A buddy and me backpacked in about 4 miles behind a locked gate we thought for sure the road hunters would show up and push the deer down to the bottom and we would be sitting pretty. Well we hiked in on Friday afternoon, on the way in we jumped a few deer and a big bobcat. We get in deep and set up camp only to be greeted by the BP. We talked to them for a while and then hit the sack. In the morning my buddy goes out hits the hill while I stay at camp and glass another hillside from camp, right away I spot a doe bedded down but nothing else. So then I hike back to the base of the hill and see lots of fresh sign but no deer just three coons walking and squawking. I glass, hike, glass & hike but nothing I guess the bright moon put the deer to bed before sunrise.
So about 10:30am I sit down get some food to eat and I hear Josh's gun go off four times about a mile away down in the bottom. I think great one deer down and I head back to camp. At about 1pm Josh shows up and tells me he has a good buck down. He had buck fever on the first three shots but killed him on the fourth with a heart shot at 230 yards away. He dragged the buck about a mile even though I told him to come get me if he gets one and we will hack and haul no need to drag. Well he's worn out so we get the packs together and I show him how to debone the buck so we can get it back to the truck so it won't spoil. We are out of water at this point and need to get to the creek to filter water which is on the way out. It's about 2:30pm at this point and I'm in the lead with my rifle on my shoulder and half of his deer in my pack. Right off the trail before we get to the creek to get some water we jump several deer under a big oak. I rack a round in the chamber and get ready for hopefully a shot on a buck. As I pass the tree 5 deer bolt out and one dumb young buck is 25 yards looking right at me I see horns find him in the scope and let one go he does the heart kick and stumbles about 25 yards and does the death flop. We can see where he drops and after a few minutes he stops moving we go over and I tag a young buck and we are done for the weekend by 2:30pm. We hike back to the trucks and are greeted by the BP same guys as last night and they offer us a ride back to the trucks. They offer to have us ride in the cab but we decide we will have more room in the Paddy wagon so we hop in and they kick on the AC as we head back to the trucks.
Both bucks were in full rut, glands wide open and full of stink. When Josh spotted his deer he was pissing on himself and rubbing his horns and face all over the brush. The does we saw must not be ready but the bucks sure are! My buck had a 12" spread and Josh's buck had 18" spread with eye guards.
I still can't believe we saw no other hunters.......I guess I have a great spot seeing as the area also holds pigs and a ton of quail.
Good luck to all!!
So about 10:30am I sit down get some food to eat and I hear Josh's gun go off four times about a mile away down in the bottom. I think great one deer down and I head back to camp. At about 1pm Josh shows up and tells me he has a good buck down. He had buck fever on the first three shots but killed him on the fourth with a heart shot at 230 yards away. He dragged the buck about a mile even though I told him to come get me if he gets one and we will hack and haul no need to drag. Well he's worn out so we get the packs together and I show him how to debone the buck so we can get it back to the truck so it won't spoil. We are out of water at this point and need to get to the creek to filter water which is on the way out. It's about 2:30pm at this point and I'm in the lead with my rifle on my shoulder and half of his deer in my pack. Right off the trail before we get to the creek to get some water we jump several deer under a big oak. I rack a round in the chamber and get ready for hopefully a shot on a buck. As I pass the tree 5 deer bolt out and one dumb young buck is 25 yards looking right at me I see horns find him in the scope and let one go he does the heart kick and stumbles about 25 yards and does the death flop. We can see where he drops and after a few minutes he stops moving we go over and I tag a young buck and we are done for the weekend by 2:30pm. We hike back to the trucks and are greeted by the BP same guys as last night and they offer us a ride back to the trucks. They offer to have us ride in the cab but we decide we will have more room in the Paddy wagon so we hop in and they kick on the AC as we head back to the trucks.
Both bucks were in full rut, glands wide open and full of stink. When Josh spotted his deer he was pissing on himself and rubbing his horns and face all over the brush. The does we saw must not be ready but the bucks sure are! My buck had a 12" spread and Josh's buck had 18" spread with eye guards.
I still can't believe we saw no other hunters.......I guess I have a great spot seeing as the area also holds pigs and a ton of quail.
Good luck to all!!
great story!
