So, we head over where we saw the 4X3 this morning. We are creeping along the rock ridden path to our glassing point and Moosie looks out his window and say, "You not interested on those ones up on the ridge?" He's kidding, right?
We stop and get out to see what Moosie is talking about. Lo and behold, twelve deer are out in the open. Hmmm.
We are getting our gear pulled, cameras, tripods, you name it. If nothing else, it would be good footage. While I am organizing my junk, Longbow and Moosie tell me the 4X3 is in the group. I was sure they were jerking my chain. Nope, he is there, rutting hard. I have never seen a buck rutting this early in the year.
I tell the guys we will let them leave the drainage and when they get over the ridge, we will go after them as they head to the basin we have been glassing all morning. It takes a few minutes for us to get organized and in that time, but group disappears out of sight as they head over the saddle.
We are now in hot pursuit. It takes about twenty minutes to get to the saddle. The deer were headed SW. The tracks are easy to follow in the sand and dirt. We get to the ridge and can now see the drainage below us.
I look at the drainage and see nothing. To my left, the entire group is looking at us at about 275 yards. I set up and Longbow is spotting the bucks in the group. The 4X3 is there, surrounded by eleven other deer. I range it and am steady on the bipod.
All I need is for the does to clear. As soon as one clears, another steps in front or behind. Or, the buck is facing away. This hopscotch game goes on for about ten minutes. Finally they are about 400 yards out. I'm not shooting at that range. Too much room for error and a resulting mess.
We watch the deer move east into another drainage where we had seen another hunter earlier. We follow them to the drainage edge. I decide to turn back, leaving this basin for that guy. Unknown to me, the guy had moved down to the bottom of the drainage and later we heard him shoot about a mile from where we had left the deer. I was worried he had shot this buck, but later, found out he had not.
So, no deer, but some great footage. He is a cool looking buck. Nothing huge, but for this hunt, having talked to many other tag holders, I think he is a decent buck. All the other deer hunters have complained that they have seen nothing but young deer.
And, being a guy who likes junk and strange antlers, this one will suffice. Plus, he has already built himself into the story line. As we were leaving the drainage tonight, Longbow noticed some deer a ways east of where we had left the group earlier. We pulled out the spotters and in the final light of the evening, the 4X3 skylined himself to let me know that if I so desired, he is willing to play the game tomorrow.
I think I will take him up on the idea. Not because I am looking for a buck of a lifetime, but this buck is hanging in a cool place and he is a good representative of what you can expect on a hunt that is as easy to draw as this one.
Will follow with another post of pics, if I can get them to load. Need to provide some visual proof that the one and only, Moosie, has been here sharing camp with us. Not sure when we will have a more distinguished camp guest than Mr. Moosie.
I guess you're lucky i'm not sitting by you or you'd of pulled the trigger or I would of grabbed the gun and shot for you. Someone once told me "Don't pass up the first few days that which you'd shoot on the last." Hmm wonder who that was?
