Mica Peak Whitetail

[jgrimes]

This was my third season archery hunting for whitetail on and around Mica Peak. During the two previous seasons I had lost the bucks that I had shot. The first to a poor shot and the second was lost after pushing a buck that hadn't yet expired. Two years of going through that feeling was not fun. This year during the early season I missed a heavy 5x5 that I put a spot and stalk on; simply misjudged the yardage. Late season had been pretty tough on me as well, but I've kept at it. My hunting buddy and I had hung stands on the back side of Mica Peak with the intent of hunting them during the early season, but just never got around to it. I hadn't had much luck at my parents property or on the 200 or so acres of private farmland I have permission to hunt. So today I decided to head up to Mica in hopes of changing my luck. Mica is now closed to motorized vehicles and I figured that the deer up there probably hadn't been pressured too much. I got a late start to the day, but a 45 minute hike, a little farting around getting situated in the tree and I was ready to rock by about 11:30. I was just about ready to do some calling when I heard some movement to my left. I turned my head slowly to see a buck feeding up the hill in my direction 60 or 70 yards out. Grabbing my grunt tube, I gave a couple short low grunts. He looked in my direction but seemed uninterested. There was a scrape and some remnants of a mineral block from the summer below my stand and I figured he just might end up working my way, so I let him be. He read the script and came right into one of my shooting lanes at 15 yards broadside. I was already at full draw before he got there. Pull those back muscles . . . . . THWACK! Clean pass through and my arrow in the ground on the other side. He stumbled down the hill 40 yards and toppled over. Even though I knew that he was done for, I sat on stand for a half an hour just to make sure. During that time I got in touch with some of my buddys to help me pack him out. We took a ton of pics, got him tagged, cleaned out and headed back to the trucks. This is my first harvest ever. My Dad introduced me to hunting when I was really young, but I never really got into it. He passed away during my Junior year of H.S. after a battle with colon cancer and then hunting just kind of faded out of my mind. By chance, I became really interested in archery and bowhunting about 4 years ago and have never looked back. I realize that he's probably not quite a Pope & Young buck, but I COULDN'T CARE LESS! This buck means a whole hell of a lot to me and I will never forget this day as long as I live. This one is for you Dad.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Congrats. Great pics and write up! Thank you. 

[high country]

Congrats! That is a fine deer. You should be proud.

[hambone]

good job nice buck mica holds some great bucks

[bobcat]

Very nice buck. Isn't it great when a plan comes together?

[Biggerhammer]

Congrats, way to stay at it. I enjoyed the read.

[buck man]

Great buck and write up. Love the black and white pics 

[AKBowman]

That's a heck of an archery WT!! You put in a lot of work hanging stands, hiking etc and it paid off. Really nice deer and very impressive photos, love the b&w photos too somehow those put a totally different perspective to the pic.

Well done!

[Elkstuffer]

Nice buck! Way to stick with it. I used to live in Liberty Lake and would see some real nice bucks hanging out down by the golf course when I'd come home late at night. Good job!

[carpsniperg2]

Congrats

[rotty33]

congrats on the buck. Did you see any elk???

[PolarBear]

Congrats. Great pics and write up! Thank you. 

[bearpaw]

congrats to you...

[Centaur]

GREAT story,pictures and of course the buck. Congratulations !!!

[jamesjett]

Nice write up. B/W photos came out nice!