Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 02:55:33 AM
After 4 days of hunting with my brother backpacking on the high hunt (which I live for) we had failed to come up with anything worth shooting (saw plenty of legal bucks though) so he headed back to Bellingham and myself to Ellensburg. After a day of recovering I packed up for a 4 day solo trip. The first place I was going to check out left me with low expectations due to the fact that people had obviously just left right before I showed up (there was about 10 piles of human feces where I normally pitch my tent and a fire had put out within the last few hours). My plan was to wake up at 3:30 and hike in to a basin where I routinely see bucks. Up until that night it had been sunny and dry but by dark it was blowing and raining hard. I struggled to get myself up but managed to hike in 5 miles to where I wanted to be at legal shooting time soaked to the core. I dropped in to glass my basin and some movement caught my eye at about 50 feet away. I couldn't believe that I managed to walk up on this guy and I could tell it was a buck by the size of his body and coloration but his head was completely in the bushes. I turned my scope to its lowest setting and realized that he was heavy had four on one side but narrow. I realized he was heavier than any buck I have shot so far (which doesn't mean much) so I shot him. He dropped as if struck by lightening but I never could see his antlers until I walk up to him 40-50 feet away. I quartered him, took the neck meat, backstraps, brisket etc. and loaded up in a packframe that I had hiked in to the top of the ridge before dropping into "my" basin. I only weigh 155 pounds but I managed to pack my day bag and the whole deer out 5-6 miles off trail in one trip (I'm glad we are only allowed one a year.) I'm proud of this one but I feel like I got pretty lucky taking a good buck in the first 3 minutes of a 4 day hunt. I'm not a pro scorer but I'm usually only an inch or two off and I came up with 182 and change green gross nontypical , netting 170 and change with 9 scoreable points on his left side and 6 on his right (really a 4 x 4 with double eyeguards and three cheaters on his left). He's got a lot of mass but he's short tined and really narrow. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining here; he's my biggest buck yet and it feels good to do it on a DIY, solo, over the counter, public land hunt. Hopefully I will top him this next season! Now I'm working on a cougar; my brother missed one last week and saw another that he didn't get a shot at. We r gettn better at hunting them too. He got a real nice tom last year.
Post by: JBar on January 16, 2009, 04:08:19 AM
Post by: Lowedog on January 16, 2009, 04:21:28 AM
-Lowedog
Post by: Pathfinder101 on January 16, 2009, 04:32:56 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 16, 2009, 05:06:00 AM
Post by: BLUEBULLS on January 16, 2009, 05:49:41 AM
Post by: agchawk on January 16, 2009, 06:17:15 AM
CONGRATS
Post by: boneaddict on January 16, 2009, 06:24:22 AM
AWESOME DEER!
Post by: PacificNWhunter on January 16, 2009, 07:12:56 AM
Post by: whacker1 on January 16, 2009, 07:33:39 AM
Post by: Bighorse on January 16, 2009, 07:36:17 AM
There is a reason I love watching that weight class in the WEC and UFC. The energy and skill of a well conditioned athlete is always impressive. Just think.....this guy will be somewhere at anytime durring the next high hunt. He's the guy that will wake before you and if he spots something, he'll out hike you too.
I know, I know there are a few more tough guys out there but this guy is in the club.
Did you get him mounted?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on January 16, 2009, 07:39:13 AM
Post by: 270Shooter on January 16, 2009, 07:42:13 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on January 16, 2009, 08:26:27 AM
Post by: 10Key on January 16, 2009, 08:27:54 AM
Post by: bucklucky on January 16, 2009, 08:30:53 AM
Post by: crabcreekhunter on January 16, 2009, 08:39:35 AM
Post by: bow4elk on January 16, 2009, 08:39:45 AM
Post by: zackmioli on January 16, 2009, 09:14:28 AM
Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 10:57:52 AM
Post by: PacificNWhunter on January 16, 2009, 11:05:03 AM
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the comments. I didn't know my buck was already on here or I wouldn't have posted it. Anybody know who posted it? (maybe I did and don't remember???). I'm really forgetful and might have posted it myself. I'm not getting him mounted because my wife says that I'm only allowed 1 head mount of each (sub)species in the house and I really do plan on shooting a bigger one soon, which I would love to have mounted. It is already on the wall in the house though. Plus I can't afford the $1K to get it mounted. The worst thing is that I might miss this years high hunt in WA. My bro and I have max WY deer and antelope preference points (we have never hunted out of state), some colorodo points, and believe it or not, I might be doing an exploratory hunting expedition for big/small game and fishing for in Bolivia, tropical whitetail in Ecuador, and then ducks/brocket deer in Argentina (golden dorado, wolfish pirahaha, peacock bass, giant catfish, etc)as well. I'm just a college student and don't ask me how it happened but looks like I will be gone Aug.-late sept. hunting and fishing south America. There will be another high hunt next year but I don't think I'll get to hunt the jungles of Bolivia with local campensinos[.
Must be tough :)
Good luck on whatever you end up doing!
Post by: GrainfedMuley on January 16, 2009, 11:07:49 AM
Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 11:09:27 AM
Post by: fc2038 on January 16, 2009, 11:18:34 AM
Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 12:22:57 PM
Post by: Red Dawg on January 16, 2009, 01:42:02 PM
Post by: GrainfedMuley on January 16, 2009, 03:13:10 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on January 16, 2009, 03:16:57 PM
Post by: JACKALL on January 16, 2009, 03:44:49 PM
Post by: skybusterbo on January 16, 2009, 05:00:23 PM
Post by: Elkstuffer on January 16, 2009, 06:15:06 PM
Post by: huntnphool on January 16, 2009, 08:05:10 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on January 16, 2009, 10:16:19 PM
I think that applies to just about all of us... ;)
Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 10:38:05 PM
Post by: mossback91 on January 16, 2009, 10:43:44 PM
Post by: littlebuf on January 16, 2009, 10:48:54 PM
Post by: huntnphool on January 16, 2009, 11:03:38 PM
Post by: highhunter on January 16, 2009, 11:26:05 PM
Post by: whacker1 on January 17, 2009, 07:08:45 AM
Keep up the good work, we hope to see some strong results in the fall of 2009 as well.
Post by: highhunter on January 17, 2009, 10:40:10 AM
I have not gotten it scored because my Dad wants to bring it to his friend to score at the upcoming sportsmen's show. The mass did visibly shrink since I measured him (the day after I shot him).
I sure got chewed out by my taxidermist for not caping him but I like plaque mounts just as well and you know I don't think I could packed the cape on top of everything, I figured with my soaked wool clothes, day bag and meat that I was packing b/w 140-150 lbs. I figure that if I'm ever rich or have the room for it I'll use another cape.
I'll post some proof pix that it is not photo shop. What a compliment though to be told they are fake! I've always dreamed of taking a buck in WA that scored 180 (crabcreek set that benchmark for me that cold night in the woods)
I'll post a few non-identifying photo's when I get back from the brewfest today.
Post by: crabcreekhunter on January 17, 2009, 12:22:27 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on January 17, 2009, 10:44:08 PM
Can't wait to see what you post next fall...
Post by: Kent Hunter on January 18, 2009, 06:10:44 AM
Post by: fishing is for fools on January 18, 2009, 08:35:37 AM
Post by: Slider on January 18, 2009, 08:35:52 AM
Post by: MichaelJ on January 18, 2009, 02:35:06 PM
I have to thank Crab creek hunter first and fore most. I ran into to those guys in a rainstorm around midnight on a lightly traveled trail (I think his boy liked the fire!) about 5 years ago. After a few stories and pictures my brother and I vowed to change the way we hunt, where we hunt, and who we hunt with. I've had a 100x more success since that rainy night and he proved to me that the impossible is possible. So hats off to you, that buck is as much yours as it is mine.
I'm pretty sure Crabcreek and RedMist don't know jack about hunting the high country! hahaha jk they're some class guys for sure, and Zane ain't too bad of a ball player either... though I did see him pitch a pretty horrible inning last year! lol jk Zane, give me a call sometime!
Michael
Post by: farmin4u_98948 on January 18, 2009, 08:41:52 PM
Post by: fishunt247 on January 18, 2009, 10:16:58 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on January 18, 2009, 10:21:08 PM
Post by: Vek on January 19, 2009, 03:48:35 PM