Several hard days with not a single shooter buck. Finally found a nice secluded basin that holds some SOLID bucks. Glassed a few up yesterday morning and watched them feed over the top. Got into the basin about 4 pm last night and found a bruiser! Closed the distance from about 3 miles out and ended up on an adjacent ridge with wind in our face not 200 yards from him. Everything went absolutely perfect! I let my bro in law fire the first round and he rushed his shot and missed. The buck ran up hill a bit and stopped so I took the follow up shot guessing him about 300-350 after his first dash. Settled my 300 crosshair on his spine and let er rip. I MISSED!! He bolted. I ranged where he was and he was only 220. I completely underestimated the incline of the mountain he was on. Even though he ran a bit after my brother shot it was so steep that he gained very little yardage on us. Hard hard lesson learned!! Range twice shoot once! We both drug our tails out of that basin last night. With minimal options we decided to glass the next basin over to try and relocate him this morning. On a whim at daybreak I swung the spotter to the basin we hunted last night and he was just feeding over the top. Still in the same basin!! Unfortunately some other hunters heard our shot last night and decided to scope out the basin this morning. I watched them from a mile or so out with their bushnell binos, blue jeans and jansport backpacks they never had a chance to see him. Were heading back in there super early this afternoon to try and locate him. Dinners are running low so hopefully we have backstrap for dinner!!
Official Post Padding Thread
- Thread starter Umpqua Hunter
- Start date
tdub24
Veteran member
Musket Man
Veteran member
Dont worry about it hardstalk, I missed the first shot at doe antelope 2 years in a row closer then that......... Yardages can be deceiving at times, not that that was why I missed but I have guessed yards many times and been way off. Good luck finding him again!
Gave her hell tonight. Glassed him up, closed the distance from WAY out. When we got to the rendezvous point he never showed himself. The hardest part is the time of the year and full moon. Un hunt able in the morning because they feed up and over the ridge. And the evenings are SHORT. Its a mad dash to close the distance. Give er hell again tomorrow. Hopefully have a pic of a bloody tag come the evening time.
nvarcher
Very Active Member
Bummer. I was waiting to see your deer.I think I'm done for the year...
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nvarcher
Very Active Member
nddeerhunter
New Member
- Oct 22, 2013
- 7
- 0
My brother and I just got drawn for North Dakota mule deer; doe only. Still pretty excited after not being drawn last year.
nddeerhunter
New Member
- Oct 22, 2013
- 7
- 0
nddeerhunter
New Member
- Oct 22, 2013
- 7
- 0
Musket Man
Veteran member
Wouldnt be so exciting if it was easy! Stick with him he will make a mistake sooner or later.
Musket Man
Veteran member
Looks like it will be on hold for a while. The DMPS barrel I want to use cant even be back ordered and Im not paying nearly $500 for the barrels that are avaliable right now. Im not in a hurry to finish it, mostly just wanted to get the lower so would be done dealing with FFL.
Gave us the slip again after a multi mile several thousand foot elevation gain stalk. As much as I wanted to launch my rifle and pack off the mountain and say piss on this game! I was smiling from ear to ear!! The views were amazing from the top. The breeze was crisp and fresh and the sweat pouring from my brim reminded me I left it all on the mountain! Heres a few pics might get another chance to get back at him but Ive got to hit the application game in the meantime and try to round up some work. 
Musket Man
Veteran member
If I go back Im sleeping on top. The daily banzai stalks are killer! I found this dead head in the same canyon.
Musket Man
Veteran member
Sounds like a good plan! I prefer to camp near where Im hunting if I can over walking miles in the dark.
Thats the hardest part about the canyon im hunting. If I try and hunt it in the morning they feed from the bottom up. In the evening they come from the top down. Ill have to get setup mid day at the top. Hope for a glimpse in the evening or for them to feed to me the following day. Going in with headlamps would clear the canyon because there all feeding down low in the dark.
Musket Man
Veteran member
My mil spec casio phone has completely given up after less then 3 months. Would almost be happier if I had run it over or something. Guess I will be using smoke signals for a week or 2 until they send a new one.....LOL