Bearpaw Season 2009

[bearpaw]

Washington
Youth hunter missed a big whitetail buck this morning and then whacked a doe this evening.

Utah
One hunter hunting, they saw about 30 does and 8 bucks today, missed two bucks, going out again tomorrow.

Montana
Two antelope hunters start hunting tomorrow if we don't get rained out. If the mud is too bad we have to wait for it to dry up a few hours after the rain ends. We do have some good bucks spotted.

[Pathfinder101]

can't wait to see what you come up with Bearpaw.  Good luck!

[bearpaw]

Here's a couple nice bucks from a couple days ago in Utah.

[nw_bowhunter]

Cool pics

[bearpaw]

The last two days have been two of the funnest days of the season for me. There is a family that brings their kids hunting every year with us. This year they had five days to hunt, two and half days in Washington hunting whitetail for the 8 and 10 year old boys and then two days in Montana hunting antelope for the 12 and 14 year old boys. The parents are not hunting at all they just brought their boys hunting.

After the two youngest boys killed their deer with my wife and Brandon in Washington, the family drove over and met me in Montana. Yesterday we pulled off a perfect stalk on a large group of does and we killed two doe antelope at 115 yards and 168 yards with one shot each. Today I glassed several groups of antelope and finally decided to try for a group that had one real good buck and several other respectable bucks. We walked about two miles around to get to the closest cover. We crawled up and I peeked over and the antelope were too far but I noticed a little closer route so we crawled backwards and moved around to a little closer position. We crawled the last 50 yards and were as close as we could get. I had previously explained the game plan to the boys who had flipped a coin to see who got the first buck.

I had told the boys when we crawl up that I would get Kody on the biggest buck and for Mark (dad) to make sure that Wyatt was on a different buck and to help him out. There were about 40 antelope so I explained to Kody where to pick out the largest buck. Then I whispered to Mark (dad) which buck we were shooting and which buck they should shoot immediately after we shot.

The antelope had no idea of the peril they were in. I was having trouble getting a reading but finally got 253 yards on the range finder. Then I guestimated the heavy crosswind (20-30 mph) and suggested holding about 1 1/2 foot to the right and a little high on the body, but not over. Everyone was ready and said they were rock solid, I told Kody to squeeze off the shot when it felt right.

A few moments passed and boom, he hit the big buck in the hind leg, the antelope sort of jumped and moved around but had no idea where to run and paused, I told Wyatt to take the third antelope from the right, it was in the clear and appeared about equal size to 5 or 6 others in the herd. Boom another leg shot, the herd ran off a good distance but both wounded antelope only moved a few yards, Wyatts buck was giving us a good broadside shot so I told him to shoot again, wow a miss, I told him to hold 6 inches higher above the rump and take another shot, boom, his antelope went down, then Kody's buck layed down broadside, I said hold on the rump and then pull up 6 inches over the rump, boom his antelope rolled over dead.

Now there was excitement, high fives and all that. We got some more video footage and started walking to the bucks. We took lots of photos with each buck and got to talking and things didn't add up so we range found the little knob were had shot from, wow 373 yards to one antelope and 490 yards to the other. On top of that we had about 30 to 36 inches of wind drift.

Apparently when I was having trouble getting a reading the range finder had locked in on some closer sage that was in the way. That explained why we had leg shots on both the first time and had to elevate more. I have to tell you, I am still amazed that those two boys combined made 4 hits out of 5 shots and killed both antelope at that range.

Destiny is a funny thing, we had passed several 350-400 yard shots the day before thinking it was too far for the boys. It was as if they were meant to prove their shooting ability.    Mark said he was glad he didn't have a tag, he would have hated to be the only one to not make the long shot....

The one buck had a broken tip, the good side measures 14 inches. The big buck measures 15 1/2, both have beautiful capes and are getting mounted. It was a good day in the field indeed.

[Pathfinder101]

Wow, great job Bearpaw.  That 15 incher is a monster.  What's better than puttin' kids on game?  ....nuthin!!

[CoryTDF]

Those kids have some pretty cool parents. That is great that they take their kids hunting with them and even better that the hunts are successfull.

[bearpaw]

Before the boys left I told them they were pretty lucky to have the parents they do, they replied with a smile, "ya we know we are".....

Filled a few more tags will try to catch up soon.

[whacker1]

time for a new rangefinder?      great stories

[bearpaw]

This open country is reallly tough rangefinding when laying on your belly, the sage and grass poses a real problem when trying to use them...

Killed a few more antelope the last few days, horns are stating to come off, but still plenty of bucks, have two deer hunts next. Will post photos when I have time.

[bearpaw]

We have two really great guys hunting with us right now. The father I beleive is 83 and I believe the son is 60. The son has just started using a 7x30 Waters pistol. What a great shot he is with that pistol. He killed an antelope at 237 yards, first shot a heart shot. Today he killed a 5x6 whitetail at about 130 yards in heavy cover, one shot in the neck. Will post some photos when I get a chance.

[Little Dave]

Bearpaw, really enjoy the pictures and accounts of the these hunts.  Sounds like a fine season.

[huntnphool]

You ever find any of the big deer again? I think its time you invested in a good camera and lens so you could be posting pics of these pigs. Your clients might hold out a little longer too if you had pics of a 36" buck to show them that is still out there.

[Wacenturion]

Have also enjoyed following your hunts.  Got a question...watched one of the shows on the outdoor channel a month or so ago, showed a guide (younger man..30's) and wife (who also guides) in South Dakota I think...could have been Wyoming, but anyway...same last name as you..........son, nephew?  Just curious.  Seemed like great folks.  Enjoyed the show....his wife took time out to take an elk herself on a special tag.

[bearpaw]

littledave....thanks for your comment.

huntnphool....you are right, I need a better camera, hoping to get one soon, probably a cannon. We did not get another chance at the biggest bucks in Idaho, but I am happy with the 182 and the others that we did get. Have killed a couple nice bucks in Montana, but no monsters. In Washington, I don't have hardly any guided hunters, most guys have chosen unguided hunts to save money and have not had the same success that we have on the guided hunts. The 170ish Washington buck has not been seen since late buck opened, but my fingers are crossed for that to change.

Wacenturian....I do know the guy you are talking about in Wyoming, his last name is spelled Denny, our last name is spelled Denney, so we are no relation.