Polar Bear Blood
...Is something I do not have.
Quick note about yesterday's hunt. I hiked around for a coupla hours then set up in a spot to just kinda see what was moving. I heard a tree groan...bluuuhhhat...but there was no wind! Finally figured out it was a buck who heard me walking in the uber-cold-squeaky snow and grunted at me! I blew on my little grunt tube and looked over my shoulder to see said deer, at 40 yards, leaving the county. That was weird....I guess I sounded bigger than him. I poked around some more and then set up in the clearcut again to watch the entry point into it...
I sat there for 30 minutes in 0-5 degree temps when finally I heard a branch break! In 8-10 inches of snow, that means something! But, it echoed, so I was looking the wrong way when a doe busted me at about 50 yards...downwind! It scared me so much I damn near shit my pants. I left since it was pitch black out, and was cold enough that even after a 45 minute drive home, I still wasn't completely warm! (How many of you have tried to warm your fingers in a truck's defroster? Sucks doesn't it?)
But, my usual lack of optimism wasn't present, so I decided to take today off and hunt! Up early, I was leaving the truck at shooting light...around 0700. About 600 yards from the truck..still in the clearcut, I looked up the hill near the timberline and saw a deer! Shoot, that was quick! I got behind a rise and closed the distance to about 250 yards...hunkering under a ponderosa blowdown. I scanned and scanned, but couldn't see the deer (what looked like a little buck.) Well, no worries...I stood up and walked a bit and glanced up long enough to see the white flag of the deer leaving. DAMMMMMMMIT. Despite what you may think, spotting deer in a clearcut in snow isn't as easy as it sounds. They look like all the other stumps out there.
Okay, well, I poked around the hills for a couple more hours (5 to be exact) and saw nothing. No fresh sign (well a little) and no real good leads. So, I finally made my way back to the truck. However, I wanted to see if anything crossed my tracks in the morning, so I went back down that way. Sure enough, a lot of deer HAD been milling around in that area since I passed through and I was relatively pissed. If I COULD, I WOULD have sat down and made myself a little sniper nest...but as it was only about 5 degrees...after 15 minutes of sitting, it was enough. Well, there I was, walking down this road when I heard something running above me! I looked through a very small opening to see a doe run past! She was tearing out of there like something was chasing her...and after a heard the grunt, I knew a buck was on her tail!
I saw a flash in the thick underbrush, so knew the buck would reach the opening quickly. Rifle up, safety off, I waited. He passed the narrow opening and I saw him in the scope...there was no squeezing of the trigger, I was to the point where I needed to throw lead! I saw the crosshairs on his body and PULLED! And...it will be known...I actually REMEMBER closing my eyes! I had that perfect shot-picture in my head and figured I was dead on! Upon reaching the tracks however, I found no blood nor hair. I tracked this pair for a good 45 minutes, then gridded the countryside for a dead deer. NOTHING. Well shoot, I guess I missed clean. A standing/off-hand shot at a deer running flat-out at 50-60 yards...through a narrow gap in the brush? I think I did well even recognizing what was going on enough to put it all together in about 3 seconds. To flip the scope cover, take the safety off, see the opening and shoot at a running target? I'll take a little bit of pride in that...but also wallow in shame for missing! I actually took the bolt out of the rifle and looked for a lodged bullet in the barrel, I was THAT confident in the shot.
But, seeing the tracks of fleeing deer going straight up the mountain helped me realize I missed clean. Then I saw some more running tracks going downhill to the creek! Perhaps that's my buck and he's headed toward water...bleeding internally! (Small chance I know, but I always have to do my best to figure out what happened to the critter I shot at...if I shoot at all.)
So I followed this track down to the creek, across the creek, and up into the thick timber. I kept tracking, hoping to figure out what the deer were doing and if I could catch up to this buck again. But, I was still hustling and spooked a DIFFERENT buck who tore through the brush so fast all I could see were antlers and snow flying! He was a pretty buck and big to boot!
I hustled after him, and knowing the trails, set up in a spot I hoped to see him cross. Before I knew it I was looking at a doe with two yearlings...right out in the open...eating. No buck with them, I just kept them in the scope trying to will them to grow antlers. By this time, I realized that all my chasing, tracking, and gridding left me pretty sweaty. Because I got COLD. I called it even though the deer were moving. My thought was that perhaps I could get home, change my wet long underwear and head back out! On my way home I saw a BIG buck that looked like it stood seven feet tall, in the middle of the road, staring at me. Right next to a couple houses. REALLY? Are you EFFING kidding me?!!
Well, by the time I got to the house it was about 1430. To get changed and head back out would give me only about 45 minutes of light...and only about 30 of those would be legal shooting light! I took a hot shower and called my folks.
All in all, it was a good...but bummer of...a day. I'm glad I missed clean, but I'm still disappointed that I missed. The game continues!
Quick note about yesterday's hunt. I hiked around for a coupla hours then set up in a spot to just kinda see what was moving. I heard a tree groan...bluuuhhhat...but there was no wind! Finally figured out it was a buck who heard me walking in the uber-cold-squeaky snow and grunted at me! I blew on my little grunt tube and looked over my shoulder to see said deer, at 40 yards, leaving the county. That was weird....I guess I sounded bigger than him. I poked around some more and then set up in the clearcut again to watch the entry point into it...
I sat there for 30 minutes in 0-5 degree temps when finally I heard a branch break! In 8-10 inches of snow, that means something! But, it echoed, so I was looking the wrong way when a doe busted me at about 50 yards...downwind! It scared me so much I damn near shit my pants. I left since it was pitch black out, and was cold enough that even after a 45 minute drive home, I still wasn't completely warm! (How many of you have tried to warm your fingers in a truck's defroster? Sucks doesn't it?)
But, my usual lack of optimism wasn't present, so I decided to take today off and hunt! Up early, I was leaving the truck at shooting light...around 0700. About 600 yards from the truck..still in the clearcut, I looked up the hill near the timberline and saw a deer! Shoot, that was quick! I got behind a rise and closed the distance to about 250 yards...hunkering under a ponderosa blowdown. I scanned and scanned, but couldn't see the deer (what looked like a little buck.) Well, no worries...I stood up and walked a bit and glanced up long enough to see the white flag of the deer leaving. DAMMMMMMMIT. Despite what you may think, spotting deer in a clearcut in snow isn't as easy as it sounds. They look like all the other stumps out there.
Okay, well, I poked around the hills for a couple more hours (5 to be exact) and saw nothing. No fresh sign (well a little) and no real good leads. So, I finally made my way back to the truck. However, I wanted to see if anything crossed my tracks in the morning, so I went back down that way. Sure enough, a lot of deer HAD been milling around in that area since I passed through and I was relatively pissed. If I COULD, I WOULD have sat down and made myself a little sniper nest...but as it was only about 5 degrees...after 15 minutes of sitting, it was enough. Well, there I was, walking down this road when I heard something running above me! I looked through a very small opening to see a doe run past! She was tearing out of there like something was chasing her...and after a heard the grunt, I knew a buck was on her tail!
I saw a flash in the thick underbrush, so knew the buck would reach the opening quickly. Rifle up, safety off, I waited. He passed the narrow opening and I saw him in the scope...there was no squeezing of the trigger, I was to the point where I needed to throw lead! I saw the crosshairs on his body and PULLED! And...it will be known...I actually REMEMBER closing my eyes! I had that perfect shot-picture in my head and figured I was dead on! Upon reaching the tracks however, I found no blood nor hair. I tracked this pair for a good 45 minutes, then gridded the countryside for a dead deer. NOTHING. Well shoot, I guess I missed clean. A standing/off-hand shot at a deer running flat-out at 50-60 yards...through a narrow gap in the brush? I think I did well even recognizing what was going on enough to put it all together in about 3 seconds. To flip the scope cover, take the safety off, see the opening and shoot at a running target? I'll take a little bit of pride in that...but also wallow in shame for missing! I actually took the bolt out of the rifle and looked for a lodged bullet in the barrel, I was THAT confident in the shot.
But, seeing the tracks of fleeing deer going straight up the mountain helped me realize I missed clean. Then I saw some more running tracks going downhill to the creek! Perhaps that's my buck and he's headed toward water...bleeding internally! (Small chance I know, but I always have to do my best to figure out what happened to the critter I shot at...if I shoot at all.)
So I followed this track down to the creek, across the creek, and up into the thick timber. I kept tracking, hoping to figure out what the deer were doing and if I could catch up to this buck again. But, I was still hustling and spooked a DIFFERENT buck who tore through the brush so fast all I could see were antlers and snow flying! He was a pretty buck and big to boot!
I hustled after him, and knowing the trails, set up in a spot I hoped to see him cross. Before I knew it I was looking at a doe with two yearlings...right out in the open...eating. No buck with them, I just kept them in the scope trying to will them to grow antlers. By this time, I realized that all my chasing, tracking, and gridding left me pretty sweaty. Because I got COLD. I called it even though the deer were moving. My thought was that perhaps I could get home, change my wet long underwear and head back out! On my way home I saw a BIG buck that looked like it stood seven feet tall, in the middle of the road, staring at me. Right next to a couple houses. REALLY? Are you EFFING kidding me?!!
Well, by the time I got to the house it was about 1430. To get changed and head back out would give me only about 45 minutes of light...and only about 30 of those would be legal shooting light! I took a hot shower and called my folks.
All in all, it was a good...but bummer of...a day. I'm glad I missed clean, but I'm still disappointed that I missed. The game continues!
posted by geotracker12 at 3:59 PM
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