The adventure

[boneaddict]

OK here it is.  I was on one of my adventures last week and this happened...I promise I'm not embellishing.
I'm slipping down this skid trail, and I spot a small buck standing there.

[boneaddict]

The next thing I know, there is another small buck.  Just up the ridge a bull starts bugling.  I was surprised at that, and this wasn't a casual bugling, he was going at it.  I am still watching this ittle buck and then another shows up.  All of a sudden they lock antlers and start going at it.  Crashing bone and bugling bulls.  The mood was set.

[boneaddict]

rattling works as this buck shows up....

[boneaddict]

a winner is selected

[boneaddict]

Then another buck shows up......

[boneaddict]

He starts to move around the hill, and I want more pics, so I start following him.  I set up to take pics, and lo and behold there is another buck that almost looks identical.  I'm like what the heck....

[boneaddict]

these bucks were on there way to somewhre so I was trying to cut them off. I forgot this part...I kicked a very nice buck.  I was thinking man I haven't even seen a doe yet.  I walk around the hill a bit then  I spot the doe long after she had me spotted and she blew, with the HUGEBUCK RIGHT BEHIND HER Crap!  Missed out on that photo op, or pics of both bucks. It was dark enough with the clouds and heavy timber, I needed the tripod.  I know there is no way to get to them again as they are on full alert and stouded a long ways down the mountain.  The Bull is still bugling, so I start to head his way.  I'm back on the skid road and come around a corner to catch a cougar on a deer kill in the middle of the road.  Camera up, cat gone. 

[Ridgerunner]

You are driving me nuts with all these adventures, great photos.  

[boneaddict]

I go up ther road and run into a wild horse about 200 yards past the dead deer.  I'm thinking what next.  The elk is getting farther and farther away up the mountain, so I give up on him.  I found where he obliterated about 5 trees.  So he is still hot.  I turn and start heading around the hill and pert near get run over by this little fella.  He walked so close to me, I got a blurred pic of his ear.  I finally paused hima second to take this photo.

[boneaddict]

I take about 15 steps and this guy shows up.  I'm pissed as i got caught totally off guard and this guy was huge in my book.  He was a big three as far as I could tell, with some mossy bases. 




He tears off up the hill and never to be seen again.  He was much spookier than the other deer, but I guess there was a cougar kill right there.  I work my way up the hill and run int 6 6 point bulls.  I get set up for a shot, but they didn't cooperate, so I chose to enjoy them through the binos as they moved through the timber.  That was 9 bucks and 6 bulls and a cougar and a horse within mere minutes.

[huntingnut]

With all of the animals you see, it make me think I have been walking with my eyes closed. You truely have a nack for finding the nice animals, great pics thanks for sharing.

[EMPyre]

Where are you?  Seriously!  Great story, awesome pics, and I wouldn't mind knowing some of these locales for next year!

[boneaddict]

There are some things you just don't share Empyre. 

Lots of years of practice huntingnut.  You develope deer eyes.

[EMPyre]

I know, didn't really expect you to share, more a comment of astonishment.  Someday...

[huntingnut]

I can do a decent job of spotting deer even better at a distance. I just can't seem to get into the number or quality of animals that you have success at finding. I just need to go out and start exploring new areas and  more often.