Trying to find my spot

[SkiParkGuy]

TLDR... thanks for all the advice! I found a few good spots and one in particular that is great! Then I missed my first shot.

I hate being that guy that shows up to ask a question then disappears after getting some great advice, but that’s what I did. Between work and a new girlfriend the Internet took a back seat.

Anyway, I thought I’d share my almost successful hunt today. With the fire restrictions I’ve been waking up at 4am and after an hour plus drive getting hiking by 5:30-6am. Yesterday I saw a bear, but no tag. (I’m kind of a fan of bears. I want to eat one though, so I’m conflicted.



I found this awesome place today...





This was a three mile hike to get to on a trail that barely exists anymore. Having never been there before I slowly hiked the trail that side hills about half way up on the right. I glassed down into the valley the whole time and saw nothing, but a lot of deer tracks on the trail...

It was getting close to my hard turn around time. (Girl worries when I’m out of cell range) so I descended down into a small valley for a last bit of still hunting before heading back. I’m trying to get myself to slow down. When I do I see more. This time I was going too fast and making too much noise. I busted two bucks out of their beds.

I froze by a small tree and kept my eye locked on one of them. He stopped and was staring straight at me from further than I can estimate. After about five minutes of staring at each other he started walking. I had 12x50 Diamondbacks on him and somehow he just vanished.

I waited another five minutes before moving again and crept to a tree 10 yards closer and started glassing. I immediately picked him up again. Just kicking it there looking right at me. Looked to be a 3x3. I slowly made my way closer to him, moving from tree to tree, and always keeping a tree between us.

After closing the distance to what I thought was about 200 yards I was prone and using a perfect stump for a rest. I felt super comfortable in my shot. I wasn’t even conscious of pulling the trigger. The gun just seemed to go off. When the gun settled I saw the deer walking quickly away. By the time I chambered another round he was gone.



I found the spot he was laying when I shot at him. Nothing. No blood, stomach contents, hair, nothing. I spent a good hour looking for any sign of a hit. I’m pretty sure the distance was closer to 300 yards after pacing it. I’m sure I could’ve closed the distance even more and should have. I also now want a range finder... I’m embarrassed, but at least it was a clean miss.

So again. Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it. I’m going back out in a couple days to hopefully close the deal on a this lucky buck.

 

[TheGDog]

Just something I noticed in your text... make sure you stay out until end of light!!! You gtta be out there BEFORE the sun comes up and you gotta STAY out there until AFTER end of legal shooting light.If you don't stay until the very end? You're chopping out a bunch of the time where you're the most likely to see a buck!

 

[MeatBuck]

Not having a range finder is pretty foolish. Lucky you didn’t blow his legs off.
Go buy one before your next hunt.

If you’re packing binoculars to find game, you should be packing a rangefinder to tell you how far away it is. You could spend all day glassing an area that’s too far to shoot and not even realize it until an animal comes out and it looks like an ant. Ive found that in b zone a lot of the country appears to be 300-500 yards but it’s actually 500-1000 or more.
I usually hit a quick range as soon as I sit down to glass.

Lastly being a fan of bears isn’t helping the deer hunting any. Buy a bear tag and do your part to help the deer population.

Better luck next time out.

 

[SkiParkGuy]

Not having a range finder is pretty foolish. Lucky you didn’t blow his legs off.
Go buy one before your next hunt.

If you’re packing binoculars to find game, you should be packing a rangefinder to tell you how far away it is. You could spend all day glassing an area that’s too far to shoot and not even realize it until an animal comes out and it looks like an ant. Ive found that in b zone a lot of the country appears to be 300-500 yards but it’s actually 500-1000 or more.
I usually hit a quick range as soon as I sit down to glass.

Lastly being a fan of bears isn’t helping the deer hunting any. Buy a bear tag and do your part to help the deer population.

Better luck next time out.

I got over confident I guess with range estimates. I’ve got an old POS that I’ve been practicing with. Currently looking to pick up a better one. Believe me I don’t take my miss lightly.

As for the bears it‘s a case of agree to disagree. I’ve grown up around them and very much enjoy their presence. I’m sure one day I’ll shoot one, but not yet.

Just something I noticed in your text... make sure you stay out until end of light!!! You gtta be out there BEFORE the sun comes up and you gotta STAY out there until AFTER end of legal shooting light.If you don't stay until the very end? You're chopping out a bunch of the time where you're the most likely to see a buck!

While I agree the lady doesn’t, at least when I’m out of cell range. I’ve pushed the safety margin enough in my life and she makes it worth my while when I get back.

 

[kickemall]

Nothing wrong with that hunt. Saw a bear, found good country and got a shot. Better luck next time.

 

[amassi]

I got over confident I guess with range estimates. I’ve got an old POS that I’ve been practicing with. Currently looking to pick up a better one. Believe me I don’t take my miss lightly.

As for the bears it‘s a case of agree to disagree. I’ve grown up around them and very much enjoy their presence. I’m sure one day I’ll shoot one, but not yet.




While I agree the lady doesn’t, at least when I’m out of cell range. I’ve pushed the safety margin enough in my life and she makes it worth my while when I get back.

If your gonna be traipsing around solo out of service might want to snag a in reach or similar for piece of mind and comms

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[DBAshland]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I enjoyed reading it, largely because I'm a brand new hunter as well, starting my planning and preparation now for next season (blacktail in southern Oregon). I appreciate hearing what worked and what didn't for you. Valuable stuff to know!

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Dude, get an InReach and solve that cell service issue! First and last light are the glory hours in hunting. No way around it.

 

[SkiParkGuy]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I enjoyed reading it, largely because I'm a brand new hunter as well, starting my planning and preparation now for next season (blacktail in southern Oregon). I appreciate hearing what worked and what didn't for you. Valuable stuff to know!

I’m glad you enjoyed it. That’s part of the reason I wrote in detail. I’ve enjoyed reading other new hunters accounts myself. Good luck next year!

 

[SkiParkGuy]

Dude, get an InReach and solve that cell service issue! First and last light are the glory hours in hunting. No way around it.

yep. Funds dictated otherwise though. I did get out a few times first and last light, just not as much as I wanted too.

 

[SkiParkGuy]

Well it took me awhile, but I found my spot. Thanks for all the tips and encouragement, etc… The day before rifle opener here in California a couple of friends and myself packed into a great, but STEEP, area with lots of sign. Day one I got to really know the area and found a clearing with lots of buck brush. I figured with rain over night they might be out in the day. Sure enough as I stalked along the bottom edge I saw three bucks. I got within 100 yards and took my shot. It dropped him, he kicked for a few seconds, then passed. The other two ran up the hill and stopped. I easily could’ve taken one more, but no second tag, no way of getting both down the hill, and I didn’t need any more.

 

[kickemall]

Well done!

 

[Savagehunter]

Sweet very nice love it.

 

[Catchfish]

It’s nice when the work pays off

 

[duck]

The in reach is a handy piece of kit

 

[TheGDog]

I just came back here today and now I understand and can appreciate about the expense in terms of energy to climb up to almost the peak of these mountains. Like same and worse steep, and freakin' all covered in Buckthorn.

If you don't have proper fluids support, it's a very different experience from when you do!

And like the difference between rain making your clothes all soggy and heavy and making surfaces like rocks and logs and branches more slippery and what a difference that makes in terms of total energy expenditure. Occasionally having to deal with footing slipping down the hill all of a sudden when like a smaller stone you're stepping on dislodges from the dirt due to the rain making the dirt just enough softer.

And most of the time you very much do NOT wanna fall cause it's thorns, thorns, burnt-off cracked sharp-edged broken branches, and more thorns! So you snap-to with muscle expense to catch yourself and stop the sliding with a Trekking pole that's planted.

So yeah.. I see similar enough steep in this pic, so I know you put in some WORK taking that guy back home! Bravo Man!