Nephew Perma’s 100 Day Challenge
- Thread starter perma
- Start date
jeremy.b
Well-known member
Not as frustrating, but it took me 25 years from when I started archery hunting them, until I killed one with a bow. Granted, I had a few rifle hunt successes in there, so again, not quite the same, but we get it.
Hang in there Perma! Focus on the tags ahead. You got this!
perma
Well-known member
There we go!
Sheltowee
Well-known member
perma
Well-known member
Well a lot of folks want a wrap up, and I’m a man of the people, so a wrap up you shall receive.
I drew this tag in ID out of sheer luck. I had no real intention of drawing it because I’m the world’s unluckiest person. But on my way back from Denver, I get an email from IDFG stating that I drew my coveted deer tag. I had to pull over and grab a chili burger to celebrate. The research began in a restaurant in Northglenn.
I immediately received two hands to offer advice which I promptly took. I also committed to scouting the unit since I’ve never been that far west into ID. The scouting trip was decent, but was battling smoke from fires they were having. I let that dog lie for a long time until last week when I got hyper focused on the hunt.
I departed Sunday due to some weather on I80. I got to my AIRBNB that evening (don’t judge me, I’m over flappy tents this year) and scout my map one more time. A report I read said to go look for deer in very high brush, so that was the plan.
I’ve been a little absent from my marriage these last few months, so my wife asked the question “when are you gonna shoot one”? To which I replied “I’ll know when I see it”.
I drew this tag in ID out of sheer luck. I had no real intention of drawing it because I’m the world’s unluckiest person. But on my way back from Denver, I get an email from IDFG stating that I drew my coveted deer tag. I had to pull over and grab a chili burger to celebrate. The research began in a restaurant in Northglenn.
I immediately received two hands to offer advice which I promptly took. I also committed to scouting the unit since I’ve never been that far west into ID. The scouting trip was decent, but was battling smoke from fires they were having. I let that dog lie for a long time until last week when I got hyper focused on the hunt.
I departed Sunday due to some weather on I80. I got to my AIRBNB that evening (don’t judge me, I’m over flappy tents this year) and scout my map one more time. A report I read said to go look for deer in very high brush, so that was the plan.
I’ve been a little absent from my marriage these last few months, so my wife asked the question “when are you gonna shoot one”? To which I replied “I’ll know when I see it”.
perma
Well-known member
I wake up the next morning full of piss and vinegar. I jump into my truck and start down the road. I get to a spot that I scouted when I was here. I walk to an edge of a cliff and have a great view of some folds and a mountain in front of me. The wind was ripe but not too cold. I glass for 2 hours and turn up nothing. I hit the panic button right away cuz I assumed I’d see deer right away. I start to hike a bit further in and find a few recent signs they were walking through here. I thought maybe go down the road further and maybe the bucks are still back here.
I drove down the road and at the end of the intersection I see a single spike buck pacing through the brush. I sit and watch him only to realize that he’s eating the top part of the sage. Bingo.
To my left, I notice a weird shift in the brush, I glass it and it turns out to be a 4 point buck. My heart raced immediately as I saw his eye guards but realized his back forks were awfully short. I ZOLEO my wife and inquire on the buck and she replied “if you’re already seeing them, keep looking”.
I drove off and wrapped around and started to second guess my eyes. I decided to relocate him to really make sure I wasn’t missing anything. A guy in a 4 wheeler told me he took off above the fence line, so I drove down there to find him. I hiked a steep rocky hill in the wind only to find nothing. I had lunch and decided I wasn’t going to wrap back around and go to the top of another hill and take a nap.
As I drive back, I notice another shift to my left. It was two does eating the same brush. All of this sudden, a third pops out. It’s this very large eye guard buck, and he has eyes on me. I glass him up and said “he’s the one”.
I get out of my truck after backing up and plan the stalk. The wind is terrible for me and blew me out to them. They didn’t run far, I wrap around a bump and find them in a small little decline on the hillside. I glass him one more time and decide this is the one I’m shooting. He sees me but the does don’t so he doesn’t move. I hit the range at 150 yard and hold zero. The doe is behind him and they’re not moving so I hold my position for what felt like an eternity. Once she moves, breathe in, breathe out.
Boom, *THWAP*
He stands there and acts like nothing happened but blood is running from his lung. I load another.
Boom, *THWAP*
Still standing there after a lung shot. WTF!?
Boom ,*THWAP*
STILL STANDING THERE! And he even walks down towards me, but he’s mortally wounded. I lost sight of him so I decided to sit for a few minutes. I then decide to go back to my truck and make the lap around to get closer. I get out and make my trek to find him. Piled up next to some lumbered trees.
Season. Over.
I drove down the road and at the end of the intersection I see a single spike buck pacing through the brush. I sit and watch him only to realize that he’s eating the top part of the sage. Bingo.
To my left, I notice a weird shift in the brush, I glass it and it turns out to be a 4 point buck. My heart raced immediately as I saw his eye guards but realized his back forks were awfully short. I ZOLEO my wife and inquire on the buck and she replied “if you’re already seeing them, keep looking”.
I drove off and wrapped around and started to second guess my eyes. I decided to relocate him to really make sure I wasn’t missing anything. A guy in a 4 wheeler told me he took off above the fence line, so I drove down there to find him. I hiked a steep rocky hill in the wind only to find nothing. I had lunch and decided I wasn’t going to wrap back around and go to the top of another hill and take a nap.
As I drive back, I notice another shift to my left. It was two does eating the same brush. All of this sudden, a third pops out. It’s this very large eye guard buck, and he has eyes on me. I glass him up and said “he’s the one”.
I get out of my truck after backing up and plan the stalk. The wind is terrible for me and blew me out to them. They didn’t run far, I wrap around a bump and find them in a small little decline on the hillside. I glass him one more time and decide this is the one I’m shooting. He sees me but the does don’t so he doesn’t move. I hit the range at 150 yard and hold zero. The doe is behind him and they’re not moving so I hold my position for what felt like an eternity. Once she moves, breathe in, breathe out.
Boom, *THWAP*
He stands there and acts like nothing happened but blood is running from his lung. I load another.
Boom, *THWAP*
Still standing there after a lung shot. WTF!?
Boom ,*THWAP*
STILL STANDING THERE! And he even walks down towards me, but he’s mortally wounded. I lost sight of him so I decided to sit for a few minutes. I then decide to go back to my truck and make the lap around to get closer. I get out and make my trek to find him. Piled up next to some lumbered trees.
Season. Over.
perma
Well-known member
By some stroke of luck, I’m going elk hunting to finish off the week. Still a chance for a bull.
