Sunday, Mergrath (Tim) and I headed out in hopes to fill a tag. We got to our spot and set up. I would look down hill and he stayed above. An hour into the morning I spotted a few deer and could tell at least one was a buck. I didn't wait to see what he was and headed down after him. I tried to text and radio Tim that I was heading down after a buck but neither reached him. The buck was about 3/4 mile away. I closed the gap quickly and set up for a shot. Due to a big ravine I couldn't get closer then 330 yards. So I waited until he moved in hopes of him getting closer. Well the buck followed his doe down hill and a little closer to about 300 yards.. A few shoots later he dropped. I never really looked at his horns except to see he was legal. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked up on this buck.
Well, I was along ways down this steep hill with a dead buck. My radio goes off and it's Tim telling me he spotted a buck along ways off on top of the hill. I told him I had one down but to go after the one he spotted. I knew he will kill it and I was going to have to carry this thing out solo. I was screwed. I quartered it out and tossed it all on my pack and started up. Now, I think i'm in pretty good shape. I CrossFit 5-6 days a week along with 2-3 days of a heavy squat program and mix in some extra running/ hiking but this hike killed me. I would only make it 50' at times and have to take my pack off and rest because my legs were cramping so bad. It took me roughly 90 minutes to go about 2 miles but I made it to the jeep. After a few high fives and a beer we headed off in the jeep to pick up his pack with his buck on it.
Now that my both my A-22 and D-16 tags are filled I get to help a few friends and their kids fill their tags. I love helping just as much as being the one with the tag in my pocket.
Well, I was along ways down this steep hill with a dead buck. My radio goes off and it's Tim telling me he spotted a buck along ways off on top of the hill. I told him I had one down but to go after the one he spotted. I knew he will kill it and I was going to have to carry this thing out solo. I was screwed. I quartered it out and tossed it all on my pack and started up. Now, I think i'm in pretty good shape. I CrossFit 5-6 days a week along with 2-3 days of a heavy squat program and mix in some extra running/ hiking but this hike killed me. I would only make it 50' at times and have to take my pack off and rest because my legs were cramping so bad. It took me roughly 90 minutes to go about 2 miles but I made it to the jeep. After a few high fives and a beer we headed off in the jeep to pick up his pack with his buck on it.
Now that my both my A-22 and D-16 tags are filled I get to help a few friends and their kids fill their tags. I love helping just as much as being the one with the tag in my pocket.
