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Big Game Hunting => Out Of State Hunting => Topic started by: Pathfinder101 on July 19, 2019, 01:09:28 PM


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Title: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 19, 2019, 01:09:28 PM
Well, after applying for quality controlled hunts since 2001 (in Washington consistently, and on and off for a few years in MT, OR and ID), I have finally drawn a tag.  I put up a thread immediately when I found out and have gotten a few suggestions where to start.  As such, since I am sure most of these guys don't want a lot of specifics out on the Internets I may be a little cryptic about exactly where I am, but this officially begins the start of my 2019 Southern Idaho Mule Deer Hunt.
Little Pathfinder and I are loading the truck as I speak, headed scouting for the next 4-5 days in the Albion Mountains.  Hopefully we come back with some good intel and pictures.

 If anyone has any last minute suggestions... I'm all ears... :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Timberstalker on July 19, 2019, 01:11:16 PM
Best of luck, Pathfinder. 
Looking forward to see what you find. :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: fishngamereaper on July 19, 2019, 01:16:53 PM
I suggest you at least put a cooler in the truck for some ice cold beer and juice boxes...it's a long drive. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: bowhunterforever on July 22, 2019, 12:20:07 PM
Good luck :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on July 22, 2019, 12:37:37 PM
Remember when it was Monday and you still had not updated this thread with your scouting report? Yeah, me too. >:(
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Bigshooter on July 26, 2019, 03:00:42 PM
Any scouting pics?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:01:34 PM
Remember when it was Monday and you still had not updated this thread with your scouting report? Yeah, me too. >:(

Yeah, I had to get to a Dr appointment at the VA in Spokane on Monday, and had to go to Fort Lewis for work on Tuesday.  then Tri Cities, etc.... Blah Blah.... (insert another excuse here).... working on it.... blah...blah....

...gimme a minute, I'll have it up....
 :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:07:32 PM
Little Pathfinder and I got on the road early in order to make it to our unit in time to hike in for the evening glass.  I had about 4 target areas in mind based on advice I had been PM’d and the Google Earth/OnX Map scouting that I have been glued to every spare minute since I found out that I had been drawn.
Almost immediately, once entering the unit we spotted a deer moving across a sage covered hillside about 500 yards from the road.  I slammed on the brakes and grabbed my binos.  It was a buck.  At that brief glance, I judged him at no less than 140”, but not more than 150”.  Of course I wanted a better look and some photos, but by the time I had yanked out my spotter he had decided that he didn’t like being eyeballed and had lain down in the sage.  I glassed for 10 minutes where he disappeared and couldn’t turn him up.  With the day trickling away we decided to move on.
A few miles further we came around a corner and were treated to a view of a shiras moose feeding in a meadow.  He was kind and patient enough to give us plenty of time to get out the spotter and even let me fiddle with my phone scope long enough to get a few pics.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:08:47 PM
We hit our target area in early evening, saddled up and started up the trail.  I had been told that a good place to glass would be about a couple of miles in.  I’m not really a GPS guy (I have one, but rarely pull it out), so I taught Little Pathfinder the “Army” method of keeping a pacecount by counting his steps.  If you have never done it, basically you figure out how many steps it takes you to walk exactly 100 meters (takes me 63 steps, only counting when my left foot hits the ground).  Then you keep count.  Every time you get to 63 steps, you move a bead along a piece of parachute cord.  When you want to check your distance on the map, you just count the beads.  In addition to keeping track of your distance and pace, it has the unintended effect of keeping your mind busy as the trail gets steeper and the pack starts to get heavier.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:12:11 PM
Of course, as usually happens, I had a different picture in my head (mostly due to Google Earth’s views) than what I was seeing on the ground.  Couple that with my natural wanderlust and my uncontrollable desire to see if a better view is around the next corner and we overshot our intended glassing/camping area by well over a mile and a half.   It was nearly dark when I admitted defeat (and that I had “overnavigated” ) and we stopped to set up camp.  Cory TDF loaned my his super light Big Agnes tent and a few other backpacking items that were a lot lighter than my stuff.  That was nice as the last mile or so had been pretty steep.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:13:55 PM
The next morning we got up in the dark and hoofed it a mile and a half back down the trail to glass.  Unfortunately, in the dark I rolled my ankle, landed on my left knee on the rocky trail and shoved my hand into one of the nice thorn bushes that line the trail.  I hobbled out to the glassing point well before gray light.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:15:08 PM
After being treated to a spectacular sunrise, I watched the hills with great anticipation.  Unfortunately, what greeted my Leupold was not hordes of giant mule deer, but more cattle than I can ever remember seeing in a mountain setting.  They were everywhere.  On every hillside, mountain top, gully and draw.  In every opening in the trees you could find at least one cow.  I did finally spot a deep draw that did not contain cattle, but the only thing that wandered through it all morning was a cow moose.  I had now officially seen more moose than deer on this trip.  About an hour after sunrise, I did get visited by a friendly badger.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:19:54 PM
As the sun began to climb (revealing no deer, and even more angus beef), I abandoned my spot and hiked back to camp.  After breakfast Little pathfinder and I hiked another mile and a half up to an alpine lake and tried to coax some trout up to dry flies.  We had exactly as much luck with that as we did with the deer and mid afternoon we trudged back to camp more than a little frustrated.  That evening’s glassing session produced even more cattle and still, no deer. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:21:41 PM
Honestly, the habitat looked great.  I know that deer tend to avoid cattle, so I wonder (and anyone who wants to chime in… please feel  free to do so…) if the deer were just laying low or moved over to another drainage until the cattle left.
We moved our camp lower on the trail so we wouldn’t have to hike back and forth to glass in the morning and settled in for the night.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:24:06 PM
The next morning produced even less results (not even a moose this time), so we resolved to abandon our perch and move to another area.  As we were packing up camp we chatted with a pair of cowboys on horseback that said they had come to start rounding up cattle.  That makes me think that if we had been scouting this mountain a week later, we might have had better luck. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:25:40 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:27:55 PM
As the day approached evening we found a new camping spot by a lake with rising trout that promised better fishing, so we set up camp and did a little flyfishing.  The cutthroats and rainbows here were much more cooperative.  After an early dinner of trout we set out to learn the unit a little better.
Finally, we started seeing deer.  Does at first (and mostly), but we did get one glimpse of a good buck.  He was with a doe, and she stuck around as he put his head down and retreated through the sagebrush.  I didn’t even get enough of a look at him to guess at a score, but at least seeing a buck was encouraging.  Unfortunately, he was on private land, so locating him,( however briefly) did little for my scouting efforts as far as actually filling my tag.  Of course, no chance for a picture. 
We did get a picture of a Booner Jackrabbit though. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:29:36 PM
The next morning I decided to let Little Pathfinder sleep in while I got up and climbed to a vantage point to wait for light.
As the sky turned gray, I noticed a knot of shapes milling about in a meadow a few hundred yards distant.  As the horizon lit, it became apparent that I had located deer.  As it got lighter, I started seeing antlers.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:31:06 PM
As the sun hit them they started moving in my direction to bed, so I was able to get a few pictures.  Unfortunately, I discovered that I was not the only one watching these deer (the area wasn’t exactly remote), and they got bumped out of the draw I think they were intending to bed in.  This did give me a chance to get a few more pictures as they moved location.   I did see a couple of shooters in the group, including one really good buck that will easily exceed the standard that I am looking for.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:32:34 PM
I had to get back to Spokane the next day for a doctor’s appointment at the VA, so that morning was unfortunately the end of my scouting trip. LP and I packed up camp, caught a few more fish and had to hit the road.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 12:34:01 PM
 I had about 2 more locations that I would have liked to look at, plus I would have liked to get back up into my first area to see if the deer moved back in once the cattle were gone.  I don’t think I’ll be able to free up time for another scout before my season starts, so it’s back to BLM Maps, Google Earth and OnX again. 
It does worry me that the only deer I found are obviously being watched by other guys that must have the same tag as I do.  I have some ideas to get to them, but man, I’d really like to have a couple of viable backup plans when that one inevitably fails. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Bob33 on July 28, 2019, 01:23:32 PM
You've already got some priceless memories. Great story so far. :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Dan-o on July 28, 2019, 02:27:02 PM
Great report.

What a terrific trip.

And that one buck looks reallllllllly good.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Timberstalker on July 28, 2019, 07:30:28 PM
Nice write up.
Looking forward to your hunt.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Machias on July 28, 2019, 08:09:01 PM
Awesome, so cool to experience with your young man!!!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: MtnMuley on July 28, 2019, 08:10:53 PM
Super cool, Mark. Can't wait to see the treasure you turn up. :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Bigshooter on July 28, 2019, 08:58:44 PM
Can't wait to see how you do on this hunt.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 28, 2019, 09:01:53 PM
Thanks guys.  I'm looking forward to it.  Fingers crossed for good luck :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Skyvalhunter on July 29, 2019, 05:08:44 AM
Looks like a good hunt congrats
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on July 29, 2019, 12:43:09 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected.

AM i the only person that sees the Bigfoot clinging to the rock behind Conner?  :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You are both lucky to be alive!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on July 29, 2019, 12:46:36 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected.

AM i the only person that sees the Bigfoot clinging to the rock behind Conner?  :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You are both lucky to be alive!
Oh I see it and I'm not a biggie guru.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 29, 2019, 01:59:49 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected.

AM i the only person that sees the Bigfoot clinging to the rock behind Conner?  :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You are both lucky to be alive!

Ok, Ok.... calm down everyone.  No child endangerment going on here.

Yes.  There is a Bigfoot scaling the rock in the background behind my son.
Yes.  We are within range of his boulder-throwing abilities

But... that BF is obviously headed over the top of that rock to get to the 100,000 lb throwing boulder on the other side of it.  We had easily 15 seconds before he got there, and by that time we were back in the truck and gone.  That's why Connor has the happy, unconcerned look on his face.  Plus, there were no chipmunks in the area... so that BF probably wasn't going to throw that boulder at all.  More likely just climbing that rock to get a better view. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Bushcraft on July 29, 2019, 02:01:42 PM
Awesome trip!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 7mmfan on July 29, 2019, 02:09:49 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected.

AM i the only person that sees the Bigfoot clinging to the rock behind Conner?  :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You are both lucky to be alive!

Ok, Ok.... calm down everyone.  No child endangerment going on here.

Yes.  There is a Bigfoot scaling the rock in the background behind my son.
Yes.  We are within range of his boulder-throwing abilities

But... that BF is obviously headed over the top of that rock to get to the 100,000 lb throwing boulder on the other side of it.  We had easily 15 seconds before he got there, and by that time we were back in the truck and gone.  That's why Connor has the happy, unconcerned look on his face.  Plus, there were no chipmunks in the area... so that BF probably wasn't going to throw that boulder at all.  More likely just climbing that rock to get a better view.

Well that answered all my questions.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on July 29, 2019, 02:45:40 PM
Back at the truck we unpacked our rucks and enjoyed the air conditioning as we tooled around the unit.  Since it was the heat of the day we were just making notes on our map and looking at roads and hillsides.  Little Pathfinder got to eat a cactus- he was a little disappointed- a lot less like a fruit and more like an avocado than he expected.

AM i the only person that sees the Bigfoot clinging to the rock behind Conner?  :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You are both lucky to be alive!

Ok, Ok.... calm down everyone.  No child endangerment going on here.

Yes.  There is a Bigfoot scaling the rock in the background behind my son.
Yes.  We are within range of his boulder-throwing abilities

But... that BF is obviously headed over the top of that rock to get to the 100,000 lb throwing boulder on the other side of it.  We had easily 15 seconds before he got there, and by that time we were back in the truck and gone.  That's why Connor has the happy, unconcerned look on his face.  Plus, there were no chipmunks in the area... so that BF probably wasn't going to throw that boulder at all.  More likely just climbing that rock to get a better view.

 :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Dan-o on July 29, 2019, 05:18:57 PM
Wow......

Just wow......

And to think I promised myself that I wouldn't pollute this thread with BigFoot stuff.

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 30, 2019, 10:11:22 AM
Wow......

Just wow......

And to think I promised myself that I wouldn't pollute this thread with BigFoot stuff.

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Pretty sure this one's on CoryTDF (and me, for rising to the bait).  Sleep easy Dan-o... it was going to happen at some point...
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on July 30, 2019, 11:22:49 AM
Couple of questions to get this back on track.

Is the little guy going along with you on the actual hunt?

How old is he?

How much weight was in that pack he was carrying?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on July 30, 2019, 11:33:23 AM
Wow......

Just wow......

And to think I promised myself that I wouldn't pollute this thread with BigFoot stuff.

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Pretty sure this one's on CoryTDF (and me, for rising to the bait).  Sleep easy Dan-o... it was going to happen at some point...

I couldn't just leave it alone. I mean it was like a $20 bill just sitting in the grocery isle. You tried to hide it with other photos but It was still just there, taunting me and now haunting my dreams. Sleep has been as elusive as BF himself since I saw this horrific display of blatant disregard for both your own personal safety and that of your child. And to think my tent was with you and could have also fallen pray to the insatiable lust that BF has for hipster backpacking gear. You are directly responsible for my terror.

I can only hope that you redeem yourself by shooting a 400" mule deer.  :chuckle:     
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 30, 2019, 11:37:28 AM
Wow......

Just wow......

And to think I promised myself that I wouldn't pollute this thread with BigFoot stuff.

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Pretty sure this one's on CoryTDF (and me, for rising to the bait).  Sleep easy Dan-o... it was going to happen at some point...

I couldn't just leave it alone. I mean it was like a $20 bill just sitting in the grocery isle. You tried to hide it with other photos but It was still just there, taunting me and now haunting my dreams. Sleep has been as elusive as BF himself since I saw this horrific display of blatant disregard for both your own personal safety and that of your child. And to think my tent was with you and could have also fallen pray to the insatiable lust that BF has for hipster backpacking gear. You are directly responsible for my terror.

I can only hope that you redeem yourself by shooting a 400" mule deer.  :chuckle:   

I've already determined that I am not shooting anything over 355 3/8".  Anything more would be greedy.  ;)
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 30, 2019, 11:51:34 AM
Couple of questions to get this back on track.

Is the little guy going along with you on the actual hunt?

How old is he?

How much weight was in that pack he was carrying?

Yes, the little guy is 12 years old and he will be going along on the hunt (at least as much as possible). Since the hunt happens in August we will be spiked out as much as possible (basically living at or near our glassing points), so if I have to cover some ridiculous ground for a stalk or something similar I can leave him at camp while I go try to break my leg. My 20 year old son will be joining us my the 2nd or 3rd day of the hunt.  He's in Fort Knox right now for training, but flies back to Washington on the 16th.
His pack wasn't bad.  His sleeping bag, water bladder, canteen cup and meals/snacks.  I didn't weigh it, but it's not too heavy.  I carried the tent, stove, etc...
Our first day out I marched him about 3 miles uphill before we stopped to camp.  He did fine as long as we stopped every now and then to catch our breath (the last mile was a bit steep). 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on July 30, 2019, 11:58:23 AM
Kids are actually crazy tough and go a long ways if you can keep them engaged.

Sounds like this will be another epic family hunt.

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes.

I am assuming there is a real chance at a deer in velvet.  What kind of size does the area hold?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: dvolmer on July 30, 2019, 02:11:45 PM
That looks like a great father-son adventure to be remembered a life time! Thanks for sharing
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 30, 2019, 02:39:28 PM
Kids are actually crazy tough and go a long ways if you can keep them engaged.

Sounds like this will be another epic family hunt.

Looking forward to hearing how it all goes.

I am assuming there is a real chance at a deer in velvet.  What kind of size does the area hold?

The thing I noticed about hunting with younger kids is that they can physically do a lot more than most of us give them credit for, it just has to be done in short pieces.  Us older guys can keep trudging on for 5 miles if the hill isn't too steep and the pack isn't overly heavy.  Kids have to do 5 one-mile hikes.  They just don't have the sustained stamina we have.  Must have something to do with the phrase "old-man-tough"  :dunno:

This season goes from the middle of next month until the 24th of September.  Honestly, if given my druthers, I'd wait until the bucks have hard, polished horns to hunt them.  Velvet is cool, but I think it is second to dark, shiny antler (just my preference).
That's not an option for me though.  I am a high school teacher, so this hunt will have to be done prior to me going back to work on the 26th of August (the main reason I put in for this hunt).
 No chance for hard horn there, so yes...  Velvet it is.  Major consideration will be getting the antlers and cape into a cooler within 2 days of harvest. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: brocka on July 30, 2019, 02:44:18 PM
This season goes from the middle of next month until the 24th of September.  Honestly, if given my druthers, I'd wait until the bucks have hard, polished horns to hunt them.  Velvet is cool, but I think it is second to dark, shiny antler (just my preference).
That's not an option for me though.  I am a high school teacher, so this hunt will have to be done prior to me going back to work on the 26th of August (the main reason I put in for this hunt).
 No chance for hard horn there, so yes...  Velvet it is.  Major consideration will be getting the antlers and cape into a cooler within 2 days of harvest.

Dont give up hope, I shot a buck on August 27th one year that was hard horned and polished up!

He was the 45th buck I laid eyes on and the only one hard horned though. Still a chance!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on July 30, 2019, 07:22:19 PM
This season goes from the middle of next month until the 24th of September.  Honestly, if given my druthers, I'd wait until the bucks have hard, polished horns to hunt them.  Velvet is cool, but I think it is second to dark, shiny antler (just my preference).
That's not an option for me though.  I am a high school teacher, so this hunt will have to be done prior to me going back to work on the 26th of August (the main reason I put in for this hunt).
 No chance for hard horn there, so yes...  Velvet it is.  Major consideration will be getting the antlers and cape into a cooler within 2 days of harvest.

Dont give up hope, I shot a buck on August 27th one year that was hard horned and polished up!

He was the 45th buck I laid eyes on and the only one hard horned though. Still a chance!

Maybe I'll get lucky Thanks :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: BIGMIKE on August 08, 2019, 03:10:40 PM
Reading your stories makes me smile every time. Can't wait to take my son hunting too. He is eager and will be ready soon. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Keep up the good work bro.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on August 09, 2019, 04:29:21 PM
Reading your stories makes me smile every time. Can't wait to take my son hunting too. He is eager and will be ready soon. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Keep up the good work bro.

Thanks Mike.  You have a big hunt planned this year?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on August 12, 2019, 02:25:32 PM
Well, Little Pathfinder and I are packing the truck.  Leaving tomorrow night, pulling an all-nighter to get there.  That will give me a full 24 hours to scout before opening day. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Timberstalker on August 12, 2019, 03:18:00 PM
Best of luck!
Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on August 12, 2019, 03:52:27 PM
I'm rooting for an epic hunt for you two.  Inches of antler are nice, but the lifetime memories you are making are irreplaceable.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: idaho guy on August 14, 2019, 06:41:40 PM
looking forward to what you find!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 7mmfan on August 15, 2019, 08:27:45 AM
It's been light for a couple hours now....
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Igottanewknee on August 15, 2019, 01:59:25 PM
Sounds like an epic adventure. Good luck to you and your sons.  :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: jjhunter on August 15, 2019, 02:14:04 PM
I've got a buddy in there with his kid.  Plenty of nice bucks around - he's having a tough time talking his kid out of shooting velvet 180'"bucks.   :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: jstone on August 15, 2019, 03:11:46 PM
Say what??
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: huntnnw on August 19, 2019, 09:49:23 PM
patiently waiting  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on August 20, 2019, 11:12:05 AM
Deer were laying pretty low this weekend with that terrible full moon. Bucks were bedded up before daylight and staying down until dark. Had some success glassing for those mid day bed changes though. Hope they are having fun. Weather was awesome and this week will be a cool one.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: jjhunter on August 20, 2019, 12:13:26 PM
There were some good deer around; lots of bucks.   One of the issues with that tag is the giant old mature deer that don't score.   There are some misconfigured deer in there that are pushing 35' wide and are absolutely giant...might be a 2x3 or a crab 4.   
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on August 26, 2019, 12:58:48 PM
Well? It’s the 26th so you must be back to work. Got an update?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on August 26, 2019, 02:03:52 PM
I believe he is a school teacher, probably way underpaid and way overworked, let's cut him a little slack and wait for him to post when he has the time.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on August 26, 2019, 02:05:43 PM
I believe he is a school teacher, probably way underpaid and way overworked, let's cut him a little slack and wait for him to post when he has the time.
unacceptable excuse!  8)
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on August 26, 2019, 02:23:34 PM
I believe he is a school teacher, probably way underpaid and way overworked, let's cut him a little slack and wait for him to post when he has the time.
Don’t worry I know he is a teacher and I wasn’t trying to rush him just eager to read the story and hopeful that he was successful.


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Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on August 26, 2019, 02:27:04 PM
So is the lesson he teaches procrastination???
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on August 26, 2019, 02:54:21 PM
The lesson this thread has taught me is to not start a thread about my upcoming out of state hunt until it is over and I am caught up at work and can post the story.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on August 26, 2019, 02:56:54 PM
The lesson I have learned when hunting Idaho is not to ever come back to WA.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: theleo on August 26, 2019, 03:27:41 PM
The lesson this thread has taught me is to not start a thread about my upcoming out of state hunt until it is over and I am caught up at work and can post the story.
Really? It has me wanting to start the write up for my 2026 trip already.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on August 26, 2019, 03:41:49 PM
🤔
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on August 27, 2019, 10:05:47 AM
He is a school teacher and he just got back from a crazy hunt and had to jump right into school. The story will be out soon enough. Lets just say there is a reason we don't see pictures of a huge buck.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: dilleytech on August 27, 2019, 11:26:28 AM
He is a school teacher and he just got back from a crazy hunt and had to jump right into school. The story will be out soon enough. Lets just say there is a reason we don't see pictures of a huge buck.

Shot a spike huh?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on August 27, 2019, 11:41:31 AM
He is a school teacher and he just got back from a crazy hunt and had to jump right into school. The story will be out soon enough. Lets just say there is a reason we don't see pictures of a huge buck.

Shot a spike huh?
probably shot an elk thinking it was a really big buck :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 7mmfan on August 27, 2019, 11:52:06 AM
Bigfoot took his buck.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: bobcat on August 27, 2019, 12:10:10 PM
Bigfoot took his buck.

 :yeah:  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on August 27, 2019, 12:20:03 PM
Let's just say a wild horse standing in brush kind of looks like a large buck.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on August 27, 2019, 01:34:23 PM
Nothing crazy like that but it did not go as planned. I am guessing he is waiting for the tears to dry before he types up his story.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on August 27, 2019, 01:54:42 PM
Nothing crazy like that but it did not go as planned. I am guessing he is waiting for the tears to dry before he types up his story.
that's hunting. Gotta embrace the good as well as the not so good  :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: dilleytech on August 27, 2019, 09:02:02 PM
He is a school teacher and he just got back from a crazy hunt and had to jump right into school. The story will be out soon enough. Lets just say there is a reason we don't see pictures of a huge buck.

Shot a spike huh?
probably shot an elk thinking it was a really big buck :chuckle:

Well that could happen to anyone. No judgment
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on August 28, 2019, 10:26:08 AM
One thing is for sure....................I remember all my hunting failures way more vividly than my successes.

You never forget.

Kinda cool in that aspect once you get done moping around about it.

And let me tell ya.........I've done some moping.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Henrydog on August 28, 2019, 10:29:47 AM
There are no failures when taking kids into the backcountry just days without out a tag notched.  Just saying
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: ctwiggs1 on August 28, 2019, 10:30:38 AM
I remember every single hunting trip I took with my dad.  You da man Pathfinder!  Hope I get my kids out in the bush just as much as you do.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on September 08, 2019, 09:40:19 PM
So I’m about 99% sure I know what tag you drew, question is are you at least gonna try and give it another go? Try and pull off a 3 day weekend before the season closes? Just curious. Hope you get another chance to get after it and maybe hang your tag on a nice buck.


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Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on September 09, 2019, 12:20:04 PM
So I’m about 99% sure I know what tag you drew, question is are you at least gonna try and give it another go? Try and pull off a 3 day weekend before the season closes? Just curious. Hope you get another chance to get after it and maybe hang your tag on a nice buck.


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how are you only 99% sure on the unit :chuckle: ? There's only one early hunt down there. I'm sure Pathfinder would go back if he could. He's a busy dude. He shot his shot. If you leave it all on the mountain in the time you have available then hold your head high.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on September 09, 2019, 03:57:04 PM
So I’m about 99% sure I know what tag you drew, question is are you at least gonna try and give it another go? Try and pull off a 3 day weekend before the season closes? Just curious. Hope you get another chance to get after it and maybe hang your tag on a nice buck.


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how are you only 99% sure on the unit :chuckle: ? There's only one early hunt down there. I'm sure Pathfinder would go back if he could. He's a busy dude. He shot his shot. If you leave it all on the mountain in the time you have available then hold your head high.
There are 2 early season hunts in south Idaho but I’m guessing it’s the one that is not a General season unit that gets 14000 hunters a year


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Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on September 09, 2019, 04:30:22 PM
So I’m about 99% sure I know what tag you drew, question is are you at least gonna try and give it another go? Try and pull off a 3 day weekend before the season closes? Just curious. Hope you get another chance to get after it and maybe hang your tag on a nice buck.


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how are you only 99% sure on the unit :chuckle: ? There's only one early hunt down there. I'm sure Pathfinder would go back if he could. He's a busy dude. He shot his shot. If you leave it all on the mountain in the time you have available then hold your head high.
There are 2 early season hunts in south Idaho but I’m guessing it’s the one that is not a General season unit that gets 14000 hunters a year


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theres only one in the Albion's :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on September 09, 2019, 09:38:23 PM
So I’m about 99% sure I know what tag you drew, question is are you at least gonna try and give it another go? Try and pull off a 3 day weekend before the season closes? Just curious. Hope you get another chance to get after it and maybe hang your tag on a nice buck.


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how are you only 99% sure on the unit :chuckle: ? There's only one early hunt down there. I'm sure Pathfinder would go back if he could. He's a busy dude. He shot his shot. If you leave it all on the mountain in the time you have available then hold your head high.
There are 2 early season hunts in south Idaho but I’m guessing it’s the one that is not a General season unit that gets 14000 hunters a year


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theres only one in the Albion's :tup:
Haha good point, I didn’t catch that he dropped that nugget in the 1st post.


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Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: dilleytech on September 10, 2019, 09:15:03 AM
I heard he accidentally shot a Ram and lost his license. But maybe I’ll never know the true story.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on September 10, 2019, 10:12:11 AM
I am going to head over to his house and force him to type his story.  :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: He did the same thing after our hunt last year.

Suffice it to say that he still has a tag. I'll let him finish it up.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: one shot kill on October 17, 2019, 04:19:54 PM
Is there going to be a story :dunno:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: idaho guy on October 17, 2019, 05:59:46 PM
Is there going to be a story :dunno:
.

 :yeah:I need closure  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Naches Sportsman on October 17, 2019, 06:21:52 PM
Last active August 24th?

Did he get banned or fed up from the pressure, or????
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: X-Force on October 17, 2019, 06:31:16 PM
Last active August 24th?

Did he get banned or fed up from the pressure, or????

Hope everything is alright. Anyone know him?
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: huntnnw on October 18, 2019, 06:11:59 AM
This is one of the oddest threads I have seen started on here. Pretty weird
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: boneaddict on October 18, 2019, 06:26:06 AM
Im hoping all is ok.   Longtime member, longtime contributor.   Heck, many of us have been watching little Pathfinder grow up.   I hope we hear from him soon.



Speaking of which... are we going to get a thread on your wife's elk hunt?   It looked like a great hunt with its ups and downs and fantastic ending.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: huntnnw on October 18, 2019, 06:51:56 AM
Im hoping all is ok.   Longtime member, longtime contributor.   Heck, many of us have been watching little Pathfinder grow up.   I hope we hear from him soon.



Speaking of which... are we going to get a thread on your wife's elk hunt?   It looked like a great hunt with its ups and downs and fantastic ending.

I wouldn’t find it odd if it were a one time poster or some newer member . The odd part like you said he’s been a longtime member.

I’ll put something on here when I get some time. There was so much that happened to just post up pics and a brief story.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: boneaddict on October 18, 2019, 07:02:18 AM
  :tup:    Looking forward to it. 


Someone go knock on this mans door.  Some of us are actually worried about him.  He doesn’t need to write a story or end it, just a thumbs up he and the rest of the Pathfinders are ok.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: CoryTDF on October 30, 2019, 11:55:49 AM
He is fine. I just got back from Idaho with him. Tag soup for Pathfinder on all fronts in Idaho. He is a very busy guy these days as the Walla Walla High School JROTC program was without an officer and he has been running it along with the shooting team. He works late and then works to spend time with his family. HW is just not his priority at the moment.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on October 30, 2019, 11:57:03 AM
Good for him.
Family should always be job #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 30, 2019, 12:04:23 PM
Thanks for the update, Cory. Good to know all's well.  :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on October 30, 2019, 12:31:21 PM
 :yeah:
 :yeah:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Karl Blanchard on October 30, 2019, 01:06:48 PM
I just think he is getting soft in his old age and sleeps in too late :peep: :stirthepot:




 :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: bigdave on October 30, 2019, 02:13:17 PM
Taking my son down to the USAMU Qualifier Match at Walla Walla HS this Saturday. Pathfinder always has a well organized match that runs like clockwork. You guys have no idea how many weekends and hours and miles he spends driving all over the northwest and western states taking kids to matches. Pathfinder is a Rockstar in the world of kids shooting sports.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: EsotericPA on November 02, 2019, 05:18:50 PM
Hah I was really excited to hear the follow up. It's like a book that didn't get finished! Oh well  :bash:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 02:05:33 PM
Folks, I have to apologize for taking so long to get this hunt written.  Long story short, I hunted hard for 9 days, had a great experience with my boys, but wound up eating the tag.   So, this story isn’t going to have a happy last-minute ending.  If that’s all you were wondering about my hunt, you can save yourself a couple of pages of reading.  If you still want to hear my tales of bad luck, errors and lessons learned… well… read on..
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Rainier10 on November 08, 2019, 02:41:23 PM
Glad you and the boys had fun.  My daughter ate her deer tag this year but man did we have fun together and we didn't have to carry anything out of the woods.

Time spent with your kids in the field is way more important than filling a tag, that's just a nice bonus when it happens.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 02:54:10 PM
No love.  Sorry this is taking a bit.  Computer problems...
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 02:55:56 PM
PathfinderJR was in Fort Knox, Kentucky for training this summer, so LittlePathfinder and I took off the day before the opener by ourselves.  Pulled an all nighter to get to my unit and to my first intended glassing spot before daylight.  I hiked two miles in the dark through blowdown and rockslides and was where I wanted to be when it got light.  From the time I parked the truck at the trailhead I knew I was going to be fighting an uphill battle.  The bright, almost completely full moon lit up the trail, and I knew for nearly every day of my planned hunt I was going to be fighting deer that would be up and feeding all night and bedding early and sleeping until dark.
I got to my glassing point and set up for several hours of glassing.  By 9am I had turned up absolutely nothing but a couple of pickup trucks on a distant ridge.  The hike out in the daylight was nearly as treacherous as it had been in the dark, and with swollen ankles and bruised knees I made it back to the truck resolved to hunt another spot.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:02:10 PM
On my scouting trip in July I had the opportunity to meet a few local guys that gave me some advice.  I decided to use my first day (since the season wasn’t open yet) to check out some of those areas.  Thus came my first lesson learned:  for this hunt I should have begged/borrowed/rented an ATV.  The areas I had initially check out in July were all areas I could drive to, then hike in to a glassing point.  I soon found that most of the “new” spots required an ATV to get to a point that I could hike from.  Although the map showed them as “roads”, there were a lot of trails in this unit that were either to narrow or too steep and rocky to get my pickup into.  I noticed that everyone else hunting the unit either had a side by side or a 4 wheeler.  Even the passable roads that I was navigating were honestly the worst roads I have ever been on.  The unit seemed to be made up of huge slabs of granite and powder fine dust, making every road a mish-mash of slabs of rock and eroding dirt that left the rock exposed.  My truck has a lift, so thankfully I never bottomed out or whacked anything underneath, but I did a lot of holding my breath and a chip I had not noticed on my windshield developed into a full length crack after 9 days of bouncing. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:09:56 PM
After scouting for most of the day, LittlePathfinder and I found a good location for setting up our wall tent.   Those granite slabs that made the roads a nightmare were scattered everywhere at our campsite, and LP found them to be great building material.  After setting up the tent and cots, I started putting together the camp kitchen and he decided to build us a deluxe toilet.  That evening after dinner we hiked to a glassing spot to glass until dark.  Predictably, nothing came out until dark and all we turned up was a couple of does.  We hoped that the deer would come out in the dark and stay up long enough for us to get eyes on them in the morning.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:11:49 PM
Those granite slabs made an awesome fire pit as well. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: jstone on November 08, 2019, 03:12:03 PM
Fantastic looking country
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:16:32 PM
The next day we hiked to the same spot, but after 3 hours of sitting and glassing, turned up nothing.  Time to go to plan B.  That meant switching mountains.  Most of the bucks I had found in my scouting were on this second mountain, but with a paved road running all the way up, I figured there would be a lot of other guys hunting it.  When I got there, a stiff, cold wind had kicked up.  I knew this meant that the deer would be even more reluctant to come out in the open.  Being almost 2 hours from our base camp we decided to bring our backpacking set up (CoryTDF had loaned me some stellar lightweight gear) and pitch a camp.  We got camp set up about 2 hours before dark and hiked to our glassing point.  We were overwatching an open meadow with a timberline and a rockslide.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:19:41 PM
 Within an hour of setting up, I was surprised to spot a buck I knew.  During my scouting I had found a deer that exceeded 180” and was my number one target.  Because of his proximity to the paved road, I was not optimistic about finding him before someone else did (most of the guys that had drawn this tag were local, and I knew several of them had seen this buck as well).  But there he was, with a couple of does and a small 3x4, bedded about 850 yards from me.
Unfortunately, I had a good wind for glassing him, but it was blowing in gusts up to about 20 mph, so a long shot would be out of the question.  The meadow that I was watching was the only approach that favored the wind, and the treeline he was bedded in would provide cover for me, but my scent would blow to him before I could get within sight of him.  As I considered all of these angles I began packing up my gear, as sitting in my current location was never going to provide me a shot I could make and I knew I would have to do something.
As I finished packing I started sneaking out and looked back at the buck with my binos and noticed he (and the other deer) was on his feet and moving.  I sat back down and decided to see where they were going and if it would go in my favor.  If they came out into the meadow below me it would be a 400 yard shot, but might afford me an opportunity to maneuver closer.  With the gusting wind I wanted to be inside 300 yards.
Unfortunately, they did not come out into the meadow.  I think they had finally had enough of the wind (which seemed to be getting stiffer and colder) and they slowly worked their way across the rocks, into the next treeline and into the thick timber and out of sight.  Unfortunately, that was the last time I would ever see that buck. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:23:08 PM
After I returned home, one of the local guys I met said he located him (still living in the thick timber I saw him disappear into) about 2 weeks later.  There were several good bucks with him and he got into them at 400 yards.  With deer milling around at that range his spotter put him on the wrong buck and he shot, thinking he had killed the biggest deer.  When he got up to him though, it turned out he had shot the wrong deer, still a good buck, but only about a 165” deer.  As far as I know, that buck survived the season and is still up there.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:25:57 PM
Little Pathfinder and I spent the next few days hiking and glassing, trying to find an area to concentrate on that had deer in it that we could pattern.  Unfortunately, the full moon was still working against us and we weren’t having much luck.  On the 3rd day of the hunt we did a 4 mile hike straight up a steep trail that a local guy had suggested that we hadn’t explored yet.  Our hike located nothing, but as we descended the trail , just minutes before dark, within sight of the truck, we rounded a corner and saw several deer feeding on the hillside in front of us.  We set up the optics and one of the deer turned out to be a 4 point buck.  He was within easy shooting distance, and Little Pathfinder spent the rest of shooting light trying to talk me into shooting him.  He was a young buck though, and I only judged him to be 150” at best.  Certainly not the deer I wanted to fill this tag on so we left him up on the mountain and returned to the truck in the dark. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:28:46 PM
The next morning we drove to the same trailhead and parked in the dark.  We hiked to a glassing point about 300 yards from the hill where we had last seen the deer, and as it got light I immediately glassed up the buck, in exactly the same patch of brush where I had left him last night.  Same spot, looked like the same antler configuration.  His head was down feeding.  Then he put his head up and looked at me.  Somehow he looked wider.  I looked down and realized that my rifle and my spotting scope were both still strapped to my pack.  My first thought when I saw the buck put his head up was “maybe I misjudged him last night, I should have my gun ready”.  By the time I dug out my rifle and scope, he was gone. 
That night, I decided to set up in the same spot and see if he came out again.  I set up farther away, thinking I may have spooked him and wanting a chance to look him over.  There was another guy at the glassing point when I got there, but he said he didn’t mind the company, so we glassed together.  I had met the guy when I was scouting and he had said that he was holding out for 180” or better.  About an hour before dark, the buck came out in the same spot. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:30:39 PM
We looked at him for a while and the guy said “Are you sure that buck is only 150”?  He looks bigger to me… like over 160”  I was sure it was the same buck I had seen the night before, and I knew for certain that buck was young.  “No, I said.  He must just look bigger from back here. “  I showed him the pictures on my phone.  He agreed that the buck in the pictures was no bigger than 150”.  We watched him for the rest of the evening.  Nothing else came out other than a few does.  We thought maybe he had a sticker on his rear passenger side , but couldn’t really tell.  We were set up over 1000 yards from him and neither of us had super high power spotters.  Little Pathfinder was still trying to convince me to go over there and kill the buck.  “He’s big Dad.” He kept saying.  To appease him, I promised that we would set up closer to him the next morning.  “If he looks big tomorrow, I’ll shoot him.”  I said.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:32:52 PM
The next morning, I set up 250 yards from where we had been seeing the buck.  There he was, right on cue.  I looked at him with binoculars.  I looked at him with the spotting scope.  I took about 50 pictures of him.  Even Little Pathfinder had to agree that he was a young buck.  Nice looking, but no more than 150” for sure. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:36:45 PM
PathfinderJR was finally done at Fort Knox and had arrived home in Walla Walla the night before after a delayed flight and and a couple of extra days in Kentucky.  He would be arriving in the unit that afternoon, so we drove to town to meet him and guide him to camp.  I texted him the pictures of the buck and told him the story.  I told him that the guy I was sitting with the night before thought the buck was over 160” and had some trash on his backs.  “He’s got a funny bend to his back fork.” I told him.  “Looks like trash at a distance I guess.”  We decided to set up in the same place that night, since there were deer coming out on that hillside and I wanted PathfinderJR to look at the buck and see what he thought.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:40:04 PM
The other guy wasn’t there, so we had the glassing point to ourselves.  The buck came out again, in the same spot, right on cue. 
“That’s a good buck Dad.  You should shoot him.” Was the first thing JR said when he saw him. 
“Nah” I said.  “He just looks good from back here.  Look at the pictures I sent you.” 
JR looked at his phone for a bit and got up.  “I’m going to get closer.” He said.  And with that, he ran down into the draw and up the other side, putting him about 500 yards closer to the buck.  Little Pathfinder went with him.  After a few minutes I could see them both waving me over.
I climbed down into the draw and up to where my boys were perched. 
“Dad, that’s a different buck than the pictures.”  JR told me.  “This buck definitely had trash on his back forks, he’s wider and this buck has eyeguards.  The buck in your photos doesn’t have any eyeguards.”
That was my second lesson learned.  I should have brought more help with me.  I had asked a couple of buddies if they wanted to come along, but my August hunting date had prevented them from coming.  I thought I was going to have PathfinderJR with me for a lot more of this hunt, but his flight out of Kentucky being delayed had prevented him from being there until now.  A second set of eyes on this buck would have probably identified him as a different deer (and a shooter) earlier.  Figuring that out earlier would have put me in a position to shoot him 3 times that I had passed up.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:45:20 PM
I looked in the spotting scope, but it had gotten too dark to see well.  I knew it was already past shooting light.  Nothing I could do at this point, so we resolved to set up the next morning with the boys on the spur we were now on, and me about 250 yards from where the buck was feeding.
We spent a comfortable evening at camp, feasting on deer steak and marshmallows, enjoying Little Pathfinders deluxe fire pit.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:48:21 PM
The next morning we got into position and as soon as it got light I could see JR signaling me that he could see a buck.  I set up for a shot and waited for the buck to feed into view.  I was in position between the buck and the treeline, so I knew that he would have to come past me to bed.  The wind was right, and he would not be able to see me.  As the light got brighter, I could see antler tips working my way over the roll of the hill less than 300 yards in front of me.  As he fed into sight, I got him in my scope and waited for my shot.  When he put up his head, my heart sank.  Young buck, no eyeguards.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:50:19 PM
I watched as he fed past me at 150 yards and headed to the treeline to bed.  When he was out of sight, I got up and walked to the top of the saddle so I could see the bedding area that these two bucks had been alternately clocking in and out of.  Immediately, I spotted two deer on the side of the mountain across the canyon over a mile away.  Through my binoculars I could tell they were both good bucks.
I set up my spotting scope and had about a minute to look them over before they slipped into the timber to bed.  The smaller buck was at least 26” wide, with a nice frame but crabby forks both front and back.  The bigger buck was beautiful.  At least 170”, about the same width as the other buck but deep forks and heavy antlers. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:52:36 PM
I am a teacher, and I had school starting in just a couple of days, so I knew tomorrow would be my last day to hunt.  Time to go for broke.  I wanted to be at that treeline that night when they came out to feed.  I had talked to a guy a few days before that had harvested a good buck at that treeline.  He had told me how to get in there, but had warned me that because of the tall sage and the roll of the hill it was very difficult to get a view of the hill to get a good shot.  He said that he had gotten lucky that his buck came out in just the right spot.  He had also said that a cliff prevented a hike straight to the spot, and the only route to that mountainside was a 4 mile loop up the steep trail that Little Pathfinder and I had climbed before, then sidehilling the steep hill through the tall sage. 
PathfinderJR had to get back to Walla Walla that night, so we bid him farewell and Little Pathfinder and I packed our rucks and headed up the mountain that afternoon.  After a brutal hike in we made it to a flat spot to camp.  We had the sage hill 500 yards behind us and the treeline 600 yards in front of us, but the guy we had talked to earlier had been correct.  There was just no good place to sit and watch the treeline.  To make matters worse, we had a bad wind.  We sat and glassed that night, but nothing came out.  Not surprising, since I felt that our scent was probably blowing right into their bedding area.  All I could do was hope that the wind would be different in the morning. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:56:13 PM
It wasn’t.  When I woke up, I could tell the wind was exactly the same.  I didn’t even wake up Little Pathfinder, but I dutifully walked the couple of hundred yards to the spot I had been sitting last night and set up, hoping for a miracle.
  About an hour after daylight, I knew nothing was going to come out and I got up to walk back to the tent.  As I rounded the corner, I looked up on the sage covered hill 500 yards behind the tent and saw a white mule deer butt.  I dropped to my belly and fished out my binos.  It was the crabby 4x4.  He was a little over 700 yards, but the wind was gusting.  Too far to try a shot.  I had a single, large pine tree that was next to the tent that I could put between us.  I figured that if I could make it to that tree I could get to within 400 yards, wait for a break in the gusting wind and make the shot. 
I carefully maneuvered to put the tree between us and squat walked as far as the tent.  Little Pathfinder was still asleep inside.  I passed the tent and was within 100 yards of the tree and noticed a movement on the hill.  In plain view, I saw a buck silhouetted on the hill in front of me.  “When did he move that far to my left?” I thought, then suddenly realized that it wasn’t the crabby 4x4.  It was the 170” buck with the deep forks.  And he has seen me.  He was looking intently at me.  I was still about 500 yards from both bucks, and the wind was still stiff and gusting.  I dropped to my belly and pulled out my bipod legs.  I found the deer in my scope, but he was already headed over the hill and all I could see was his head and neck as he trotted over the hill and out of sight.  This of course alerted the crabby buck, and I caught a glimpse of him as he trotted over the hill as well. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 03:59:03 PM
I had no choice but to be back in Walla Walla the next day, so this would be my last full day to hunt.  Little Pathfinder and I packed up our camp and slowly hiked back out towards the trailhead.  We worked our way to the head of the canyon that was the top of our loop back to the truck.  We had found a much better trail to hike out than the bushwacking we had done to get in there the day before, and found ourselves waking through some broken meadows.  We came around the corner of the trail and spotted a good buck bedded underneath a tree about 300 yards ahead.  Unfortunately, he spotted us the same time as we spotted him and by the time I had my pack off my back and my rifle out he was gone.  We hiked the rest of the way back to the truck and broke down our wall tent camp.  Packing up the truck, I got a message from one of the local guys we had been exchanging notes with.  He knew it was my last day to hunt and suggested that we try a spot where he had seen some bucks the night before.  Nothing great, but he though a couple of them might be over 150” and I thought that would be better than tag soup. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 04:01:13 PM
We drove to the area and set up in the spot he described.  A few deer came out that night, but nothing bigger than a 3 point, so we passed on them and set up the backpacking tent, hopeful that our final morning would bring a shooter buck grazing on the hillside when we awoke.
I was awoken at about 2:00 am by what sounded like an incoming train.  My heart sank when I realized that it was the wind.  For the rest of the night the mountain (and our tent) got pounded with gusts of wind.  I awoke before light and made my way through the wind to my glassing point, already fearful of the result.  My fears were well founded.  Not a thing.  I suffered through the windstorm for about an hour after daylight broke, but the landscape was barren. 
Little Pathfinder and I packed up camp and headed home.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 04:03:57 PM
In the end, it was a great hunt that I’ll always remember.  I want to thank everyone who came on here and offered advice and those members that PM’ed me with information.  I took every piece of advice to heart and did my best to follow it.  At the end of the day, I ate the first quality tag I have ever drawn in my life, but I came away with a ton of experience and a great time spent with my two boys, especially Little Pathfinder, who was with me every day, hiked every step necessary and gave me advice that I probably should have listened to more often. 
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 04:09:33 PM
Statistically, I’ll never draw this tag again, but I hope I do.  It certainly was not a slam-dunk hunt, and a lot of the locals were disappointed in the number and quality of bucks they were seeing.  There was a lot of talk about predator management, and several guys I talked to saw mountain lions during their hunt.  I did see a picture of one deer killed later in the hunt that went over 200”, but most guys (a couple who had drawn the tag before) said the unit wasn’t what it used to be.  I’ll take that with a grain of salt, since none of the units where I hunt are ever “what they used to be”, but I do know that two guys that were holding out for huge bucks killed deer that were less than 170”.     
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 04:11:42 PM
One more thing; I met a lot of local Idaho guys that I expected would be annoyed with the one “out of stater” that drew this tag.  Maybe it was the Army Ranger sticker in the back window of my truck, or my retired Army ball cap, but I never got so much as a sideways look from anyone.  Everyone was friendly, helpful and seemed genuinely rooting for me to kill a buck.  I never felt like I was sent on a goose-chase, and a couple of guys kept in contact with me and kept encouraging me to get back down there as the season progressed and the moon and weather improved.  Unfortunately, this proved impossible.  I told one guy about the buck with the stickers and the 170” buck in the tough location and even marked their locations on a map for him.  He did located the stickers buck and he took a bedded neck-shot at him in the wind and missed, but he confirmed for me that the buck was indeed over 160” and had trash on it’s back forks, so PathfinderJR was right about that buck.  Maybe I was just lucky, but I met a lot of guys on this trip, and every one of them seemed like great guys.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 04:37:10 PM
And again, I apologize for waiting so long to get this write up posted.  To make a long story short, CoryTDF is correct.  The colonel that I co-taught with for 8 years moved on last year to start a new ROTC program elsewhere and the school hasn't found a permanent replacement for him yet, so I have been running our 150 student program pretty much alone this year.  That includes me doing "officer-things" that sergeants aren't trained for, like doing budgets and paperwork and the like.  I had surgery yesterday and am off work and recovering today, which is why I had time to get on here and finally tell the story.  Thanks for everyone's patience with me.

... Oh, and if any of you knows a retired Army officer that needs a job and wants to relocate to mule deer country... send me a PM. (I'll even let him in on my honey-holes at this point, if that helps... 8)
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Brushbuster on November 08, 2019, 04:42:08 PM
Thank you for taking the time to writeup your adventure & share pics of the hunt! What an awesome experience & memories made!  :tup:

I also got to hunt SE ID for the first time this yr & still have an unnotched tag! Ugh!!  :bash:  Next time.  :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: jjhunter on November 08, 2019, 04:58:29 PM
Thanks for posting the story!!  I know I’ve eaten my share of great tags - sometimes it just doesn’t work out.  It’s like an old rancher I worked for used to say “a guy who says he never lost a calf, never had any”.   

 BTW, I think you met my buddy at a cafe who was down hunting with his 11 year old super tag holding kiddo.   They ended their journey last week with a pretty 190” typical.

Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 08, 2019, 09:07:38 PM
Thanks for posting the story!!  I know I’ve eaten my share of great tags - sometimes it just doesn’t work out.  It’s like an old rancher I worked for used to say “a guy who says he never lost a calf, never had any”.   

 BTW, I think you met my buddy at a cafe who was down hunting with his 11 year old super tag holding kiddo.   They ended their journey last week with a pretty 190” typical.
Yes, I did meet them.  Great guy.  Kid passed on a narrow, tall 170" deer that I could never have had the stones to let go.  We tried finding that buck, but I think he only showed once on opening day and then realized hunting season was on and went nocturnal like the rest of them.
Glad to hear the kid got his buck.  I'd love to see a picture of it.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: boneaddict on November 10, 2019, 08:33:28 AM
I’m just glad you are ok. 

Sounds to me like you had a fantastic trip with your boys (some of them men now).   Shooting a buck would have just been icing, but sadly might have ended your trip early.   I think you got what hunting is about!   Thanks for taking the time to share your hunt.   
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: EsotericPA on November 10, 2019, 02:02:41 PM
Great write up and it was fun to follow along  :tup:
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: 2MANY on November 11, 2019, 08:32:45 AM
I see a lot of quality time spent with your sons that is priceless.
Sorry things didn't work out but that's how it goes when holding out.
It's all part of the fun.

Thanks for the write up and being a great dad to those kids.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: OutHouse on November 11, 2019, 11:07:49 AM
Very cool hunt with your kids regardless of outcome.
Title: Re: Pathfinder's Idaho Deer Hunt
Post by: idaho guy on November 13, 2019, 05:23:50 PM
  thanks for sharing the end of the story! I ate an elk tag in southern Idaho in august time frame. I have enjoyed antelope hunting at that time but it has since become my least favorite time to hunt any other big game down there. Good time spent with your boys though  :tup:
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