Bearpaw Fall Season 2011

[Camp David]

Go with the plan you set for your self. I'll shoot a nice buck first day every time. You have to be satisfied with tag soup if your looking for the "right one".

[gunnarnewt]

Love the stories! Keep 'em coming. 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Ida shot the firt legal one that steped out made your job easier bearpaw.

[MDGrand]

"Never turn down on the first day what you would NEVER turn down on the last day."


I am all for trophy hunting and growing the genetics of a group of animals, but I tend to follow this well known credo.

 

[bearpaw]

Idaho Mule Deer Update

Yesterday afternoon Ray and Mike got into the big bucks. They spotted about a 25-26 incher but the stalk didn't work out. Then just before dark they spotted a really big buck they estimated around 30", give or take an inch, but it was too late to get to him. They tried to find the big one again in the morning but came up emty handed and Mike had to leave about noon, so no deer for Mike. 

Nick and Eric got on a good big buck but had no way to close the gap, Eric who had shot a good group at 400 yards at the lodge decided to take the shot, he missed the buck twice at 428 yards, he hit just over the back both times, so no buck for Eric either. 

Brian and Taylor rode in on horseback to a location we haven't hunted yet this season. They saw two bull elk within shooting range but elk doesn't open till the next day. Then they were watching a big rock slide area and Brian noticed a porcupine so he went down to investigate the porky. He left Taylor sitting and watching for deer. Taylor decided he wanted to go see the porky but left his rifle where he was watching from, when he got down to Brian up jumped a big buck (roughly 170 class) but Taylor didn't have his rifle, by the time he got to the gun, the buck was gone, they tried to find it again but no luck. Fortunately Taylor is still hunting so he will hopefully get a crack at another buck.   

We don't normally see high numbers of deer in this area, the 4 guided and 1 unguided hunters who we hunted the last 5 days saw just over 150 total deer, 36 bucks, had 16 shot opportunities, everyone saw at least good 4x4 or better bucks, and 4 out of 5 of them shot at good 4x4 or better bucks. Even though they had some misses and bad luck, and we only killed the 2 good bucks, it was still a great hunt and everyone had a fun time.   

Ray says the 30 inch buck is extremely wired, he only came out the one evening just at dusk, he grabs a mouthful and his head is back up looking for danger in every direction. Now if we can just figure out a way to kill that 30 inch buck without bumping him out of the area..... 

[bearpaw]

Washington Whitetail
My wife, Ray, and Anthony will be hunting whitetail today in Washington. They have been watching numerous bucks so hopefully will have a good hunt. It's about time to head out hunting so I better sign off. Good luck to all wherever you will be hunting.

[turkey slayer]

Good luck Dale

[bearpaw]

thanks slayer, I hope I didn't use my luck up this morning....

Washington Update
My wife called and said one of her hunters killed a 5x4 buck in Washington, she just got back home and said she was covered in blood and needed to clean up so she could start lunch. I will post more info and pics as soon as I get them.

Idaho Update
Taylor and I decided to do a little road hunting and glassing this morning. We had glassed several spots and hadn't seen much, only 5 does, a very slow morning. We were sitting there glassing another hillside when a coyote started making occasional howls. I said to Taylor, "I don't see any deer, what do you say we go try to call in that yote?"

We quietly slipped away from the truck and took up a good vantage point about 200 yards away from the truck looking down over a nice mountain pasture. The coyote had sounded like he was probably a half mile away. As soon as the wind slowed I put as much volume through my coyote call as I could muster. I waited a few minutes and called again with as much character as I could give a dieing rabbit. I waited a couple more minutes and I called a third time. I no sooner finished that call and I spotted Wile E. Coyote trotting toward us from the right at about 300 yards. I motioned with a finger for Taylor and I could tell by his excitement that he saw it too.

We just waited, Wile would advance 50 yards and listen. Then he'd advance again and listen for his rabbit lunch. At 150 yards Taylor put the smack on him, one shot, dead fawn killer. 

Turns out artificial rabbit didn't settle to well with his digestive system. 

[bearpaw]

Idaho
After the coyote kill one of the guys jumped a 5x5 bull elk at 30 yards today but was unable to get a shot, he said it was just to brushy.

Washington
This morning Tara posted Kevin and then went to sit with his dad. It wasn't long and they heard 1 shot so they went back to see what Kevin shot at. Kevin just got out of the military after 17 years and this was his first deer ever, nice way to start. Congrats to Kevin..... 

There were a few other close calls but this was the only buck we got today in Washington. Two bear were seen today, wished I had a bear hunter in camp. 

[turkey slayer]

Congrats on your first deer Kevin its a great one

[bearpaw]

Washington Update
We had 5 guided hunters in camp, three branch antlered bucks are taken so far. One guided hunter only had 2 days to hunt, so he is coming back next weekend, the other is still hunting. We had 4 unguided hunters who hunted 2 days, they saw a huge buck but didn't kill anything, so we invited them back for the late buck season at no charge. (will get more pics of the other 2 bucks when I can)

Idaho Update
We have had a couple really tough days, it stormed hard all day yesterday. One guy come back in at lunch with severe chest pains (maybe heart), he has been taking it easy since. Another hunter just can't handle the Idaho mountains and can not make it more than 100 yards from where we park. Amazingly, Nick has gotten him on a 5x5 bull the first day, a cow yesterday, and he has seen several moose and a few deer, but no shots yet, but today he said he needed a day off so he didn't hunt today.  Another hunter has a bad sore throat after hunting in the rain yesterday so he took today off too. Then to top it off, sliding around on the rough muddy roads one truck slid into a big branch and broke a shock and a windshield. 

Oh yeah, and I am sneaking along with one of the hunters and I didn't notice he stopped to glass a couple does. I am moving slow through some old growth timber and suddenly theres a nice 5x5 muley about 80 yards, head down feeding. I turned around to see if Taylor was on him and he is 50 yards behind me glassing. 

I am trying to get Taylor's attention and just when he spotted me, so did the buck so I couldn't move, Taylor figure out what was going on and started sneaking to me. Just as he reached me he pulled up to take the shot and the buck ran, Taylor took off after the buck, I tried to stop him but it was not going to happen, instinctively I figured the buck would turn right and run into the wind as soon as he was out of sight so I moved 100 yards to the right to watch, I couldn't beleive it, another 4x4 buck, not as big, but standing right in front of me feeding, then he picks his head up and runs off. Finally Taylor and I got together later, hopefully we have a better strategy worked out for the next time.   

Hoping for a better day in Idaho tommorrow.... 

[bearpaw]

Well it turned out to be a much better day in Idaho, one of the hunters killed a 5x5 bull. 

I also got a very nice note from one of the Washington hunters that just got back home:

Dale and Tara,
Thanks for a fun hunt and some really good meals. Of course getting a nice buck is always great as well. Ray was good to spend time with and tried to be certain I had a good time and saw lots of game. God we did see lots of turkeys. The accommodations were very comfortable and I hope to book with you guys again. Feel free to share my comments and I've attached a couple of pictures. He weighed 210 lb's on the hoof. That is a really a big deer where I'm from.
Thanks Again
Richard

[NWBREW]

Very nice......keep them coming.

[bearpaw]

OK here's a little guessing game, there's something wrong with the animal in one of the last three photos I posted....   

Who can tell me what isn't right..... 

[seth30]

No tail on the second pic