New Horizons in a Familiar Unit

[Red Rabbit]

With the two major fires this year occurring that torched my normal hunting spots and the few deer seen last year, I ventured to another unseen area in Unit 36. I arrived late Wednesday night to secure a desired camping spot under a shady oak tree, as I figured it would surely be taken sometime Thursday.

 

Having not been to this part of the unit before, I arose at sunrise to survey the surrounding mountainsides.

 

With a Spartan camp situated to secure the spot as occupied and after a conversation with the local rancher, I traveled a few roads to locate access points to canyons and glassing spots. Mick Charter, Casey's dad, arrived early that afternoon and we set up the rest of camp. That evening, I went to a hill above a tank and spooked 10 does and fawns from near the water. Glassing until dark revealed no bucks, although a report from the early hunt had 15 different bucks glassed from this small knob.

 

Returning opening morning to the same knob, only four does and no bucks were seen through the Leicas. Later that afternoon, Chris/Sundevil and Larry/Scout'm arrived to help glass that evening. We went south a ways for a short hike up a hill to glass the slopes and flats leading to a water tank. Five other hunters had the same area in mind and had it surrounded. We spotted a couple of spikes and several does. It would have been an easy pack back to the truck following the well-defined IA trail, but spike was not on the antler-based menu. Larry located a few IAs huddled under a tree near the mountain top where a lone hunter was maybe 50 yards above them.

 

The western sun sets, signaling the close to the first day of our season.

 

Saturday morning had Larry, Chris, Rica and I hiking over an hour into a canyon for the day. While we found many does, no antlers were seen. The tanks in the canyon were also dry. Four BP agents drove up to just below us and then took a hike up the canyon to find some illegals that had been scoped, but they tagged no "game" either.

 

Chris had to leave that Saturday evening as Sunday he had to travel to Kali for a business meeting.

 

SunDevil behind his deer-finding Swaros.

 

With a day in the previous canyon revealing no bucks, Larry and I decide to journey to a new area where he had located some bucks on his scouting trips. Soon after hiking to a small rise to glass up into a basin, Larry locates two smaller bucks he had seen on his prior trips.

 

 

Soon thereafter, he sees two spikes sparring on a high ridge, and 3-point comes to break up that childish behavior. We decide this buck is a worth a closer look, so we leap frog from hill to hill to get within closer evaluation range. I would go to the next ridge or hill and relocate the buck while Larry remained to keep an eye on the deer. Upon reaching the next spot. I would then signal Larry to move up. While getting to the last hill within 400 yards of the deer, the buck pulls his gray-ghost routine and is not seen again. Even a noisy, grunting, sqealing herd of peccaries that moved up to canyon to the deer's last location flushed no deer. They must have escaped over the ridge to the south.

 

That Sunday evening, Larry, Casey, his friend Jonathan, and Rica go to glass a set up different basins with water nearby. As dry as it is, we figure the deer would be close to a water source. While glassing a bowl to the south of us, Larry, Rica and I hear some constant coyote howling, barking and yipping from Jonathan and Casey's direction. We figure the varmint hunter in Casey caused him to break out his new Fox-Pro E-caller, but he later informs us that a real coyote was sitting at the tank dam making the raucus. Only does were seen by the four of us.

 

Larry, Casey and I made plans for Monday to return to the basin where Larry and I had seen the 3 branch-antlered bucks. After an hour hike that morning, we set up to glass and Casey makes a quick wager, a dollar for the first deer and buck seen. Well, Larry takes his money only few minutes later as he spots a couple of does and a good buck in a distant draw. The spotting scope reveals a dark-horned 4x4. Casey and I load up the packs to hike within shooting range, while Larry will stay behind to keep an eye on the buck. When we get to the desired position, we cannot relocate the buck or the does.

 

Two white-antlered bucks are seen racing across the hill from the south, but Casey cannot get them in the riflescope once the range is determined.

 

Larry comes up to the top to join us, and the three of us search for the rest of the day to no avail. On the knoll top with spartan mesquite tree shade, there we spend the hot midday trying to avoid the 84* heat under our draped-shirt constructed shade.

 

We figure that the buck has gone over the top to bed on the north face, so mid-afternoon Casey and Larry hike 30 minutes over to another ridge to get a better vantage up the other draw. Something spooks the buck and he comes busting out below Casey and Larry. Casey hears rocks clatter and roll, but cannot locate the buck at it races across the open slope. He escapes for the evening unseen by Casey and me.

 

See 4x in this draw?

 

Casey searches for the four point buck.

 

Dawn breaks on the final days.

 

With a worthy buck located and the rest of camp gone home, Rica and I spend all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning glassing that basin for the 4x4. He must have spooked out of the area, as in that day and a half, only a small 3-point and 2-point are seen in addition to numerous does, fawns and spikes.

 

The last sunrise.

 

Last November, I carried a “lucky” red bean in my pant’s pocket. It’s residue must not have washed out.

 

Doug~RR

[GameHauler]

Great write up Doug

Thanks for sharing your story

 

I wonder if Casey knows what it means

to have a finger pointed out like that while

doing any task that requires hand control

[caelkhnter]

 

Doug

 

As usual, great pictures and report of your hunt. Thanks for the report. Looks like it was fun and you made the effort, just not in the cards this year.

[GameHauler]

Doug,

You got some camp pics to share?

[Red Rabbit]

just not in the cards this year.

 

Jim, now you know why I don't gamble

 

Mike, not one camp pic to post. Sorry.

[shortpants]

Doug, fantastic pics and great write up. I really wish I could have made it down to your camp to meet you and the guys and of course Rica too! I shared those same beautiful sunrises and sunsets as well as those blistering hot days. Try turning your pockets inside out next time you wash them pants to get that ''lucky bean residue'' out.

[WFGinNM]

I've been waiting for this adventure story. I sure look forward and appreciate these write-ups and pictures. Doug, could you go Coues' hunting again please.... please??? Looks like you guys (and Rica) had a great time.

 

Well done,

--Bill

[lucky2hunt]

Great pictures and write-up Doug. Those 'ol Bucks are getting smarter!

[CouesWhitetail]

Excellent write-up Doug! As always, there are so many memories and beautiful moments that make up a hunt. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

Amanda

 

[Sam]

Great write up and pictures Doug. My daughters especially enjoyed the sunrise and sunset pictures. I told them that scenes like that make those early hikes to the top of the hill so worth it. They agreed, not whole heartedly, but they agreed!

[My Rights As An American]

Great story, great pics. Glad to hear you were seeing deer, but bummed that you did not get a chance to seal the deal. Ah, that is not what the hunt is all about anyway. Your story and pics make the hunt, not the antlers!

[hunt4horns]

Looks like Casey is trying to keep the trigger finger warm in the sunlight !

[TAM]

Congratulations on your successful hunt!!!

[cramerhunts]

Very nice Doug. Awesome pictures and great write up of the hunt. I'm sorry you guys didn't get a chance to connect with a buck, dang "lucky bean" residue!

[coues101cj]

cool story and pix