Post by: Jarrett H on September 18, 2020, 07:38:50 PM
I've been planning this year's high elevation hunt for a couple months now (waiting all year) & ended up scouting/hoofing it in where one of my favorite movies was filmed featuring De Niro, Walkin, Cazale. I thought it would be cool to share the adventure as I would absolutely recommend anyone considering it to make the jump!
I arrived at the hike in spot Monday the 14th (day before season) so I could get roughly 3.5 miles in to camp w/ enough time to scout before dark. I planned for a 4 day camp w/ roughly a 65lb pack weight, some of the contributing extra weight included camera equipment. Trekking poles at this weight were a necessity, but it only marginally made the hike in better with the added smoke & heat. I hit the same area last year & it was flooded & raining at a peak of about 40 degrees during the day. This week...it was blistering hot, at around 10am I ended up just wearing my hunting vest as my only top.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357910766_b7a3588e88_c.jpg)
I used google maps to scout areas that had openings where I could glass for deer, being that I hiked roughly 50 miles last year in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to find countless rubs/scrapes, but the brush was too dense to move without causing alarm. This year I decided I would let my eyes do the work. Once I setup camp & went to the first spot I marked on OnX & saw very little sign on the way in. Something I find interesting about deer is they don't typical leave droppings on trails, but bears don't seem to care. This area is dense w/ wild blueberries so the bear scat isn't in those faux cow patties, but in massive dog like blueberry mounds.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357111258_d797195d6d_c.jpg)
I looked at the area in question & it looked promising in the sense of remoteness w/ unlimited food, but the sign out in the open was still limited. I decided it was good enough for opening morning & went back to camp to have some mac n cheese. Tuesday morning I switched into game mode & headed to the same spot at around 630am. It's important to note my camp was setup about 500 yards from the destination, but it was solid brush to get there. I was also walking directly into the wind with a light mist in the air, it had rained that night.
Within about 45 mins of sitting & glassing I started to hear snorting & thumping, beautiful good size doe was bouncing in & out of the brush. She was being chased by a beautiful young 4 point buck. At this point I could tell he was a buck, but at about 60 yards I couldn't tell if he was legal. I pulled out the binos very carefully as she started to circle around behind me to get a smell, easily within 30 yards. When she trotted off he decided to do the same.
Doe -
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357877336_aba33fdfb9_c.jpg)
Buck-
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357974507_f8c4eb3961_c.jpg)
I may get some heat for this but I couldn't pull the trigger. He was clearly a legal 4 point, but easily 20lbs less than the doe he was chasing. All this work to take a young buck trying to get a whiff...I decided to let him grow a bit. After a bit of waiting I hiked in towards the brush where I had marked another clearing. It was around 11 am now & I was sitting in a small clearing that showed lots of sign. After a bit I started to hear snorting again & another young buck (2 point) was jumping out the thick like something was chasing him. There was so much bear sign I assumed it was a large bear or another buck. I was downwind again & he came within 15 yards to sniff me out while I filmed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50358051382_1472020444_c.jpg)
Tuesday was the only relatively cooler day & the only time I would see any life over the next couple days. The smoke rolled back in & the temperatures picked up. I climbed to the top of one of the ridges/mountains to see if there was any sign..but no luck. I ended up hiking out Thursday afternoon with a very sore body! Easily one of the best times to think & soak in all that makes this country beautiful.
Below are just some shots from the trip, enjoy!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357110748_77969f4cc5_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357110928_aa0c57b6bb_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50357973882_87ebbb244c_c.jpg)
Post by: cooltimber on September 18, 2020, 07:49:46 PM
Post by: fishnfur on September 18, 2020, 07:56:38 PM
Post by: Sutherland on September 18, 2020, 07:57:37 PM
Post by: Alchase on September 18, 2020, 08:10:48 PM
Post by: pd on September 18, 2020, 08:49:22 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on September 18, 2020, 08:54:54 PM
Did you bring a shotgun or is that a lever action. My phone won't load clear pics right now.
Post by: Aeron on September 18, 2020, 08:56:30 PM
Post by: Jarrett H on September 18, 2020, 09:21:07 PM
Glad you guys enjoyed the brief read, I told my wife after I saw the first two deer I was already satisfied.
Good stuff..
Did you bring a shotgun or is that a lever action. My phone won't load clear pics right now.
Marlin 1895SBL - w/ some Buffalo Barnes +P 300grn solid coppers.
Post by: Dan-o on September 18, 2020, 09:37:14 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 18, 2020, 10:31:45 PM
Post by: Jarrett H on September 18, 2020, 10:38:58 PM
Was that first buck 4 points total? Or 4 on one side? He didnt look like he had much bone up there.
4 points total, young man going after an older woman.
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 18, 2020, 10:47:46 PM
Post by: teanawayslayer on September 18, 2020, 10:55:37 PM
Good thing you passed then, bucks on the high hunt need 3 points on one side at least.:yeah:
Post by: Jarrett H on September 18, 2020, 11:36:49 PM
Good thing you passed then, bucks on the high hunt need 3 points on one side at least.
Definitely good, I hope I'm fortunate enough to do this again next year.
Post by: CaNINE on September 19, 2020, 06:44:17 AM
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 19, 2020, 09:44:03 AM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: OutHouse on September 19, 2020, 09:28:26 PM
Post by: bearpaw on September 20, 2020, 05:50:13 AM
Post by: hawks33 on September 20, 2020, 06:04:51 AM
Post by: fishnfur on September 20, 2020, 09:42:10 AM
Thanks for the story, gorgeous
He believe prefers Jarret, not gorgeous, but I guess you can call him what you like. :chuckle: