leanin' H
Well-known member
My sweetheart and best friend drew a limited entry deer tag this spring for our home unit here in Utah. We have spent an eagar summer and early fall scouting and shooting and hiking. She shoot's a .270 Remington Rifle and was punching bullseye's every time we shot. Well on October 17th the hunt began! Early morning found us on the skyline in the wonder of a desert sunrise.
Fall on the mountain is simply good for the soul!
We hiked hard opening morning and covered three canyons. We watched 34 bucks over the course of the morning including a great, heavy three point we really looked over before passing. We also passed on a 22 inch framed 7 by 7 with amazing potential. He had a 6 inch kicker on his left side and a 4 inch hook cheater on his right that took his outside spread to almost 30 but was just a willow horned baby. That evening we loaded the family and went into a canyon to spot the high tops. Even the boy got in on the act! Start them young!
We spotted "the" buck right before dark. He was in a rock filled, cliff-lined precipice and in an impossible spot to make a move on. So we left him till morning. We arrived back to spot him before light and he was GONE! :shock: As the morning wore on we picked apart every bush and rock to no avail. Suddenly there he was! He'd snuck into a neighboring canyon and was trotting back to his bed. And this time he bedded much higher and in a position to go after him. So away we went! An hour and change later and 1100 feet of elevation gained found us right on top and tucked into the ledges of the black peak on the left!
Here's my girl as we huffed and puffed our way up the mountain. She earned this buck! Now i'll step aside and let one AMAZING HUNTRESS tell her story!
Let me just start by admitting all my worries and fears......I told H I didn't want a long shot, a running shot, or to have to hunt without him. I only had two days with an in-camp babysitter. So, feeling all this pressure, we hiked to the top of the other side of the mountain from the buck. We periodically peaked over to see if we were close and talk to my dad on the radio to see if the buck had moved. He was on the trail at the bottom with the spotting scope watching him. Finally we snuck down on him to about 50 yards. H could see him but I couldn't. He told me to stay there while he looked to see if we really did want to shoot him or not. As soon as he got those words out he winded us and jumped up and bounced away. H said take him, so I did! He bounced about 4 times away and I shot and he fell mid bounce, into a pile! I grabbed H by the shirt and said, "Did you see that?" I couldn't and still can't believe I made that shot! Here he is before we got to him.
I took off half running, half falling, and hyperventalating to the buck. H kept telling me to stop and wait for him! We were both hollering and squealing with joy. I beat him to the buck! I was in shock and shaking and amazed at how big his body was, not to mention the horns.
Another one of me just getting to him.
So I balled and squealed some more. H and I danced in circles. You can see how high up we were in this one.
This was the most amazing hunt ever, thanks to my half mule deer himself husband! The buck isn't a monster, but he's not dinky either. I love him because of the way we spotted, snuck, and got him with one shot; and the fact that my other best hunting buddy, my dad, got to see the whole thing through the spotting scope. The only way it could have been better is if he would have been with us. And, I left my self room to get a bigger one in the future!
My dad came and met us half way down the mountain and helped us get him down. We are all three still paying for it! Why did I shoot that big of a deer again? H had the front half of the deer on his shoulders. I drug the other half until my dad got to me and he took over. Good thing too, or the back end of the deer would have been dragging me. H and my dad coming down the mountain.
Finally at the wheeler. Whew!! Me and my dad.
And now back in camp with two excited future hunters! Sorry for the long story, but I'm pretty excited! Thanks to my mom and dad, and H for the wonderful time and memories to keep reliving.
Fall on the mountain is simply good for the soul!
We hiked hard opening morning and covered three canyons. We watched 34 bucks over the course of the morning including a great, heavy three point we really looked over before passing. We also passed on a 22 inch framed 7 by 7 with amazing potential. He had a 6 inch kicker on his left side and a 4 inch hook cheater on his right that took his outside spread to almost 30 but was just a willow horned baby. That evening we loaded the family and went into a canyon to spot the high tops. Even the boy got in on the act! Start them young!
We spotted "the" buck right before dark. He was in a rock filled, cliff-lined precipice and in an impossible spot to make a move on. So we left him till morning. We arrived back to spot him before light and he was GONE! :shock: As the morning wore on we picked apart every bush and rock to no avail. Suddenly there he was! He'd snuck into a neighboring canyon and was trotting back to his bed. And this time he bedded much higher and in a position to go after him. So away we went! An hour and change later and 1100 feet of elevation gained found us right on top and tucked into the ledges of the black peak on the left!
Here's my girl as we huffed and puffed our way up the mountain. She earned this buck! Now i'll step aside and let one AMAZING HUNTRESS tell her story!
Let me just start by admitting all my worries and fears......I told H I didn't want a long shot, a running shot, or to have to hunt without him. I only had two days with an in-camp babysitter. So, feeling all this pressure, we hiked to the top of the other side of the mountain from the buck. We periodically peaked over to see if we were close and talk to my dad on the radio to see if the buck had moved. He was on the trail at the bottom with the spotting scope watching him. Finally we snuck down on him to about 50 yards. H could see him but I couldn't. He told me to stay there while he looked to see if we really did want to shoot him or not. As soon as he got those words out he winded us and jumped up and bounced away. H said take him, so I did! He bounced about 4 times away and I shot and he fell mid bounce, into a pile! I grabbed H by the shirt and said, "Did you see that?" I couldn't and still can't believe I made that shot! Here he is before we got to him.
I took off half running, half falling, and hyperventalating to the buck. H kept telling me to stop and wait for him! We were both hollering and squealing with joy. I beat him to the buck! I was in shock and shaking and amazed at how big his body was, not to mention the horns.
Another one of me just getting to him.
So I balled and squealed some more. H and I danced in circles. You can see how high up we were in this one.
This was the most amazing hunt ever, thanks to my half mule deer himself husband! The buck isn't a monster, but he's not dinky either. I love him because of the way we spotted, snuck, and got him with one shot; and the fact that my other best hunting buddy, my dad, got to see the whole thing through the spotting scope. The only way it could have been better is if he would have been with us. And, I left my self room to get a bigger one in the future!
My dad came and met us half way down the mountain and helped us get him down. We are all three still paying for it! Why did I shoot that big of a deer again? H had the front half of the deer on his shoulders. I drug the other half until my dad got to me and he took over. Good thing too, or the back end of the deer would have been dragging me. H and my dad coming down the mountain.
Finally at the wheeler. Whew!! Me and my dad.
And now back in camp with two excited future hunters! Sorry for the long story, but I'm pretty excited! Thanks to my mom and dad, and H for the wonderful time and memories to keep reliving.
