Idaho Wilderness Bull and Buck, 14-mile Solo Pack

[whuppinstick]

Howd you get the tenderloin out? I little trick pack a light bone say after all quartered straps neck meat etc balance the animal on its belly and saw straight down the 4th vertebrae than use your knife to kinda skin around and under that vertebrae and it will open right up and there is your perfect tenderloins

I use the gutless method and don't carry a saw. I was actually super careful not to cut myself because I use the surgical blade knives and I knew how dangerous it could get, but it happened when I was holding the knife in my right hand well away from the animal and pulling the tenderloin out with my left. Once the loin "gave" my hand shot across my body and hit my right hand, slicing open my finger.

[whuppinstick]

One question , .270 win or wsm ? And what load you shoot ? Congratulations been wanting to hunt Idaho for a long time  ! Thanks for sharing !

.270 win.  I was using factory Remington 150's but I have a friend who is really into guns and has moved me to Hornady now, he's also trying to talk me into going to the .280 AI, or really any caliber other than the .270, haha. My rifle is actually stuck in NZ due to Covid (long story, maybe I'll post that one, too) so I am probably going to get another rifle for this season.

[Magnum_Willys]

Those havalons really make it easier - but yikes its so easy to cut yourself..   Starting to use em less and less and disuade young/new hunters from using them   

[whuppinstick]

Great Hunt!  Next time try your boots in a sack in bottom of your bag, cut antlers off the skull,  ( you did bone it all out ?)

Is there room for your feet down there along with the boots? That's a good idea.
I don't take a saw, but I also do a European mount on all my skulls so probably wouldn't want to cut into it.

[whuppinstick]

Those havalons really make it easier - but yikes its so easy to cut yourself..   Starting to use em less and less and disuade young/new hunters from using them

I use the Gerber because that at least minimizes the chances of a cut while changing the blade, but yeah, I got to the point where I was cutting myself at least once on every animal. I was so mad when it happened on this one, haha.

[mburrows]

That is an awesome hunt. Thanks for sharing

[Karl Blanchard]

Man I want a whitetail like that somethin fierce! Killer hunt man!

[Bob33]

What a great story. That's an awesome bull. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

Nice orange vest you're wearing, by the way. 

[7mmfan]

Awesome hunt. I've just started getting into back country wilderness hunting the last couple years. This gets me excited.

Don't let your buddy talk you out of that .270. 280 AI is a great rifle, don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of the .284 caliber. But the .270 WIN is one of the best all around rifles a guy can shoot. 

[jstone]

Awesome solo hunting trip.!!
Great job

[vandeman17]

 

[TriggerMike]

EPIC! 

[archerykraze]

Great Hunt! Those are some epic trophies and boy did you work for em, impressive. Can't wait to get to Idaho this fall and this story just makes the wait that much harder.

[nwwanderer]

Those severed nerves in your finger grow back but as you found it is glacial, thanks

[harveymarv]

Those severed nerves in your finger grow back but as you found it is glacial, thanks

i pack a kevlar glove with my havalon for my off hand for this very reason. they’re super light and you can still stab through it but it stops the slashes. only reason i still have 10 fingers. great for filleting salmon too.