I didn't make it out for the opener. But sunday I hiked up to my "promising spot" with Bonjour. I had been to this saddle point only twice, both in the drizzle, and found fresh poop and beds, as well as expansive views. We were in place sunday morning by 5 am, 1.5 hrs before shooting light. As I lay on that soft, warm rock waiting for the sun, I imagined all the deer stacking up below me like tuna under the boat. Sunrise came and went and I stared endlessly into the vast expanses of sage brush surrounding me. No deer.
As the dearth of animal movement became dearthier and dearthier, Bonjour and I began standing up a bit; to stretch our legs and to glass other ridges. I let my gaze fall on a distant ridge, with a distant meadow. Standing, and looking through my 10x42 binos, I could just see some big brown lumps in the field. I dropped down to the spotting scope and to my amazement, there were 5 deer standing right in the middle of that meadow! Two huge bodied deer and 3 smaller ones. And as I watched, the big deer began shaking their heads and then head butting each other. A buck fight! That was a promising sign, since it's only the second time ever I've seen hunt able bucks (or deer, for that matter) in the field. Don looked up the spot on his OnX, and found it was public, *only* 1.5 miles away, and somewhat near a road. I was incredulous that there were no hunters there, but the proof was in the deery pudding.
There were several huge canyons between us and them, so we hit the trail back to the truck, and then made the slow trip through mountain roads to that other meadow. Once again, I was full of anticipation. Those bucks were stupid with sex, just waiting for me to come find them. We approached the new meadow with caution, 2 hours later. Parking 1/4 milk away and walked up a little knoll, we glassed everywhere until we were convinced this was the place, but no deer. Then Don spotted the first pair of hunters, then the second, then a grey corolla rolled up behind us and two hunters got out and started walking in. The place was corked!
This morning I drove back up early to make sure I was the first one there. 5 am I settled in to a new, warm soft rock and began day dreaming (hallucinating) about deer sparring in the field before me. Once again sunrise came and went and once again no deer. What a disappointment!
Not sure what my next move is. That second meadow looks promising, but there's limited view there. Really a spot of opportunity and even on a monday there were hunters all around it. The first spot I think is a bust. I know a few other spots that get a lot of pressure, and one or two that are looong walks in. But spots are probably secondary to knowing what to look for and where to look. And there I am lost. It seems some skilled few can spot a bedded deer and pick him off in his spot. Others rely on stumbling into one here or there. I have a vague idea that they seek water at night, and climb hills at sunrise. So I'm trying to hit peaks at sunrise in hopes of crossing paths with them. If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it. Unless it's "Hang in there", which I've heard plenty of.
As the dearth of animal movement became dearthier and dearthier, Bonjour and I began standing up a bit; to stretch our legs and to glass other ridges. I let my gaze fall on a distant ridge, with a distant meadow. Standing, and looking through my 10x42 binos, I could just see some big brown lumps in the field. I dropped down to the spotting scope and to my amazement, there were 5 deer standing right in the middle of that meadow! Two huge bodied deer and 3 smaller ones. And as I watched, the big deer began shaking their heads and then head butting each other. A buck fight! That was a promising sign, since it's only the second time ever I've seen hunt able bucks (or deer, for that matter) in the field. Don looked up the spot on his OnX, and found it was public, *only* 1.5 miles away, and somewhat near a road. I was incredulous that there were no hunters there, but the proof was in the deery pudding.
There were several huge canyons between us and them, so we hit the trail back to the truck, and then made the slow trip through mountain roads to that other meadow. Once again, I was full of anticipation. Those bucks were stupid with sex, just waiting for me to come find them. We approached the new meadow with caution, 2 hours later. Parking 1/4 milk away and walked up a little knoll, we glassed everywhere until we were convinced this was the place, but no deer. Then Don spotted the first pair of hunters, then the second, then a grey corolla rolled up behind us and two hunters got out and started walking in. The place was corked!
This morning I drove back up early to make sure I was the first one there. 5 am I settled in to a new, warm soft rock and began day dreaming (hallucinating) about deer sparring in the field before me. Once again sunrise came and went and once again no deer. What a disappointment!
Not sure what my next move is. That second meadow looks promising, but there's limited view there. Really a spot of opportunity and even on a monday there were hunters all around it. The first spot I think is a bust. I know a few other spots that get a lot of pressure, and one or two that are looong walks in. But spots are probably secondary to knowing what to look for and where to look. And there I am lost. It seems some skilled few can spot a bedded deer and pick him off in his spot. Others rely on stumbling into one here or there. I have a vague idea that they seek water at night, and climb hills at sunrise. So I'm trying to hit peaks at sunrise in hopes of crossing paths with them. If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it. Unless it's "Hang in there", which I've heard plenty of.
