Post by: NOCK NOCK on November 15, 2019, 05:28:47 PM
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Post by: NOCK NOCK on November 16, 2019, 05:49:00 PM
Nov. 1 rolls around and Mrs Nock and I decide to camp at a higher elevation in the unit. That was a mess, very cold, killed 2 trailer batteries, and drained the truck battery, also ran out of fuel in trailer generator the first night so no heat. >:(
For the first 2 days we spent all day glassing canyons in the timber with only does and small bucks sighted. We were driving the SxS to a different glassing point and about got run over by a doe with a 2x hot on her tail. That poor doe had her mouth open, tongue hanging out, and was most definitely tired of that little guy chasing her all over heck and back.
The 3rd day we went low to hike & glass some sage land, very few deer spotted.
For the next week I bounced around between high and low ground, both private and public, trying to figure out where the majority of the does were. They seemed to be all spread out, some areas that should have been holding good numbers were pretty barren of deer and any sign of them being there in numbers. :bash: :bash:
On the 10th I located what I believed to be a shooter for me, but he was a mile off and located very happily 200 yards on the wrong side of a line. >:(
The next day glassing I watched a group of 5 does come over a ridge. I watched them for a bit and was satisfied no bucks were trailing so went back to my glassing grid search. 10 minutes later a did a quick look back at the 5...…wait ….now there is 6. The new one was indeed a good buck. I watched him for a while as he fed along behind the does, not really interested in them. (this is the one I posted "shooter? quality buck) He was the kind of buck I was looking for, a classic 4x4, but could never get a straight on frontal view so i decided to let him walk, knowing that i could find him again later if need be.
Post by: NOCK NOCK on November 17, 2019, 08:10:58 AM
On the 14th I planned to motorcycle into some middle elevation ground, its beautiful country but the looming forecast of rain and FOG :puke: put a huge damper on that. Lots of sign and a few deer spotted but that damn fog kept the sight window at 100 yards. I also was at the furthest distance away from my truck launching point when the cycle decided it no longer wanted to cooperate. After spending some time deciphering the issue, I got it to behave again and felt it was best to get closer to home. That evening was spent glassing the lowlands again which turned up a few new bucks, but still nothing exciting. At this point the upcoming forecast was still showing unsettled weather and fog for the next few days. Crap, things are looking up and then the fog. >:( >:( >:(
The 15th started with being in position to glass the area where I was seeing the most deer. Spent the first hour and half glassing and only found 1 new buck, along with some of the same ones I'd already noted. Although I thought this was the best place to spend some time, I made a quick decision to head over to the area where I saw the possible shooters earlier in my ventures.
I glassed the area that I planned on glassing from before getting to it, that turned out to be a good thing. I spotted several does standing near the canyon bottom, one was that good grey coloring that shouts "I'm a buck" but she fooled me. :chuckle: Expanding out from the does I picked up another grey one.....RACK....now we're talking.
I had to move about 1/2 mile closer to get a better view, and when i popped over the edge he was just hanging out there, about 50 yards above the does, wide open. Got the spotter on him and decided he was exactly what I was looking for, solid 4x, eyeguards, very symmetrical, not spindly, just a good classic textbook 4x4 with a big body.
It was a chip shot for my .280 @300yards. Got prone, rock steady, click, BOOM, he went down so quick the does were like what the heck are you doing fella???
I don't believe he was the same buck that I passed up (this one was bigger antlered) but most definitely related to each other.
I got a quick pic thru the spotter of him on the dirt upside down, then he gave a last kick which sent him tumbling to the bottom of the ravine (closer for the pack out too :tup:) landing nicely on his belly in a carved out drywash.
Seems the tumble/"10" point landing was my thing this year as my 2nd deer tumbled and landed on top off a four foot high rock.
As a long time bowhunter and meathunter, It was super fun to be able to let the air out of a quality deer at longer ranges again, and as stated, I'm a meat hunter so I have zero idea on what he scores, and really don't care, I am beyond happy with my choice of bucks to put this tag on.
Post by: NOCK NOCK on November 17, 2019, 08:23:45 AM
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Post by: Muleyslyr on November 20, 2019, 08:29:31 PM
Post by: jstone on November 20, 2019, 08:48:00 PM
Great pictures
Post by: snowshoes22 on November 21, 2019, 07:16:12 AM
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Post by: bulldogs40 on November 21, 2019, 05:18:13 PM
Post by: NOCK NOCK on November 21, 2019, 06:29:52 PM
Nice symmetrical 4 x 4! Had there been much snow in that area?
No snow at all.
Thanks to all for the kind words. I feel very blessed to have been able to experience this late hunt, it was blast.
Last year I ate a quality bull tag.....so its gonna be quite a wait till the next "quality permit" comes around.
Post by: T-ROY on November 21, 2019, 06:44:18 PM
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Post by: mrkraft on November 22, 2019, 07:40:37 PM