Canuck2's 2008 Hunting Summaries

[Canuck2]

Gadzooks, almost a full month of deer season is over and I haven't even started a journal. OK, let's see what I can remember.

Our local archery season began Sept 1. Even though I had been watching a few good bucks through August, I was focussed on getting ready to head for Wyoming Sept 3. Never made the deer opener in just about forever.

Sept 5-10 : Wyoming Antelope
After arriving in Gillette evening of Sept 4, I mustered with a great group of hunters at the Beilgards' home before daylight the next morning. Strategies were implemented and we all headed for various great locations. Unfortunately, the weather was unseasonably wet and the antelope were not coming to water holes like they're supposed to. This bunch did come in at my location on day 1, but never less than 80 yards away.

On day 2, we set up a second blind on the opposite side so 2 of us could cover most of the water hole. The goats then split us and vermonthunter in the other blind almost got a shot on one.
Day 3 we elected to give spotting and stalking a go. This was the wettest day of all and we got good and moist. But a couple of us did get our antelope (Leo and me) this way after a series of nail-biting stalks.

Several more days were spent trying for a doe to go along with the buck and many stalks were blown. But it was just a ball trying. I believe everyone on the trip, from all over the continent, had the experience of a lifetime - truly a gathering to remember.


Now, back down to Earth. The deer season is ticking along here and I've been out several times since returning. Every time except once, my eldest son accompanied me and we tried various setups to attempt deer interceptions. We have seen bucks every day, including a bunch of 4 good ones this morning. But the closest they came was just under 100 yards.

A couple of days ago, I was set up on a 3-legged camp stool against some bushes, overlooking a nice trail. Just after first light, a nice fat skunk came out from under one bush, waddled over to me, sniffed my boot, then waddled away. I sat really, really still. This was the second time a skunk has come close this week.

OK, from this point on, I aim to be much more conscientious about writing down entries as they occur. Next adventure coming soon...

[Canuck2]

Sept 28/08

Headed out to the spot this morning where I got my whitetail last year. When it was still only light enough to see dark blobs rather than actual deer, they surrounded me. As it got lighter, I made out doe after doe, with nary a buck. Eventually one winded me and snorted, whereupon they all got nervous and cut away from me, going up a different trail 200 yards away. Over an hour or so, I watched probably 25 to 30 does and fawns.

Just when it seemed there were no bucks within miles, I spotted one coming up the hill. Binocs told me it was a small 4-point, and I wondered if more would follow. On cue, a much bigger 4-point appeared, followed by cranker 5-point (that makes 10 points in all, you eastern guys). In a line, the 3 proceeded up the same trail as all the does had gone.

SO - this afternoon, I took a stroll out there with my pruning shears and sierra saw, found a great ambush site, and commenced to prune some shooting lanes. The stand will be a ground blind against a 2 1/2 foot pine tree with various Saskatoon bushes and other brush around it. Tomorrow morning can't come soon enough.

[buckee]

I carved a nice little spot in the middle of a blackberry patch last night too Jack. (ouch, ouch, ouch...LOL) Good hunting my friend.

[Canuck2]

Sept 29/08

Out of bed at 5:00AM and in the new stand by 6:00. So this morning, all the deer migrated past my yesterday's stand.

No matter, the big guy didn't show up anyway and I wouldn't have shot any of the 3 bucks that did go past there. At one point, a coyote came along and stirred things up quite a bit. I thought that would cause the deer to modify their travel route toward me, but they continued up about 200 yards from me.

So I'm in a quandary for tomorrow - one of those 2 stands or a third option that I expect could be productive. Hmmm.

[Tony]

Sounds like your on them Jack. i really hate that when i have multiple stands to hunt and then watch them walk past the one im not on..

good luck

Tony

[Canuck2]

Sept 30/08

Sure enough, I went to the new stand this morning and the buck strolls past the old stand, 200 yards away. To top it off, I took my camera with telephoto lens so I could get some pictures if he happened to do exactly what he did. Forgot to put a card in the camera before I left the house.

Tomorrow one of my hunting buds is coming along and we can cover both areas. Should be interesting. The one thing that makes this a real challenge is that 20 to 30 does & fawns plus a few other assorted bucks will also be streaming by. That's a lot of eyes and noses to contend with.

[Leo]

Yes Jack it was a wet day. But a good one for both of us!

[Canuck2]

Oct 1/08

Out again this AM, this time with a buddy, so we had 2 travel routes secured. There was lots of action, with numerous does & fawns plus a few bucks. No big guy, though. My chum just about got a shot at a 3-pt but a bit of brush caused him to pass. A doe with 2 fawns passed me within 10 yards. Everything else was too far, including the following buck at ~70 yards; would have let him go anyway. Tomorrow we'll let the area have a rest and probably go out again Thursday.

[Canuck2]

Oct 3/08

Went for a change of pace today, taking the rifle into the mountains for either a mule deer or whitetail buck, since both are now open. It was a fine day with some nice scenery and new territory discovered. As far as game was concerned, only saw one mule deer doe and one rather nice bull moose. I had my dinky pocket camera with me and this is what it took from 150 yards; wish I'd had the 35mm with telephoto. I played with him for about 10 minutes, cow calling and bull grunting. At one point, he came about 20 yards closer and the batteries in the little camera had croaked.

[ruttinbuc]

Pretty cool, Jack... That is some beautiful country!

[Canuck2]

Oct 5/08

My eldest son has now got into archery in a big way and was more than eager to cozy into one of my favorite haunts this morning. We took a back door in so that we wouldn't leave a scent trail where it mattered. In the dark, I set him up behind a big yellow pine overlooking the intersection of 2 trails 20 yards away. Then I slipped out and went to another good spot about 300 yards farther on.

At first light, a doe headed up the hill to the west of both of us, then more on scattered trails. Before I realized they were there, 8 does and fawns were coming right at me from a copse of trees below. I had to plaster myself against the trunk of the pine that I was hiding behind as they leisurely worked their way past as near as 15 yards.

When I was able to resume normal scanning posture, I was able to see a number of does and 3 bucks heading up the trail straight toward my son. They disappeared from my view as they neared his position and I waited anxiously for the shot that would scatter most of them back down the hill. Sure enough, 2 does and 2 bucks suddenly came scooting around the hillside right toward me. But they veered off about 60 yards away and headed up the slope.

Once all had calmed down and it appeared that the morning activity was about done, I headed for my son's stand. He came out from behind the tree as I approached and the first thing I saw was his quiver, still with a full compiment of arrows. "You sure got them bucks stirred up," says I. "There was bucks here?" he replied. Turns out he decided to go exploring and missed all the action, except that he spooked the deer toward me when he returned to his assigned ambush site. Ah, the impatience of youth. Methinks he learned a bit about bow hunting just then.

[Canuck2]

Oct 29/08 Buck

Man, did I ever get far behind with my journal entries! And the longer it went, the more daunting the task seemed to be to catch up. But I'm seizing the opportunity now to bring things up to date - at least to some extent.

I made a 120 or so mile trip to visit a cousin for several days just before mid October. This was the same journey I made last year and got a big bodied mule deer buck. The luck was not quite so good this year, but we had a blast and saw quite a few does. One afternoon, I eased over a ridge to discover a spike buck grazing contentedly 10 yards from me. When he finally looked up after I had been standing there watching him for a minute or so, his eyes went big as saucers and he bounced away as fast as he could go. This is typical of the country we were hunting in.


Shortly after returning home, I began to notice some vision problems in my right eye. Ultimately, bowhunting had to be curtailed but I could still shoot my rifle left handed. That's exactly what I did to get this guy after spotting him from 800-900 yards away and stealthing my way to within 200 yards of him.


My son and his bow will be here this weekend, so I'm going to try and put him onto something good. The bucks are beginning to move with rutting activity getting under way and I sat and watched a dandy 5x5 right in town the other day. I did some scouting yesterday and the area we will be going to has a number of recently shredded bushes. Fingers crossed.

[Leo]

200 yards opposite hand is an outstanding shot Jack! Darn nice deer to boot. Congratulations.

Yep they grow em big west of Winnepeg!

[Canuck2]

Nov 9/08

A major storm system has soaked us for the past 2 days. Friday evening the deer were really active but come Saturday morning, once the rain had moved in, they were nowhere to be seen. From 2 morning and 1 evening outings with my son this weekend, we spotted exactly 1 itty bitty buck - except for the nice 4x4 we watched in the headlights on our way out this morning.

[buckee]

I hope your eye is OK Jack.

The rut just kicked into high gear here