S
stevenclarkslc
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Oct-19-09 AT 06:13PM (MST)[p]Here is my 09 Backcountry buck taken on opening morning of the Utah general season hunt.
The hunt started the night before the opener, I packed in a few miles on foot so I could be ahead of anyone who has the same idea as me. On my way in I met a few people who did indeed have the same as me but were not packing in. After getting to my camp just before dark, I set up my camp and tryed to get some sleep.
6:00 am came early, I made some coffee and some quick oatmeal and I was on my way up the dark ridge to try and find a good spot to glass for bucks. As hunting public land can be, and I wasnt alone as two hunters had beat me up the ridge. After a friendly hello and swapping of stratagy I continued up the ridge to find a spot to glass from. I had to wait for the sun to get high enough in the sky so I could glass the oposite side of the ridge. Finally after waiting for the sun I began to spot deer across the canyon. Doe after doe kept coming out into view but no bucks. " Their has to be a buck in here somewhere" I thought in my head. A new piece of the canyon was now visible and I immediatly picked up a new deer. I got the spotting scope on him and I knew right away that it was a big buck and was worth a stalk. I picked up my gear and made a plan of action. I began to move around the head of the canyon so I could get within range. Unfortunaltly I probably moved to fast and the buck and another slightly smaller buck has spotted my and spooked to a near by rock ledge. I glassed them and they seemed to be looking at me and my dad and brother who had come in that morning up the bottom, they were far down in the botton of the canyon and didnt know where I was or that the bucks were their. I made a straight line toward the bucks. lucky for me evern though they wre ooking at me they stayed put and I was able to get within range. I laid my pack out and prepared for the shot.
Shot #1- No movement, they stayed put.
Shot #2- Nothing
Shot #3- Still nothing and the scope hit me right in the eye brow
" I must be shooting over him" came out of my mouth.
My eyebrow
From where I shot
Shot #4- the bucks exploaded and one of the bucks went down the slope and back up the other side of the canyon unhurt," but what happend to the other Buck?"
I got on the radio and told my dad what had happened. I picked up my gear and made my way to where to bucks were standing and found good bubbly blood.
I followed the trail straight down hill and found my buck only 80 yards from where I shot him. I was very excited but now I had a big job to do by myself. I got him cleaned and moved him further down the canyon to where my dad and brother helped me quarted him out. They were a huge help and could not have imagined doing it myself. We split the load up and I carried a hind quarter, both front shoulders and they head and hide. My Badlands 4500 pack ended up weighing 113 lbs. We made our way down and out of the canyon without to much trouble.
The Buck
The pack out
What an amazing day in the mountains.
thanks for reading, Cheers.
The hunt started the night before the opener, I packed in a few miles on foot so I could be ahead of anyone who has the same idea as me. On my way in I met a few people who did indeed have the same as me but were not packing in. After getting to my camp just before dark, I set up my camp and tryed to get some sleep.
6:00 am came early, I made some coffee and some quick oatmeal and I was on my way up the dark ridge to try and find a good spot to glass for bucks. As hunting public land can be, and I wasnt alone as two hunters had beat me up the ridge. After a friendly hello and swapping of stratagy I continued up the ridge to find a spot to glass from. I had to wait for the sun to get high enough in the sky so I could glass the oposite side of the ridge. Finally after waiting for the sun I began to spot deer across the canyon. Doe after doe kept coming out into view but no bucks. " Their has to be a buck in here somewhere" I thought in my head. A new piece of the canyon was now visible and I immediatly picked up a new deer. I got the spotting scope on him and I knew right away that it was a big buck and was worth a stalk. I picked up my gear and made a plan of action. I began to move around the head of the canyon so I could get within range. Unfortunaltly I probably moved to fast and the buck and another slightly smaller buck has spotted my and spooked to a near by rock ledge. I glassed them and they seemed to be looking at me and my dad and brother who had come in that morning up the bottom, they were far down in the botton of the canyon and didnt know where I was or that the bucks were their. I made a straight line toward the bucks. lucky for me evern though they wre ooking at me they stayed put and I was able to get within range. I laid my pack out and prepared for the shot.
Shot #1- No movement, they stayed put.
Shot #2- Nothing
Shot #3- Still nothing and the scope hit me right in the eye brow
" I must be shooting over him" came out of my mouth.
My eyebrow
From where I shot
Shot #4- the bucks exploaded and one of the bucks went down the slope and back up the other side of the canyon unhurt," but what happend to the other Buck?"
I got on the radio and told my dad what had happened. I picked up my gear and made my way to where to bucks were standing and found good bubbly blood.
I followed the trail straight down hill and found my buck only 80 yards from where I shot him. I was very excited but now I had a big job to do by myself. I got him cleaned and moved him further down the canyon to where my dad and brother helped me quarted him out. They were a huge help and could not have imagined doing it myself. We split the load up and I carried a hind quarter, both front shoulders and they head and hide. My Badlands 4500 pack ended up weighing 113 lbs. We made our way down and out of the canyon without to much trouble.
The Buck
The pack out
What an amazing day in the mountains.
thanks for reading, Cheers.