First rifle hunt
Well then, the last time I wrote here was on the 10th...and that was just covering hunts from the days prior to the 10th! What's going on? Things just seem to be coming up that cannot be ignored or avoided and I simply must deal with them. Of course, I'm not saying the situation that came up between the 19th and the 24th was something that was HARD for me to deal with...hunting just had to take a back burner. It's good to know your priorities.
BUT, from what I've heard of opening day (the 23rd) it was a good thing I missed it. Sounds like every parking spot along highway 12 was occupied by vehicles which disgorged it's orange contents across the hillsides. I'm not one for crowds...especially crowds of hunters. I then found out that the following FRIDAY morning of all times had the same (or similar) levels of people out looking for game. So I decided to go later in the day on Saturday, to give some folks a chance to get up early, herd all the critters into hiding, then leave. I figured I could sneak into those nasty, steep, thick holes and find some deer at least. I didn't go for elk, just because I didn't want to do that much sweating.
I found a spot that had some nice rolling hills and took off. I actually was just there thinking I'd walk a road and take it easy. You know? I was RIFLE hunting, it was going to be my break from bowhunting. Usually, you can spook a deer with a rifle and it'll stop well within range, which typically gives you a shot. This is providing that the cover isn't too thick. I'll tell you what though, I passed the gate and walked up the road a little ways...seriously, like 100 yards if that...and already I was off the road. Then I started REALLY listening to squirrels, and started walking slower, paying attention to the wind, then I sat down! It obviously doesn't take very long to get back into hunting-mode. It was nice though, I sat under this huge larch tree when the wind kicked up, it was almost like winter with all the little yellow needles raining down around me. By the end of the hunt I had larch needles entwined in my hair, down my shirt, and I'm pretty sure I had some down my shorts. Literally covered in them.
Anywho, I walked real slow up to the top of this ridge and didn't see anything and started roaming around the mountain. I tried to stay about mid-slope and near the thick cover, and boy was it thick! I don't really know what I'm thinking when I get into places like that, there's no way to do it quietly and even if something WAS in there, would it really wait for me to kick it up like a pheasant? Probably not. But, I'm kind of a curious guy and I go bombing in there anyways...if nothing else, to just see what's on the other side. I did this for a couple hours...without cutting a single track, seeing any fresh droppings, no new rubs on the trees...nothing. I did eat my first kinnikinik berries while I was up there. I can't believe that anyone could make a real good meal out of those...they have an interesting taste after they get frosted, but the texture is definitely something you have to get used to...it's kind of "crumbly" and dry inside around these small hard seeds. You have to essentially play with these berries in your mouth and separate the decent tasting stuff with your tongue and spit the seeds out. Hey, it gives you something to do when you're not seeing anything at all. I kept my eye out for grouse and didn't see any of them either...they love those berries.
Well, like I said, I walked around in these types of areas for a couple hours and finally topped another ridge so I could walk at least a little ways without having to push my way through (that gets frustrating after awhile.) I cut a trail and not 20 seconds went by before I heard voices coming up the trail. I hotfooted it off the trail and couldn't get out of site by the time they came into view. It was a gal and a guy with a dog. It was funny, I was only like 30 yards off the trail...wearing carharts, a flannel shirt, and an orange vest...it still took them a while before they saw me. The gal glanced over at me, did a double-take, jumped, then laughed saying, "sorry!" "No problem!" I said while waving. It was a bummer, I was going to cruise on the trail back to the truck. Instead, I went down the OTHER side of the ridge and hoped they'd bump something to me. Nope. Nothing. All it did was make me side-hill a little more. I DID cut some tracks at the very end though, and they looked fresh! They were little deer prints in the newly fallen larch needles. They were headed across the highway, so I didn't follow. I just made it to the truck and was done.
I've got some ideas of where to look for elk...but I'm going to wait a little on that. And usually I don't kill deer until it's around the rut...so no worries. I like hunting in snow anyways.
BUT, from what I've heard of opening day (the 23rd) it was a good thing I missed it. Sounds like every parking spot along highway 12 was occupied by vehicles which disgorged it's orange contents across the hillsides. I'm not one for crowds...especially crowds of hunters. I then found out that the following FRIDAY morning of all times had the same (or similar) levels of people out looking for game. So I decided to go later in the day on Saturday, to give some folks a chance to get up early, herd all the critters into hiding, then leave. I figured I could sneak into those nasty, steep, thick holes and find some deer at least. I didn't go for elk, just because I didn't want to do that much sweating.
I found a spot that had some nice rolling hills and took off. I actually was just there thinking I'd walk a road and take it easy. You know? I was RIFLE hunting, it was going to be my break from bowhunting. Usually, you can spook a deer with a rifle and it'll stop well within range, which typically gives you a shot. This is providing that the cover isn't too thick. I'll tell you what though, I passed the gate and walked up the road a little ways...seriously, like 100 yards if that...and already I was off the road. Then I started REALLY listening to squirrels, and started walking slower, paying attention to the wind, then I sat down! It obviously doesn't take very long to get back into hunting-mode. It was nice though, I sat under this huge larch tree when the wind kicked up, it was almost like winter with all the little yellow needles raining down around me. By the end of the hunt I had larch needles entwined in my hair, down my shirt, and I'm pretty sure I had some down my shorts. Literally covered in them.
Anywho, I walked real slow up to the top of this ridge and didn't see anything and started roaming around the mountain. I tried to stay about mid-slope and near the thick cover, and boy was it thick! I don't really know what I'm thinking when I get into places like that, there's no way to do it quietly and even if something WAS in there, would it really wait for me to kick it up like a pheasant? Probably not. But, I'm kind of a curious guy and I go bombing in there anyways...if nothing else, to just see what's on the other side. I did this for a couple hours...without cutting a single track, seeing any fresh droppings, no new rubs on the trees...nothing. I did eat my first kinnikinik berries while I was up there. I can't believe that anyone could make a real good meal out of those...they have an interesting taste after they get frosted, but the texture is definitely something you have to get used to...it's kind of "crumbly" and dry inside around these small hard seeds. You have to essentially play with these berries in your mouth and separate the decent tasting stuff with your tongue and spit the seeds out. Hey, it gives you something to do when you're not seeing anything at all. I kept my eye out for grouse and didn't see any of them either...they love those berries.
Well, like I said, I walked around in these types of areas for a couple hours and finally topped another ridge so I could walk at least a little ways without having to push my way through (that gets frustrating after awhile.) I cut a trail and not 20 seconds went by before I heard voices coming up the trail. I hotfooted it off the trail and couldn't get out of site by the time they came into view. It was a gal and a guy with a dog. It was funny, I was only like 30 yards off the trail...wearing carharts, a flannel shirt, and an orange vest...it still took them a while before they saw me. The gal glanced over at me, did a double-take, jumped, then laughed saying, "sorry!" "No problem!" I said while waving. It was a bummer, I was going to cruise on the trail back to the truck. Instead, I went down the OTHER side of the ridge and hoped they'd bump something to me. Nope. Nothing. All it did was make me side-hill a little more. I DID cut some tracks at the very end though, and they looked fresh! They were little deer prints in the newly fallen larch needles. They were headed across the highway, so I didn't follow. I just made it to the truck and was done.
I've got some ideas of where to look for elk...but I'm going to wait a little on that. And usually I don't kill deer until it's around the rut...so no worries. I like hunting in snow anyways.
posted by geotracker12 at 5:54 AM
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