2019 X Zone High Country Rifle Deer List

Drew ,If there is snow up high you may not have to or be able to go to the elevations you mentioned. The last time I helped a friend hunt an x zone above Bishop we waited until the second week in hopes of weather as he was in his seventies and just wanted to day hunt. When we got there a storm blew in and chased us off the mountain everyday before noon for the first three days. On the fourth day we drove as far as we could in 4wd and got out and walked. We set up on a ridge with binos on tripods and radios and glassed. What we saw was deer coming off the mountain big time in three foot deep snow it was a full on migration the deer were nose to tail trying to get down low and find food. I saw the biggest buck I have ever seen in the wild that morning . I called my buddy and let him know it was below us but far and could not predict which way it would go. A little while later a group came towards our general area and I let him know they were close, a few minutes later I heard a shot and then a call from him to come over and give a hand. It turned out to be a quality four by five, not bad for a seventy year old man hunting at ten thousand feet. Bottom line my advice is take into consideration what the weather is doing and adapt.
What year did you help your buddy on that hunt?
 
Good luck on your hunt looking forward to seeing your success. I appreciated reading over your pack list, I was curious how you were going to pack outa deer with a small pack and all your gear. Also what x zone are you hunting? If you don’t mind telling.
 
Good luck on your hunt looking forward to seeing your success. I appreciated reading over your pack list, I was curious how you were going to pack outa deer with a small pack and all your gear. Also what x zone are you hunting? If you don’t mind telling.
Truduct is an animal in the field. Saw him pack out a deboned elk on the Mogollon Rim in three grueling trips. His hunting partner is equipped with a Outdoorsman long range pack w/ meat sling.
 
Update
Plan A&B have failed. Put on tons of miles and countless elevation gain. It was freezing balls up there. Went to places where I would have bet you $100 I would see deer but no one was home. The deer are down lower I have been up around 10-12k ft elevation and they just aren’t there asides from 1 dinker buck Saturday and a handful of does. My eyes feel like they are going to bleed I have been glassing so much.

The black bear was never to be seen again. I watched this bear for at least 30 minutes but it was Friday evening and the season opened Saturday, Murphy’s law I guess. Would have been a miserable pack out.

We packed out this morning and moved to a lower elevation plan C. Tonight I glassed up 9 does and a small buck right at dusk. Most of the time that wouldn’t excite me but after the last 3 days it was a good motivation knowing we are where the deer are. I have 1.5 days left honestly after tonight if it’s brown it’s down.

Stay positive, stay in the glass, and hunt hard!!
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Good luck on your hunt looking forward to seeing your success. I appreciated reading over your pack list, I was curious how you were going to pack outa deer with a small pack and all your gear. Also what x zone are you hunting? If you don’t mind telling.
Dude I have packed our whole deer with my entire camp with this pack. All the meat goes in the meat shelf and the gear stays in the pack. EXO packs are no joke. The pack size is irrelevant to the meat. No matter which pack you get the shelf is the same.
 
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That’s some rugged country, there has to be a giant in there somewhere.
 
Too bad the high country spot didn't work out Drew, you head to one of those other spots we talked about?
 
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Keep at it Drew! Remember, you cant shoot big deer if you shoot small ones. Hold out...
 
Also, I gotta agree with NBK... plenty of forks to kill down here in D16. Wait it out. Or don’t. Do what makes you happy.
 
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Lower elevation should provide more roads...jus sayin..
 

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