Shawn Report post Posted November 1, 2014 We had a great 2014 backpack hunt. I packed in 6 miles on Thursday. Saw 5 bucks on Friday but nothing big. My buddy got to camp late morning on Saturday. We didn't see anything but small bucks saturday. When walking back to camp Saturday night after filtering water we came across a rattlesnake. With the tall grass and packs full of water we didn't kill it. On Sunday morning hiking to my glassing spot I was going very slow in the area we saw the snake. He was coiled up right where my next step was going to be. All I can say is thank god we saw him Saturday or I would not have had my snake gaiters on and I would have stepped right on him. Made sure we didn't see him a 3rd time. At 7am Sunday i spotted my buck feeding on the side of the hill. Shot him at 400 yards. He took a nasty tumble down the side of the hill and broke the end of his main beam off. I looked for it on the step hill but with the tall grass I could never find it. My buddy and I had talked before the hunt. If one of us kills one, bone it out head for the truck drop the meat off and come back up the next day. That was the roughest pack out I have ever had. Got bluffed up and had to side hill out a step canyon. At the bottom of the canyon came across another snake. He was next to a rock out in the open so I went around him. I got back to camp on Monday and we didn't see much. We talked Monday night over a mountain house about what to do the next day. We decided that if we don't see much Tuesday morning to pack it up and hunt our way back to the truck and day hunt from the truck after that. Only seeing a spike Tuesday morning made the decision easy. After packing camp I told him we want to get on this hill by 3pm. Thats the hill I had been with my dad on 30+ years ago when I watched my dad kill a buck. This was the first rifle hunt he had taken me on with him, I was probably about 7 or 8. The hill was about a mile and a half from the truck. It worked out perfect, a 3x3 came out right before dark and my buddy made a good shot on him. By the time we got to him it was just about dark. We boned him out and got back to the truck well after dark. This was my buddies 2nd deer. It was definitely a hunt to remember. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az_shooter Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Congrats on your guys success, great pictures. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted November 1, 2014 That's quite the hunt!! Nice job 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flatline Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Congrats to both of you 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Very nicely done. Sounds like some tuff hiking that paid off. Congratulations on the nice bucks! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MULEPACKHUNTER Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Nice job. Backpackers are getting their workouts this year for sure 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
218buck Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Great job congrats to both of you I have ran into more rattlers this year than ever before sure does get the heart a pumping 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted November 1, 2014 Congrats to you guys! That's a very rewarding way to take a deer home. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted November 2, 2014 Very cool hunt! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted November 2, 2014 I love reading about all the backpack hunts this year! Congratulations! Sounds like a serious workout! Nothing like getting bluffed up at night with a full pack on.....I feel your pain on that one! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyolson Report post Posted November 2, 2014 Very nice! Congrats! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted November 3, 2014 That's a heck of a deer and 6 miles is a long ways in AZ. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azrcks Report post Posted November 3, 2014 Sweet Shawn, I was wondering how your hunt went. Congrats! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted November 3, 2014 Them are some nice looking bucks Shawn. Congrats to both you and your buddy. Bet you guys are already planning next years trip huh. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shawn Report post Posted November 4, 2014 Them are some nice looking bucks Shawn. Congrats to both you and your buddy. Bet you guys are already planning next years trip huh. As soon as we got back to the truck I told him wish it was next year already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
