Perhaps the deer in WA are queer?

I guess I'm getting to be a bit of a big softy the older I get. That old Gladiator was a haggard, scarred up, battle tested beast who obviously lived a full life of fightin' & lovin'. He looked really content to just be enjoying some of his last apples during his last glimmer of his last warm fall sunshine. He earned it.

Our encounter made me wonder and ponder a bit about if'n I'll ever put my guns in the ground.

That's what I've enjoyed since the boy has started hunting that last 8 years; is focusing on getting him a deer (or 2). During this time I've only killed 3 bucks. Once we'd harvest a deer for the freezer, then I could enjoy "the hunt" for a bigger buck rather than just focus on killing any legal buck.

It's like when I morphed from "having" to kill a limit of steelhead/salmon to make the trip "successful", to enjoying the trip and IF we caught fish or if they were only wild it was still a great trip!

Way back in the early '80's, I was a young buck that deer hunted with a co-worker that had horses and a long time pard of his that was decades of seasons ahead of us both. After being out playing hide-n-seek with alpine mulies from can't see to can't see, I returned to the wall tent and a hissing Coleman lantern to share dinner and our stories of the day. When it was our camp patriarch's turn he recounted the number of bucks he'd seen and how close or off yonder they were. I inquired as to why we weren't packing meat in the morning and he told me "Why would I ruin a perfectly good hunt?" with a grin and a wink for emphasis. He'd been blessed with many good hunts, good company around many campfires, left countless boot tracks over the mountains of many states, and lived to his middle 90's before the Good Lord punched his tag. We should all be so lucky....

Amen.

At 55 I can relate.
Not sure how many miles I covered this year but it was many, many miles.
Most between 7,000 and 10,000 feet.
All the different weather experienced.
Saw every four legged creature in the woods I traveled ....except a griz.

A truly great year spending time with loved ones younger than me.

I passed on that old buck for two reasons. #1 his meat would have been shite and #2 my season would be over.

Two weekends from now, Toof and I are breaking tradition and heading over to the far east side for some hot Whitetail & Turkey action for a couple of days. There are some very nice bucks on cam and the weather & moon is going to be perfect, perfect. 1" - 3" of snow each night; cold with little wind. Nothing too huge on cam (yet), but several VERY nice shooters. For several reasons, I'm convinced that this specific country holds a true toad and while we haven't seen him yet....he's in there.

I haven't hunted WT's since I left Michigan, so 20 years. I've been fortunate to have culled truck loads of WT's with our farm permit. Like 4 in five minutes type killin'. But now, I'm so used to sneaky arsehole BT's thieving in the night, that I've almost forgot how normal deer operate. Fookin' BT's man - true bastards. I love to hate em' and hate that I love em'.

Besides spot n' stalk & still hunting, we'll have a ground couple of blinds set up. The plan is too take the shotty and rifle and many sammies, plop my butt down and chill for whatever may happen by. I might even take a nap just for Jaek.

If that hunt doesn't work out, we'll turn around and go back to the island a couple of days later for late Modern over here. Then it's a couple of days off until Nov 25th and I'm going Elk hunting until I get my animal.

So yeah...I'mma be fired soon.

Another cool thing...at least for me.

First, I FINALLY get to take my rebuilt Weatherby out after some animals. It's been a long time coming. It's a silky driver at the range and I expect no less in live action.

But more importantly, I get to break out my Gramps old 1894. 26" + iron sights. Much like the ol' Model 12 that slays island deer, this gun has killed more chit than small pox. 3 generations worth back to the late 30's. My dad took his first deer & elk with it, I took my first deer & elk with it. All those CO Mulies & Elk and MI WT's. Bart Starr dropped it on some rocks and gashed the stock (yes, that Bart Starr). So some history.

Old, cranky and VERY loose. Almost a mantle gun now, but still has a hunt or two left.

Stories like this are appreciated, get her back out and let her bark! Mantle biz, that's just silly talk.

Keith

Damn kid has been making me pack his baggage............Again.






Hope you guys find success.
.
.
.
.

Solid work!

I hope he shares with you, at least.

Fish on...

Todd

LOL.
At 14 I just hope he does his chores so I don't have to.

He will have some work to do now!

Seems like a good time for pops to explain the finer points of elk butchering...from 5 feet away sitting in a lawn chair with a cold drink.

Fish on...

Todd

Good job kid and dad! That's a nice bull for a youngin'. What color did he bite on?

330" 329"
He bit on a 300 mag at 738 yards.
Beware of the kid that shoots one gun.

He does pretty well with a knife. Just a little slow. I need to work on my patience.

Wife got hers with stick and string. Fun stuff with lots of bulls responsive to calling.




Shoot straight guys.

HELL YES TO ALL OF THAT!

Friday morning sunrise can't get here soon enough.

CONGRATS to all involved! Fantastic Wapitis!

Congrats to your son on a fine bull and exceptional shooting!

Probably not WA given it's not a spike. Have seen a goodly number of Clydesdale bulls up close with the ubiquitous WA spike only tag in the pack. Love MT and WY for better odds....

Todd and I had a great EA WA WT hunt. Tags are still unnotched. We passed on some dinks. Lots and lots of animals, but no hot does or swollen necks just yet....which was a bit frustrating. Not even a lone cruiser. We had a mix of weather from cold and snowy rain to warmer sunshine. The rut in there will probably start tomorrow morning.

Oh well. Its a neat area with lots of animals. I had a blast and I can't wait to get back there next year.

Now it's back to the Island for 4 final days next weekend to git' er done.

Thanks for the report and good luck !