Day 1
Day one was really night one. I didn’t know if the weather was going to hold up, because it had started raining hard in the valley from the late morning until the evening. A friend from work was going with me and we decided to try it anyway since the weather radar showed it clearing up over our hunting spot.
I took off work a little early, went home and changed, and then headed out. I met up with my buddy at a grocery store named Soelberg’s, which I quickly renamed Zoidberg’s. Twenty minutes later, we parked the truck, unloaded the ATV, and started up the mountain.
The place we chose to go, was the place I scouted out earlier in the year. It takes 30 minutes to drive up to the trailhead on the ATV, and then another 45 minutes to hike up the trail to get to the top. It was cold, and sprinkled a little snow on us, but overall, the weather was quite nice.
We arrived up top close to 5:30 and there were deer everywhere. We probably saw over 20 doe while we were up there. However, no bucks. What I did find, was a good game plan for the next day because we saw how they were moving around. Plus, we didn’t see too many other people. Nobody was up top, but we passed one guy coming down as we were going up, and then saw another ATV while we were up there. By the time we made it back to our ATV, it was dark. Traveling the mountainside in the dark isn’t very fun.
I took off work a little early, went home and changed, and then headed out. I met up with my buddy at a grocery store named Soelberg’s, which I quickly renamed Zoidberg’s. Twenty minutes later, we parked the truck, unloaded the ATV, and started up the mountain.
The place we chose to go, was the place I scouted out earlier in the year. It takes 30 minutes to drive up to the trailhead on the ATV, and then another 45 minutes to hike up the trail to get to the top. It was cold, and sprinkled a little snow on us, but overall, the weather was quite nice.
We arrived up top close to 5:30 and there were deer everywhere. We probably saw over 20 doe while we were up there. However, no bucks. What I did find, was a good game plan for the next day because we saw how they were moving around. Plus, we didn’t see too many other people. Nobody was up top, but we passed one guy coming down as we were going up, and then saw another ATV while we were up there. By the time we made it back to our ATV, it was dark. Traveling the mountainside in the dark isn’t very fun.
Day Two
Day two was another evening hunt. I took off a bit early from work again and headed up the mountain. This time I was alone. The weather was okay going up, but once I made it to the top, the fog and snow rolled in. It was hard to see anything past about 40 yards and it was very cold. I saw another dozen doe or so, but no bucks again. Once the sun set, I headed back down the mountain and home.
Day Three
Day three was the first day I didn’t have to work. I decided to get up super early and make up top before the sunlight. I was a little later out the door than I wanted, but I made it up top just in time. The fog was light, and there was about four inches of snow up there which helped mask my moving about, and also helped with spotting the deer. However, I think it made it easier to see me as well. Plus, it was super cold. Not too bad when moving about, but when I decided to sit and wait, oh my lord, my hands and feet went numb.
While I was up there, I saw another twenty head of doe. After crawling all around, I decided it was time to head down the mountain and find another spot. As I came down off the first rise, I spotted a nice two-point buck grazing in the meadow. He was over 200 yards away, which was a very long shot for my muzzleloader (I hunt with a traditional style muzzleloader which is really only effective out to about 150 yards). However, since it was the first buck I’d seen, I took the shot anyway. I missed and the buck ran up the hill. Just to be sure, I went to check and couldn’t find any blood. I tried to get close to it, but it was onto me by that time and got away.
As I drove down the mountain, I came upon a herd of six doe grazing on the hillside. They were about 100 yards away from me. I wanted to see how close I could get, so I got off the ATV and started walking. I took video of it. I got about 50 feet away from them before they boogied out. I’m not sure if they were too concerned with my ATV (which I left running) or if they just couldn’t tell what I was. They were looking right at me, but I got the feeling that they couldn’t really “see” me if that makes sense. Too bad I didn’t have a doe tag. I would have had over ten opportunities to shoot by this time.
While I was up there, I saw another twenty head of doe. After crawling all around, I decided it was time to head down the mountain and find another spot. As I came down off the first rise, I spotted a nice two-point buck grazing in the meadow. He was over 200 yards away, which was a very long shot for my muzzleloader (I hunt with a traditional style muzzleloader which is really only effective out to about 150 yards). However, since it was the first buck I’d seen, I took the shot anyway. I missed and the buck ran up the hill. Just to be sure, I went to check and couldn’t find any blood. I tried to get close to it, but it was onto me by that time and got away.
As I drove down the mountain, I came upon a herd of six doe grazing on the hillside. They were about 100 yards away from me. I wanted to see how close I could get, so I got off the ATV and started walking. I took video of it. I got about 50 feet away from them before they boogied out. I’m not sure if they were too concerned with my ATV (which I left running) or if they just couldn’t tell what I was. They were looking right at me, but I got the feeling that they couldn’t really “see” me if that makes sense. Too bad I didn’t have a doe tag. I would have had over ten opportunities to shoot by this time.
I got some lunch and then decided to find a different spot. I went up another canyon that a friend had told me about and ran into a dozen hunters. Seems like this was the popular place. I parked to unload my ATV and three doe were across the road. I was probably about 60-75 feet away from these ones. I was able to take some nice pics before they took off. I hiked up the mountain and spooked a couple doe, plus saw seven more on the hillside, but no bucks. I did see a couple hunters hoofing it down the road, and one had a nice three-point in his pack. At least someone had some success.
After that, I went to another canyon. I didn’t see any deer, but I did come across a good looking coyote. It took off before I could stop and get my gun out.
After that, I went to another canyon. I didn’t see any deer, but I did come across a good looking coyote. It took off before I could stop and get my gun out.
Day Four
Day four, I slept in which was nice. I think I slept over twelve hours and I needed it. I was sore from all the hiking, and tired from being out the day before. I took the morning to finish up some homework, then I headed up to my original spot…again…for the fourth time. This time, like a dumbass, I decided to hike up to a ridge so I could see what was on the other side. Probably a bad mistake since I was on the skyline for a good amount of time. Kind of a beacon for all the deer to see. I saw a couple of other hunters coming up the mountain, plus a man and woman on horseback with their dog. I’m not sure if they were deaf or not, but they were talking so damn loud I could hear every word they said a quarter mile away.
I picked a spot and hunkered down. I didn’t see too many deer, maybe about ten or twelve doe, but not the two-point I had shot at the previous day. I stayed out later than usual and it was dark before I got the ATV. By the time I got home, my body was sore from all the hiking, and I was beat.
I picked a spot and hunkered down. I didn’t see too many deer, maybe about ten or twelve doe, but not the two-point I had shot at the previous day. I stayed out later than usual and it was dark before I got the ATV. By the time I got home, my body was sore from all the hiking, and I was beat.
Day Five
Day five has consisted of sleeping in and taking it easy. I have another four days to hunt and I’ll probably go back up the mountain to my original spot at least a couple more times after work. With any luck, I’ll be in the right place at the right time.
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