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ADK Birthday Buck! My 3rd Hamilton county buck!

NFA-ADK

By NFA-ADK,
in Deer Hunting

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NFA-ADK Rookie

NFA-ADK

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Made the long trip up to Moose River Wed for 10 days of hunting with supplies and clothes for a month because I was going to go back to work for a week then head back up that Friday night for 2 more weeks.  Base camp took all day as usual to set up with securing the tarps, tent, stove, cook shack and unpacking everything.  Day 2 I head out about 9 am   Ahh too tired now, quick version.  I called in a buck, took the beauty around 3:30, details to follow just need sleep for now...  So tired 3 days 1 set up 2 shoot deer and drag out a mile day 3 repack everything and drive home Arg I am so tired!!!  But Thrilled at the fact that I accomplished a life time goal set up with almost a month to accomplish and did in one day, on my Birthday!!!  My 3rd Moose River buck!!!  :biggrin:

This trip, and deer are dedicated to Christopher James Flathmann.  RIP Love you Brother!  He was with us in spirit!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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NFA-ADK Rookie

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I am on cloud 9 right now!  I had jumped a deer(Never saw it) earlier in the day and tried to call him back with some rattling, ended up going and paying a visit to the area where I took my last buck in 2010 and did not see any other deer.  Forgetting my Marlboro at base camp I headed out and made it back to camp around 1:15.  My buddy Mike informed me of his intention to read his book then take a nap...  (He was not happy it was raining and nasty out, I was like I LIVE for this!!!)  I told him I would probably be out of radio contact until after dark but to turn the radio on at that point.  (I was planning a long hike down a trail with good sign about a mile back.) 1:37pm
 
 
I headed up to the spot where I missed my 2010 Birthday buck and tried some doe calls while sitting in cover.  After about 25-30 minutes I heard a grunt in the direction I know deer travel and responded with a similar low toned young sounding grunt, no response to my grunt call so I kept quiet.  I could hear a rubbing noise just out of view and was wondering what it was...  He was just below the ridge I was on and out of sight but I could hear him make what sounded like 3 rubs in about a half hour then he wanted to see what was going on and walked into view.  I hesitated for a minute contemplating if he was big enough but that was short lived as the side he showed me had enough gear for my heart to start pumping!  The lever action 44 Mag worked again...  He ran from about 40 yards in front of me down hill to about 40 yards above me uphill in a big half circle. 3:30  Due to so much rain and bad weather I did not try blood tracking and climbed straight up the last spot I saw him.  Not seeing any movement as I looked uphill I started to get upset that maybe I MISSED him?  As I get the GPS to mark my spot I look over to my left and 10 feet away he is down. 

 

Two rounds behind the shoulder with one taking out the heart ensured a quick recovery.  I tagged then cleaned him and dragged him to the trail then I hiked a mile back to base camp to get Mike to help, a few hours later we made it back to camp.  The relieve of finding him so easily, getting him on my birthday and the first day of hunting and being able to call him into me with enough understanding of what not to do just thrills me to no end...  Playing around with the calls on LI while bow hunting has helped my hunting tremendously.  He is not a monster bruiser but I will never complain about getting a 9 pt ADK buck they are like unicorns!  WOW I think I might just go off the deep end now, crazy.  Now I get to spend Thanksgiving with the family and FOOD!!!  Camera pictures are not that great but the video is OK...

 

 

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Still unpacking, at least I only have one day of clothes to clean!  I will upload the video soon, that came out better than the pictures. 

THANKS for all the compliments, it means the world to hear these from my peers...  ADK deer hunting is my passion as many of you know.  I consider LI my testing grounds for deer and ADK my proving grounds.  Bites his tong.  Nothing against LI deer it's just that I could get a monster LI buck and it will still never compete with and deep woods ADK buck...  JMO

 

I still can not believe this happened on day one...  I did not even get to put on any war paint!!!  So happy I took up bow hunting, not only has it raised my game it has given me more time to hunt now that rifle is over.  While luck, I believe is always a part of hunting, I seem to be getter better every year at creating my own.  Between the books, videos, internet and obsession with getting and proving I can become a good ADK deer hunter I think has finally brought me to this point.  But man the speed bumps I hit on the way where as bad as the dirt road ride onto Moose River!  My passion for ADK deer hunting has come to a climax yet I still have this nagging itch to go back up and help my friends, just wonder if they are still going to go up...  Between my shooting skills, getting into better shape and putting many resources to work and using them in the field with the 26 years of experience on top has proven that if you work at something hard enough, you can accomplish it.  Funny I though the itch might go away after proving to myself that I could take 3 deer out of this remote area but I was wrong.  So much for 24 days of hunting, wow I have a lot of vacation time left...  Bow on LI is fun and I learn so much while doing it!  Unreal, I still can not believe I am home lol.

 

WOW

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Hey Jeff, Nice buck.  A 1 mile drag is work.  Glad you got one.  Happy Birthday!

Thanks!  That drag was LONG!!!  I wanted to stay till Sunday when my friend was suppose to go back but he wanted to go home so I could not disagree...  But that was 3 days of WORK!  So much food, water, wood, wall tents, poles, tarps, spikes, wood burning stove, cooler and clothes for a month.  I am tired just typing it...  Thinking back on last years hunt I know how blessed I was this year to stumble upon a buck so pathetically quick and in wet conditions.  Even with snow they seem to be so illusive and avoid roads or travel directly on the tire tracks.  I only found 2 buck tracks last year and missed a grunting buck so close I was afraid to turn around fearing he would see my movement...  I am still in shock!  And recover mode...   

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I put the video together, its ok I think.  Check it out and tell me what you think, its raw and uncut...  I usually do not post video of us hunting but felt this one was special. 

 

Hope this encourages more people to try this adventure, it is so fun and anyone can do it.  But being prepared is essential as this land can be the most hostile, unforgiving place when things go bad. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXFZgf0Xeb0&feature=youtu.be

Adult language...

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