Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Iderhole bound

csutton7

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Joined
Jan 5, 2001
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Omaha, NE usa
well since I was to leave Sat. morning you can see that I missed the boat--well what happened was I got sub-peona'd last Wed on this job I'm doing (owner sueing original contractor for major water leaks/dry rot and I'm fixing them)--I've been swamped trying to get things prepared for when I'll be gone, so I didn't look at the subpeona figuring I'd have 2-3 weeks to get my stuff together---so of course I get all my work stuff complete--3 estimates, some tax stuff and work done and I start packing and it hits me that I should see when I need to really have the stuff ready for the sub-peona when I get back---YIKES it's due the 23rd--so I call the deposition place, but they're closed, so now I have to make a zillion copies of my job records---so guess what I'm not leaving SAT or SUN for sure---but good news is I've got it ready to send out at 8:30 this morning and then Max and I are on our way---what a pain in the backside---so everyone good luck out there this next week----we are headed for Boise today(probably arrive in Boise at Midnight or so) and then will make the final leg tomorrow and pack in and start hunting Wed morn. although we may get out Tuesday evening----Moosie or anyone, you can call me if you see this today (415-713-9434) and leave a message---not sure when we are coming out, but next Monday is probably the latest we will stay in---chris
 
Drive safe csutton7 on your trek to our wonderful state! I don't remember off hand where you are hunting but the weather is looking good for the next few days. Keep in touch and hopefully you can fill the freezers with some Idaho critters.
 
well we got back last night and I'm telling you hiking straight up 1500' to 2500' in elevation( camp at 5500' and the deer were between 7500' and 8000') is no picnic for 0' elevation guys---anyway we pack into camp, set up camp and hike up 1500' to glass for the evening---we meet another hunter(aren't we lucky) who is looking for his knife he lost the day before and he is going to sit and see what shows up(nothing) at the same tree he was at the other day and hope he finds his knife also--Max and I hike around the ridge and sit and glass up a canyon--nothing moving----

morning #2 finds us going up a trail to get a better idea of the lay of the land so we can attack the drainages with some semblance of intelligence(long shot I know)---anyway we meet two guys with horses coming out---they had horse/mule trouble and one guy was beat up and he went to the hospital when they got out(found out he was ok)---anyway we talk a little and they give us some pointers and we head up and they head out---at about 6500' we are taking a break and all of a sudden two border collies come up the trail--WTF is this and then here comes an outfitter packing in 2 guys for 8 days---well we decide to just hang tight and start to glass the drainage in front of us----after awhile I spot a deer---a doe--she's by herself so I think that's odd and that maybe she has a buck with her---so out comes the spotter and after about 30 minutes of looking at 60 power I spot something that looks like antlers and then a face---I keep checking it out and it moves--buck for sure and he looks decent, but we have to wait for him to stand in the snow to get an idea---he finally does--he's got 6 pts on one side and at least 4 on the other, but the front fork is a crab, but anyway we sit and see what he does, he's just eating and looks like he is going to stay, so we make a plan to hike up the ridge to get across from him and see if we can really check him out and maybe lay some lead into him---so off we go to 7500', but I get busted by a 20" 4x4 (50 yds) and he in turn spooks 9 elk--although the elk aren't really spooked they do go across the drainage about 300 yds above us and our buck we are after, so we wait them out and move into position to see if we can see our deer---we are 340 yds across from where he was, but we can't locate him-- he must've moved just enough over the ridge that we couldn't see him---gets dark and back to camp we go---

morning #3 finds us going straight up to 8000' feet and we are moving across the top of the drainage when I see a cow elk bedded 60yds in front of us--so we back up about 5yds, so we can use some trees to give us some cover, so that we can glass down the canyon for deer---well she hears us and stands up and barks, but she can't tell what we are---she keeps an eye on us for quite some time----in the mean time I've seen some does down below 400-500 yds---there's more elk cows, calves, a spike and Max sees a rag horn( I don't cuz I'm trying to find a buck or two)----anyway after awhile the elk meander off and we can sit and glass---there's a buck finally----I tell Max he's at least a 3x3 and it's his choice---now Max is from Kyrgystan and never shot a deer, nor any big game here in the US of A, so it's up to him---420 yds and a pretty steep down hill shot---I tell Max if you want him aim like he's at 300 yds---so Max gets set up and a minute later there's hoofs in the air and a buck tumbling down the slope----Max has his first big game animal from the USA---I'm happy for him, he's a great guy and keeps a super attitude the whole time(including the last 2 yrs where we saw very little)-----so we butcher it on the spot and get back to camp at 10pm and finally sack out at about midnight----

next day we pack the deer out to the truck and head to the SD Lodge to get some ice and a burger----we get back to camp(feet hurting) and relax for the rest of the day---clean camp and organize and do some feet repair---

last day we go up again to 8000' and at about 7600' there's a another 20" 4x4 at 50 yds, but I let him walk to grow up and have some fun; he's a good looking young buck, very symmetrical with eye guards---up we go and we meet one of the guys we met with the horses the 2nd day we were hunting(that's why we know the other guy went to the hospital and is ok--he had tore the skin to the bone on one of his fingers and was scratched and beat up)--I'm telling you this guy was tough, because when we met them earlier he sat there on his horse and talked to us and he wanted to stay and hunt his buddy told us--anyway we chat a little and he says he's after elk and had we seen any--we hadn't--we head our separate ways---we work past the top of one drainage and drop into another--after about 15 minutes Max sees and doe---then I see another and finally there are 4 does and bam here comes a buck, nose in the air right out to this little point---142 yds away---Max is egging me to shoot, but nope he's another small 4x4 and he will get to live another day--but it was a blast watching him go back and forth to eating, sniffing and running to that point with his nose high in the air---after about 45 minutes we leave them and cross into the drainage that separated us from the big boy from day two----nothing there, so we head back to camp--- pack up and get to Boise at 11:30 pm, Burger King up----we hit the Double Tree--shower up and hit the lounge until closing---

we leave Sunday morning and I get home at 10pm last night----sure wish there was time to meet up Moosie, but with us being late on all accounts and you being out of town so much I felt we shouldn't take you away from the family--

Max should email me a couple of pics--we didn't take many because his battery was acting up, when he does I'll try and post them or email them to Moosie to post-----chris
 
Congrats to Max on his first deer and sticking it out.

I always start out trying to do that type of hunt but after the first nite on the ground it's always, "Screw this, I'm going back to camp."
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

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