2021 MT Combo Hunt

[Netherman]

Trip and Gear Report

Trip Thoughts: This hunt was a stress filled marathon. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to tag out and fill freezers. Sometimes at the expense of enjoying the moment and preventing ourselves from getting rundown. I still had an awesome time but look forward to the days of a having a full freezer at home and being able to watch deer and patiently wait for the “right” deer. I’m hoping with the addition of great lakes fishing to the freezer I’ll have rollover meat and be more selective and stationary going forward.

Noteworthy Gear: I loved glassing with 10s on tripod. Our system worked well where I would spot groups of deer with the 10s and my friend would give them a once over with his 15s. From there we would either get the spotting scope on them or keep glassing. Another noteworthy piece of gear is the kifaru gunbearer. My friend has the kuiu version and was constantly struggling to get the butt of the gun into their holster particularly with his pack already on. I got enlisted to help him a few times and made a point of fully removing my gun and resecuring prior to helping him (he’ll be buying the kifaru version). The MVP of the trip were trekking poles 5 packouts over 6 days and my knees are SORE. I can only imagine the pain or even injuries they’d be feeling if I didn’t have them. I’ve had the same BD carbon poles for the past 6 years and they are still going strong. My friend has the cascade mountain ones recommended on this site, but over the past few years has bent one and, on this trip,, he broke one of the flick locks. We taped it up and got thru the hunt, but he’ll be looking at other options going forward. If mine were to ever break I’d probably look at something a bit lighter (mine are 19oz).

Disappointing Gear: I was really disappointed in my Vanguard Endeavor HD 65A spotting scope. I think this is a function of other optic upgrades, but the clarity and light gathering are very disappointing compared to my 10s and friends 15s that are 10x more dollars. I’m due for an upgrade I just need to save some dollars and figure out exactly what I want.

Gear to Buy/Consider: I want a new spotting scope and need to figure out exactly what fits my preferences and hunting style. I want a straight scope, alpha glass, and am leaning towards a 65mm objective since I do a lot of walking. Maybe I try and get into the STX system so I can get a bigger objective down the road, but am skeptical I’d ever carry it. Another thing I’ll be looking for is a cot specific sleeping pad. I used a neoair pad on a cot at the B&B and it worked but was loud (according to others) and being a mummy shape wasn’t as comfortable as it could be. I slept with a kifaru woobie and without the containment of a sleeping bag the mummy shape was more annoying.

 

[Netherman]

Packing the first elk out.

Walked by this guy’s house on both pack outs.


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[Netherman]

Victory beer after packing out the dad’s buck


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[Netherman]

Skull boil rack stack

Chest freezer with one deboned deer and one deboned elk. We cycled all the meat thru for the drive home.


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[Netherman]

On to Colorado.

Day 0/1

Early wake up to hit the road. I drove daylight to daylight and arrived at camp an hour after sunset. After helping them get the wall tent fully set (they hadn’t used it before) I unpacked, got their packs and gear organized for the morning, skipped dinner, and passed out for the night.

Dark and early we got rolling and started our hike in. Our plan was to hike to some bouldery cliffs that we had seen deer from the last time I had hunted this area. I had vague recollections of the best way to get there and with only a destination pin we had a long zig zaggy hike to our spot. My dad looked real rough hiking. He has hip issues and has a scheduled knee surgery for the end of November. Not wanting to take him on the bouldering adventure that was getting to our planned spot I decided we’d hike along the base and try to still hunt the pinion juniper thru to the edge than glass into the open. We sat, discussed that dad was first shooter, and waited for a bit more light and then got walking. We quickly spotted a group of doe, but no bucks.

A bit more walking and slowly glassing and we ran into a small forky. Worried about how long my dad could keep up with his bodys current condition we broke out the tripod and triclawps gun vise. While getting setup a mega fork (he’ll argue it was a 3x2) popped out. Having left his scope on 9x from shooting earlier in the week he couldn’t find the deer. I reached over dialed his scope back to 3 then cranked it back up once he said he’d found them. I started saying “whenever you’re rea- BOOM --dy”. The deer dropped in it’s tracks.

We ran up to the deer high fived, snapped some pictures, and then I got to work quartering him up for me and my brother to pack out. I could tell that my dad didn’t like us babying him so I let him hike out my tripod and my friends 15s. By the time we got everything back to the truck and situated in the cooler the heat of the day was upon us. Rather than hike back thru bumping bedded deer we decided to head to town for lunch. Starving I ate and entire 14” pizza plus some of my brother’s sandwich.

Back at camp we geared up for the evening hunt left my dad to nap and headed out to a new glassing spot. The spot ended up being a bust. We didn’t see a single deer and all the sign we did see was weeks-months old. I think the creek being dry and general drought conditions across the west hurt us. Truthfully, I’d like to go back. I don’t think we gave it a fair shake without a morning glass especially with the unseasonably high temps we experienced.

Lessons Learned: Make sure everyone’s scopes are set for the hunt area. Typically, that means on lowest power or at least bottom third of the power range. You can always dial up for a longer shot and you’ll typically have time to get set.

Questions: N/A

 

[Netherman]

Day 2

Dad slept in but we had another early morning. We planned to hike up on the cliffs we had planned the previous morning and glass the area. Once we got up there we spotted a large group of deer with a few nice bucks about a half mile away feeding towards private land. Hurriedly, we dropped off the rocks and booked it to the field edge. From there we started a slow walk à crouch walk à crawl. As we got closer the deer spooked and ran further towards the private. With a good wind and painstaking effort to remain undetected we were shocked that they had seen us. We quickly realized that they hadn’t as we watched three coyotes trotting along after them. Bummer.

While discussing moving over to a cluster of pine to glass back where we had come from the deer were back. Shocked at our change in fortune we got the gun set and watched the parade of deer go by. Doe, doe, doe, spike, doe, doe, mini fork, doe, fawn, fawn, doe. It seemed to go on for an eternity but we didn’t see either of the good bucks. They seemed to have slipped away from the group during all the commotion. From there we hiked a big loop thru the juniper bumping into the occasional group of doe and fawns. Eventually we jumped a 3x3 out of a narrow deep cut confirming what we had already known that the heat had put the deer to bed for the day. We then hiked back to the truck and headed back to camp for a bed of our own.

To keep dad involved we decided to spend the evening on a drivable high point and glass. We spotted a few doe and a group of deer about a mile off. We couldn’t tell what they were with my useless spotting scope and with night coming and no better prospects off we went. We spotted a few groups of doe along the way and when we got to our destination we found a doe the smallest mule deer spike I had ever seen. My brother wanting to fill the freezer and hang out more with dad was interested in shooting it. As the only hunter in the group, I told him we’d need to make sure it was legal. In MI a legal buck has at least one 3” spike. This buck met that criteria but I told him I wasn’t sure in CO and that I was sure we could do better in the AM.

Lessons Learned: Check the regs prior to your hunt. It would have been a non-issue for me since I wouldn’t shoot a deer like that either way, but I wish I could have told him yes or no with confidence. As of this year 2021 a legal mule deer in CO has a 5” spike and this deer did not.

Questions: N/A

 

[Netherman]

Day 3

Interested in the bucks from the previous morning we decide to hike over to that side of the valley in the dark. Hiking in I notice fresh cattle tracks on our path. Only two set’s one big and one small so I’m wondering if I’ve mis-identified a moose track though I don’t think there is enough water around (I don’t have much moose experience). Not much we can do either way so we get to our planned walking point and wait for light. Once we can see we start glassing and slowly making our way towards the private line the deer are headed to. With only doe in front of use we make it to the first large clump of trees. From there we scanned the opposite side and spot a small but shootable buck. With nothing but open and flat between us we begin the slow creep closer. As we were creeping, they fed into the timber which allowed us to move a bit quicker and try and get ahead of their movement. We get setup and begin watching the group of deer crossing from left to right. We are looking at wayyy more deer than the small group we had originally seen. Slowly they move thru. As I’m watching them, I spot a monster. He made the “nice” bucks from yesterday look small. I’d guesstimate him to be in the 160-170 class of buck with “nice” for the area being 130s. At 268 broadside I told my brother there was a nice deer just in front of the rock face and to shoot it when he was ready. He couldn’t find it in the scope and by the time I shoved him off the rifle to aim it for him the buck had dropped into a small ditch and we could only see his tall tines. It was early morning, and we were looking directly into the sun, but man that should have been a layup.

Still not over we watched patiently for the buck to feed back into a shootable position. It did this time just under 300 (our max range) but never got free from the small buck/doe secret service. Eventually they all began moving towards the private to ride out the daytime heat. With the big buck trailing we hurried to get into position for a shot. We had him feeding on some brush at 240 but with a house in the background I told my brother not to shoot. It hurt to let that guy walk and 999 times out of 1000 there is no issue with the house, but I knew it wasn’t right. Finally, the buck spotted us and ran, hopped the fence, and gave us the classic 200yd muley look back from the private. That hurt too.

Back at camp we told the story, hit a nap, and went back out for an evening glass with dad. We spotted a doe in close and a few other doe around but no bucks. With daylight waning we decided to walk down a valley and have dad pick us up at the bottom. We didn’t see anything but having an uber driver and not having to walk back thru country we had already been in the dark was really nice.

Lessons Learned: Make sure to go over tips for quick target acquisition prior to the hunt. (bring scope to eye, keep zoom low, square your shoulders before aiming, ect). I like to think I could have got it done if I were the trigger man. Also, be aware of shooting obstacles and make sure to account for them when setting up for a shot. If we have been 50yds or so closer to the fence we would have had a clear shot (assuming we had a lane).

Questions: N/A

 

[Netherman]

Day 4

Hoping to get another crack at that giant we got up extra early and got onto the cliffs above where we had seen the herd of deer the previous morning. Like clockwork we started seeing deer moving from the bottom to private. Mostly doe, fawn, and possible spike bucks. Off on the far side where we had started the previous morning, we watched two nice bucks hop over the fence. We didn’t have a prayer of getting on them without blowing every deer out of the bottoms. It felt like we were betting on a coin toss and had now been wrong three times in a row. As the morning crept on along with our prospects we decided to get down and work our way back thru the pockets of trees. We spotted a small fork buck moving with a group of doe. Of course, it was across the bottom so we slowly crept across and got behind them as they entered the timber. Moving up behind them they spotted us first and took off running. The buck stopped in confusion and stood broadside looking at us. Fortunately for him he regained his senses before my brother could find him. We followed them until they hit the private then we were back on our walk.

Back at camp I told my dad the story of goldilocks and the hunter who saw a buck that was too big, to small, and now was on the lookout for one that was “juuust” right. My brother went back to the cliffs for the evening hunt while I stayed back and got my dad’s deer cut off the bone and into bags for transport back to MI. He only saw doe that night.

Lessons Learned: N/A

Questions: N/A

 

[Netherman]

Day 5

With just the morning left to hunt before heading back to Denver then home to Michigan we got up extra early and got back on the cliffs. Hopeful that we’d played the 50/50 game right. Unfortunately, we saw very few deer compared to the previous days. Not sure if it was the slightly higher temps, hunting there the night before, or just the cumulative hunting pressure we had put on the place. Watching deer on the wrong side of the line got us walking quicker than previous mornings. We made it thru our valley and decided that we should check out the next valley over. As soon as we flipped over, I spotted a buck feeding with some doe 600yds away. We closed the gap to 300 and got picked off by another satellite group of doe who sent them all running over the hill. We moved to get repositioned on them but never picked them up. At a new elevated point, I spotted a deer working its way down the valley.

At first glance it was a buck, second it was a doe, and third I figured out what was going on with this shapeshifter. It was a small fork that only had an antler on one side. He must have put all his efforts into growing one antler big enough to be a last day buck. We hurried into position but never got a shot before he flipped over a hill. Working our way around the hill we spotted him again. Now he was meeting up with a bigger group with a good-looking buck. My brother said he saw it and was shooting. Before I could range it, he was lined up and told me to watch. I watched the bullet land 2’ under the deer and they all took off. We got up there and looked for blood that we’d never find. Running out of morning we decided to follow their tracks around the rocky hill and see if we could get back on them.

Probably 2 hours from the shot we rounded a corner and saw a group of deer running thru the juniper. Not sure whether they were the same deer as before or whether they were running from us we watched. As they ran, we noticed a buck in the back of the group slip away and bed down. Fortunately for us he was bedded at 280yds and we had all the time in the world. We got the gun set with a pack on both ends of the gun and I watched as my brother sent a bullet thru his front shoulder and both lungs. He never moved again. From the cliffs I flagged my brother into the deer and then went down to meet him for the trophy pictures.

He named the buck buzz for buzzer beater, as we were already 30 min after we had agreed to meet our dad back at camp. We had signal at the kill site, so I called dad dropped him a pin and asked for another uber ride. Just as I was finishing up the quarter job dad showed up. We gave him a hard time for not bringing beer, loaded up, and hiked him out. Back at camp we re-organized the coolers, packed up, and headed into town for beers and pizza (pizza is my favorite post hunt food).

Lessons Learned: Not much of a lesson but don’t shoot without ranging first. If it looks like more than 200 you need to know how far it is. Based on the ballistics of the gun and dust plume I guesstimated that the deer way 450-500yds away. That’s not a shot I would take and one that my brother doesn’t have any business taking.

Questions: N/A

 

[Netherman]

Brothers buck


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[Netherman]

Camp


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[Netherman]

Trip and Gear Report

Trip Thoughts: I had a great time with my dad and brother. I’m thankful that my dad was able to get one opening morning but think 3 person hunts aren’t ideal. I felt a bit bad that we left dad back at camp most days, but there was no way he could have done the hiking we were doing. We could have done a less strenuous hunt. I put so much emphasis on filling tags and being successful that I wouldn’t have wanted too. I did like that with a later fall hunt we had more time spent at camp telling stories. If we do this again we’ll have to find a unit that is lower in altitude, less steep, or both.

Noteworthy Gear: I recently bought a triclawps gun clamp for this hunt and I think it was huge in helping my dad get on the deer and steady.

Disappointing Gear: I still am hating on my spotter and found it nearly useless as the deer seemed to only be moving in the early hours. I also didn’t love using my friends 15s as much as I thought I would. They were nice to quickly check for horns, but they couldn’t be free handed and prevented me from using the 10s as I was carrying them on the tripod most of the hunt.

Gear to Buy/Consider: I am still considering a better spotting scope and want to try a 10x + spotter setup before considering 15s. I think they have a place for big glassing, but I like the FOV of the 10s for glassing and think I’ll be satisfied using the spotter to judge animals assuming it can handle the twilight hours reasonably close to my 10s and the 15s.

 

[afishinman14]

Great trip!