2010 Western hunts

[catskillkid]

Anyone hunt in the western states or Canada this past season?

Let's see the stories and pics.

[Pygmy]

Catskill..Maybe nobody WENT hunting out west or north last year..

I didn't, except for gobbler hunting in Ontario.. My last hunt was in Wyoming for pronghorns in 2009..

Going for moose in Newfoundland this September, though...

As the weather improves I'm gonna be hiking to get in shape for that...

[catskillkid]

Hey Pygmy

Times are hard for most people this year, It's hard to come up with the scratch to hunt elk or other western critters.

I did put enough $ away in the cookie jar over the last few years for a mountain goat hunt in British Columbia in 2010. I thought I died and went to heaven, what a dream hunt it was, the mountains were amazing. Had to do it while my legs were still able to climb those hills.

Sept. should be a great time for a Newfie moose, the rut should be in full force! Let me know how you make out.

How did you do on your Wyoming pronghorn hunt? any pics?

Catskillkid

[BizCT]

My dad took 2 Wolves in British Columbia last winter. #2 and # 5 all time in British Columbia record books. Both were black.

[Dinsdale]

Preface; This hunt was done by hooking up with a guy over a hunting forum that has members who all shoot a similar brand of rifle. We had been exchanging posts and PM's for about 2 years and before this hunt, never met face to face.....This was a private landowner tag, bought from an outfitter who also runs cattle on the ranch(18,000 acres) We brought our own food, and a bunk house was accomodation for the duration of the hunt. We drove to the property daily and was an unguided hunt, with map and a quick tour of the property the day before the 5 day long season......this is copied from that forum.

Flew Southwest from Albany NY in my part of the world to San Antonio,TX to meet up with fellow Blaser enthusiast "thechamp" to overnite and then drive the 600 miles to N.M. near Cloudcroft. There we would meet up with a friend of his in the outfitting business; Steve. We arrived in early evening and quickly became settled in our rooms for the next days quick tour of the ranch we would be hunting for the 5 day season. My mind was quickly at ease as the terrain was similar to another part of the world where I hunted a few years ago for several weeks doing spot and stalk hunting.

Steves place;

Day 1 started with the short drive South to the ranch and an area we checked out the day before was to be my terrain for the day. During the walk in I could hear the click of hooves on the gravel in the darkness; Deer making their escape from my footsteps.Before long I was glassing a bowl at first light looking for some movement. I slowly changed position when 2 bucks jumped the stock fence behind me; splitting to both sides of me. The larger headed over the top to my right; but the other circled to my left through the clump of cedars where I had been sitting at dawn. He picked up a friend in the movement from higher above him; but as they settled, I never had a good view of his full rack, just on side which had 4 pts and good size. The smaller deer bedded down at 285 yds from me while I searched for a view of his larger cousin.

First days area;

3x3 in the center of the frame under the bush;

A little closer

During this time a few does moved through and in the distance several bucks, including one that was sure to be a dandy. He settled in a group of cedar further down the draw; but unsure of the ranch boundries, and this being the first day, I decided to stick with my plan of getting a look at the hidden buck. Eventually using sparse cover, I closed to the bedded buck within 150 yds, and tried to gain a better angle on his buddy. After a while in the sun, I wished I hadn't left my pack in the brush above me, cause these deer are patient. Finally the hidden buck moved and I found he was a fine 4x3, but not what I was looking for. So I moved back to a saddle where I could catch some movement from 2 drainages for the evening. Several does popped up here and there, but nothing with some headgear.

All in all I had deer all day somewhere to look at and being able to close on the bedded buck while we each were in full view of each other, one yard at a time, was a price worth admission.

Day 2 had me in the same drainage and after consulting with Steve on how far down I could go, had me glassing the cedars where the bucks in the distance where the day before. The game changed however with a stiff wind on the ridges. So I backed out and worked off the bottom. Soon I had several deer within 150 yds as I used some rolling terrain to my advantage. 2 young deer, a 2x2 and 2x3 were passed over as I moved along the dry creek bed. I had several does just 10-15 yds in the drainage ahead of me; one walking 30 yds and bedding back down along my course. After still hunting the cedars and again finding does I moved to the ridge to glass off the back side and made a few walks down the many canyons looking for a good buck.

In the bottom;

Deer bed and hide good in the cedars;

After covering several miles that day (8 on my gps and 4000' of gain) I had one last go. Turning a corner of the last drainage had a lone Javelina coming towards me and he bedded down along the creek bank. I backed out and dug around for my camera and snapped a few pics. Making a few soft calls got him to move off my path to find another bed. Around the next bend I had one buck feeding at a rocky band about 160 yds out. Just a tall 2x2, I hoped he had some friends, and dropping my fanny pack and boots in the gravel I closed to within 80 yds as he bedded. As shooting time closed I left him alone for the evening as I never did see another deer with him. Put my boots back on and headed for the pick up point about a mile away.

Javelina;

At the rock band in the center on the far hillside;

At about 200 yds when leaving, doesn't take much cover to hide, LOL;

That night at dinner Steve asked if he could come along the next day. I said I'm cool with that as long as he was good for playing the hunt on my rules. Where we went, how long we stayed, and if I left him behind, so be it. He agreed and seemed eager to help pro-bono. I don't think as a guide he gets to go along just for fun. They are always under pressure to perform; and then at the mercy of a hunters shooting and stalking skills. Here he could just help glass, with no responcibilities to perform.

Day 3  Right off the start we had a lone nice buck worthy of a chase while driving in at daylight. I left to intercept him along a low ridge and had 2 does parallel my course one bedding down within 20 yds as I glassed below me for the buck. I lost him in the brush. Steve had a good show as he glassed those does as they approached me,he drove to a ridge line where he got to watch. After a bit I did a slow walk back through the draw and never did spot him.

Walking back to the truck, Steve never saw him escape either; so I wanted to go back to the canyon where I ended the night before. Sure enough not a mile down the road we found that first deer standing sillouetted in a saddle and jumped out of the truck to get a good look. As i worked through the brush ,he spilled off the back side of the saddle. Giving chase we found a doe being pursued by 2 bucks and when a guide starts yelling which one to shoot and his number in line, you know its game on! Joined by yet 2 more bucks, all worthy of chasing, we double-timed it to loose them in some canyons ahead of us. At one point I was able to range the best at 414 yds; I like a sure first one and then I'll fling some lead.  400+ at a quick target is pushing it for my practice on this hunt, maybe with a fast and flat 300 and a bit of practice, not so much with my 270 win. I have shot clean at those distances at smaller targets, but wasn't feeling it for this day.

As we regrouped Steve and I headed for another ridge to hope on finding the band of bucks and where they went too. After a few hours we spotted no less than 30 does and one buck bedded in just one area. Nothing with any good headgear was spotted so I decided to pack up and move to another ridge.Soon as we crested the ridge,I spooked one shooter and a doe bedded in the road. I ran to get set up for a shot but quickly the buck dropped over a second ridge.

I marked the spot for later in need be; and then set up to glass. Soon we found yet another pair of bucks milling about at the bottom. A quick plan was hatched and I was soon closing above them when a huge buck came out of a ravine above them and all hell broke loose. Although Steve whistled and got the single large deer to stop; I was too far below him to understand the deer where the lone deer was above me, and had one of the original pair in my scope waiting for a decent shot.

We had a brief discusion about the whole deal; I wasn't to pleased about the confusion. We agreed that it was better to let me chase the deer I wanted and that splitting my attention was not the way to go. I think it's hard to stop being the guide, but we both felt better talking about the blown chance at either deer.

So we walked a bit on the ridge me glassing where the buck/ doe combo went; Steve moving farther down. I switched positions and soon had a 2x3 bedded and some other movement that I couldn't yet determine what I had.

The 2x3 bedded center of frame, one ear and one side of antler;

We both had deer in our sights and Steve had something more interesting than mine! We glassed for a bit and marked a nice buck bedded over a saddle in the next creekbed over from the one directly below us. Time for a little forward advancment had me going directly down the hillside to our left and going up the far side into the saddle across from us. I left Steve behind to watch again, and hoped he got another good show.

I reached the otherside and quickly found cover at a lone cedar;285 yds from the bedded deer.Hmmm; good place to lay prone and hit him where he is;or do I glass a bit and see who else is watching?

I'll glass some; time is on my side.

Eventually down the drainage I find 2 more deer. Both smaller (2x2 and maybe 3x4 well inside the ears). Steve is perched back on the ridge and I'm sure is thinking "what the f#$%?, why doesn't this guy shoot?"

Worse than that...I'm going to close the distance....twice. I move first to around 240 than again to my left to a big speargrass clump;205yds. Well,"my" deer decides to go for a stroll and browse a bit;and I loose him; I lost my mark where he was in the brush. Oh, crap. Guess we are going to sit here a bit and regain an edge. Finally all I see are his antlers lit from the sun, as he turns his body I can finally see a perfect 4x4 out of the shadows. Good rest on my short sticks and a good position,he turns a little more broaside and I hit him right behind the shoulder....

Well thats what Steve says,to be honest I knew I hit him solid but I lost him in the shot and when I gathered him up again I had his head going behind a bush and I plowed him again slightly away up through the ribs at the diaphram. Well no sense in letting those pretty nickle cases with the badass Swift A-frames go to waste in the magazine...I live by two mottos learned on the internet; "when there is lead in the air;there is hope in the heart" and "A good trophy fee gone bad; don't shoot again,you hit him hard the first time" I hit him all 4 times, all through the chest with not much left of the lungs and the heart.

Where he fell; exit of 3rd shot on top;

A clean debone of all 4 quarters,backstraps, and tenderloins plus a caping job left us with darkness coming and a fine walk out to the truck for a few miles....

Steve with the meat in his pack, just over his shoulder was where the deer was bedded and coming up through the saddle;

Sunset that day from up on top;

My partners deer from day 1;

My mount;

[Dinsdale]

Hey Pygmy

Times are hard for most people this year, It's hard to come up with the scratch to hunt elk or other western critters.

I did put enough $ away in the cookie jar over the last few years for a mountain goat hunt in British Columbia in 2010. I thought I died and went to heaven, what a dream hunt it was, the mountains were amazing. Had to do it while my legs were still able to climb those hills.

Sept. should be a great time for a Newfie moose, the rut should be in full force! Let me know how you make out.

How did you do on your Wyoming pronghorn hunt? any pics?

Catskillkid

Pics?

[catskillkid]

Hey Dinsdale,

Great story, you had me thinking that I was hunting by your side, maybe you should write for a hunting mag. You brought us along day by day and included all of the exiting events. It is much more satisfying hunting on your own as you did. The pics are awesome also, 2 great bucks! NM is one of the best states for mulies.

Here is a little part of my trip.

I hunted in the south east corner of BC in the Flathead River Valley at about 9k feet. I'm glad I lost 15 lbs. before the trip and lost another 10 lbs. while I was there, down 2 belt notches!

Here are some of the pics.

[burmjohn]

Jesus look at the size of that thing

[Dinsdale]

Nice on the goat!!!

High on my list of next thing to do.

Sent you a PM.....

[burmjohn]

BTW Din, cool story!

[Dinsdale]

Thanks for the comments.

I try to write one up for most hunts, even just local small game.

Fun to go back and read them from years past, you can forget the details fast and it's a way to remember them.

[catskillkid]

Hey Dins,

It that blood on your knees and a 10x40 Ziess around your neck?

Catskillkidd

[Dinsdale]

Hey Dins,

It that blood on your knees and a 10x40 Ziess around your neck?

Catskillkidd

LOL.....no that's Steve, you can tell cause he's bigger than twice me. ??? After I shot he got up cause he had seen the first hit, watched it in those Ziess.

Just then I surprised the hell out of him by hitting the deer a few more times.

This may go against the grain a bit; but I'm not there to worry about some meat. If I'm paying to trophy hunt I put the animal on the ground ASAP. Most of where I have hunted; you pay if you draw blood, one drop and you get the bill. So if he's walking, I'll put some lead in the air. That might not have rung true here; but late in the afternoon with 2 hours to dark, 4 miles from the truck? Bang!

So when I was done shooting(and that only lasted a few seconds as my funky gun bolt operates very fast from the shoulder) He came down while I set the animal up for some nice pics. We both started cutting; me skinning the front and taking off the shoulders and head; he the straps, tenderloins, and hinds. Then I started caping; while he rested the quarters in his lap; deboning everything and bagging it on the spot; so he was a bloody mess on his legs.

If I had been alone; there was a small shepards hut just down the drainage; we had an understanding I would over night there if I was in the back of the property with a carcass to haul out the next day.

First time in 30 years of guiding he had a hunter cape a head;he thought that was great. Told me if we went after Elk to keep shooting there too. LOL

One thing I have learned with guides/PH's etc....too many clients admire their shots and don't get around to killing stuff very good. I've taken most clean with one shot; but I don't wait if I'm in doubt. That's different if I'm here at home after a DMP tag to be filled for the freezer....YMMV

[catskillkid]

Thanks for another great story

[Pygmy]

Very nice pictures and stories, Guys.....

Nice goat, Kid...Love the beautiful long hair pelt...

Goats were on my short list at one time, then I let myself get too old, fat and POOR......Never gonna happen now... ....   

[Lawdwaz]

Nice stories guys.  I really enjoy seeing pics of the western hunts.  Brings back some great memories and makes the desire to get back even stronger.

[catskillkid]

Pygmy,

I have done two goat hunts over the last 12 years. That is one hunt that you do not want to show up for out of shape.

You will pay for it big time, financially, physically & mentally

[Pygmy]

My 2009  Wyoming antelope hunt was actually a combo hunt/family vacation

Four couples went.... We stayed in Casper at a motel and the guys went 'lope hunting for three days while the girls entertained themselves around Casper...

We hunted a ranch about 30 miles outside of Casper..Paid a trepass fee and hunted on our own..We all took nice  bucks..Mine was a 15 incher.. We saw literally hundreds of animals every day.. Hunting pronghorns is a blast..In a good area the toughest part can be trying to judge a good head from an average head... 

After our hunt we toured Yellowstone and Jackson Hole... Lots of beautiful scenery there....

I wish I had Dinsdale's know-how for posting pictures...

[Dinsdale]

You can't just leave us hanging?

Easy to do with photobucket.

Get an account there, it's free, and I will walk you through it. Nothing but a little cut and paste with your mouse.

http://photobucket.com/

Thought after me and the Catskill kid primed the pump we would see a few more stories and pics? Don't be shy......

[Pygmy]

Thanks, Dinsdale..I really appreciate it..

I have TONS of 35mm photos from past hunts, but my digital cam is a fairly new addition and I must admit that I let some of my buddies do the bulk of the picture taking on the WY 'lope hunt..

Still, I  have a few hunt picts and quite a few nice scenery picts.... I can also tell stories... ...

Would it be appropriate for me to tell a story form a DIY caribou hunt...??.. It was a response to some fellow who posted on another forum and said that he thought shooting a caribou was like shooting a cow..

I am not sure that there is a forum on this website for  " War stories from previous hunts NOT in NYS"...  I don't want to ruffle any feathers..

[Dinsdale]

Well this forum is for "Out of New York Hunting"; doesn't say what year, or where out of NY, or what species.......IMO anyway.

I hear you on the 35mm; I am a late convert myself to digital. I had my 35mm camera body stolen, and still think of replacing it; what a nostalgic dope.

I need to have some pics scanned to get into digital form from a bunch of fishing and hunting trips. I have a local camera shop that does them cheap and I'll get them there done up to CD.

Hmmm....my Caribou wasn't a cow hunt either; maybe I'll get those scanned and we can start a Bou' thread.

Post away....maybe we can get a few more to post up some stuff.

[catskillkid]

I also have only converted to a digital camera just a few years ago.

Not sure how much of a chore it would be to convert all my 35 mm pics to digital?

Here are a few whitetail and mulie bucks that I shot in Idaho in 2006, 2007 & 2008

Catskillkid

[nyantler]

great mulies.. wow