy in our church last year drew one of the units with the most applicants after 21 years of putting in. He owns a place in the unit, knows it like the back of his hand and had a lot of private land access as well. At the end of his hunt he described it as ok. It definitely didn’t meet his expectation and what he had seen in previous years helping others out with the tag. His experience caused me to rethink my strategy. I didn’t want to put in for 21 years or more and be disappointed with my opportunity. I switched my units I applied for hoping that maybe I could get drawn twice in 20-25 years. I did not expect to get drawn in the first year applying for the new unit.
I have never hunted the unit before and had a big learning curve ahead. I looked over maps a couple times a week, took a scouting trip over to lay eyes on the land, talked with previous tag holders,  and talked with buddies who hunted the unit during general seasons. I knew numbers were down but people set high expectations for what could be and encouraged me to be patient and take a good buck. Eating this tag for me what not something I really considered. Our freezer is empty and with not hunting the last 3 years I really wanted to get my 3rd buck. I had 6 days to hunt the last week of tag being open. My plan was to keep high expectations for the first 3 days and reset them based on what I was experiencing for the next 3. My expectations were to see quite a few deer a day, a handful of bucks and hopefully a good one or two. My dad who is 69 who be with me to help with camp and use the truck to drop me off and pick me up at different spots as I hunted through.
The weather called for cold but sunny conditions for the first few days with snow expected on the weekend. I knew without snow in the mountains  the difficulty of this hunt would increase.

I had also met through this forum another tag holder Odell. We had talked previous to the hunt and found out we would be there during the same time and agreed to help each other with information and be allies. We set up our wall tents next to each other in the campground and each night would share how the day went.

[Tschaefer72]

Day #1
We left and drove over highway 2 in the morning. The top of Stevens had barely any snow. We got over and set up camp and were ready for an evening hunt. We drove up high into the mountains and got out of the truck and hiked a ways back in to a glassing point where we could see for long ways. Trying to see where deer might be and spots to check back in on. We glassed for 2.5 hours and did not see one deer. I was quite surprised.

Day #2
Woke in the morning ready for a new day and for the hunt to start. It was cold and there was rain/sleet in the air. Got dropped off at first light and began covering ground. Hunted from 6:30-12:30 through ridges, open sages, and timber. Looked like awesome mule deer country. Covered 5.5 miles and did not see one deer. Both these areas I had checked out so far traditionally held good amounts of deer for previous tag holders. I was confused and wondering if this hunt was going to be different than I had expected. Having done 2 good hunts and not seeing a deer was not in my wildest expectations for this hunt.
We spent the afternoon driving around and trying to see something but nothing. We ran into a few tag holders who had been there for a while and they were discouraged and struggling with what they had been seeing.
By evening I went to a new area and right at last light I began to see some movement from the timber. 3 does popped out. Not soon after a buck. He stayed close to the trees moving in and out and didn’t seem too interested in the does. I got a little video of him in the phone skope right before the sun set. I could tell he was a 4 point but couldn’t see much beyond that.

Day #3

I went back at first light trying to relocate that buck. He never showed and only 2 does popped out that morning. We went back up high searching for deer but came up with nothing again. We did see one tag holder who was loading a deer into his truck. It was a 4 point and he was glad he filled his tag before he had to leave town the next day but he was definitely disappointed in what he had experienced on his hunt. We did run into a tag holder from Morton, who was in his 70’s, a little later who had stopped deer hunting because he was not seeing anything up high and was parked and handing out pepperoni to tag holders. It was fun to stop and meet them and man their pepperoni was good.
That night I went back to locate that buck and as I was walking through the sage a 2x3 jumped out 15 yards in front of us. In went down into the draw and kicked out the 4x4. I looked him over pretty good and decided to pass. He was chasing does hard that night and another forked horn and spike showed up with him. That night I as I laid in my cot I really wondered if I would fill my tag. I was having a hard time just finding groups of does, let alone good bucks. I was pretty discouraged as this hunt was way different than my expectations. My general season hunt usually has more deer and some nicer bucks than I had been experiencing. As I laid there I reset my expectations. I was having a great time with my dad, the country was beautiful and I decided I would be willing to shoot a good buck if I came across one.

[Tschaefer72]

4 pt I passed on

[Widgeondeke]

So far, so good.   

[Tschaefer72]

Day #4
My dad was going to stay at camp that day and rest. I headed out a little earlier than normal and as I am driving I see the guys from Morton in their truck. I see a deer leg sticking out the bed and stop to talk. He had shot a cool looking 3 pt the night before. I was super excited for him and glad he was able to fill his tag. I go on ahead to a new area and begin to wait for first light. Right at first light I see two does working their way up the draw but there is no bucks with them. I continue to make my way through the sage and spot 3 more does, no bucks. I continue on and see 3 more does and still no bucks. Super surprised to see these 3 groups with no bucks tending to them. I hunt for about 2 hours and am 2 miles from the truck. I am about to go back to the truck and find a new area when I see a sage bench to my right I need to check out. I head up the draw and as soon as I crest the hill I see a doe. I stop and scan as she feeds and see another deer. It is a buck. His head is down and feeding and I can’t get a good look. All of a sudden I hear commotion below me. I have seen bucks spar before but this is an all out knock down drag out fight. You can her the crash of antlers, the stomping of hooves and the sound of struggle. At one point one of the bucks gets slammed down onto his side. It is too much for him. He is done. He leaves quickly and makes his way down the draw. The winner was still fired up and took out some more aggression on a sage bush nearby. The sage is tall and thick and I haven’t got a good look at him. He finally emerges and I can tell I am willing to shoot him. He is a big 4 point, with thick heavy antlers, good width and good height. I set up for a shot and when he turns broadside he is now on top of the ridge. I knew I was close to the private property boundary and didn’t feel safe taking the shot not knowing where there is ranches, homes and roads beyond him. They have no idea I am there. I make my way to the right to try and flank him so I can shoot back left into the hillside. As I get to where I think I can get a shot I see him, the does and the other buck from in the sage all jump the fence onto private. I was disappointed to be so close. I decide to walk over to the fence to take get a good look at the two bucks. When I get to the fence they are 30 yards on the other side. The 4x4 is bigger than I thought. He is a great deer. The other buck was better than I originally thought as well. On his left side he has a cool little kicker coming up between his mane beams. He is a 5x5. Not as big and wide as the 4x4 but a lot better than anything I have been seeing. I made my decision. I sit down and out of view and say if either of those bucks come back I will shoot either one of them. Not 30 seconds after making that decision I see a doe making her way back to the fence. She jumps over and the 5x5 is hot on her trail. I stand and glance to the right and the big 4pt is not coming. He is continuing to feed in the opposite direction. I wait for the buck to get 15 yards into private and squeezed the trigger. The buck dropped instantly in his tracks and was dead. The 7mm at 70 yards did its work.
I pause for a second and take in the beauty around me. I am excited and I am relieved. I pull out my phone to call my wife and see I have texts from Odell. He had hike in and came upon a far ridge as I was on these deer and watched the whole thing take place. He told me the big 4x4 was bedded 20 yards in front of me when I came over the hill and he couldn’t figure out why I didn’t shoot it. He didn’t realize I couldn’t see it from my angle. We both got to take in that epic fight and all the moments that followed. Got him back to camp and hung him and skinned him out. My dad was ecstatic and got to share the story and the details with him.

[kirkl]

Good story, pic?

[JBar]

 

[Tschaefer72]

2018 Quality Deer

[Tschaefer72]

2018 Quality Deer

[Tschaefer72]

ATL

[kirkl]

Nice one.

[Tschaefer72]

Day #5
Having my tag filled I went out the next morning with Odell to be extra eyes and glass for him hoping that big 4 pt would return. We had a great time talking, glassing and watching some smaller bucks chase does, sniff the air and wear themselves out. The sun was shining and the Methow Valley was showing off. One of the unexpected blessings of this hunt was the camaraderie and friendship I made with Odell because of this forum. He is such a great guy, good hunter and appreciate having another tag holder to go on this journey with.

He is not the buck I had dreamed of when drawing this tag, but I hunted hard, enjoyed the time and very thankful to take my biggest buck to date. The time with my dad was priceless and this was a hunt and trip we will never forget. I know there are a lot of people who love to have this tag. I hope it for you, and I hope for snow as well.

I want to thank those who responded to messages and helped me out on this hunt. This hunt was much tougher than I imagined but I have memories, a buck I am grateful for and time spent in the field with my Dad that I will never forget. Look forward to helping others as much as I can in the future.

[Tschaefer72]

Got him processed and mounted in the garage today

[teanawayslayer]

Great write up and nice buck!

[Rainier10]

Great buck, great photos of the buck you passed and great write up.

Congrats on your hunt and thanks for sharing the story and photos.