MuleyFever
WKR
TLDR: Went hunting, shot deer.
I was fortunate enough to draw a late season tag in NV this year. After a lot of shooting this year, I shot more this year than in my whole life previously, and some cold weather gear purchases I was ready.
Big thanks to @Travis Bertrand before I forget. Also thanks to another member whose user ID I dont remember.
This is a hunt that depends a bit on the migration to push deer out of the Sierras. That with the rut can produce great opportunities. The weather has not cooperated though. Warm temps and lack of snow were not pushing the migration.
I was debating on taking the SXS on this because I didn't have a trailer and wasn't sure about hauling it that far on my Diamondback. I decided to take it on the advice of some people. Friday after work I went and bought a trailer. Saturday morning I hit the road. I got to my first spot and proceeded to damage the trailer by catching the jack on a low spot. Great start.
Day 1 hunting was more about getting a feel for the unit. There were a lot of roads so the plan was to stay on the move and glass from multiple spots. First thing I had a guy stop to talk to me as I was heading out. He was helpful and gave me some advise. I headed out and came across a guy hiking up a steep trail with his dog. He was heading to look for a deer he shot the previous evening. I gave him a ride up the hill and his dog followed, for a while. At some point the dog stopped and when we got to the top, no dog. After a bit we relocated the dog. The rest of the day was spent exploring and seeing a few small bucks.
Day 2 was was more of the same. Glassed a bunch, saw a bunch of small bucks.
Day 3 the forecast was for extreme winds with gusts to 70 mph. I was able to hunt the morning before the winds picked up but only saw a couple of smaller bucks. The afternoon was just crazy windy so I hunkered down. The rain started that evening.
Day 4 had strong winds and it rained all day. The good news is that it was snowing up high. I had moved to a new location in the other unit I can hunt but with the snow now on the ground I wanted to head back to where I started and see what the snow would do for deer movement. It would also give me an advantage glassing.
Day 5 I headed out and covered a lot of ground. Snow was making it easy to see the deer. I saw a few small bucks that morning and then decided to check out a part I had not been to yet. I found a huge set of tracks in the new area and a shed. I figured I would hunt this area the next morning. On my way back I took the long route. I located another smaller buck harassing does.
I was cruising along up a hill thinking about lunch when I came to an abrupt stop. The ground dipped, the snow did not. I just buried the SXS. CRAP! Well, the truck was a few miles away so I started walking to get a shovel. I brought a shovel, just left it in the truck. I had not gone too far and I come across 2 guys in a ranger. I explain my situation and they say they will come back, they spotted a buck they were going to go check out. I walk a bit longer and a SUV drives up, I ask then for a ride down and they say they are heading up but maybe on their way down. Another guy drives by but doesn't stop. The 2 guys in the ranger come back and they say lets just go and try to get it out. We get there and try to push it, the winch on his machine doesn't work, luckily he finds a rope bag he had and pulled me out. That evening I glassed up a few more smaller bucks. I also realized I lost my down vest somewhere. I was at the truck that evening when a guy pulls up and starts talking hunting. He gave me a few tips on some deer. He had a pic of one in the other unit I figured I should check out. Super nice guy happy to help me out.
Day 6 I relocated to the other unit based on the info I got. Found an area on the map I thought would be a good glassing point and headed up. I located a lot of deer right away then saw what looked like the deer the guy from the previous day had a pic of. I watched him for a bit when he went off into some cover. I worked down towards where he went and found him bedded. At 220 I had just a small opening where I could see him. I set up to watch and get a better look to see if he was a shooter. I was looking at him waiting for a better view when I looked away. When I looked back he was gone. I looked for him a bit but nothing so I headed out. That evening I planned to hike into the area just below where I saw the buck but some guys were just heading in when I got there. I just decided to go up a bit more and glass. I located the does he was with but he never came out. I saw a couple more smaller bucks in the area that night then heard some shots. I thought maybe the guys that hiked in got him. They came out later that evening and they had killed one of the other bucks I spotted that morning.
Day 7 I decided to just go back to the same spot as the previous day. I went up early to try and be there right at light and beat the other hunters. I got to the glassing point and realized I lost one my down mittens. I didn't really like them and got them on the Sierra sale anyway so no big deal. I quickly turned up some deer. I found the same group of does from the previous day but no buck. After a bit I noticed another deer. It was the buck from yesterday. I watched him a bit and decided I needed to go get a better look. I got down to the next knoll and I was at 225 yds. After looking him over I just couldn't help myself. I was in the hunting moment and he was a great looking buck.
Dialed my scope, set up, waited for the does to clear.....boom. The Lehigh defense controlled chaos bullet dropped him. Amazing how it all ends so fast.
Well sort of...the pack out was a mess. The brush was like nothing I have ever got myself tangled in before. Luckily I was mostly able to side hill it to a road and then got a ride back up to my machine.
In the end I had a good time.
I was fortunate enough to draw a late season tag in NV this year. After a lot of shooting this year, I shot more this year than in my whole life previously, and some cold weather gear purchases I was ready.
Big thanks to @Travis Bertrand before I forget. Also thanks to another member whose user ID I dont remember.
This is a hunt that depends a bit on the migration to push deer out of the Sierras. That with the rut can produce great opportunities. The weather has not cooperated though. Warm temps and lack of snow were not pushing the migration.
I was debating on taking the SXS on this because I didn't have a trailer and wasn't sure about hauling it that far on my Diamondback. I decided to take it on the advice of some people. Friday after work I went and bought a trailer. Saturday morning I hit the road. I got to my first spot and proceeded to damage the trailer by catching the jack on a low spot. Great start.
Day 1 hunting was more about getting a feel for the unit. There were a lot of roads so the plan was to stay on the move and glass from multiple spots. First thing I had a guy stop to talk to me as I was heading out. He was helpful and gave me some advise. I headed out and came across a guy hiking up a steep trail with his dog. He was heading to look for a deer he shot the previous evening. I gave him a ride up the hill and his dog followed, for a while. At some point the dog stopped and when we got to the top, no dog. After a bit we relocated the dog. The rest of the day was spent exploring and seeing a few small bucks.
Day 2 was was more of the same. Glassed a bunch, saw a bunch of small bucks.
Day 3 the forecast was for extreme winds with gusts to 70 mph. I was able to hunt the morning before the winds picked up but only saw a couple of smaller bucks. The afternoon was just crazy windy so I hunkered down. The rain started that evening.
Day 4 had strong winds and it rained all day. The good news is that it was snowing up high. I had moved to a new location in the other unit I can hunt but with the snow now on the ground I wanted to head back to where I started and see what the snow would do for deer movement. It would also give me an advantage glassing.
Day 5 I headed out and covered a lot of ground. Snow was making it easy to see the deer. I saw a few small bucks that morning and then decided to check out a part I had not been to yet. I found a huge set of tracks in the new area and a shed. I figured I would hunt this area the next morning. On my way back I took the long route. I located another smaller buck harassing does.
I was cruising along up a hill thinking about lunch when I came to an abrupt stop. The ground dipped, the snow did not. I just buried the SXS. CRAP! Well, the truck was a few miles away so I started walking to get a shovel. I brought a shovel, just left it in the truck. I had not gone too far and I come across 2 guys in a ranger. I explain my situation and they say they will come back, they spotted a buck they were going to go check out. I walk a bit longer and a SUV drives up, I ask then for a ride down and they say they are heading up but maybe on their way down. Another guy drives by but doesn't stop. The 2 guys in the ranger come back and they say lets just go and try to get it out. We get there and try to push it, the winch on his machine doesn't work, luckily he finds a rope bag he had and pulled me out. That evening I glassed up a few more smaller bucks. I also realized I lost my down vest somewhere. I was at the truck that evening when a guy pulls up and starts talking hunting. He gave me a few tips on some deer. He had a pic of one in the other unit I figured I should check out. Super nice guy happy to help me out.
Day 6 I relocated to the other unit based on the info I got. Found an area on the map I thought would be a good glassing point and headed up. I located a lot of deer right away then saw what looked like the deer the guy from the previous day had a pic of. I watched him for a bit when he went off into some cover. I worked down towards where he went and found him bedded. At 220 I had just a small opening where I could see him. I set up to watch and get a better look to see if he was a shooter. I was looking at him waiting for a better view when I looked away. When I looked back he was gone. I looked for him a bit but nothing so I headed out. That evening I planned to hike into the area just below where I saw the buck but some guys were just heading in when I got there. I just decided to go up a bit more and glass. I located the does he was with but he never came out. I saw a couple more smaller bucks in the area that night then heard some shots. I thought maybe the guys that hiked in got him. They came out later that evening and they had killed one of the other bucks I spotted that morning.
Day 7 I decided to just go back to the same spot as the previous day. I went up early to try and be there right at light and beat the other hunters. I got to the glassing point and realized I lost one my down mittens. I didn't really like them and got them on the Sierra sale anyway so no big deal. I quickly turned up some deer. I found the same group of does from the previous day but no buck. After a bit I noticed another deer. It was the buck from yesterday. I watched him a bit and decided I needed to go get a better look. I got down to the next knoll and I was at 225 yds. After looking him over I just couldn't help myself. I was in the hunting moment and he was a great looking buck.
Dialed my scope, set up, waited for the does to clear.....boom. The Lehigh defense controlled chaos bullet dropped him. Amazing how it all ends so fast.
Well sort of...the pack out was a mess. The brush was like nothing I have ever got myself tangled in before. Luckily I was mostly able to side hill it to a road and then got a ride back up to my machine.
In the end I had a good time.
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