I took a nice buck out of D15 yesterday, not a monster but a good size. I was out at 0400 on the trail and hiking in, I had a great idea were the couple of buck I was looking for were so I moved into a predetermined spot by about 0630. For some reason they have a fondness for this little valley. After I sat down I heard a little noise, then nothing.
Its a little scary to be sitting in the cougar country glassing when all a cougar would have to do is walk up behind and bite you in the neck.
So I sit until just before first light, I see a buck moving up the over the next ridge line, I get up to pursue or at least look over the ridge line to see where he might be bedding down. I couldnt find him, I glassed for a hour or so just at sun up. I saw some does but no buck.
Going back to my original lay up, I glass for a while and nothing. I figured I knew the deer in the area like to use this valley as a corridor, there must be a spring or something special about it and if I walked down it that it shouldnt add too much distance back to the truck. As I am standing up and looking for a bushwhacking route down, right below and I mean right below me is one of the bucks I have been looking for maybe 20 yards sleeping.
The hill side is around a 60 degree angle, it took some time for me to decide how to get a shot then how to get him, and if it was better to go down or come back up. I probably took 15 minutes to debate, as he was bedded out. When I shot the bullet came down from the top to the right of his spine between the shoulder and into the chest. He never moved, I gave him 30 minutes to expire while I was tying in some rope if he moved down the slope it would make the whole thing harder. When I got down to him I had to pull him up and move again and again as I moved up the hill in zigzag fashion.
So uneventful after that, I took some pics while cleaning him up but havent been able to find my iphone since. Might have to hike back because I keep putting on the same rock because I didnt want to lose it. It was a long hike out, I need to start bringing a kid. Need to look at my gps for total ground covered. I did have a mtnbkr help me out, about 2 mile from the trail head both going out he said he would be right back and sure enough he came back and help me get everything out and loaded.
Oh yeah used a CZ 550 6.5x55
Its a little scary to be sitting in the cougar country glassing when all a cougar would have to do is walk up behind and bite you in the neck.
So I sit until just before first light, I see a buck moving up the over the next ridge line, I get up to pursue or at least look over the ridge line to see where he might be bedding down. I couldnt find him, I glassed for a hour or so just at sun up. I saw some does but no buck.
Going back to my original lay up, I glass for a while and nothing. I figured I knew the deer in the area like to use this valley as a corridor, there must be a spring or something special about it and if I walked down it that it shouldnt add too much distance back to the truck. As I am standing up and looking for a bushwhacking route down, right below and I mean right below me is one of the bucks I have been looking for maybe 20 yards sleeping.
The hill side is around a 60 degree angle, it took some time for me to decide how to get a shot then how to get him, and if it was better to go down or come back up. I probably took 15 minutes to debate, as he was bedded out. When I shot the bullet came down from the top to the right of his spine between the shoulder and into the chest. He never moved, I gave him 30 minutes to expire while I was tying in some rope if he moved down the slope it would make the whole thing harder. When I got down to him I had to pull him up and move again and again as I moved up the hill in zigzag fashion.
So uneventful after that, I took some pics while cleaning him up but havent been able to find my iphone since. Might have to hike back because I keep putting on the same rock because I didnt want to lose it. It was a long hike out, I need to start bringing a kid. Need to look at my gps for total ground covered. I did have a mtnbkr help me out, about 2 mile from the trail head both going out he said he would be right back and sure enough he came back and help me get everything out and loaded.
Oh yeah used a CZ 550 6.5x55
