The Dawg
10-17-2010, 07:22 PM
Bear, Does, Moose. Shot em’ before.
But the Mulie buck had always eluded me. Flicker of movement, gone. Bounding away white rear end. Glasses up too late. Think it’s a stump, and then it moves. 3 points in a 4-point season.
You know, the usual excuses.
Not this time.
My good friend Brett and I decided to head down to my mother in laws ranch just outside of Kamloops for the any buck season. Id been there a couple of times this year already in the 4-point season, and saw 2 shooters. See excuses above.
We arrived around noon on Friday and headed out shortly after changing into our gear. It was Brett’s first time being there, so there were many areas to show him. Within minutes, we had spotted a few dark spots in one of the many fields. Bino’s up! 4 does, 3 fawns… Not even a spike.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/glassing.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20725)
Friday evening came and we went for a drive to the other end of the property. 6 more does. Seems to be par for the course now. Last time I was here, I saw over 70 deer in 3 days, half of which were bucks. After hyping this place up for a year to Brett and Mike (Moosinaround), now I cant even get a spike to show.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/glassing1.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20726)
Saturday morning- same as yesterday. Up to almost 35 deer now without an inch of antler. Its almost like they have a calendar saying “Season open, lets go to Mexico”
I really should look into a migration southward at this time. Check for bucks hiding under a sombrero.
Anyways…. Saturday around 430pm we decide to gear up and hop on the quad. Haven’t shown him this side of the property yet, so I’ll take him there. Nothing to lose except daylight.
We jump off the quad after riding for 5 minutes or so to each walk a low ridgeline. Him on one side, me on the other. Beds, rubs, poop, game trails. No animals. I look towards Brett to give a ‘F IT’ look and notice a large moving animal about 500 yards away on a hillside.
I throw up the bino’s to have a look and see that it’s a he. And what a he.
I immediately whisper-shout to Brett to get down and motion that there’s a large buck on the hill behind him.
With the friendship we have, of course he thinks I am messing with him and starts chuckling. After a second or two, he believes me and hits the dirt. Perhaps it was the panicked look on my face that did it.
(FYI, tears DO work when someone doesn’t believe you J)
He crouch-walks up the hill to me and glasses the buck. Ok, now he realizes the game is on.
Brett lays down and begins filming (which I found out after). I begin to try and close to within a comfortable shooting distance.
Thump, thump, crunch, snap. Do I ALWAYS make this much noise when I walk??!!
Every step I seemed to be making more noise than the last.
I close up the ridge to within 200 yards of where I last saw him. Brett hasn’t yelled that he’s gone yet, so I think he’s still there. I can just make out the tips of his antlers in the grass, so yep…still there and bedded down now.
Wind is good, noise is down. Things are going good. Flicker of movement on the hillside across from the buck. A doe and 3 more smaller bucks. Great. I think I am about to be busted, but they don’t even notice. Thump, crack, snap! Was I seriously born with an elephant walk?!
The last few yards up the hill were the worst. . As I crested to within a good sightline, I could see he was still there.
Heart racing, lump in the throat, trying to control the breathing…inhale, exhale…inhale, exhale.
Lower crosshairs onto him slowly…He drops.
I hear the shot from the 338 Win Mag propel the 225g TTSX towards him.
Does it always happen like that? The buck on the ground before you hear the shot?
I couldn’t believe it. My first buck was down and he was bigger than I thought or even hoped for. I waved for Brett to come over. I said my thank yous to this beautiful animal and waited for Brett.
Pictures taken and guts removed, it took the two of us to lift one side and drag it onto the quad. Back to the barn, lifted with the tractor and skinned out and caped for the taxidermist.
I was asked, “So, was your first buck worth the wait?”
Oh hell ya.
Thanks to Brett for all the help, laughs and yes, even the unmentionable smells ;)
Thanks Brother!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/wide21.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20728)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/brettquad.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20729)
But the Mulie buck had always eluded me. Flicker of movement, gone. Bounding away white rear end. Glasses up too late. Think it’s a stump, and then it moves. 3 points in a 4-point season.
You know, the usual excuses.
Not this time.
My good friend Brett and I decided to head down to my mother in laws ranch just outside of Kamloops for the any buck season. Id been there a couple of times this year already in the 4-point season, and saw 2 shooters. See excuses above.
We arrived around noon on Friday and headed out shortly after changing into our gear. It was Brett’s first time being there, so there were many areas to show him. Within minutes, we had spotted a few dark spots in one of the many fields. Bino’s up! 4 does, 3 fawns… Not even a spike.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/glassing.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20725)
Friday evening came and we went for a drive to the other end of the property. 6 more does. Seems to be par for the course now. Last time I was here, I saw over 70 deer in 3 days, half of which were bucks. After hyping this place up for a year to Brett and Mike (Moosinaround), now I cant even get a spike to show.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/glassing1.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20726)
Saturday morning- same as yesterday. Up to almost 35 deer now without an inch of antler. Its almost like they have a calendar saying “Season open, lets go to Mexico”
I really should look into a migration southward at this time. Check for bucks hiding under a sombrero.
Anyways…. Saturday around 430pm we decide to gear up and hop on the quad. Haven’t shown him this side of the property yet, so I’ll take him there. Nothing to lose except daylight.
We jump off the quad after riding for 5 minutes or so to each walk a low ridgeline. Him on one side, me on the other. Beds, rubs, poop, game trails. No animals. I look towards Brett to give a ‘F IT’ look and notice a large moving animal about 500 yards away on a hillside.
I throw up the bino’s to have a look and see that it’s a he. And what a he.
I immediately whisper-shout to Brett to get down and motion that there’s a large buck on the hill behind him.
With the friendship we have, of course he thinks I am messing with him and starts chuckling. After a second or two, he believes me and hits the dirt. Perhaps it was the panicked look on my face that did it.
(FYI, tears DO work when someone doesn’t believe you J)
He crouch-walks up the hill to me and glasses the buck. Ok, now he realizes the game is on.
Brett lays down and begins filming (which I found out after). I begin to try and close to within a comfortable shooting distance.
Thump, thump, crunch, snap. Do I ALWAYS make this much noise when I walk??!!
Every step I seemed to be making more noise than the last.
I close up the ridge to within 200 yards of where I last saw him. Brett hasn’t yelled that he’s gone yet, so I think he’s still there. I can just make out the tips of his antlers in the grass, so yep…still there and bedded down now.
Wind is good, noise is down. Things are going good. Flicker of movement on the hillside across from the buck. A doe and 3 more smaller bucks. Great. I think I am about to be busted, but they don’t even notice. Thump, crack, snap! Was I seriously born with an elephant walk?!
The last few yards up the hill were the worst. . As I crested to within a good sightline, I could see he was still there.
Heart racing, lump in the throat, trying to control the breathing…inhale, exhale…inhale, exhale.
Lower crosshairs onto him slowly…He drops.
I hear the shot from the 338 Win Mag propel the 225g TTSX towards him.
Does it always happen like that? The buck on the ground before you hear the shot?
I couldn’t believe it. My first buck was down and he was bigger than I thought or even hoped for. I waved for Brett to come over. I said my thank yous to this beautiful animal and waited for Brett.
Pictures taken and guts removed, it took the two of us to lift one side and drag it onto the quad. Back to the barn, lifted with the tractor and skinned out and caped for the taxidermist.
I was asked, “So, was your first buck worth the wait?”
Oh hell ya.
Thanks to Brett for all the help, laughs and yes, even the unmentionable smells ;)
Thanks Brother!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/wide21.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20728)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/brettquad.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20729)