lovemywinchester
11-25-2012, 08:52 PM
The 2012 season is over for me now after rattling in a nice whitetail yesterday afternoon. I cut my third tag and what a blast it was getting this guy. Took him down with my old 32 special Winchester of course.
Three of us headed to region 8 for a few days to see if we could harvest some out of region whitetail bucks. Turns out we were going in blind as we thought we had an opportunity to hunt some private land but that didn't pan out so we were on our own. The confidence was still high, with the rut on we figured the bucks would come in to some rattling and grunting no matter where we were.
Friday was a scouting day and while driving we saw one nice buck on some does but he took off quickly. Saturday was slow with only one WT doe spotted but she was huge. We had an area in mind for last stand of the day where we saw the big doe head into some thick bush on a steep hillside. If there are does there should be bucks close by.
I set up near the bottom just inside the treeline around 3 pm while my buddies went up higher on the ridge. I found a nice area where I could see a good chunk of forest ahead of me and had some thick crap behind me. I had a big tree at my back with the breeze in my face. I got set up in a comfortable spot and didn't waste any time starting with the rattles. I had a set of mule sheds that were pretty thick and dark brown. I would grind and rattle them together for a minute or so and wait for a bit. It was getting near the end and light was fading when I heard a big crack and crash in the bush behind me. I was so stoked as I knew it was a buck coming in. I grabbed the rifle and looked around the side of the tree and heard another crash and snapping bush. It was so exciting and I started to doubt it was a deer because of how loud it was. I said to myself maybe its a bear! I couldn't see anything with the low light and thick bush but whatever it was was coming through and he was heading my way and in a hurry.
I finally saw him when he jumped a log and I had a good look at his right antler as he moved behind a bush and stopped about 30 yds from me. My heart was racing and my stomach was knotted with excitment and surprisingly stress. I got a good look at the four tines on his right and he looked huge and tall. Having a sweet buck so close I didn't want to screw it up. He was behind the brush and was looking for the fighting bucks but he wasn't moving. I reached behind me and lightly rattled the antlers and he stepped out and I put the sights on his neck and fired. He dropped in his tracks and I had my buck. I was so pumped and went over ready to hit him again if he took off but he was down. I let out a whoooo-hoo! and waited for my buddies to get down to check it out. High fives all around and a few shots and we dragged him to the truck. We took him out to an open area to get the headlights on him as it was pitch black by then and did the dirty work.
It was a great way to end the season and it was fun to get another nice buck with my buddy Paul after getting his wt last week. No buck for my other buddy Al but he has no problem filling his tags in 3. I had a blast this fall and spent a lot of time hunting with friends as well as alone and saw a bunch of deer taken and have had lots of great meals of venison and grouse. Spending time outside in beautiful BC in the fall is a blessing and we are so lucky to have what we do so get out and enjoy it! I am looking forward already to next September to do it all over again! Just with bigger deer because next year I'm holding out for a cranker!:roll:
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l573/zippogold/cherrywt.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l573/zippogold/cherryWT3.jpg
Three of us headed to region 8 for a few days to see if we could harvest some out of region whitetail bucks. Turns out we were going in blind as we thought we had an opportunity to hunt some private land but that didn't pan out so we were on our own. The confidence was still high, with the rut on we figured the bucks would come in to some rattling and grunting no matter where we were.
Friday was a scouting day and while driving we saw one nice buck on some does but he took off quickly. Saturday was slow with only one WT doe spotted but she was huge. We had an area in mind for last stand of the day where we saw the big doe head into some thick bush on a steep hillside. If there are does there should be bucks close by.
I set up near the bottom just inside the treeline around 3 pm while my buddies went up higher on the ridge. I found a nice area where I could see a good chunk of forest ahead of me and had some thick crap behind me. I had a big tree at my back with the breeze in my face. I got set up in a comfortable spot and didn't waste any time starting with the rattles. I had a set of mule sheds that were pretty thick and dark brown. I would grind and rattle them together for a minute or so and wait for a bit. It was getting near the end and light was fading when I heard a big crack and crash in the bush behind me. I was so stoked as I knew it was a buck coming in. I grabbed the rifle and looked around the side of the tree and heard another crash and snapping bush. It was so exciting and I started to doubt it was a deer because of how loud it was. I said to myself maybe its a bear! I couldn't see anything with the low light and thick bush but whatever it was was coming through and he was heading my way and in a hurry.
I finally saw him when he jumped a log and I had a good look at his right antler as he moved behind a bush and stopped about 30 yds from me. My heart was racing and my stomach was knotted with excitment and surprisingly stress. I got a good look at the four tines on his right and he looked huge and tall. Having a sweet buck so close I didn't want to screw it up. He was behind the brush and was looking for the fighting bucks but he wasn't moving. I reached behind me and lightly rattled the antlers and he stepped out and I put the sights on his neck and fired. He dropped in his tracks and I had my buck. I was so pumped and went over ready to hit him again if he took off but he was down. I let out a whoooo-hoo! and waited for my buddies to get down to check it out. High fives all around and a few shots and we dragged him to the truck. We took him out to an open area to get the headlights on him as it was pitch black by then and did the dirty work.
It was a great way to end the season and it was fun to get another nice buck with my buddy Paul after getting his wt last week. No buck for my other buddy Al but he has no problem filling his tags in 3. I had a blast this fall and spent a lot of time hunting with friends as well as alone and saw a bunch of deer taken and have had lots of great meals of venison and grouse. Spending time outside in beautiful BC in the fall is a blessing and we are so lucky to have what we do so get out and enjoy it! I am looking forward already to next September to do it all over again! Just with bigger deer because next year I'm holding out for a cranker!:roll:
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l573/zippogold/cherrywt.jpg
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l573/zippogold/cherryWT3.jpg