We got our draw for Mule Deer Does in November again but this HUNT was different...
Back on our 2012 Doe hunt my Dad's eyes weren't what they used to be and he missed a doe at 80ish yds using his open sights. So the next year we started talking about putting a scope on the old P14(Eddystone). He recieved the rifle as a gift from his brother in law on his 19th Birthday. We didn't get a draw the year after that but I did find him an Elite 3200 2-7x32. After poking around and considering getting a machinist to work on the action I found a sturdy "no-smith" mount. The next problem was that the sporterized military stock wouldn't work with the scope, I had to rest my chin on the comb to look through the scope. So I reworked the stock, adding a monte carlo style cheek piece and a nicer curved pistol grip.
Here's a pic of what his looked like before, the actual before pic was lost to a memory card that fried.
Here's a pic of it the way he hunted this year
I picked my Dad up at 7 am last Friday. We turned off the highway around 2pm. We slowly drove toward our favorite spot and at about 3pm I saw a doe 25yds away standing in some dead-fall on the driver's side of the truck. Dad got out the passenger side stepped ahead of the truck and shot his first deer ever at 65 years old.
When we parked at my favorite spot it was sunset. I got out of the truck and saw 4 does about 80 yds up the hill. I popped the mag into the 7-08 but in my excitement I loudly said "Hey Dad!" to let him know the deer were standing there. The does spooked so by the time I got the rifle up they had all bounced into the timber. I went up the hill a bit but it was overcast and we were losing light too fast to go after them. I hoped we hadn't spooked them too badly and that they might be on the same ridge in the morning.
Saturday morning we got up early and started walking in an inch of fresh snow. We walked our road to the edge over the river then turned back up a little fire-road where we usually catch the deer moving. We followed a small ridge from the fire road until we were above the truck opposite where we saw the does the night before. As we made our way down to the truck I kept glassing openings on the other ridge. Just before we got to camp I spotted the back half of a deer on the ridge as it stepped into the timber. After a hasty snack I headed down the road again to get downwind of the deer on the ridge. Topping the slope I could see at least 5 sets of fresh tracks. I worked my way into the wind until I was just above the truck. The new snow was starting to crunch loudly under my boots and the doe heard me before I saw her. She only bounced a couple times and stopped in some thicker timber where I couldn't see her. Her fawn panicked and bounced down the hill but the doe held steady. Hoping to coax her out I tried a soft grunt on my call. I guess that didn't sound right because she snorted and took off. I followed for a while but only got a glimpse of her through a screen of timber. She headed down the ridge and I gave up when she crossed the road 500yards past the truck. I followed the road back the way we drove in the night before and met Dad at the truck and had a proper lunch.
After lunch we headed out the same way as before but went further so we could get downwind of the other deer whose tracks I saw on the ridge. When we got to elevation things seemed to be going our way as we got into fresh sign. Again the going was loud and there wasn't much we could do about it. 100 yds or so along the ridge we spooked a doe, I saw her for 3 seconds and she was gone. This was proving fruitless. We dropped off the ridge to the truck and made a plan for last light, we would walk the fence line just in the timber from some big prairie. We were surprised there was little sign along the fence and turned up the small ridge we had hiked first thing in the morning, this time in the opposite direction. Instead of dropping off to the truck we followed it all the way back to the fire-road where we found fresh tracks on top of ours from the morning. We ran out of light and headed back to camp for supper.
Sunday morning there was only a tiny skiff of fresh snow that fell sometime between 2 and 5 am, just enough to show new tracks from old. I decided to head to the high meadow past the fire-road where we set our blind on longer trips. When I turned down the fire-road there were fresh tracks leading up the ridge we had hiked first and last the day before. I figured I had better odds of tracking that deer down than gambling on deer being at the meadow so I headed up the ridge one more time. I followed the tracks almost the whole way back to the fence-line. Here and there I had to untangle them from others but I was confident. I found a very fresh bed and tracks showed I had spooked the deer, I thought I was getting close. Another hundred yards and the tracks crossed the road and went up the opposite ridge. At the road there were fresh boot tracks from my Dad who had gone in the opposite direction to try to find a coyote we'd seen the day before. Knowing my dad had already investigated the tracks I figured my chance of catching up to the deer was slim. I was close to the fence-line so I decided to try my luck there.
The fence-line had only a minimal amount of activity so I followed it to the corner past the ridge we hiked the night before. I worked my way along to the big ridge that drops down to the river. As I turned to cross over to the side facing the river a doe bounced through the timber into some deadfall probably 150yds away at an awkward angle with the fence-line and I just didn't get a chance to line her up. I thought as I crossed over toward the river canyon I'd get a chance to see her but the tangle of deadfall and small trees was too thick although there was more fresh sign. Along the edge over the canyon there was full sun and the snow had melted almost completely...at least I could move quietly again. I found an open spot snapped some pics and watched Bighorn sheep grazing way below in the hay-fields along the river.
I continued along the top until I came to the draw where the main road drops off the edge down to the river and the fire-road cuts back parallel to where I'd just come. Moving onto the fire-road I was back on crunchy snow and into the burnt timber where I got my 2pt a couple years back. I hadn't gone far when I saw a deer in the burnt timber toward the river edge(I was surprised since I'd just come through not 100yds away in the opposite direction). I couldn't get a good look at the deer through the timber and with the loud snow I figured it was worth cold wet feet and I took of my boots for a quieter stalk. I got in nice and close but when I had a good look at the whole deer 60yds away it was a 2 pt. Bucks close for 10 days in November and 4pt only didn't start up again until the next day. I decided to get a picture but getting my camera out spooked the deer before I could snap one. Going back to my boots I made my way to the truck to get dry socks. That evening the wind was wrong and kept changing so it stayed wrong no matter what we did. We walked the roads and noticed more tracks on our tracks but didn't see or hear anything.
After supper we sat in the cab of the truck listening to the radio and talking. When we got out there was a fox in camp looking for scraps. I tried chasing him off but I think he knew we couldn't shoot him so he acted very bold and cheeky. Dad and I both put our flashlights on him and I got a fair picture of our marauder.
I was despairing a bit that night, I'm hardly ever the last one to tag a doe and it was getting me down. To make matters worse I woke up around midnight to find it warm and raining. Things were different when my alarm went off, it was freezing again. Dad made a big breakfast of Potatoes,
Bacon, and Eggs, and I started out on my last hike before the long drive home with a coffee still in hand. 50yds from the truck toward the fire-road cut-off there were fresh tracks again. I walked off the road wherever I could to make as little noise as possible(still not really quiet) but another bonus came as a slight breeze in my face, the wind was finally in my favor, and 4pt bucks were open.
Just as I entered the burnt timber about 100yds before the fire-road junction I saw a deer. I knelt down and the deer seemed nervous but didn't stott away. I was trying to glass and saw antlers, as the buck moved through the timber I got a good look and it was a decent 4pt. When I switched from binos to scope though it was as if the buck could sense I wanted to shoot and he turned dead away managing to stay screened by trees until he disappeared over the little rise. As he topped the rise I saw another deer to the right. One door closes and another opens I thought...at least I'll fill my doe tag. This deer was completely unaware of me and kept walking right to left. My excitement waned quickly as I saw some small antlers, "it's the 2pt from yesterday" I thought. Now I couldn't shoot and if I tried to follow the big buck this little one would probably spook and give me away.
The little buck turned and started moving back left to right while angling closer to me. Since I was pretty much pinned down I decided to watch him with my binos. I quickly realized he wasn't the same 2pt and when his head turned I counted 3pts on 1 side. Then I got really interested. Finally I saw that there were 4pts on the left. I could hardly believe it. The 2pt from the day before was taller and wider than this guy(bigger body too). I dropped any plans of going after the monster I might not get and accepted the gift I was given. The small buck was crossing broadside at about 80yds and as soon he was clear of any trees...boom...My first 4pt. Dad heard the shot and walked down the road to congratulate me.
I shot him with my Ruger 350RM but I had put it away when we went back for the truck. I grabbed the 7-08 for the photo op since it was handy.
We had to cut some blow down off the road to get the truck close then it was only a short drag to the road and into the truck. We had a very happy drive home.
Happy Hunting,
Willy
Back on our 2012 Doe hunt my Dad's eyes weren't what they used to be and he missed a doe at 80ish yds using his open sights. So the next year we started talking about putting a scope on the old P14(Eddystone). He recieved the rifle as a gift from his brother in law on his 19th Birthday. We didn't get a draw the year after that but I did find him an Elite 3200 2-7x32. After poking around and considering getting a machinist to work on the action I found a sturdy "no-smith" mount. The next problem was that the sporterized military stock wouldn't work with the scope, I had to rest my chin on the comb to look through the scope. So I reworked the stock, adding a monte carlo style cheek piece and a nicer curved pistol grip.
Here's a pic of what his looked like before, the actual before pic was lost to a memory card that fried.
Here's a pic of it the way he hunted this year
I picked my Dad up at 7 am last Friday. We turned off the highway around 2pm. We slowly drove toward our favorite spot and at about 3pm I saw a doe 25yds away standing in some dead-fall on the driver's side of the truck. Dad got out the passenger side stepped ahead of the truck and shot his first deer ever at 65 years old.
When we parked at my favorite spot it was sunset. I got out of the truck and saw 4 does about 80 yds up the hill. I popped the mag into the 7-08 but in my excitement I loudly said "Hey Dad!" to let him know the deer were standing there. The does spooked so by the time I got the rifle up they had all bounced into the timber. I went up the hill a bit but it was overcast and we were losing light too fast to go after them. I hoped we hadn't spooked them too badly and that they might be on the same ridge in the morning.
Saturday morning we got up early and started walking in an inch of fresh snow. We walked our road to the edge over the river then turned back up a little fire-road where we usually catch the deer moving. We followed a small ridge from the fire road until we were above the truck opposite where we saw the does the night before. As we made our way down to the truck I kept glassing openings on the other ridge. Just before we got to camp I spotted the back half of a deer on the ridge as it stepped into the timber. After a hasty snack I headed down the road again to get downwind of the deer on the ridge. Topping the slope I could see at least 5 sets of fresh tracks. I worked my way into the wind until I was just above the truck. The new snow was starting to crunch loudly under my boots and the doe heard me before I saw her. She only bounced a couple times and stopped in some thicker timber where I couldn't see her. Her fawn panicked and bounced down the hill but the doe held steady. Hoping to coax her out I tried a soft grunt on my call. I guess that didn't sound right because she snorted and took off. I followed for a while but only got a glimpse of her through a screen of timber. She headed down the ridge and I gave up when she crossed the road 500yards past the truck. I followed the road back the way we drove in the night before and met Dad at the truck and had a proper lunch.
After lunch we headed out the same way as before but went further so we could get downwind of the other deer whose tracks I saw on the ridge. When we got to elevation things seemed to be going our way as we got into fresh sign. Again the going was loud and there wasn't much we could do about it. 100 yds or so along the ridge we spooked a doe, I saw her for 3 seconds and she was gone. This was proving fruitless. We dropped off the ridge to the truck and made a plan for last light, we would walk the fence line just in the timber from some big prairie. We were surprised there was little sign along the fence and turned up the small ridge we had hiked first thing in the morning, this time in the opposite direction. Instead of dropping off to the truck we followed it all the way back to the fire-road where we found fresh tracks on top of ours from the morning. We ran out of light and headed back to camp for supper.
Sunday morning there was only a tiny skiff of fresh snow that fell sometime between 2 and 5 am, just enough to show new tracks from old. I decided to head to the high meadow past the fire-road where we set our blind on longer trips. When I turned down the fire-road there were fresh tracks leading up the ridge we had hiked first and last the day before. I figured I had better odds of tracking that deer down than gambling on deer being at the meadow so I headed up the ridge one more time. I followed the tracks almost the whole way back to the fence-line. Here and there I had to untangle them from others but I was confident. I found a very fresh bed and tracks showed I had spooked the deer, I thought I was getting close. Another hundred yards and the tracks crossed the road and went up the opposite ridge. At the road there were fresh boot tracks from my Dad who had gone in the opposite direction to try to find a coyote we'd seen the day before. Knowing my dad had already investigated the tracks I figured my chance of catching up to the deer was slim. I was close to the fence-line so I decided to try my luck there.
The fence-line had only a minimal amount of activity so I followed it to the corner past the ridge we hiked the night before. I worked my way along to the big ridge that drops down to the river. As I turned to cross over to the side facing the river a doe bounced through the timber into some deadfall probably 150yds away at an awkward angle with the fence-line and I just didn't get a chance to line her up. I thought as I crossed over toward the river canyon I'd get a chance to see her but the tangle of deadfall and small trees was too thick although there was more fresh sign. Along the edge over the canyon there was full sun and the snow had melted almost completely...at least I could move quietly again. I found an open spot snapped some pics and watched Bighorn sheep grazing way below in the hay-fields along the river.
I continued along the top until I came to the draw where the main road drops off the edge down to the river and the fire-road cuts back parallel to where I'd just come. Moving onto the fire-road I was back on crunchy snow and into the burnt timber where I got my 2pt a couple years back. I hadn't gone far when I saw a deer in the burnt timber toward the river edge(I was surprised since I'd just come through not 100yds away in the opposite direction). I couldn't get a good look at the deer through the timber and with the loud snow I figured it was worth cold wet feet and I took of my boots for a quieter stalk. I got in nice and close but when I had a good look at the whole deer 60yds away it was a 2 pt. Bucks close for 10 days in November and 4pt only didn't start up again until the next day. I decided to get a picture but getting my camera out spooked the deer before I could snap one. Going back to my boots I made my way to the truck to get dry socks. That evening the wind was wrong and kept changing so it stayed wrong no matter what we did. We walked the roads and noticed more tracks on our tracks but didn't see or hear anything.
After supper we sat in the cab of the truck listening to the radio and talking. When we got out there was a fox in camp looking for scraps. I tried chasing him off but I think he knew we couldn't shoot him so he acted very bold and cheeky. Dad and I both put our flashlights on him and I got a fair picture of our marauder.
I was despairing a bit that night, I'm hardly ever the last one to tag a doe and it was getting me down. To make matters worse I woke up around midnight to find it warm and raining. Things were different when my alarm went off, it was freezing again. Dad made a big breakfast of Potatoes,
Bacon, and Eggs, and I started out on my last hike before the long drive home with a coffee still in hand. 50yds from the truck toward the fire-road cut-off there were fresh tracks again. I walked off the road wherever I could to make as little noise as possible(still not really quiet) but another bonus came as a slight breeze in my face, the wind was finally in my favor, and 4pt bucks were open.
Just as I entered the burnt timber about 100yds before the fire-road junction I saw a deer. I knelt down and the deer seemed nervous but didn't stott away. I was trying to glass and saw antlers, as the buck moved through the timber I got a good look and it was a decent 4pt. When I switched from binos to scope though it was as if the buck could sense I wanted to shoot and he turned dead away managing to stay screened by trees until he disappeared over the little rise. As he topped the rise I saw another deer to the right. One door closes and another opens I thought...at least I'll fill my doe tag. This deer was completely unaware of me and kept walking right to left. My excitement waned quickly as I saw some small antlers, "it's the 2pt from yesterday" I thought. Now I couldn't shoot and if I tried to follow the big buck this little one would probably spook and give me away.
The little buck turned and started moving back left to right while angling closer to me. Since I was pretty much pinned down I decided to watch him with my binos. I quickly realized he wasn't the same 2pt and when his head turned I counted 3pts on 1 side. Then I got really interested. Finally I saw that there were 4pts on the left. I could hardly believe it. The 2pt from the day before was taller and wider than this guy(bigger body too). I dropped any plans of going after the monster I might not get and accepted the gift I was given. The small buck was crossing broadside at about 80yds and as soon he was clear of any trees...boom...My first 4pt. Dad heard the shot and walked down the road to congratulate me.
I shot him with my Ruger 350RM but I had put it away when we went back for the truck. I grabbed the 7-08 for the photo op since it was handy.
We had to cut some blow down off the road to get the truck close then it was only a short drag to the road and into the truck. We had a very happy drive home.
Happy Hunting,
Willy
