I drew here in idaho a muzzleloader either sex tag, it's always a fun hunt, planned on taking a week, chasing deer, enjoying the wild places, unfortunately, life gets in the way, and the week off isn't gonna happen. I put in some extra time, managed to get friday, off, giving me a long weekend to hunt, except.... The kid has a youth football game saturday morning at 830.
Talked to my son, told him if I could make it back home, I would certainly try, and he understood the reason I might have to miss it.
I unpack the truck, taking out all the comforts of home,wall tent,stove, cot, grill, etc, and throw in backpack gear, small tent, foam for the back of the truck, and make plans to roll early Friday morning. Arriving at my hunt area at dawn, I changed from flip flops to boots, and stuffed powder and ball in the front of the rifle, shouldered my daypack and strolled up the hill.
About halfway up the hill in the half light, I hear the unmistakable sounds of deer bounding away from me. Dang it busted already, but at least I know there are deer in the area, as expected, so I get to the ridgetop and settle down to watch it turn into morning, and what a morning, cool, crisp, and first thing I see is doe and fawns on the mountainside, enjoying the early morning sunshine, and snacking on the brush. I'm not especially known for trigger restraint, and with the time thoughts it's a good thing I didn't have a great shot when a dink buck walked by at about 80 yards, or I'd have been home by lunch.
I spent the day on the mountain, several blown stalks, and a nice nap in the pines, A little sunshine, some deer watching at a distance that I couldn't figure out how to close on, and just generally the kind of day I really go hunting for.
As the sun started darkening the canyons, I decided I'd head back to the truck, since I'd left my phone/gps/camerea there, and still kinda needed to find a flat spot to sleep, I walked off the hillside and cut across an abandoned logging road, that the forest service had done a good enough job of cutting trenches in, and hadn't been turned into a superhighway for quads, and there stood a dink buck, I put the rangefinder on him, with a thought that if I get this done, I'd still make the kids game and at 88 yards, I settled into a seating position, and squeezed off a round, knowing that it's what most of us would consider a chip shot. When the smoke cleared, I see my buck standing there, staring at me wondering what that loud noise was.I reach into my pocket and find another premeasured charge/load thingy, and load up again. This deer is still standing there, waiting to be shot. Since I missed the first time, I slide into a prone position, stuffing my daypack in front to use as a rest, and settle the sights behind his shoulder and squeeze off a second round, same result, smoke, noise, deer standing there. i started thinking bad things about my shooting skills, or lack thereof, and fumbled in my pack for another load pack. I managed to get the gun reloaded, and think about everything I've ever been told about shooting, inhale, exhale, steady, calm, and overthink everything, when I pulled the trigger this time the buck strolled away, as if he had no care in the world.
I've still got about 15 min;utes of shooting light left, and figure I'd better at least go look for blood, so I reload the dang gun, and go over to look at the scene, I find all three bulletholes in a tree behind my target, I'd shot over his back with every shot. After some cussing of the most important part of every firearm, the nut behind the trigger, I turned to plod back to the truck, resigned that I'd miss my son's football game, after all, a gift deer had been given to me, and I blew it, but when I turned there was a doe standing there, staring at me, instinctively I pulled the rifle up, and settled the sight behind her shoulder, and pulled the trigger. I heard the smack of the bullet when I pulled the trigger and the deer jumped off the berm. I walked over to look and saw my deer laying there, the rest was just the work portion, in the near dark, and got back to the truck shortly after.
When someone gives you gifts like that, Say thanks, and make the most of them
I watched my son play this morning, 2 half sacks and part of a forced fumble, and a win for the team
Talked to my son, told him if I could make it back home, I would certainly try, and he understood the reason I might have to miss it.
I unpack the truck, taking out all the comforts of home,wall tent,stove, cot, grill, etc, and throw in backpack gear, small tent, foam for the back of the truck, and make plans to roll early Friday morning. Arriving at my hunt area at dawn, I changed from flip flops to boots, and stuffed powder and ball in the front of the rifle, shouldered my daypack and strolled up the hill.
About halfway up the hill in the half light, I hear the unmistakable sounds of deer bounding away from me. Dang it busted already, but at least I know there are deer in the area, as expected, so I get to the ridgetop and settle down to watch it turn into morning, and what a morning, cool, crisp, and first thing I see is doe and fawns on the mountainside, enjoying the early morning sunshine, and snacking on the brush. I'm not especially known for trigger restraint, and with the time thoughts it's a good thing I didn't have a great shot when a dink buck walked by at about 80 yards, or I'd have been home by lunch.
I spent the day on the mountain, several blown stalks, and a nice nap in the pines, A little sunshine, some deer watching at a distance that I couldn't figure out how to close on, and just generally the kind of day I really go hunting for.
As the sun started darkening the canyons, I decided I'd head back to the truck, since I'd left my phone/gps/camerea there, and still kinda needed to find a flat spot to sleep, I walked off the hillside and cut across an abandoned logging road, that the forest service had done a good enough job of cutting trenches in, and hadn't been turned into a superhighway for quads, and there stood a dink buck, I put the rangefinder on him, with a thought that if I get this done, I'd still make the kids game and at 88 yards, I settled into a seating position, and squeezed off a round, knowing that it's what most of us would consider a chip shot. When the smoke cleared, I see my buck standing there, staring at me wondering what that loud noise was.I reach into my pocket and find another premeasured charge/load thingy, and load up again. This deer is still standing there, waiting to be shot. Since I missed the first time, I slide into a prone position, stuffing my daypack in front to use as a rest, and settle the sights behind his shoulder and squeeze off a second round, same result, smoke, noise, deer standing there. i started thinking bad things about my shooting skills, or lack thereof, and fumbled in my pack for another load pack. I managed to get the gun reloaded, and think about everything I've ever been told about shooting, inhale, exhale, steady, calm, and overthink everything, when I pulled the trigger this time the buck strolled away, as if he had no care in the world.
I've still got about 15 min;utes of shooting light left, and figure I'd better at least go look for blood, so I reload the dang gun, and go over to look at the scene, I find all three bulletholes in a tree behind my target, I'd shot over his back with every shot. After some cussing of the most important part of every firearm, the nut behind the trigger, I turned to plod back to the truck, resigned that I'd miss my son's football game, after all, a gift deer had been given to me, and I blew it, but when I turned there was a doe standing there, staring at me, instinctively I pulled the rifle up, and settled the sight behind her shoulder, and pulled the trigger. I heard the smack of the bullet when I pulled the trigger and the deer jumped off the berm. I walked over to look and saw my deer laying there, the rest was just the work portion, in the near dark, and got back to the truck shortly after.
When someone gives you gifts like that, Say thanks, and make the most of them
I watched my son play this morning, 2 half sacks and part of a forced fumble, and a win for the team
