TAM Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Work has kept me busy all summer and I haven't had much time to check in here at CWT but I did find a few days last week to escape to the high country of Colorado for a solo, backpack, muzzleloader, mule deer hunt. I had never been to this unit or even attempted this type of hunt before so I really didn't know what to expect. I've spent more than a year loosing weight and working out to get in better shape so I could be ready to hit the 12,000+ peaks above timberline looking into alpine basins for big bucks. The hard work paid off as I hit the first trail into a wilderness area. After a short 2 mile hike and 700 vertical foot climb I found myself at 11,700 feet of elevation the day before the hunt looking into a large basin. It didn't take long to glass up several groups of does, a pack of coyotes, and a couple badgers chasing each other. After about an hour I finally saw my first buck about a mile away and he looked big! The only problem was that he was running across the mountain side like he was being chased. I never got a good look at the details of his rack but even from that distance I knew he was a shooter. A few seconds later and he was topped out over the ridge and gone from view. On the one hand I was happy there was a shooter buck in the area. On the other I was dissapointed that he was boogered. With this in mind I decided that I would back out of this spot and drive to a different area and spend a few days there while the first spot could settle down for a few days. So I packed back to the truck and drove to another mountain to see what I could turn up there. This area was a little higher in elevation and after about 2 miles in I found a clump of scrub pines at 12,200 foot elevation to make my spike camp. It was was within a couple hundred yards of two vantage points which gave me excellent views of two different basins one on the north and one on the south side of the ridge I was on. After setting up camp I went over to the edge to glass the north basin. It was still early in the afternoon and the hunt didn't start untill the next day. I glassed for an hour or so and was getting a little frusterated, I hadn't seen a thing! But all that changed when I moved my glasses to a small finger ridge a little over 300 yards in front of me that had a little string of scrub pines. Laying right on the edge right in the open was a buck... a good buck! It didn't take long to determine that this was exactly the type of buck I was looking for and I spent the rest of the evening watching him and never even attempted to find anything else. After an hour or so he did finally get up and fed but never moved more than 20-30 yards from his original bed. I kept my eyes on him till I couldn't see him anymore and I knew if he stayed put he would be in grave danger the next morning. Back at camp I downed a Mountain House meal and hit the sack. Sleep wasn't easy I was excited about finding this buck in the morning. About 4am it started to rain. Even as it started getting light it was still raining. I had to wait it out in the tent until about 7:30am when it finally stopped enough to go hunting. I quietly moved into my glassing position and set up the binos and tripod ready to pick apart the finger ridge this buck was on the night before. Fully expecting something of a challenge to relocate him I was somewhat surprised when not more than 5 or 6 seconds after starting to glass I found him bedded in the same scrub pine patch not 30 yards from where he was the night before! I couldn't believe it was that easy. After watching him for a half hour or so I worked my way up and around his position so I could set up from a boulder about a hundred yards above him. Everything went as planned and now the wait was on! I could see the tips of his velvet horns sticking up above the brush but had no shot. I waited for two hours through the drizzly rain and fog before he finally stood to stretch. He took a few steps and as he cleared a small pine he stopped and looked up towards me but it was too late, the 270 grain Powerbelt bullet from my TC Encore was on it's way! As the smoke cleared I wasn't sure what happened so I quietly looked and listened. I saw nothing and heard nothing. Being by myself I had no spotter to confirm a hit or miss. Not knowing what to do next I just watched and waited. After several agonizing minutes I caught movement at the edge of the trees. It was him... he was hit hard and hunched up walking down the steep mountain side. The shot looked to be in the back of the lungs and liver. He continued down the hill several hundred feet before bedding up. I watched through the binos and within several minutes he laid over and died. Getting down to him was going to be easy but getting him out was the most difficult pack out I've ever had to do. The steep mountain side was not going to let me out of there without a fight. In the end I was completely exhausted but I had done what I set out to do and now the buck, the experinece, and the memories were mine and I had accomplished what I set out to do! The view from my first glassing point at 11,700 foot elevation Where I saw the big buck running below the pointed peak in the top right This was my view on the hike in to the second area My spike camp at 12,200 foot elevation My buck when I first found him the night before the hunt Mine at last! Looking up from where the buck died to where I had to go (top far left rock point) Packed up and heading back to Prescott Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Awesome Job and story! I would love to do that type of hunt in the future! Your the man! How long did it take for you to draw that tag? Do you know what he scored? Great Job, Adam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted September 12, 2012 That is VERY cool! One of these trips has been on the top of my list for years... The losing the weight and getting in shape (and I wont do it solo) has been the down fall! VERY neat experience and although he may not be the largest buck in the high mountains he is one helll of a trophy! You should be proud, Tim as that is very very cool! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huntjunkie Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Amazing! I love back country hunts! Congratulations on a GREAT hunt and a Great buck! IMO theres no hunt more rewarding. Fantastic Pics BTW! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
palivs2hnt Report post Posted September 12, 2012 Awesome write up and pics. Congrats on a great buck and cool hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaffer62 Report post Posted September 12, 2012 What a hunt! Awesome story and bomber buck! A hunt like this has always been a dream hunt of mine! Great job getting it done!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Camofreak Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Congrats, Awesome buck man, great story!! What kind of watch is that by the way?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loco4coues Report post Posted September 13, 2012 What a great hunt and buck! Thanks for sharing it with us and congratulations on a great buck! +1 on what kind of watch? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Love the story and pics!! Congratulations on your successful adventure! I love backpack hunts! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAM Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Awesome Job and story! I would love to do that type of hunt in the future! Your the man! How long did it take for you to draw that tag? Do you know what he scored? Great Job, Adam Adam, It only took one prefrence point to draw the tag. I don't have an exact score yet but he should go near 180 and 28 inches wide. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAM Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Congrats, Awesome buck man, great story!! What kind of watch is that by the way?? What a great hunt and buck! Thanks for sharing it with us and congratulations on a great buck! +1 on what kind of watch? It's made by a company called Suunto and it is the Core model. I've been pretty happy with it. It was perfect for this kind of trip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bear402 Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Nice story and Photos I love that Colorado High country. Congratulations on great looking Buck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZbowhntr Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Great story and pictures. That looks like an incredible time. Not sure about the solo thing but everything else looked awesome. Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AntlerObsession Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Congratulations on an epic hunt! Colorado High Country Hunts are so rewarding: the views, the effort and the opportunities on multiple bucks make for unforgettable hunts! It gives you opportunities to do the most fun parts of hunting. Find lots of animals, plan the stalk, execute and celebrate!! What a buck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted September 13, 2012 Beautiful buck and great story and pictures. Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
