Packing Just Becoues

[Edge]

We seem to find spots a little out of the way. Once on the trail I think we encountered three people the rest of the week.

I was planning on taking the old 88 .243 or the older 760 as a backup. Shot the .243 a couple days prior to leaving for the hunt because I had recently dropped it lightly from the bed onto the dog bed. So I was greatly disturbed to find it was shooting a foot high at 200 yards after just a gentle bump. How would it shoot after the riggers of a long trail ride? The 760 built in 1955 with 1.5-4X Weaver tube got the nod. I'm fairly certain that scope hasn't been touched since Nixon was in office.

 

 

 

 

 

Three of us packed in with little drama. A green horse balked at jumping a deep Hoss eatin crevise but finally relented rather than be left behind. There were down trees to jump and some low branches (my horse is nearly 6' at the withers making most all branches, low branches). A few pack adjustments, an old Blivens on my stirrup let loose and I finished the last mile without.

 

But there was water in the creek and grass in the meadows so we stretched some high lines and electric fence for the mules. Mike put up his new tent and started assembling his titanium stove; sweet.

 

 

Got up the next morning predawn and hiked back down the trail that was full of bear scat. Hunkered down beside a tree after being woofed at by a bear I estimated to be within 60' in the dense brush. Put the antique scope on 1.5x and tried calling the bear in but to no avail.

 

Walked out towards the meadow again to look along the creek when I saw two bucks running along the trail I came in on, the front buck was huge and at 200 yards his rack was plainly visible. I knelt down and cranked the eye tube back to 4x, there was a low limb on the tree beside me to rest on. Both bucks had stopped around 250 yards and were looking for me before fleeing the 20 yards left to reach the wall of brush ahead of them. Unfortunately the big, big buck stopped behind a dead bush and I couldn't draw a bead threw my narrow shooting lane. He took a couple bounds and disappeared into the heavy woods.

I kept the post and wire sights on where he vanished and seconds later his 2X3 buddy took the same path.

 

I fired as he made his last jump over a log. With the recoil and non existent scope objective I didn't know if he was hit or not. I could see the sun reflecting off the log he was jumping so I walked in a line to find out if I filled my tag.

 

 

The 30-.06 180gr bullet entered behind his left jaw and exited the bridge of his nose.

He never even flopped. It was noon my first day hunting and I was done with deer.

 

 

PS, recoil pads are for sissy's.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Don't forget to mention Dwayne shot another one the next morning and I wore out another pair of boots. Of course the first big pack of the year the animals were a little fresh going in but perfect on the way out. Also I am very proud to say myself and edge had zero pack adjustments on the way out. I still can't believe in November I was wearing my lightweight August gear all day with just a puffy vest in the am. Crazy warm it seemed. Fun fun trip even sleeping in the same tent with 2 grizzly bears.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

[Edge]

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

[Mocha1545]

Congrats you guys! Looks like a great hunt. Them old guns and scopes a really tough. Glad she got it done again!

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

There's is something to be said for head shots , and with an old 4x to boot, some of the best cuts of meat I've dealt with in a while. Small rack but I think he was older, I'm guessing quartered he was 55 lbs or more. Heavy bodied coues.

[MathewQuigly]

Of course it was my horse Doc that had a problem with the horse eating crevice. I laugh now but at the time I wasn't to happy and the only thing in my head at the time was great this knot head was going to act up, this was my first pack trip on a pack horse that I was unsure about and here we go rodeo time and we had just got started. Ah solution, I climbed off pulled Ruger the pack horse acrossed with know problem and after a few minutes Doc jumped a crossed with ease. It was with ease because all they had to do was step over it lol, but they were acrossed and we were off again.

We made it in to our camping spot with little trouble the rest of the way and by 9 pm camp was set up and we were worn out.

 

The next day when I awoke, Edge and Mule Pack Hunter (MPH) were on the hunt. I was so sore and still tired so I baby sat the live stock and took in the view, just a chance to unwind. It's been a long hard year and the break was what the Dr ordered.

 

A little after noon Edge came in saying let's go get it. I laughed saying ya right since I didn't hear a shot, but Edge had a pick so we were off to go get it.

 

The next morning I went out for the first time during the hunt. I creeped along the trail and was in ah of the beauty that was around me.

 

I had paused to check out another possible camp site looking at the grass. I stepped off the trail and walked passed a tree when I saw a buck under a tree looking at me. I continued like I hadn't seen it until the 7mm mag on my shoulder was off and ready, by the time it was in place to shoot, the buck was up and quartering away to move out, but not before the 7 Mag barked. Some time around 0900 my tag was filled and the pressure was off. My First White Tail and my first BUCK

And as my Dad once told me many years ago the work began.

[Edge]

Of course it was my horse Doc that had a problem with the horse eating crevice. I laugh now but at the time I wasn't to happy and the only thing in my head at the time was great this knot head was going to act up, this was my first pack trip on a pack horse that I was unsure about and here we go rodeo time and we had just got started. Ah solution, I climbed off pulled Ruger the pack horse acrossed with know problem and after a few minutes Doc jumped a crossed with ease. It was with ease because all they had to do was step over it lol, but they were acrossed and we were off again.

We made it in to our camping spot with little trouble the rest of the way and by 9 pm camp was set up and we were worn out.

The next day when I awoke, Edge and Mule Pack Hunter (MPH) were on the hunt. I was so sore and still tired so I baby sat the live stock and took in the view, just a chance to unwind. It's been a long hard year and the break was what the Dr ordered.

A little after noon Edge came in saying let's go get it. I laughed saying ya right since I didn't hear a shot, but Edge had a pick so we were off to go get it.

The next morning I went out for the first time during the hunt. I creeped along the trail and was in ah of the beauty that was around me.

I had paused to check out another possible camp site looking at the grass. I stepped off the trail and walked passed a tree when I saw a buck under a tree looking at me. I continued like I hadn't seen it until the 7mm mag on my shoulder was off and ready, by the time it was in place to shoot, the buck was up and quartering away to move out, but not before the 7 Mag barked. Some time around 0900 my tag was filled and the pressure was off. My First White Tail and my first BUCK

And as my Dad once told me many years ago the work began.

that exit hole is almost as big as the buck, rifle scabbard the size of a horse. Lol

[deercrazy]

What a cool story. Looks like you guys had some fun!

[el diablo]

Awesome trip. I've gotta do one like that. Congrats

[PRDATR]

Great story and some beautiful country too.

[Allforelk]

What an awesome trip. That sounds like a heck of a good time. Congratulations to the two that harvested.

[CouesPursuit]

Sweet! Congrats on the bucks gentlemen!

[Swivelhead]

Old School! Good job guys.