Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:31:35 AM
Here's the link to the elk hunt story.
https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,274664.0.html
Since June we have had trail cameras hung in the area we hunt, a mixture of public and private land not far from the Tri-Cities. With the wet, cold spring this year the antler growth in our area was the best I have seen in the 12 years that I have hunted this piece. Knowing that we would miss the whole first 7 days of the season due to our Colorado hunt, I had managed to draw the multi-season deer tag. I spent archery season chasing one particular buck, seeing him 4 times, but never being able to catch up to him. Opening day he was headed towards my stand but I ran out of daylight with him and his buddy still 150 yards away. The next day I carelessly bumped him twice and thought I would never see him again. On the last day of the season I spotted him one more time cresting the ridge in the direction of some private property. I have since found that he spent muzzleloader and rifle season there, with no one catching up to him as of the last day of the season.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:32:45 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:33:30 AM
Although we had waterproof jackets, gaiters and boots, it wasn’t long before we were both soaked through. Although it wasn’t pouring anymore, walking through the waist high brush had us completely waterlogged within a mile. We still had not seen a deer (I had planned to check some bedding areas that I thought I would find them tucked into, but we turned up blank), so we turned around and retreated to the truck. About halfway back the clouds let loose again, drenching the last remaining square inches of our bodies that weren’t already. All we had seen was a day-old gutpile.
All the better we figured. We owed Mamma a little time after being gone, and the weather was scheduled to clear up before evening. So we took her for coffee and breakfast, exchanged our wet gear for dry gear and headed back out at 3pm for the evening hunt. The sun had come out and between it and the wind had dried the brush considerably, so we decided to hike into our normal glassing spot. The spot is on private land we have permission on, overlooking a patchwork of public land and private land that we cannot hunt. After gaining elevation we traversed a long ridge for a mile. With the weather breaking, deer were out. It also appeared that by not hunting this private piece for a week, every deer in the county had sought refuge there. We passed on a couple of legal smallish bucks and counted over 30 does on our hike in.
Reaching the end of the ridge which overlooks the edge of the public, we settled in with our optics for the evening. Just as we were pulling out the spotting scope, we noticed movement down in the deep canyon to our right. A doe had seen us and was moving up the opposite hill away from us. Not really spooked, just moving away. We crawled a few yards in her direction and peeked into the canyon. 4 more does. They hadn’t seen us, but they were watching the other doe and beginning to move the same way she was. The bottom of the canyon was choked with brush up to chest high.
Little Pathfinder and I watched for a few minutes. It was a little after 5pm at this point and they shadows had grown long. After about 5 minutes of watching the does move away from us up the hill I heard LP gasp.
“Dad, look!” He whispered pointing down the canyon. “That has to be a buck! Look how big his body is!”
He was right, he looked like a steer compared to the delicate does feeding up the hill away from him. The buck was trying to sneak out the bottom of the canyon. A quick bino check and I recognized him. It was the Big 3.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:34:33 AM
Unfortunately, the angle of the buck slipping out the bottom of the canyon to our far right made it impossible for LP to get both bipod legs rested properly on the side of the steep hill where we had crawled. Getting steady seemed like it was taking forever. Finally, he fired the shot. The shot sounded like a hit, but looked a little far back (turned out to be liver/guts). The buck spun and leaped as LP cranked off another shot that missed clean (in front of his chest, too much lead). By the time he had racked a 3rd round the buck had disappeared down the canyon.
We picked up our gear and sprinted down the ridge trying to stay above him and see where he went. By the time we could see around the corner, he was gone. I figured he had bedded or was lying dead in the tall brush, so we started working our way downhill. Once the bottom of the canyon came fully into view LP spotted the buck bedded in the tall brush, head up. This time he had a much better rest and one shot drove through the base of his neck and into his chest, breaking his spine and flopping him over in his bed. Once I could tell that he wasn’t going to get back up, I broke the news to LP.
“You just shot The Big 3.” I told him.
“Really?” He replied “I thought it was just one of the three points. Are you sure?!”
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:35:27 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:36:17 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:39:45 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 10:40:49 AM
We both harvested a black bear in August (my biggest), took our first horseback pack trip for elk and harvested a 6x6 bull, then came back to WA and took one of the biggest bucks we have ever killed in our “home spot”. 2022 has been extraordinarily kind to us.
Post by: Platensek-po on October 27, 2022, 10:47:16 AM
Post by: BIGDOG253 on October 27, 2022, 11:17:01 AM
Post by: wafisherman on October 27, 2022, 12:08:40 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on October 27, 2022, 12:18:28 PM
Post by: elkboy on October 27, 2022, 12:43:54 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 27, 2022, 12:51:43 PM
Congrats. He'll never forget this experience with his dad. Both are very fortunate. Nothing beats having your kids as hunting partners.
Amen Brother. Missing having my older boy with me for the first time since he was about 6. Finished college last year and he's currently stationed in Fort Benning in 3rd Ranger Battalion.
Post by: dvolmer on October 27, 2022, 01:41:47 PM
Post by: Gonehuntin01 on October 27, 2022, 04:22:28 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 27, 2022, 04:25:43 PM
Post by: packmule on October 28, 2022, 09:12:13 PM
Post by: Karl Blanchard on October 28, 2022, 09:17:06 PM
Post by: Bob33 on October 28, 2022, 09:32:28 PM
Post by: Dan-o on October 28, 2022, 11:05:01 PM
Post by: rasbo on October 29, 2022, 04:05:07 AM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on October 29, 2022, 05:41:27 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 29, 2022, 06:03:25 AM
What a nice buck! Congratulations for you both.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 29, 2022, 07:30:47 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 29, 2022, 07:42:13 AM
Post by: C-Money on October 29, 2022, 07:49:35 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 31, 2022, 07:29:56 AM
Post by: Dan-o on October 31, 2022, 09:08:36 AM
Post by: Shawn Ryan on October 31, 2022, 03:13:28 PM
Post by: jason stevens on October 31, 2022, 03:30:01 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 31, 2022, 04:30:18 PM
Good story. Really great experience and buck. You know its a good buck when Boneaddict says it is.
:yeah: :tup:
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 15, 2022, 02:25:02 PM
Post by: highside74 on November 15, 2022, 03:35:13 PM
Getting his peroxide bath today :tup:
Do you add the Basic White Bleach powder to your 40 volume? If not, consider it. Also ask your hair cutter to pick you up some 50 volume next time they are at the supply store. We can't buy it. It's also considerably stronger than 40 and you need rubber gloves.
Post by: OutHouse on November 15, 2022, 04:52:27 PM
Post by: bearhunter99 on November 15, 2022, 05:06:23 PM
Even with the tape on him it still looks wider the way it flares out.... Congrats again!
Post by: Gentrys on November 15, 2022, 08:29:46 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 16, 2022, 08:31:27 AM
Thanks for the tips. I might try that. :tup:Getting his peroxide bath today :tup:
Do you add the Basic White Bleach powder to your 40 volume? If not, consider it. Also ask your hair cutter to pick you up some 50 volume next time they are at the supply store. We can't buy it. It's also considerably stronger than 40 and you need rubber gloves.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 16, 2022, 08:33:14 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 16, 2022, 08:38:41 AM
Thanks for the tips. I might try that. :tup:Getting his peroxide bath today :tup:
Do you add the Basic White Bleach powder to your 40 volume? If not, consider it. Also ask your hair cutter to pick you up some 50 volume next time they are at the supply store. We can't buy it. It's also considerably stronger than 40 and you need rubber gloves.
Actually, I don't think we are supposed to be able to buy the 40 are we? They've asked about that when I brought the 40 up to the counter before, I always explain that I am using it to whiten bone, not putting it on an actual human...
I might try the basic bleach powder on my elk though (he's still in the bath degreasing). It doesn't cause the bone to flake, does it?
Post by: highside74 on November 16, 2022, 08:51:21 AM
Thanks for the tips. I might try that. :tup:Getting his peroxide bath today :tup:
Do you add the Basic White Bleach powder to your 40 volume? If not, consider it. Also ask your hair cutter to pick you up some 50 volume next time they are at the supply store. We can't buy it. It's also considerably stronger than 40 and you need rubber gloves.
Actually, I don't think we are supposed to be able to buy the 40 are we? They've asked about that when I brought the 40 up to the counter before, I always explain that I am using it to whiten bone, not putting it on an actual human...
I might try the basic bleach powder on my elk though (he's still in the bath degreasing). It doesn't cause the bone to flake, does it?
40 is all we can buy. You need a cosmetology license to buy the 50. My hair cutter gets it for me. The bleach works well with both 40 and 50. It helps it stick a bit better also because it's not so runny after the powder mix. We just add enough to make it like a thick gravy I'd say.
Post by: HikerHunter on November 16, 2022, 01:04:02 PM
Post by: rainshadow1 on November 16, 2022, 01:31:19 PM
Great hunts!
Post by: pianoman9701 on November 16, 2022, 01:49:27 PM