Rifle Hunt

So as usual we hiked our booties off searching for a buck! We hiked clear up to the base of the Red Cliffs...TWICE and didn't see one buck. We got drenched in rain (seriously, soaked to our underwear, and we had lots of layers on) the first time, and chilled with snow the second time. We saw a doe and 2 fawns that were lower down the first time and zilch the second.

{^During one of the rain/snow storms we bunkered down under a tree which served well as a little fort!^}

Yeah, needless to say, we were pretty dang ticked. Especially because we know there are big bucks up there. We found some HUGE tracks but couldn't find what it belonged to. Maybe next year! :)

We tried up the loop a few times but the amount of people that were up there was RIDICULOUS! I have never seen that many people up there before. What a joke. And again, we saw nothing.

By the 4th day I was feeling pretty desperate. We had decided that if the only thing we could find was a little 2 point or a spike then I just wasn't going to get one. Every deer we had seen coming off the loop was a dinky 2 point or smaller and that just isn't even fair so I was REALLY hoping to see something.

A friend of ours suggested that we try over by the old highway so we headed over there. We borrowed Pascal's 4-wheeler and headed up a trail, sat through a small snow storm

and again, you guessed it, didn't see anything. I was freezing and becoming agitated with our rotten luck (as was Marcel) so we decided to head down to the truck and maybe try again later in the day. Before loading the 4-wheeler up, Marcel decided we should ride over to another trail he knew and just see if we could see anything.

While riding along I spotted some deer up in the trees. Marcel immediately stopped and whipped out his bino's.

M:"It's a buck!"

J:"Are you sure? What size?"

M:"A decent two at least!"

We jumped off the 4-wheeler and set up for a shot. It took probably like 30 seconds (seemed like MUCH longer, luckily he was patient and didn't move!) for me to find him in my scope and even then I couldn't see antlers. I could see his shoulder area right in a small opening between 2 trees.

J:"Are you sure it's a buck?"

M:"Yes I'm sure! Shoot!"

J:"You are 100% sure?"

M:"Yes!"

I steadied my aim and pulled the trigger.

*BANG*

M:"Oh S@*%!"

J:"Oh no! It was a doe wasn't it!"

I was panicking a bit inside because I was sure I hadn't seen antlers.

Marcel reassured me that it was just that another buck jumped up after I shot and he thought it might have been bigger but it was about the same size.

M:"Nice shot Hun! You dropped him!"

*Celebration Hollers*

Turns out that I dropped him from 210 yards!

When we got up to where he was we were even more thrilled because instead of a decent 2 point he turned out to be a tall 3 point! Marcel admitted that he turned out to be A LOT better than he thought!

It all happened so fast that I barely had time to get really excited! A better word to describe how I felt is numb! But still a little excited! Marcel was so proud of my shot and I'll admit that I was too!

It didn't take long at all to get him cleaned up and on the 4-wheeler and we were headed back to the truck just as a second snow storm was hitting.

Marcel was steering with one hand and holding the buck on the front of the 4-wheeler with the other while I held the other handle to help him steer from the back. We were going slow enough that it was safe but it was tricky and FREEZING! That cold air just cuts right to your bones! But we made it back to the truck and got back home safe!

It was cold enough outside that we were able to just hang him in our carport to freeze for a few days so we saved some money in freezer fees!

We told my dad and brother about the other buck that was with him so they headed up shortly after us getting home to try and get him. As luck would have it, they did! Austen hadn't ever shot my dad's gun before and after a few shots he got him! They hiked clear in to get him and was halfway out when they were hit by a big snow storm and couldn't drag him anymore. My dad put his orange hunting vest around him and left him by a tree. After they had dinner we all headed back up around 9 or 10 that night and Marcel and my dad went out to find him, unsuccessfully. Everything looks SO different in the dark. Luckily when we went out again in the morning they were able to find him so we got some pictures!

Not bad for his very first buck!

We all had so much fun! I love hunting and can't wait for more scrumptious jerky!