JN
Well-Known Member
It has always been my dream to go on a western bow hunt for mule deer while also getting to fly fish along the way but time and money has not allowed me the opportunity for this adventure yet. Long story short I met a client a month and half ago that had a project he wanted us to do for him due to it being to far for his crew to travel and the remoteness of the location makes it difficult getting equipment/concrete, etc to. Upon looking at the job site I asked the owner if their property backed up to the national forest and they stated it did but no one really hunted back there due it being difficult to access. So this got my wheels a turning and I said I could make this be like a western hunt by backpacking into the area glassing fields and hunting terrain features. I made up my mind then and booked a camping spot at a near by campground and picked a time frame when the rut is usually going on in this area to increase my chances of deer cruising. I starting planning by looking at maps mainly through onX but also used google earth to see the terrain a little better. I found a few terrain features I liked and they varied from 1-3 mile hikes in with 600-1500 in elevation climb. As it got closer to the dates my plans changed from what was going to be a 4 day hunt to only being 1.5 days due to work and family coming in for my daughters birthday on the 24th.
Day 1:
What was supposed to be a full day of hunting turned into having to work half a day. I had felt rushed all day trying to finish up loose ends and wanting to hit the woods. I knew the cold front was going to be pushing through that evening and I typically see good deer movement before a front. By the time I had unloaded my gear at the camper and made it to my parking spot to hike in it was already raining and pushing 2:00 so I decided to use my limited time to scout my closest spot at about mile and half hike in. I took my time and walked field edges looking for trails and any crossings in the fence marking these locations on my hunting app for future use. I make it to the area I was wanting go about 3:30. It is point that runs off the main ridge along a thicket and I find a few rubs and a fresh scrape so I decided to set up in a fallen tree instead in my saddle. By now the rain has picked up to a steady rain and winds are picking up as well as the front is pushing through. At about 4:45 I catch movement up in the thicket of a deer doing the shakes to get the water off of it. I can see it is a buck but can not tell how big it is and it walks off into a thicker area where I cannot see it. About 15 min later I have a doe come in behind me and she practical walks up to me then blows and runs off causing me to know see the buck I had seen earlier turn and walk up the mountain out of the thicket. After all that and it getting close to dark I get up and go to the field edge to glass and start my journey back. On my way out I do find another buck out in the field making a scrape but at this point it is too dark to tell what size he is even with my binos. Overall I was glad I saw deer and had found good sign and had somewhat of a game plan now for the next day.
Day 2:
With decent deer sign and seeing the buck bedded in the thicket I planned on hunting the same location but a little farther up the point. The cold front that had pushed through cleared out the sky the night before and the temp was a nice 25 degrees this morning. All the wet leaves were frozen and made for a noisy walk in. I saw no deer activity till 10:30 when 3 doe came up from the bottom walked the point edge then headed up the mountain. They were not feeding and were on a steady walk to what I
assume was their bedding area. Approx. 30 min later I catch another doe walking up from the bottom into the thicket I had seen the buck in the other day. As it gets closer to noon I start noticing my N/NW wind is now blowing from the south. Then would switch back to N/NW. I guess this was the thermals with the ridge side heating up but the problem was this was blowing my scent up the ridge that being said at about 12:30 I hear a deer grunt then a few min later I hear a grunt again and catch deer movement along the thicket. It is a buck and doe that are working their way down the mountain towards me. I have not had a good look at the buck yet but can tell he is making a scrape and when he steps out in the opening there stands a mountain giant. The kind of deer that makes your jaw hit the floor and your heart go into overdrive. (I have only had this feeling twice once on a 165" ten point and another on 140" eight point). The deer are about 100 yards from me making their way straight towards. I am trying to remember the trees I have already ranged and once they hit about 50 yards from me they will be out in the open offering me a clear shot. I am now ready, situated in saddle, with bow in hand just waiting on them to get closer. I would like to say that the next part ended with me getting to arrow this deer and be a perfect ending to the trip but it was not. As the doe got to within about 40 yards with the buck about 20 behind her the wind started the switch back to a breeze up the mountain and just like that the doe instantly stops and starts the one legged stomp/head bob. The wind then kicks back into my face but the doe had just enough to make her uneasy she turns and walks into the thicket with the buck right behind her. About 20 min later I see them come out of the thicket about 100 yards away and head up the mountain.
After all of that excitement I figure it is time I eat my lunch which consisted of fudge rounds and crackers since I left my ham biscuit in the truck. At about 1:30 I catch movement again in the thicket and two doe come out of the thicket. The N/NW wind I had has mostly died down to only having the thermal breeze moving up the mountain with the warming of the day. As she makes her way to be directly upwind of me she does the same thing as the other doe. It is like they hit a wall and instantly stops, starts the one legged dance, then turns and walks off in high alert. A few min later I have a small spike or 3 pt come out following the doe. He does the same thing as the doe in about the same spot. Hits my scent gets nervous then walks off back towards the thicket. At this point I figure I need to move since I keep getting winded. I then set up farther up on the point but ended up being to far away. I saw a few more doe but they stayed close to the thicket edge and well outside of bow range. After not seeing any more deer around 3:30 I decided to move to an area that had been cleared cut and I watched this area till dark with not seeing any more deer.
Day 3 & 4:
The wife and girls came in to stay at the camper then grandparents came in to celebrate my youngest daughters birthday (she turned 6). I wasn't able to hunt those days but was able to fly fish the stream at the park. I caught several wild rainbows and brown trout. Was hoping to catch a brookie to finish out a TN grandslam but did not.
Over all I had a great time exploring a new area and was blessed to see several deer and a buck that is probably a rare sight in this area. I had several first on this trip from trying to back pack in all of your needs for a full day sit to trying to fight the thermals and not be winded by the deer. I also had issues of sweating like a pig walking in and even with wearing minimal clothing and a cold morning I could not stop the sweat while carrying a 60lb pack walking up hill for over a mile. I asked the wife if I could get a llama but that was a no so I guess I need to figure out a way to lighten my pack. Anyway hope you guys enjoy my story about my latest adventure. Describing this to my wife and her parents just gets blank stares back and that sounds like a lot of work to not get a deer.
Day 1:
What was supposed to be a full day of hunting turned into having to work half a day. I had felt rushed all day trying to finish up loose ends and wanting to hit the woods. I knew the cold front was going to be pushing through that evening and I typically see good deer movement before a front. By the time I had unloaded my gear at the camper and made it to my parking spot to hike in it was already raining and pushing 2:00 so I decided to use my limited time to scout my closest spot at about mile and half hike in. I took my time and walked field edges looking for trails and any crossings in the fence marking these locations on my hunting app for future use. I make it to the area I was wanting go about 3:30. It is point that runs off the main ridge along a thicket and I find a few rubs and a fresh scrape so I decided to set up in a fallen tree instead in my saddle. By now the rain has picked up to a steady rain and winds are picking up as well as the front is pushing through. At about 4:45 I catch movement up in the thicket of a deer doing the shakes to get the water off of it. I can see it is a buck but can not tell how big it is and it walks off into a thicker area where I cannot see it. About 15 min later I have a doe come in behind me and she practical walks up to me then blows and runs off causing me to know see the buck I had seen earlier turn and walk up the mountain out of the thicket. After all that and it getting close to dark I get up and go to the field edge to glass and start my journey back. On my way out I do find another buck out in the field making a scrape but at this point it is too dark to tell what size he is even with my binos. Overall I was glad I saw deer and had found good sign and had somewhat of a game plan now for the next day.
Day 2:
With decent deer sign and seeing the buck bedded in the thicket I planned on hunting the same location but a little farther up the point. The cold front that had pushed through cleared out the sky the night before and the temp was a nice 25 degrees this morning. All the wet leaves were frozen and made for a noisy walk in. I saw no deer activity till 10:30 when 3 doe came up from the bottom walked the point edge then headed up the mountain. They were not feeding and were on a steady walk to what I
assume was their bedding area. Approx. 30 min later I catch another doe walking up from the bottom into the thicket I had seen the buck in the other day. As it gets closer to noon I start noticing my N/NW wind is now blowing from the south. Then would switch back to N/NW. I guess this was the thermals with the ridge side heating up but the problem was this was blowing my scent up the ridge that being said at about 12:30 I hear a deer grunt then a few min later I hear a grunt again and catch deer movement along the thicket. It is a buck and doe that are working their way down the mountain towards me. I have not had a good look at the buck yet but can tell he is making a scrape and when he steps out in the opening there stands a mountain giant. The kind of deer that makes your jaw hit the floor and your heart go into overdrive. (I have only had this feeling twice once on a 165" ten point and another on 140" eight point). The deer are about 100 yards from me making their way straight towards. I am trying to remember the trees I have already ranged and once they hit about 50 yards from me they will be out in the open offering me a clear shot. I am now ready, situated in saddle, with bow in hand just waiting on them to get closer. I would like to say that the next part ended with me getting to arrow this deer and be a perfect ending to the trip but it was not. As the doe got to within about 40 yards with the buck about 20 behind her the wind started the switch back to a breeze up the mountain and just like that the doe instantly stops and starts the one legged stomp/head bob. The wind then kicks back into my face but the doe had just enough to make her uneasy she turns and walks into the thicket with the buck right behind her. About 20 min later I see them come out of the thicket about 100 yards away and head up the mountain.
After all of that excitement I figure it is time I eat my lunch which consisted of fudge rounds and crackers since I left my ham biscuit in the truck. At about 1:30 I catch movement again in the thicket and two doe come out of the thicket. The N/NW wind I had has mostly died down to only having the thermal breeze moving up the mountain with the warming of the day. As she makes her way to be directly upwind of me she does the same thing as the other doe. It is like they hit a wall and instantly stops, starts the one legged dance, then turns and walks off in high alert. A few min later I have a small spike or 3 pt come out following the doe. He does the same thing as the doe in about the same spot. Hits my scent gets nervous then walks off back towards the thicket. At this point I figure I need to move since I keep getting winded. I then set up farther up on the point but ended up being to far away. I saw a few more doe but they stayed close to the thicket edge and well outside of bow range. After not seeing any more deer around 3:30 I decided to move to an area that had been cleared cut and I watched this area till dark with not seeing any more deer.
Day 3 & 4:
The wife and girls came in to stay at the camper then grandparents came in to celebrate my youngest daughters birthday (she turned 6). I wasn't able to hunt those days but was able to fly fish the stream at the park. I caught several wild rainbows and brown trout. Was hoping to catch a brookie to finish out a TN grandslam but did not.
Over all I had a great time exploring a new area and was blessed to see several deer and a buck that is probably a rare sight in this area. I had several first on this trip from trying to back pack in all of your needs for a full day sit to trying to fight the thermals and not be winded by the deer. I also had issues of sweating like a pig walking in and even with wearing minimal clothing and a cold morning I could not stop the sweat while carrying a 60lb pack walking up hill for over a mile. I asked the wife if I could get a llama but that was a no so I guess I need to figure out a way to lighten my pack. Anyway hope you guys enjoy my story about my latest adventure. Describing this to my wife and her parents just gets blank stares back and that sounds like a lot of work to not get a deer.
