Well, given I've had a dry spell for the last few years I decided to take any legal buck above the button buck stage. Up until I found this guy I'd hunted the traditional mule deer cover with the masses and not much hit the dirt anywhere in our area.. Other than doe's all I had found was a 1 horned forked horn. So one afternoon I decided to head into a thick brushy creek drainage (lotsa rose hips, goose berries, salmon berries, and devils club) that some said was too thick to hunt as the animals will bust out well before you get to them due to the noise you make getting through it. Well I decided to give it a try. I can be sneaky if I work at it. And if it's too thick I can walk the creek to get around those spots. I started into it and after a while I jumped a bear at close range. Could have killed it, but did not have the time necessary to verify there were no cubs in the area. It made like a bulldozer getting away from me. Good sized one, scat piles were about the size of a cow pie. Anyways, a little further down the way I jumped a whitey doe (first one I've seen in the area), then I see another and am able to sneak by it at about 30 yds. I think to myself this is promising. A little further through the drainage I spot a deer tail through the brush, upon a little glassing I verify whitetail and see that it is facing away from me and looking over it's back in my direction. I also can just see the upper area of the head and see part of the antlers. I decide to take a shot at the neck I still cant see. I estimate where it is being careful not to back or ass shoot it. If I miss my spot it'll be high and not a meat wasting shot. I pull the trigger and I see the deers hind hooves fly into the air while it does a cartwheel. Just drove it head into he ground. Good eating Buck Down! I'm guessing a 2.5 yr old.
I'm also including a picture of my deaf 11 yr old lab. We hunted grouse for the next few days before coming home. She's still got game! Also a picture of my new tent this year. Talk about comfortable...
Anyways, that's my 2010 deer hunt.
