Pine Donkey

Mark (MJE1) and I had a couple left over tags for this past weekend. We, along with my son Garrett, scout year around. Most of the off-season work is done by Mark and Garrett with their network on game cams spread across three units. The off-season work always seems to pay dividends. On our last scouting trip, the Sunday before the season opener, we watched 12 bucks, 4 of them were likely shooters. I was interested in the heavy 3 x 2 that we had watched for a couple years, Mark wanted to get a better look at the narrow buck with good tines. Opening day finally arrive. As first light began to glow it found Garrett, Cody, and me on top of a favorite classing point after a hike in the dark, and Mark in bed trying to kick a stomach bug. From the hilltop we were able to find seven bucks, as we got soaked by wave after wave of rain. Finally, Garrett spotted a buck with a heavy frame, but it was not one we recognized. At a long distance, without direct sunlight and through the rain we were not able to put points on him so we moved in for a closer look. Well all we did was bump him and sent him running out of the country. Saturday Garrett and I again hiked to the hilltop in the dark, only to sit in fog with less than 100 yard visibility. After about three hours it began to break up and we were able to find a few small bucks, but nothing that looked too good. Mark spent the morning with his son Jon glassing the same area from a different direction. Sunday arrived, and finally the weather was clear. Mark, Garrett and I were again at the glassing point before first light. By sun up we had found over twenty deer, including 9 bucks, but none of the big bucks we knew were in there. Jon joined us about 10:00 after getting off work at 8AM. Jon is a firefighter and this was the begining of his 4 day break. About 11:30 Mark spotted a good buck feeding high on the mountain. As we watcher through the spotting scope we determined it was the good 3 x 3 that we always see with the heavy 3 x 2, but we never see him alone...where is the 3 x 2? We watched the buck feed around the mountain, but never saw his buddy. After a while of scratching our heads and exploring possibilities Garrett decided to get on the ridgetop behind the mountain the 3 x 3 walked around. He would glass and try to find the 3 x 2. I did not like this idea because it meant Garrett climbing over 1000 feet up one of the steepest, roughest ridges anywhere. Once up there, he would have to move along the ridge top, rock slides and out croppings all the while if he finds the buck, I am not going to try to get up there. All of this fell on the deaf ears of a teenage boy being advised by his dad. Garrett made his treak of several miles and sure enough he found the 3 x 3, and his scent caused him to get up and move back around to our side of the mountain. As he did, he picked up the heavy 3 x 2. How could we have missed him...he was there all the time. These little deer sure disappear when the lay down. At over a mile we really did not have a chance to see him until he stood up. We watched them work their way down hill and then bed again. While they moved, so did Garrett. He sent us some pictures of the bucks. The 3 x 2 must be regressing. His G2's are quite a bit shorted than last year, but he is still a good buck. With the bucks bedded Mark and I decided to try to get into position. Garrett was on the mountain top above them and Jon was staying on the glassing hill as spotters. It took us about an hour to move across the valley to our shooting spot. The shot would be 360 yards at a very steep uphill angle. We were set up and waiting for him to stand. The wait was only about 10 minutes. He stood up, we analyzed the shot then I squeezed one off. "You hit him, but he needs another", Mark said. Jon and Garrett were both able to watch where he went down after he was hit again. Now we had to climb up there through the jungle of growth, huge boulders, and steep angle. The 400 yards took us 45 minutes. In the pictire you can see I am actually laying down so I don't slip on the hillside. I shot the deer at just after 3:00 and it was after 7 when we made it back to the truck. Garrett and Jon did all the packing of the deer, Mark and I only carried our gear. Daybreak on Monday found Mark, Garrett, James (son of another hunting buddy MCElk) and me on the same hilltop. What the heck, where did all this wind come from? At first light we found three small bucks, then Garrett said, "Mark I got your buck" He stayed in the open for less than 2 minutes then dropped into a thick cut long before the sunlight could light him up. We made a plan that sent Garrett and Mark toward a little hilltop that would allow them to look into the cut...hopefully. This would be a long shot so they took the rainmaker (Jon's .300 RUM) with them. As they moved withing 1500 yards they slowwed down and glassed often. During this time Mark spotted him as he ran over a small ridge towards them and dove under a tree. We are not sure why he decided to move or why he did so at full speed. There were no other hunters in the area; maybe he just needed to get into a better spot with all the wind messing with his senses. Mark and Garrett made a new plan and found a new place to set up. They were 575 yards and could not get any closer. they did not have much wind where they were, but they could see the trees swaying violently above the deer. How much bullett drift would there be...half a mill dot? a full mill dot? it was a hard call to make. They could only see the buck from his brow and up. Now they just needed to wait until he stood up. Mark was prone behind the gun, Garrett was in his Kaibabs set on the tripod, surely the buck would stand soon. Two and a half hours later he finally stood up briefly, stretched and began to lay down again. Mark saw his chance and fired...the buck came rolling down the hill. Again, Mark and I only had to pack out the gear as Garrett and James packed the deer to the truck. All those years of taking these kids out hunting is now paying off big time. This was a very difficult hunt in rough country, but what a great time we had. I am just not sure how many more years I will be willing to hunt coues in vertical country. We made a trip to St. David to drop the deer off with our taxidermist Stacy Tompkinson. Now its time to start working for January and for next year.

Meat in the freezer is always a good thing...so is keeping the wife happy. Nice work!

This is one of those stories that just touches my heart. My greatest joy in hunting has been the times spent with my kids, closely followed by times spent with friends kids. That is one great buck, but not as great as the story.

Very cool. Nice when the family hunts together.

Nice bucks, congratulations!

Very cool looking buck. Any idea if it was young or old?

Well done!

Calling a lion in in the dark on a solo hunt! That lion is a stud, I guess Dave must be too (or he's just plain crazy).

Very nice! Congratulations.

Things are looking good for you this January. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Wow! I hope your taxidermist takes payments. Congratulations!

Nice buck. Can't wait to see pictures of the next one and read the stories.

That thing is so fat it does not look real. Very cool!

That is a stud buk, congratulations!

Great job on a first buck!

Great last day buck, congratulations!

Great bucks, thanks for posting!

Good luck TJ, can't wait to see some pics.

Very nice buck, and great set of sheds! Congratulations!

I love to see these kids having so much success!

Any hunt spent with family and friends is a great hunt. Congratulations on a very nice buck.

I love it!

I love it! Family hunts are great, family hunts with dead deer are the best! Nice job getting those boys hooked. Congratulations to all.

You had me going. I was ready to pile on during another story about a slob hunter. Great story...unbearable!

They are a few days late, the election was last Tuesday.