Chiwawa Late Rifle Permit Update

[Hunting Cowboy]

Hello!
Having spent the past week in a splint and on crutches nursing a possible ruptured tendon, ruptured ligament, or fractured bone in my foot, my son and I headed off to try and fill my late season rifle tag. I am scheduled for an MRI next week so we were determined to do our best tag out this weekend. As a precaution, I brought along the crutches and splint just in case, although I had no plans to use either.

We left our house Friday morning (11-9-07) at 2:30 am which put us in position at first light. When we arrived we were disappointed to find the area was saulked in with fog. We were hopeful it would burn off before too long.

We decided to alter our game plan electing to drive a route that was not too heavily affected by the weather.
I generally prefer still hunting and glassing even though this unit lends itself well to using the road system to cover a lot of ground. Unfortunately, walking/hiking was not in the cards this trip for obvious reasons. Driving and locating likely finger ridges and draws to glass and watch for animals would be our primary method.

[Hunting Cowboy]

The first 45 minutes started out fairly slow. We did spot two small groups of doe but no bucks. After an hour or so we finally spotted a lone two point. Things began to pick up as we were beginning to see more and more doe.

As we rounded a bend, we began to get back into the fog. We had maybe 100 yards of visibility, but it looked like it wanted to lift. We decided to pull off at a wide spot in the road and have a snack. We did some glassing eventually continuing on down the road. A short time later, we spotted a doe. Andrew stopped the truck. As we were watching her, her fawn stood up next to her. Then I noticed a small little four point get up a slowly begin to walk down an old skid road. The deer were about 173 yards below us on a steep hillside. (Andrew ranged it) I grabbed the rifle and got out. As we sized up the buck we pretty quickly decided pass on taking him. We watched him for a few more minutes. Andrew jumped back in the truck ready to move on. I decided to walk or more accurately “Gimp” ahead of the truck a little ways and continue to watch the buck as he meandered down an old cut in the hillside.

As I continued to glass, out of nowhere another buck materialized in my glasses standing just below the two doe. He was peering at me from behind a bush. In comparison to the smaller 4x4, this buck was taller, wider, and showed more mass. We also now counted a total of six doe.

[Hunting Cowboy]

This is where things got interesting. I signaled to Andrew that there was another buck. The interesting difference here is that these bucks were very calm, unlike almost every other buck we had seen. 

As Andrew caught up to me, we continued to work our way around a bend up ahead to get a better angle. The sun was now breaking through and was directly in my face and the buck was in the shade. Andrew helped me keep an eye on him. Finally, after sizing him up as best we could, he quietly and slowly began to creep down the hill. After some discussion, we decided to take the buck. He finally stopped down the hill a ways facing away from me.  And, as they often do, he ended up under a snag blocking any chance of a shot. 

By now he was 270 yards away. After another period of time, he moved slightly offering a 277 yard shot. My first shot was low. He appeared confused after the report of the rifle. He turned and slowly walked down the hill. My next shot was a quartering away shot at 315 yards. I hit him a bit too far back breaking his hip. (I was aiming for the far shoulder) He stumbled and Andrew saw him react as if he was hit hard. I saw him roll into a brush pile. We moved as best we could down the steep hillside. I was heading for where I last saw him stumble. As I came up to a point where I could see the brush pile I noticed that he was lying as if he was bedded in the lower road. I was approximately 80 – 100 yards above him when I finished him off.

As I made my way up to the buck it was obvious that I had broken his hip and had ruptured the femoral artery.

We’re not sure what he scores, but given our circumstances this past week, we don’t care. We’re extremely happy and relieved. There is no doubt that if we found ourselves in normal circumstances, I think we may have tried to hold out for a bigger buck. We took care of the carcass today and I caped him readying the cape for the tannery. We’ll mount him sometime later this winter.

I want to thank a bunch of you for your assistance in helping us with our research of this unit, you know who you are! I will post a couple of pictures because I know we all like to see those bucks! Enjoy!

[FWilliams]

congrats, great news. I was wondering how you were doing .  that damn fog can really be a nuisance up there.


Fred

[Hunting Cowboy]

I'll post a couple of more tomorrow....... He's not a monster but he is a 4x4 w/eye guards migration buck obviously rutting. Enjoy!

[hogsniper]

congrats mike...that is awesome that you gotta connect on a nice buck and also do it with your son....i was worried about your foot an all but everything worked out....Congrats again...Justin

[skagitblacktail]

Congratulations on a nice buck Mike.  Haven't heard any reports from Dale and his son-in-law on the late Alta hunt.

[Bearhunter]

Glad to see everything worked out for you.  How was the pack out with the bad foot.  You said he was on an old skitter road, did he die on it?  I cant tell you how many times we have lost site of bucks because the fog will come rolling in at an unoportune time.  Congrats again, and cant wait to see the pictures.  james

[Hunting Cowboy]

Fred, Justin, Brad and James, thanks guys! I'm so glad Andrew was able to be there.

James, I shot him on the hill side on Tyee Ridge. Luckily there was a road below us. Given the condition of my foot, we lucked out in that respect. But I shot low on the first shot (277 yds), broke his hip trying to angle for the far shoulder on the 2nd shot (315 yds). At that point he stumbled near a bunch of brush. When I got down to just above that brush, I saw him "bedded" in the middle of the lower road. He was bleeding out, but he was alert and he looked as natural as he could look if you did'nt know he was hit. It was an odd sight. He must have been hit hard cause he could have dove off the side of that road and we'd have plaved hell getting him out of there it is so steep. I put him down at that spot at about 80 - 100 yds.

Andrew went back up and got the truck and found a connecting road to bring the truck in on. I do have to say that I thought he was a bigger buck, but next to that smaller 4x4, he looked so much larger which played a part to sway our decision to take him. We had a blast! Here's a pic from Coopers.....I have a few more to post later. Thanks.

[boneaddict]

Way to be tough enough to endure and to get your trophy.  I know many that would have just eatin' the tag.  Congrats.

[Slider]

WOW!!! Nice Buck!!! Congrats

[actionshooter]

Nice buck!  Did ya grab a burger at Coopers   

[MichaelJ]

Great buck man!  We stopped there the day before you and got our picture taken aswell!  Way to stick it out!

Michael

[Ridgerunner]

Good job on sticking it out and tagging a nice buck.

[Hunting Cowboy]

Thanks Boneaddict, Slider, actionshooter, and Ridgerunner! It was a lot of fun despite being hobbled!
Boneaddict, wish I was with you....Man you seem to have a knack for finding some big ole bucks!
Here'e a couple more...thought I'd better include my right hand man, he sure was a lot of help!