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Last year I did my first solo hunt a few miles into a remote canyon. I froze my rear end off trying to go with a light sleeping bag and decided one night was enough despite seeing a decent number of bucks I never saw one that I wanted to pack out. This year my two daughters and I were drawn for the 3rd whitetail hunt so the goal was to get them tagged out opening weekend then I could hunt during the week and backpack into the same canyon as last year. Unfortunately my 13 year old came down with a bad case of asthma and spent 5 days in the hospital right before the hunt. The doctor said she had to take it easy for a week before she could resume full activity. Friday evening my brother in law glassed a group of bucks before dark so we had a good plan for Saturday morning. Saturday morning we were close to where the bucks were but we couldn't even find a doe. After several hours we split up and I went to glass a spot I knew deer liked to bed and after less than five minutes found a little forkhorn. It took a little bit for her to get set up but one shot from the .250 Savage at 202 yards and the buck tipped over after running down the hill a short distance. Wow! I was a happy dad! Finally, after 5 years she got her first deer! I was able to take my 13 year old out a couple evenings and glass from the road. One of those evenings some friends glassed a little buck that we went after but it got too dark. I finally headed to my backpacking spot and set up camp early Wednesday. I was impressed to see a little rutting activity from small and medium size bucks. Nothing hardcore but I realized I better pay attention to the does when I glassed them up. Friday morning I headed to where I saw a buck of interest the evening before and didn't make it too far from camp when I came upon 3 point staring at me from 130 yards. I thought I better take him so I put a round in the .257 Weatherby and squeezed the trigger. I had to shoot through a branch but he went right down and I all I could see was a couple bushes shaking. I was happy. I boned him out after pictures and went back to camp. Turns out it wasn't my biggest buck but I was happy. The pack out was absolutely the roughest and heaviest I have ever done. Next year the goal is to be in better shape! My middle daughter was only able to get out one more time and we didn't find anything but does, a shed and a good nap. LOL Great time nonetheless! Jeff