We arrived at 5:30AM. Pitch dark and our first time in this location. 3,000 acres of block management land. A big chunk is used for agriculture. The rest is arid land with sage brush, hills and drainages. Our goal was to find whitetail because my son in law had a B tag for either a buck or doe. Nice cool morning, about 25 degrees. Was going to get into the high thirties with a steady westerly wind. The wind direction sent us on a round about path as we wanted see if there would be any deer on the ag land at first light. We worked our way around, hiking about a mile then sat down and waited until first light. The sky was spectacular with it pinks against the snow covered mountains. Made me completely forget that there was not a deer to be seen.
So we decided to follow through with our main plan of working our way to the large drainage area, which of course was at the far end of this block. Compared to the crap I have been going up lately, this relatively flat landscape made for an easy hike. Along the way we come upon four muley does. They spot us, but were not too nervous since we were about 500 yards away. They slowly make their way down and away. We keep an eye on them just to see if they were heading to the far drainage. We keep walking, hoping to find some whitetail. I catch one hop a fence and disappear into one of the depressions. It will be the first and last one we see all day.
At about 7:00 AM we spot a bunch of ravens working an area. We figured there was a dead animal nearby, which was confirmed by the three coyotes we saw in the same area. I looked at my son in law and asked him, "did this just become a coyote hunt?" What the heck, it was along our route so might as well try. We slowly moved toward them but never got within range. It was fun to see them regardless, and we also got to watch two large golden eagles on the ground who were patiently waiting for us to move on so they could peck at the dead carcass.
We made our way to the drainage area and worked our way up to a piece of high ground. My son in law gets on the binos, and wouldn't you know old laser eyes pics off a huge muley buck. I range him, 1,200 yards. We back out so we don't get picked off and work on a plan. Wind is perfect. It's coming straight across at a steady 20 knots. It's windy. Plan is to go right and make a move. We get to low ground and start our hike. As we get to the boundary line of this area a sick feeling hits me. He is on private. Damn. Okay, plan B. He is too big to walk away from and we have not seen anything else. We decide to go in the opposite direction, set up, watch and pray he eventually comes our way.
So we go about a half mile or so in the other direction. We find some high ground and cover. He is about 1,600 yards away. Man I wish I brought my scope. Next time. The binos work fine but I wish I could get up close and personal with this dude because he is that big. He is the one that Randy Newburg and Steve Rinella pine about in their videos. Wide rack, and tall. I have never seen anything like it. We start to work the area where he is bedded. Imagine our surprise when we find five more bucks. Then as the day goes on, about ten or so does pop up from the resting places. It's nuts. Had we not decided to sit and glass for hours, we would have never known. Invisible with the naked eye, and barely visible with the binos, until they move. Of the bucks, there was one spike, the rest were shooters, at least for me. Back to the Big buck for a minute. I still cannot get over his size. He actually looked like an elk, just stunning. He stood up a few times and gave us a great broadside view. The size of his body was massive. Just wow.
Okay, back to the story..... We were committed. Mind you, it's only 9:30 am right now. This is going to be a long sit. Glassing in wide open country is a whole new world for me. My only reference are the Randy Newberg vids I have watched over and over and over. I kept thinking, what would he do? He would glass. So we glassed.
We sat there all day, watching the deer. If you ever get a chance to get within a thousand feet or so of a bunch of bedded deer, I highly recommend you stay and watch. I learned more this day then all my years hunting combined.. No book or video could provide me the data that I just experienced. First off, man they can hide well. However, every hour or so they will all get up, feed and move around. Not far, they always stayed in the same area. Being so close to the rut, we got to experience a special treat. Bucks sparring. Did I tell you I wish I had my scope? Next time. Oh, I just ordered a thing to hold my phone to the scope so I can take pics as well.
This was not a comfortable sit. High thirties and 20 knot winds pounding us all day long. Fortunately, sage makes for some pretty decent cover. I managed to take a couple power naps, which, by the way, highly recommended. All in all we stayed fairly comfortable and any temporary inconveniences were easily tempered by the joy of watching a bunch of big deer.
Beautiful country and nice deer.
