Late Kaibab - Almost Time

[bigorange]

Beautiful buck. Huge congrats!

[cmbbulldog]

Beautiful buck, congrats to the young man!

[Coffeeman]

Awesome buck from an incredible place! Congrats! Hopefully you all got some cookies at Jacob lake...

[azbirdhunter88]

Dang son nice 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Congrats Nash!! Beautiful buck

[wildwoody]

Freaking crazy cool buck, great job my friend .

[Roosevelt Mark]

Dandy,  beutiful buck.

[Flatlander]

On 11/27/2020 at 7:12 PM, Coffeeman said:

Awesome buck from an incredible place! Congrats! Hopefully you all got some cookies at Jacob lake...

Oh we did. . . and milkshakes and pie and burgers 😋

Did we happen to see you there on Friday?

[CatfishKev]

3 minutes ago, Flatlander said:

Oh we did. . . and milkshakes and pie and burgers 😋

Did we happen to see you there on Friday?

The milkshakes drawn us in. Like flies to shiza.   

[wildwoody]

Yummy, those pulled pork sammies were great to..

[Flatlander]

Ok here it is . . .

We arrived for the hunt late on Thursday night. We had set camp the weekend before so all we had to do was throw our bags in the trailer and rack out. We were fortunate to be joined by a couple of good friends for the first couple of days. My buddy Chase and his dad Dave and son Raleigh were up for the adventure in a new place. I mean who doesn't want to see the Kaibab in November. Because of the rut / migration nature of this hunt we didn't have any target bucks in mind for opening morning but were focused on glassing nobs where we had seen a lot of deer the weekend before.

Day 1 Right off the bat we had a buck picked up. Before it was even light enough to see his antlers we could see from his body that he was a mature buck. We looked him over with the glass for an hour or so but Nash had a goal of having the biggest buck in the house (which isn't hard in our household of impatient trigger fingers). So we let him go. As we walked out that morning I noticed a loose scope base on the 7mm-08 that was our primary rifle so we had to switch to the backup .243 which limited us a bit without turrets. We relocated midday and took a few naps and even played some baseball. As we were parked by the side of the road probably a dozen trucks went by and it was a roll call of whose who in AZ. Duwane Adams, Ty Goodman, maybe even Sirroyal. That night we worked our way a little higher on the transition zone and saw one more buck but he was smaller than the buck from the morning. 

On day 2 we rolled into a canyon to glass a bunch of fingers and there were already two trucks parked in our glassing spot. With only 75 tags I was beginning to mutter under my breath about being on top of other hunters in such a huge unit. Just as I was telling Dave and Chase where Plan B would be, Azelkhunter2 walks up and says "We tagged out yesterday, there are 8 of us who can help you today and tomorrow if you like." Well I wasn't saying no to that kind of offer. Dave, his son and friends were awesome to be with. We have run across each other in the past but have never spent time hunting together. These guys were first class, they hunted with us, made our boys feel great and even fed us. I can't say enough good things. That morning we glassed up 6 or 7 mature bucks in that area. We made a big play on the nicest buck we found. To get to him we had to cross a canyon and sidehill up a ridge about 1/2 mile. Right as we crossed the canyon the radio crackled and someone whispered that there was a bigger buck further back in the draw. We moved slowly into the area where the buck had headed and after a few minutes Chase picked up the buck in his bed. At only 252 yards it looked like this just might happen. Unfortunately the 180' buck was bedded with a small sage right in front of his vitals. We got the rifle set in the triclawps and waited for him to stand. It wasn't long before the buck started to shift in his bed and I told Nash to get ready. The buck stood and I said (in a little more than a whisper) "SHOOT HIM". I didn't hear anything so I looked over and saw Nash shaking uncontrollably and tears welling up in his eyes. While trying to stay in the scope he cred "Dad, I can't stop shaking." I tried to calm him, but before it happened the buck had moved up the ridge. We finally got the stars to align long enough for the buck to stand still and Nash to calm down simultaneously but it was at the very edge of our comfortable range with the .243 @ 362 yards. When it came time to squeeze the trigger Nash managed to control his breathing but was fighting the shakes and he muttered "Dad, I can't pull the trigger", I have never seen a kid get buck fever so bad. It was tempting to help him with the squeeze but I resisted and he eventually got the rifle to fire. The long report of the rifle told me it was a clean miss and Chase confirmed that he had shot inches over the bucks back. It was an exciting morning but we were still hunting and had a long walk back.

We saw a number of other bucks that day but that was the only shooter.

Sunday AM was a good morning. With a couple of Azelkhunter2's crew we found 3 big bucks first thing in the morning. We were just over 400 yds and made a quick move to get within 300. We came within seconds on the biggest 3x3 that I have ever seen when one of the bucks must have caught our outline on the skyline and the bucks were off. At midday our help had to break camp and head south so the boys and I laced up the boots to get it done with just each other. This is familiar territory as this was the case on both of Hunter's hunts earlier this year, so we were up for the challenge. At midday we stopped to talk to a gentleman from Idaho who had donated his tag to Tom Wagner and was down to scout for his expected tag for 2021. After we parted ways he drove up the road and quickly turned around and headed back to us. He told us there was a buck bedded 200 yards up the road and I excitedly asked him if he wanted to help us kill it. He was in and we started our "stalk" right there. That stalk consisted of crossing a fence and then spotting the buck bedded 210 yards in the bottom of a canyon. Nash looked him over and gave him the green light. We got everything set up and Nash had no trouble pulling the trigger this time. Our new friend Rick confirmed that the buck never even moved. He just tipped over right in his bed. We hugged. There were tears of joy. It was one of those moments you never want to end. All 3 of us stayed there in that embrace for as long as we could without it being weird. We started to pack up and then Nash said something that has haunted me ever since . . . "Dad, he just ran away" in a confused tone. I couldn't process what I heard. I looked back and the buck wasn't there. I looked down the hill and saw an antler. I tried to get the rifle set up for a follow up shot, knowing the buck had to be spine shot and was likely only on two legs. But before I could get him set up we lost view of the buck. The buck had been bedded with his entire body visible vertically in front of us. With that angle the hind quarter was basically in line with the neck. I had told Nash to aim right where the neck and body met knowing that it would either be a fatal neck shot or hit vitals. He was super steady off the tripod. So I just couldnt imagine this buck had gone far. The next few hours were excruciating. We found where he was bedded and the pool of blood was very small considering he had laid there for several minutes. Within 130 yds it went from good blood to pin drops to nothing.

After looking for hours we decided to glass the canyon he had disappeared into. There were only like 3 tree pockets in the whole thing so if he was around I was confident we would find him, but from the looks of the sign I wasn't confident he was around. After not seeing any other sign of him that day or the following, I could barely stand to look at Nash. The disappointment in that little boy's eyes were crushing. To have to take his first deer off the board, for such a nice kid who never complains, has never expressed even a hint of jealousy to others and who has been right along his brother's side for two hunts this year . . . to take this away from him pained me in a way I have never felt before. I was angry with myself, resentful of the circumstances and bitter at the outcome. I know this is part of the game, I knew that buck wasn't mortally wounded but I have never lost an animal with a rifle. Why now? Why did this happen right now?!?! The best I can figure he hit that buck in the neck but missed the spinal column and major blood vessels. The impact disrupted blood flow to the brain and knocked the buck unconscious but the hard copper bullet from a light shooting rifle didn't expand much with only a few inches of tissue to work within. My guess is that buck is right back to chasing does, but with the migration and rut factors on this hunt the chances of ever finding him again were slim to none.

The next day we took a break and made a run to flagstaff to pickup a few things the boys and I had forgotten and while we were there we picked up another backup rifle from our friend Ty. Ty has been a true pal we met through Hunter's OE4A hunts and has always been there when we needed help with a pack out or anything else. he came through big again this time. On the way back to camp we stopped at a gravel pile to check zero on both rifles. What we found was that for Nash both rifles were shooting significantly high. I think it had to do with how he was using the tripod and his small face combining for him not to get a good cheek weld. We made  adjustments and were on our way.

The next couple of days were steady with bucks but we were having a hard time getting into a shooting position again. I could tell Nash was getting worn down (heck I was getting worn down) and I was beginning to wonder if we were going to be able to pull it off. Tuesday night I called my buddy Russ, who had warned me this might happen and even told me not to wait until the last minute to ask for help, and asked for help. We weren't having any trouble finding deer, but I was struggling to do all the glassing, keep track of the deer, get the rifle set up and spot for the shot without another adult there. I was desperate to wash away the memory of the lost buck and help restore the fun for Nash. I was mentally breaking with desperation. Russ called me back and said he had a friend who could put us on some deer in country that should fit our style. I wasn't convinced... our problem really hadn't been finding deer or bucks or even good bucks. It was just making it all happen on a buck that Nash was happy with. Looking back, I realize I was getting impatient, but at the time it felt like the weight of the world. I have only experienced this one other time, on Hunter's first deer hunt, and I hope that it is just a first deer thing and we don't have to deal with it again (at least until my daughter starts hunting). So I called Russ' buddy Tyne. He shared some waypoints with me and talked me how to hunt some new country that should present good opportunities within our range. I have never used professional services during a hunt before. It has been a point of pride for me to take on the challenge of a new area, animal or technique and figure it out. But this time I wasn't above getting whatever help I needed. Nash had earned the opportunity and I was humbled enough to know that I might be over my head on this one. With all that being said, Russ and Tyne were top notch. Russ had every opportunity to say I told you so, I told you not to do this. But instead he did everything he could to help without any benefit to him personally. 

Armed with our new information we headed out the next morning. I was quietly optimistic, Tyne had assured me this was a sure thing, we were going to have an opportunity at a good buck. Well first light comes and just as we are working into the first area to check a truck bombs past us on the dead end road and doesn't even bother to stop and coordinate or talk so we don't end up on top of each other. My stress level rose a little as I headed towards the plan b area. In the early morning light I got crossed up and ended up hiking about a 1/2 mile past where Tyne had told us to go. We saw one solid buck early but there was no shot opportunity. After glassing for a few hours and not seeing any more deer I was torn between staying put where I thought Tyne had told us to and moving into a position that I thought might have better vantage points. Ultimately I am not one for staying where there are no animals in hopes that one might just show up. So we moved. As we hiked we saw a bald eagle soar over. I thought that must be a good omen, but my capacity for optimism was greatly reduced at this point and hope was fleeting. At 1:00 that day, the stress meter maxed out. Nash started crying. He told me that he wasn't having fun and felt guilty for wounding that buck. My heart hit the floor. We talked for a few minutes and I told him we could do whatever he wanted and if that meant heading home or taking a day off for Thanksgiving, then that was fine. It was his hunt and I would do whatever he wanted. To my amazement, and relief, he asked if we could go back where he missed the big buck and try to find that deer again. His toughness was amazing. Six days in and the kid was desperate to kill his first deer but he was still committed to passing up immature bucks and was willing to spend as long as it took to get it done. I agreed, tomorrow we would go back to the canyon. And for now we decided to hunt our way back to the truck and then see if we could hit up Tyne's plan A spot before dark.

With only one hour of light left on Wednesday we looked over a small burn where we were told we could catch deer at first light. Well if deer were there at first light then there was at least a chance they would be there at last light, right? So we hiked out onto the highest point of the burn, which happened to be about 300 yards from our truck. We had been there for maybe 10 minutes when I look down and to my shock there is a buck feeding out less than 200 yds away. I glanced at him long enough to know that he was bigger than a 2 point and then alerted Nash. we moved the rifle and tripod about 5' to the left and he had a clear shooting lane. As Nash took aim I took to prayer "Please God help this boy." Of course, this was the only time Nash had forgotten the ear muffs so before he shot he asked me to plug his ears. There I stood, hands over my sons ears, staring at the buck and pleading with God. At the crack of the rifle there was an immediate and unmistakable "WHACK". The buck humped and jumped and headed back to the trees. My stomach was turning inside out as Nash tried to line up for a follow up shot. My prayers... from one Father to another...on behalf of the son we share... were answered when the buck bedded 5 yards from the tree line. A quick follow up shot (or two) and Nash had his buck. I had no idea the character the buck had until we walked up. A beautiful 4 pt frame w floating main beams with extras at the very tip and matching eye guards. The buck was actually pretty young, only 3 1/2 according to the biologist at the check station, and had all the potential to become a Kaibab legend. Instead, he will have to settle for a family legend as the biggest buck in our house.

[naturebob]

Very nicely Done. Memories forever!.................BOB!

[HyNoon]

Good job guys. What a great buck Nash and way to stay with it. I hate to say it Andrew but that feeling happened with everyone of my kids first hunts..... never pass up those cookies either and the milkshakes and the food. What a great write up and experience you both will remember forever. Solid dad moment.... again!

[stanley]

SO awesome, Andrew!!!    What an adventure!  The best of times!!!!!

S.

 

[luckyone]

Fantastic read and congratulations !