PEAX Equipment

That'll do

Big Fin

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I drew a limited entry deer tag for the Bridger Mountains outside my home here in Bozeman. This is the fourth time I have drawn since it went limited entry in 1998. In those past hunts I put in my time, but never found a buck I found exciting, so each tag ended up being filled with a whitetail, hoping some of the bucks I saw would grow another year or two.

A lot of friends have had this tag over the last five years and none of them have shot a buck that one would consider worth the amount of points it can take to draw this tag. Every year one or two bucks are taken that keep people thinking the Bridgers is a quality unit. Not really, but surely some of the most aesthetically pleasing country you can hunt, especially when buried in fresh snow. And, with the limited entry feature it provides for lower deer hunting pressure and possibly a bit above-the-norm buck to doe ratio. Those expecting great things from the tag ought to plan on hunting every day of November, possibly leveraging some access down low, or a high dose of luck. Either way, it will be enjoyable if you understand what it is and set expectations accordingly.

The crazy calendar this year allowed only three days, possibly four, to hunt the tag. Yesterday Lawnboy, a guy who had a family member with the tag each of the last three years, offered to join me and the llamas for a day up on the high snow-laden ridges. Given our friendship and his recent years hunting deer in the unit, I was quick to accept his offer.

I almost cancelled, as my liver was not doing real well when I to sleep the night prior and was going the wrong direction when I woke up. But, given week days have less pressure around Bozeman and I felt the obligation to Bart and Dan (camera guy), I rolled out of bed and loaded the llamas in the trailer.

The recent snows have really packed it in on the Bridgers. Three hours after leaving the trailhead, the last half postholing through snow over our knees, I was beginning to doubt the sanity of hunting on this beautiful day. It never looks like it will take as long when viewing with onX or GE. Or, maybe I am just getting older than I care to admit.

Around 10am we got near the saddle coming off the main ridge. Four does were watching us, which surprised me, given we had not seen much for tracks after hiking out of the drainage bottom. Bart said he saw a buck in the timber behind them. Yup. Couldn't get much of a glimpse until they crossed a small opening in the saddle, skylining them all. They were headed even higher, likely due to our presence. He was what looked like a heavy 3-point, but he crossed hurriedly and my angle was not as good as Bart and Dan had.

We decided to let that group go uphill and hopefully calm down. We tied off the llamas and went down the ridge spine, hoping to spot some of the deer making tracks in the fresh snow or maybe setting up on one of the lone does we had seen down lower, thinking a lone doe won't be alone for long on November 9th. No luck on that strategy, so we hiked back up to where we had tied the llamas and commenced to cooking a quick lunch of de/re-hydrated food. With the sun breaking and showing the ridgeline trees to look like someone had sprayed them with foam, it was one of the more beautiful settings in which I ever ate a lunch.

I optimistically suggested to Bart, "Let's climb up this ridge where the deer went and shoot that buck." He muttered something to the affect of, "If only they read the script." I warned the guys that with my liver was getting worse by the hour, if this buck was a heavy three point he might be in jeopardy. I know well enough that with only a few days to hunt, the likelihood of finding a cool buck was as much good fortune as was finding an old/large buck.

We grabbed our packs and left the llamas, Bart breaking trail up the ridge to a point we figured would put us above the deer we had spooked. Evidently the deer disliked climbing in deep snow as much as we did. Upon reaching the first small crown to the spine, Bart spotted a pair of deer ears, indicating a bedded doe less than 100 yards ahead and at the same elevation we had.

We stopped for further inspection, not really thinking the group we spooked earlier would set up shop so close to where we had bumped them. All we saw were does. They bedded and fed, then fed some more. They were surely providing some good footage against this beautiful backdrop of snow, skies, and jagged peaks.

I hesitate to admit, but Bart caught me nodding off as my liver had me wishing I was home in bed. Probably twenty minutes into our doe observations, Dan said he saw a deer further up, obscured by timber, and moving down toward the does. Yup, another doe.

The deer Dan had seen was further upslope, so when the doe joined the group, Dan cautioned to keep looking, as that was not the deer he had seen moving lower. Sure enough, from his position about five yards right of me, Bart whispered that he saw antlers. That was exciting, though it could be a tactic to keep me from falling completely asleep.

I raised my binos and the buck was weaving among the thickest stuff, making sure the does knew he was there. They didn't seem too impressed by his presence. I couldn't make out for sure how big he was, but it did look like a heavy 3-pointer, matching the buck I had glimpsed during his hasty exit of the morning.

As if by some gratuitous act from the heavens, the buck stepped into the only small opening I had in this thick hillside. He walked straight away, giving me confirmation of what he was. I told Bart I was going to shoot him, even if it was the first day. Bart smiled and assured me that it would be a good representative, based on what he had seen hunting over weeks of hunting with family in this unit during the last few years.

In a dose of even greater luck, the buck stopped, facing straight away, pawing the snow out of a soon-to-be bed, staying perfectly framed from my angle. He took three steps around a tree, disappearing for a moment, then reappearing facing straight toward me as he quickly dropped into his freshly-scratched bed. My first thought, "You've got to be kidding me."

He was perfectly framed by the corridor of trees between me and him, his head slightly up slope, giving me a tight quartering-toward angle that was probably close to 60 degrees toward me. Not the ideal angle, but when the range finder registered 110 yards, his facing front shoulder looked like a big orange bullseye.

The biggest problem was that I had no rest. When I dropped low, the trees and limbs closed every possible shooting lane. My only window for a shot was while standing upright. I hate offhand shots, though I practice them regularly.

I drew the rifle for a practice shot, seeing how steady I could hold the rifle and inspecting the shooting lanes in front of the barrel. Glad I did. I was standing next to an alpine fir that was heavily loaded with snow. My shot window was through small gaps in those hanging limbs. During this trial run, when the scope was unobstructed by limbs hanging heavy with snow, the barrel was going to center-punch a limb or the snow stacked on top.

Hmm. I asked Bart to hand me my trekking pole. I used it to reach forward and knock the crown of snow off a flimsy limb I might use for a rest. The snow rolled and the limb sprung back to its normal position, where it was no longer sagging below my shooting lane, rather hanging right in the middle. Time for some improvisation.

Standing left of the tree, I took my trekking pole and wedged the cork handle under the left shoulder strap of my Metcalf pack. I then swung the tip forward on top of this rogue limb, close to where the limb left the trunk, creating a diagonal rest that went from my left shoulder into the mess of limbs on my right. When I placed the weight of the rifle on top of the trekking pole, it was enough to lower the limb, yet provide an almost bench-steady rest from this standing position.

I looked through the scope and buck was now almost asleep. Maybe he was as tired as I was. He was again framed perfectly. I asked Dan if he had a good window, to which he confirmed.

I told Dan and Bart to get ready, as this was too great of an opportunity to pass on. I bolted a 7mm-.08 140 grain AccuBond into the Howa-HS precision and put my cheek to the stock. This seemed almost unreal. The buck's shoulder was exposed and the crosshairs were cemented in.

Upon the shot I saw nothing, as mounds of snow cascaded off the tree limbs above me. Bart and Dan confirmed the buck had been rolled out of his bed by the shot. As I chambered another round I caught a glimpse through the trees of the buck staggering to gain his feet. I kept my eye on him as I tried to adjust to a new shooting lane. Within a few seconds he lost his footing and started his descent down the steep slope, eventually coming to rest in a cluster of trees.

Time to go inspect him and get the guttin' and gillin' finished before dark set in. The llamas would be greatly appreciated and thanked accordingly for their huge help over the two-hour downhill trek that would get this buck to the truck.

We got home late last night. I took a load of meds and slept in this morning. Glad I didn't "have" to get up at 4:30 am and make another three hour hike this morning. Don't know that I could have done it.

Very thankful to Bart for joining me on this great day. He is so much fun to hunt with and has me laughing all the time. Buck or no buck, it would have been a success by all measures. Thanks to Dan for carrying that camera up and down these slipping slopes and getting it all on camera. Probably not going to be a long episode, but hopefully enjoyable to watch.


Where he came to rest.
Dan K Wilde 12.jpg

Quite fat for this time of year.
Dan K Wilde 6.jpg

Thanks, Bart. You're a true friend.
Dan K Wilde 9.jpg

Not as big as the camera/angle makes him look, though a day I am completely satisfied with.
Dan K Wilde.jpg
 
Nice! I was up in the bridger's this morning with a buddy who has that tag. The only thing we could turn up were a few does and one lonely little 2x4 buck. It was a beautiful day to be out, but I came to the realization that maybe I'm just not a mountain mule deer hunter. That is some daunting country in the snow. I might join my buddy on one more trip just to give it a go. I think a buck like that would definitely fit the bill. Nice Job Randy!
 
That’s a nice buck, if I knew you had that tag I would have told you about one I have been watching.
 
The harder you work, the luckier you get, and taking Lawnboy along seems to increase the luck factor as well. Congratulations
 
Favorite episodes have Bart in the mix... Back in the OYOA shows, etc.

Grats on an enjoyable hunt. As you say, with or without a harvest, the company made it worth the event.

Enjoyable read.
 

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