Book Cliffs Mentor Hunt

BrowningRage

BrowningRage

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I know its a bit late maybe to be starting a Hunt Adventure thread, but I figure its a great way to share what has already been an exciting year and will hopefully culminate in a great hunt for my daughter.

Back in May, I was at work having a pretty normal day when my banking app chimed to let me know of an expense I'd been charged for. Looked at my phone and sure enough, there was a charge for $80 to the DWR. Now, this was exciting in many ways because my wife and daughter had attended and completed Hunter's Safety together over the winter and I had put each of us in for LE deer tags. Additionally, I had put myself in with my dad for general season deer tags (rifle) and fully expected to draw those tags as I had a plethora of General Season reference points. So now I'm wondering if the $80 is for one of three possible LE deer tags, or mine and my dad's general season rifle deer tags. I started texting all family members who would be interested and the speculation started to fly.

We all figured that I'd just have to wait for the email and so I attempted to quell my excitement until that time. That same night, I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep, when suddenly, my phone chimed once more and announced that a $40 charge had gone on my card from the DWR. Well, what the heck did this mean? I started thinking maybe my dad and I had somehow split the cost of our general season application and this charge was for my general season rifle tag, and my wife or daughter had drawn an LE Deer tag with 0 points! You can imagine that my excitement was now spiking, and I was supposed to be trying to sleep.!

Well, skip ahead to emails and I find out that I drew the LE Deer tag for the Book Cliffs South, and the $40 was for my dad's general season deer tag. (We thought that once an LE tag was pulled that my application, along with my dad's, would be pulled from the general season deer pool- but it wasn't). I then announced the results to everyone and the long wait began before scouting, and even longer for the hunt itself. Oh, did I mention that I had only 3 Bonus Points.? That's right, I had about a 1.3% chance at the tag, and lightning struck!
 
My intention for hunting this year was to get my daughter out in the field and on her first deer. I hoped this would be possible with the general season tag that I expected to draw, but now that I was getting an LE tag, it seemed a dream scenario. If I'm honest, there was also a part of me that wished my wife hadn't taken Hunter's Safety so I could have taken her along under that program for someone who does not have a license. But, no worries...

So, I had to pay $10 to get a mentor tag for my daughter, and plans began for our hunt. Due to having hunted the area previously, including last year with my cousin, we didn't feel a need for lots of scouting. But, we planned for one trip over the 24th of July weekend because its a great time of year to see bucks up high.
 
Our 24th of July trip was a lot of fun and included my three oldest kids, my dad, and my niece. We left early in order to make it to Strawberry Res. and spend most of the day fishing. Ultimately, it turned into a crawdad hunt for the kiddos...

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A little later in the day, my niece was trying to reel her bait in but it sounded like she got snagged and her reel was making a LOT of noise. After about 5 minutes, my dad walked down the shore to help her tighten it up and break it free... Except, when he took the rod, he felt a fish on the line. So, he tightened the drag and gave her the rod back... After a couple more minutes, she lands this 19" Rainbow:
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About an hour after that, everyone had had enough water and sun for the day, so we took off towards our final destination...
 
The morning of the 23rd had a lot of promise and we were all excited to wake from a good night's sleep in tents and find the weather perfect. We got changed and ate some donuts and chocolate milk... packed some things in the minivan and got in... Turned the key... *click* *click* *click* *click* You can imagine my pleasure. We were on a side road, roughly 3.5 miles from the main Divide Road... and had a dead battery.

So, I told my dad to stay with the kids, enjoy some bird and squirrel hunting with the BB guns and 22s, and I would hike out and be back when I could. My daughter Jovi said she didn't want me to go alone so she would go with me. She is protective and empathetic well beyond her years. So, I grabbed my day pack with water bladder, and a couple more bottles of water for my daughter and we started hiking the two track back towards the Divide Road. Worst case scenario we'd have to hike to a camp full of hounds that was (by my estimate at the time) about 5 miles away.

Jovi and I made the most of the hike out on the road. She is a curious girl and asks questions, shares her ideas, and can talk non-stop when she wants to. This was one of those times. We hiked along and talked. We spotted deer along the way and had a great time in the cool morning air. I had started my Basemap Tracker to see just how far we would end up hiking. At 2.7 miles, as we rounded a bend, one of the houndsmen came around the same bend towards us. I wish I could remember his name right now. I remember he was from Loma, CO. He had his kids with him and was happy to give us a ride back to my van and give us a jump (at least I had jumper cables). My daughter could not have been more happy than to sit on the back of his truck with his hounds...
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We immediately drove to Colorado and tested the battery. It was fine. My alternator (which I installed just 4 months prior) tested alright too... So, total mystery. Not taking any chances, I bought a portable jumper... So, the morning was not spent finding bucks unfortunately, but it was an experience for us all...
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We decided to pack up our camp upon returning and move roughly 13 miles away to another area. This choice was totally based on the new area being easier for the kids to spot deer. In addition to finding deer and elk everywhere, we had a small miracle happen when we found this guy wandering close to the road...
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Jovi has put in some work at the range as well... Last fall I got her mother a 6.5 Creedmoor. I topped it with a Leupold 3-9 scope I used to have on my 7mm. We've been to the range several times, and I think she's got the hang of it really well. I'm not really planning on her shooting beyond 300 yards, so her accuracy has been sufficient for that range...
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This was the only photo I had of her shooting. These two groups were on our 2nd trip. Our 3rd trip we shot at 100 and 300 yards. At 300 yards the 6.5 was about 4" low. She shot a 2.75" group though, so I'm not too concerned about the setup. We haven't been able to shoot off of the bipod or the tripod yet, but we'll be down there early before the hunt and will do so then.
 
Just 12 days away now...

This hunt has come with very little pressure, aside from deciding how we all want it to go. I have two sons and another daughter and had to think long and hard about how to manage this mentor thing. I likely won't be mentoring any of my other kids on an LE deer hunt, so I want to make sure I'm not favoring anyone, at least not outright. Also, I'm not sold on the idea that my daughter could conceivably take a trophy buck on her very first hunt. I've been that guy before that has said, "well, you ruined them for any deer hunting with a buck like that first time out!"

So, my daughter and I talked about the plan. This hunt will be a trophy hunt for her dad. I've set the bar high for the Book Cliffs these days, and am looking for a 5 year old or older buck that will hopefully be a 180" class buck. Steep, I know. But I imagine, at worst, it will allow us to scout and hunt for 7 or 8 days seeing lots of country and lots of deer and if that type of buck doesn't materialize, then my daughter is going to step up the last day or two and harvest a respectable buck to bring home. She liked this plan. Maybe as much for the hunting part, as much as for the missing-school part...

I mentioned the "very little pressure" because having the mentor tag means I won't be going home with a "consolation buck". I either find that cagey old monarch, or my daughter takes home her first deer... Its probably what any father would dream of on a first hunt.
 
Now, normally you might be thinking I'd just load up the family with the camper and head down for 2 days of scouting then hunt the whole hunt til we make it happen. Well, with 4 kids, 3 of them in school, it makes it a little difficult.

Our plan will go like this: Me, my dad, and my two boys will head down on Wed before the hunt with the camper. We're going to scout two areas we've never hunted before, or even been before... On Friday, my wife, mom and two daughters will head down. We'll meet up, do some shooting,, and then my family and I will head over to Colorado to our hotel. This is not the norm for me hunting, but we have a four year old daughter with several disabling conditions, and being in a hotel will be more comfortable and safer for her.

Opening morning we'll be up early and drive over an hour back to the unit, meet up with my folks, and have a great time finding and watching deer as a family. Sunday will be the same. Sadly, my wife, sons, youngest daughter, and mom will then head home. Happily though, my uncle will be joining us for three days, and I'll say I'm going to be happy to have his keen eyes with us.

I'm also hoping to convince my wife to come back down on Thursday if we haven't found a giant so everyone can be back together for my daughter's first deer. But, it is a long drive, so we'll have to see... stay tuned...
 
Well, tomorrow has felt like an eternity coming... but its finally time to turn off the work devices and load up the truck and trailer, and head out for 2 full days of scouting prior to our hunt 8 day hunt. I've been watching the weather forecast and had some very different plans to hunt some high to transition areas on this migration hunt due to the warm temps... But now, with a 58% chance of snow Sunday into Monday over there, and dipping to below freezing at night, those plans may go by the wayside. Its not an aversion to hunting in some snow, but as some of you know, the roads in the Book Cliffs turn into the slimiest crap with the smallest amount of moisture... getting to some locations becomes not just hard, but impossible, even with two sets of chains...

I'm hoping to do updates here throughout the hunt, when I have data service. Of course, thats assuming I have something to post. ??

See you guys soon.!
 
Well, its looking and feeling pretty good already out here.! I'm glad for the weather forecast and pray the cold/snow will push the big boys down. We're seeing deer everywhere. Herds of 6-12 does with at least one young buck pushing them around already... found a 5 year old buck this morning, but he was your typical disappointment in the genetics area. 3x4, and his 3 side was crabby. Otherwise, he was 25" wide, real heavy, and tall... A buck I'd love my daughter to kill...

But, as we've experienced before, new bucks show up everyday... can't wait to see what pops out next.!

Pics are gonna be a problem. Something's up with my laptop battery and its not charging so my laptop is dead. Getting pics off my camera may not he an option here unfortunately... ?

See y'all soon
 
Been a great Opening Day... I so wish it was much easier to have an entire family present for a full hunt. Our family circumstances make it tough, but having everyone together for at least the opener was the best...
 
Sloppy, sloppy wet day today. Snowed on top of the Books. Seen photos of several inches that fell up high and on the north unit. We got rain and some snow/hail... roads were almost impassable in most areas. Took a couple hikes to glass. Several herds of does found, without bucks... then a few with bucks. No shooters still, but its still early and that storm should change things up nicely...
 
Turned out to be a hunt of a lifetime in the Book Cliffs this year. I'm glad I got to share what I could. In truth, when my daughter and I killed this buck, I got pretty emotional. After months of prepping and visualizing what the hunt could look like, it was a bit of a rodeo and happened so fast at the end, I felt like I had missed it somehow... It took me several moments and a hug with my daughter to get back into the moment and enjoy her excitement and start to take note of everything that had and was transpiring...

When she showed me she was shaking with adrenaline, it took me back to my first buck at age 14. A 2x3 in the Uintas, hunting with my dad. I, too, was shaking with adrenaline after shooting that buck, and here was my daughter experiencing that rush, and then reverence of taking this animal.

I've made some friends along the way this year. Met several other tag holders out there. Got to film someone else take a great buck and spend some time in their camp later just enjoying one another's company. Still waiting to hear from the last guy I know out there whether or not his dad has tagged out...

I'm looking forward to doing my best to recreate these types of experiences with my children most, if not every year. Though the animal at the end may not be as impressive, the time spent outdoors with those I love will hopefully be even more so.
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