Saturday morning, luck met good sign + learning an area + a long hike in. I have been successful in this area a few times before. When I finally got up there this year to preset for rifle opener, there was plenty of rut sign and no sign of people being around. So come opening day, my brother and I hunted up there but with the windy conditions and no action, called it quits around 11. Didn't see any people around though and I figured I needed to make it up there when its calmer, and cold temps, since its East/South facing and the bucks seem to venture up there when the thermals rise with the sun. So Saturday morning comes, 21 degrees leaving the truck and light winds, started hiking at 4am. I sat amongst some dead fall on the ground till about 9:30, getting a little restless and already had a deer sneak in behind and blow so I wanted to adjust where I was. I started still hunting the edge of the saddle and heard some movement so I froze. He was making his way toward me, must have heard the crunchy leaves I assume. When he saw me, he goes to turn, quartered slightly away and he dropped right there, about 40 yards away. I immediately called my brother with so much excitement. I hiked back down to meet him and 2 friends so we could retrieve him. My brother forgot the sled when he picked up my jeep on the other side of the mountain so the last photo is how we decided to bring him down, worked out well, it wasn't dark, just don't want to spot burn. Great weekend sharing the excitement with friends and family.
