We woke the next morning and took off down the trail to our first overlook. The weather was way nicer than expected. I don’t think the temperatures dropped below freezing all night. The sun greeted us to a great showing.
Way up high we cut a herd of deer tracks, unfortunately they were atleast a day old. The high basin seemed to hold no more animals. The snow had developed a hard crust that we could walk on and I believe the deer were having too hard of a time feeding. All the tracks went down hill. You got to go where the deer are! So we spent the day following tracks. They seemed to prefer upper mid elevation, new growth pine trees that were about 15 feet tall. They could feed out of the wind, and there was great grass in these stands. Bad for us that it was impossible to hunt with the crunchy snow! I jumped one good buck at 40 yards but never got a good look. We tried cutting down lower in elevation to some old logged areas with tall grass without snow, but never cut a single track. They preferd the high elevation and snow. Towards evening it really started to blow and rain. I don’t mind the wind and can handle the snow no problem. But camping in the rain with 2 people in the back of a pickup topper trying to dry cloths sucks. I decided to call it a weekend.
That gave me time to finish up my two euros of the animals I shot earlier this year and get things situated for next week. 5 more days of work and then it’s hunting 9 days for the rut! Let’s hope the weather man brings us some more snow.
We saw one buck that might have been decent but couldn’t get good glass on him. Sunday we headed up an area way closer to town. With a totally full parking lot we had our doubts. The area we had picked out wasn’t all that far from the trailhead, but very steep. Monday morning rolled around nice and finally calm. We found a nice place to glass from and as I set my bag down it started to roll down the mountain side with my rifle strapped in it. I went to grab it and out popped my binoculars from my chest rig. I watched as they cartwheeled down the mountain. My hunting partner had been giving me a lot of crap about not teathering them in. Much to say, when we finally found them I attached them to my chest rig. As the sun rose we quickly spotted deer.
I decided to pass on a few 140” 4x4’s. I guess they were 3 year old bucks but wanted something better. Not great pics but a decent bucks if it was a general tag. We spotted one more great buck I guessed about 5 years old but it was 2 miles away and a very steep canyon away. We decided to drop it anyway since we needed water. As we were filling up water the filter broke. So much for that. Instead of pushing further we headed back with our water levels low. Our evening glassing session turned up a few more bucks but nothing special. I still think it’s odd camping so close to town. We could hear people working in the valley below.
We gain spotted lots of bucks. But again lots of 3 year old 4x4’s
Again I decided to pass. I am hoping as the rut picks up we can find some better deer. Packed up camp this afternoon since we where running out of water and food and headed back home for the night. Nice to take a shower and eat some real food. Going back in tomorrow morning for another four days to find mister big!
Now the real work began. He died wedged into a dead fall on a steep hillside. We struggled to get him quartered out, while working around that tree but got it done. With night approaching we packed him out to a cool creek bottom, finishing the last load in the dark. Luckily we made it to a nice trail for a reasonable pack out for tomorrow. 
We set off down to the creek bottom to start piggybacking our loads towards the truck. We saw one little 4x4 along the way and one doe in our second trip.
A friend helped us shuttle the last couple miles with the help of an otter sled. Luckily that part was all snow covered. After 7 hours and 8.5 miles we had it done. Then came the long trudge back to camp just as night fell. Hopefully this wind will die down and we get a couple of nice days.That is a really nice bull elk, congrats. That has been a successful hunt for you guys
After no sleep for two days because of the horrible wind I decided to head home for the evening and sleep in a real bed. This morning we packed in hitting the trail before 5am to a spot we have been seeing more does and bucks. I found this guy at first light. 
I was starting to get a little buck fever. All I could see was a huge main frame with decent mass. As it got lighter out I began to see he was just a 3x3. Apparently he was king of the ridge and spent all morning showing the trees just who was the boss. We found three more smaller bucks including another 3x3 that walked past us at 49 yards and the decent 4x4 we saw earlier this week. The afternoon sun in and all the deer bedded down for the day. As night approached I saw a doe emerge from the trees and the large main framed 3x3 stood guard all evening again showing the trees he was the boss. A small 2x2 came out of the same draw and made his way to the next drainage. And that was it. One last morning hunt tomorrow. Also saw some huge flicks of Bohemian waxwings. 
We will see what tomorrow brings.
The one saving grace for the weekend is I found a decent 3 point shed. It made a decent kickstand for the backpack.
It looks like I’ll only get more more day out this week. Still holding out for something special Saturday or this will be my first deer tag soup in 15 years. With a full freezer from an Alaskan fishing trip and already notched tags of 2 turkeys, an antelope and elk, I just don’t have the heart to shot a small deer to accomplish my Montana “trifecta”. Let’s bring on some snow mid week and hope for the best to close out the big game season.
Luckily in the few areas I could see I found deer. I watched a couple bucks chasing around a couple of hot does. Again just your average 3x3 2 year olds. I found a few more single does way up high still with no bucks around. The clouds broke away as the sun came up and I started getting cold. 
I made my way to the next drainage in. I cut some buck tracks up high but nothing of size. For the afternoon I found a nice rock perch and glassed the timbered north sides. I picked out a few small herds of does but again no bucks. I finally ran into another deer hunter a few miles in. It’s the first deer hunter I have talked to. I thought I was the only one crazy enough to be hunting back there. With day light fading I made my way back towards my first overlook. I had forgotten my headlamp and my spare was low on batteries and I didn’t want to walk too far back in the dark with no trail. I spotted a doe all alone bedded in this avalanche chute. 
I waited around till sunset but nothing else showed up to greet her. As I made my way back towards the truck I ran into these three does. They let me approach to 20 yards before they had enough.
And just like that it’s over. First year I haven’t shot a buck in 28 years.
You gave more effort than 95% of the tag holders. Thanks for sharing a great story here on Hunt Talk.
