backcountry mule deer hunt in pics

[sagebuster]

Stunning country...the stuff that dreams are made of. Thanx for sharing.

 

[manitou1]

Thanks Gents!

On the buck It was my buddy who had the permit. We saw the buck from about 400 yards, he was getting his rifle ready and it slipped out of sight into a patch of timber. We spent another hour continuing to glass figuring he might come out in one of the openings- he didn't. When we glassed him he was high on the ridge near a notch and we figured he may have slipped out of this basin into the next. We decided to see if that was the case and slowly made our way to the notch- it was a rock chute straight down into more rock, so we were confident he didn't go down and was still in the patch of timber. We decided to back out and wait him out until evening (plenty of other country to glass in the meantime). As we were backing out we saw him, he saw us- 39 yards! He was locked on us and I'm not kidding, but we whispered for nearly five minutes on taking him or not, he never even flinched. Finally my buddy said he was going to pass and almost like he knew he turned and sauntered off.

I told him I would have taken that buck ( it would have been my biggest), but he's killed three or four in that general range (he hunts other states in addition to his home state of Montana) and was going to hold out for something a bit bigger.

Where we were at definitely figured in too. It was two miles back to our camp including a very (very) sketchy steep chute to get down to it. From camp another 7-8 miles to the trailhead- a good chunk of it off-trail through some really rough stuff.

Now did I breathe a slight sigh of relief when he said he was passing? Yes I did

We hunted two more days in a couple of other really nice basins- saw deer, elk, goats, but no other good bucks.

He's heading for California for a week (to hunt with his Dad), but we've already started making plans for a return to that area as we've found a few more basins worth exploring

Man, I would have packed that buck out even if it meant wearing nothing but flip flops, a g-string and a blindfold! Magnificent buck in my eyes!
Your buddy has some self control... and high standards! Lol

 

[SoloWilderness]

Beautiful country, nice pictures. That was a hog of a buck, hopefully you pull the tag next year and go get him...

 

[Indian Summer]

Looks like some places I’ve been in the Selway. Great pics. Yep.. I’d have shot him!

 

[PapaGolfTango]

Gorgeous country!

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks Guys!

Man those pics are awesome.

Tent arrangement tells me someone snores

Haha love threads like this, really gets the excitement up for the fall!

very observant, I asked my buddy if he snored- he "said sometimes when I'm tired"- I moved down to the lower level

Beautiful country, nice pictures. That was a hog of a buck, hopefully you pull the tag next year and go get him...

Thanks- I'll drink to that!

 

[fwafwow]

Thanks Guys!



very observant, I asked my buddy if he snored- he "said sometimes when I'm tired"- I moved down to the lower level


Thanks- I'll drink to that!

Glad the tent is working out!