bottom of the 9th Blacktail- the backtracking buck

[skagitsteel]

Was a wild year for me, seemed like the country got steeper, the weather worse an the bucks harder to find than previous years.  Some essential gear from this years hunt:

[X-Force]

Sure this isn’t a late season goat hunt? Lol

Can’t wait to get the rest of the story

[skagitsteel]

Late melt off and then a hot dry summer and early fall seemed to really throw things off in terms of 'normal' I had managed to turn up a few bucks in summer scouting, but as the trend as gone it seems as is if there are a few less to chase each year and several old haunts seemed to hold few to no deer.   Although I saw plenty of bears this summers and another lion (week before season opened)

[skagitsteel]

Sure this isn’t a late season goat hunt? Lol

Can’t wait to get the rest of the story

sure felt like it a few times   A goat hunt might have been easier than this one was

[highside74]

Cramp ons and an ice axe?!!! GIT IT

[boneaddict]

Tagging along.  This ones got to be good.  I can honestly say I e never used either of those items for deer. Lol

[skagitsteel]

Opening week was probably a lot like most people experienced.  Way too hot, smoky and little to no deer movement.  I got out a couple times I saw a couple does and one younger buck the first week, planning on hitting it hard once the weather turned.  When the weather turned, it really did.   The high country went from summer to winter in a 24 hour period.  Within a day or so of the first snow there was very quickly way too much snow in the places I like to go. I started to see  little more deer movement in the snow, but it didn't get them going like in normally does and the rut still seemed a long ways away.   

[jrebel]

The anticipation is killing me.  Sounds like a hunt that not soon be forgotten.

[skagitsteel]

by the middle of the last week the weather posed quite the challenge, especially for someone wired like me who refuses to write off the season without 100% effort.  There is 'snowed out' and 'truly snowed out' of the higher stuff, thoughts of heavy old bucks kept me pushing the limit every single day regardless.  Many of the spots I hunt were truly inaccessible, most of my access routes into these spots were truly snowed out, some with 3' of snow that turned to concrete.  One consistent theme was every place I had ever camped was truly snowed out beyond 'reasonable'.  I resorted to alternate routes, no trails 100% vertical bushwacking 2500'-4500' gain each day every day in the dark.  Wet brush and melting snow result in a lot of wet gear so each night gear strewn all over drying out, wake up repack and do it again. The deer were in some areas and pushed out of others.  Crampons were worn most of the time and the ice axe was needed to ascend and descent in a few places.   

[skagitsteel]

The anticipation is killing me.  Sounds like a hunt that not soon be forgotten.

Alright here's a pic, I'll finish up the story soon. 

[highside74]

Holy Crap!!!

[mcrawfordaf]

 

BRUTE

[highside74]

Someday turm them for us please

[millerwheeler]

  o boy

[skagitsteel]

Someday turm them for us please

I don't know how   Some post straight and some do that