mtnrunner260
WKR
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2012
- Messages
- 1,744
Thought I would do a write up of this year general season rifle hunt.
I'll try to keep it brief but will likely take some time to get through.
The day before the opener I hiked in to the top of the mountain to meet a buddy and see what we could turn up. This spot is very steep and there isn't any water nearby that I know of.
Packed light to carry as much water as I could. Once I got to camp started melting some snow for more water.
That night (before the opener) I glassed up two bucks, one a for sure shooter. Put them to bed at dark and planned on being in the same spot before light. The bucks had been working up a ridge before bedding so had a concern they would be on the other side by morning. Glassed hard until 20 minutes after shooting light and then hustled over to the far side after not seeing them. Couldn't find them on the other side either. Spent the rest of the day covering country and glassing. No deer seen.
Pic of Camp
Day 2. Saw one doe in the morning and then I got distracted mid day with another type of hunting.
That evening I saw a nice 3 point chasing does. If I had been a couple miles and few thousand vertical feet closer to the truck I would have made a play.
Day 3. Didn't see a deer.
Had to be at work for Monday to Wednesday.
Got camp loaded up Wednesday and headed out early Thursday to be on the mountain before light. Made it to my glassing spot and waited for the sun. On a point with 300 degrees of view. Spotted an awesome bull elk. Then there he was. A buck across the canyon from me. Pulled up the spotter and he was good enough for me. Ranged him and got set up for the shot. Having hiked up in the dark I wasn't sure if I could move down the hill and still have a shot. Gun on the bipod with my pack as a rear rest. Felt pretty good but not perfect. So grabbed a rock to steady things up and the buck was quartering hard so took a few deep breathes and ejected the round to do some dry firing. This is something I've done before when time has allowed and it seems to really help me calm down, focus and slowly squeeze that trigger.
He turned broadside so reloaded and took aim.
The trigger broke and I lost him in the site picture and couldn't see him. Cranked the scope all the way down, did a quick scan and then grabbed the binos. Still couldn't turn him up. (I'm not able to hold the binos super steady at the point)
Then just around the corner someone opens up. 1,2,3,4,5 shots. Well I missed and somebody else got him. I could never see the other shooter. A minute later another couple shoots. Then after a couple more minutes 4 or 5 shots. All from the same place that I can't see. What the crap is going on over there?
I'm glassing the whole time and finally there's a spot that might be him. Grab the spotter again. Man that could be him in the thick Aspen but just can't say yes or no. Well crap I feel like I really missed now. The bull elk was no where to be seen but now there is a bull moose on the hill above where the buck was.
Picked out landmarks and made my way down. I could have taken some yards off the shot if I snuck down the hill but would have had to shoot sitting instead of prone. Debating in my head which would have been better. Crossed the creek and back up the other side. Slowly work in to where he was with rifle at the ready. Set down the pack and start to do a circle with the hope of cutting tracks or even better blood. Take a step, there's some tines in the sage but they are way to white and to big. Mark the spot in my head and keep going.
I made it 347 degrees in my circle and there's tracks. They are leading the direction of the gray colored spot in the Aspen. Getting more hopeful. Follow them for 10 yards, no blood. There's the landmark tree in the Aspens. Is that him? Pull up the binos and there he is. Yes! Go back to get pack and paddle. Take some pics and get him processed.
I got done butchering the meat and went through a rib to get the heart. I had hit him in the heart with my longest shot. All this time practicing and reloading is paying dividends.
The 168 Berger VLD didn't start to open until it was in the heart. Haven't ever seen that before. It left a 2 in exit hole.
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.
I'll try to keep it brief but will likely take some time to get through.
The day before the opener I hiked in to the top of the mountain to meet a buddy and see what we could turn up. This spot is very steep and there isn't any water nearby that I know of.
Packed light to carry as much water as I could. Once I got to camp started melting some snow for more water.
That night (before the opener) I glassed up two bucks, one a for sure shooter. Put them to bed at dark and planned on being in the same spot before light. The bucks had been working up a ridge before bedding so had a concern they would be on the other side by morning. Glassed hard until 20 minutes after shooting light and then hustled over to the far side after not seeing them. Couldn't find them on the other side either. Spent the rest of the day covering country and glassing. No deer seen.
Pic of Camp
Day 2. Saw one doe in the morning and then I got distracted mid day with another type of hunting.
That evening I saw a nice 3 point chasing does. If I had been a couple miles and few thousand vertical feet closer to the truck I would have made a play.
Day 3. Didn't see a deer.
Had to be at work for Monday to Wednesday.
Got camp loaded up Wednesday and headed out early Thursday to be on the mountain before light. Made it to my glassing spot and waited for the sun. On a point with 300 degrees of view. Spotted an awesome bull elk. Then there he was. A buck across the canyon from me. Pulled up the spotter and he was good enough for me. Ranged him and got set up for the shot. Having hiked up in the dark I wasn't sure if I could move down the hill and still have a shot. Gun on the bipod with my pack as a rear rest. Felt pretty good but not perfect. So grabbed a rock to steady things up and the buck was quartering hard so took a few deep breathes and ejected the round to do some dry firing. This is something I've done before when time has allowed and it seems to really help me calm down, focus and slowly squeeze that trigger.
He turned broadside so reloaded and took aim.
The trigger broke and I lost him in the site picture and couldn't see him. Cranked the scope all the way down, did a quick scan and then grabbed the binos. Still couldn't turn him up. (I'm not able to hold the binos super steady at the point)
Then just around the corner someone opens up. 1,2,3,4,5 shots. Well I missed and somebody else got him. I could never see the other shooter. A minute later another couple shoots. Then after a couple more minutes 4 or 5 shots. All from the same place that I can't see. What the crap is going on over there?
I'm glassing the whole time and finally there's a spot that might be him. Grab the spotter again. Man that could be him in the thick Aspen but just can't say yes or no. Well crap I feel like I really missed now. The bull elk was no where to be seen but now there is a bull moose on the hill above where the buck was.
Picked out landmarks and made my way down. I could have taken some yards off the shot if I snuck down the hill but would have had to shoot sitting instead of prone. Debating in my head which would have been better. Crossed the creek and back up the other side. Slowly work in to where he was with rifle at the ready. Set down the pack and start to do a circle with the hope of cutting tracks or even better blood. Take a step, there's some tines in the sage but they are way to white and to big. Mark the spot in my head and keep going.
I made it 347 degrees in my circle and there's tracks. They are leading the direction of the gray colored spot in the Aspen. Getting more hopeful. Follow them for 10 yards, no blood. There's the landmark tree in the Aspens. Is that him? Pull up the binos and there he is. Yes! Go back to get pack and paddle. Take some pics and get him processed.
I got done butchering the meat and went through a rib to get the heart. I had hit him in the heart with my longest shot. All this time practicing and reloading is paying dividends.
The 168 Berger VLD didn't start to open until it was in the heart. Haven't ever seen that before. It left a 2 in exit hole.
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.
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