Almost time :)

[Fatcamp]

We leave in four days for our fourth deer season. Had a great early archery season. Didn't bring home a deer but learned a ton.

Western South Dakota rifle tags. My wife and I both have archery tags as well. Hotel for this trip as I am in the final weeks of nursing school and she is an educator. We need access to Internet and space to do our work and are bringing a geriatric dog with us.

Two exams and a presentation on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and we are gone. My wife is doing most of the prep work this time. Gonna attach the Yakima and test fit tire chains this afternoon. Forecast keeps changing for the worst but on a rut hunt with a new moon I'm not complaining.

Pretty confident this time. We hunted the same unit last year with whitetail tags and found some mule deer. Fingers crossed we see them again. Every season our equipment and skills improve, and I'm really hopeful we both kill nice bucks with a minimum of suffering. It's been a road getting to this point. We started hunting big game together without a mentor other than the internet and conversations with friends. Been a struggle at times but worth every cactus thorn and chilly morning.

 

[gfreidy]

Good luck. I am envious!

 

[BAKPAKR]

Good luck and safe travels!

 

[Fatcamp]

Thank you. I know this site is full of people just as passionate about hunting as I am who are stuck at work, so I figured I'd try bringing you along.

 

[rooster440]

That’s awesome that y’all hunt together! Good luck!


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[RCL]

Best wishes for a great adventure.

 

[Fatcamp]

The kids aren't hunting with us but they helped load the Yakima, get the coolers on the Hitch Hauler, and test fit the chains. Using a set of chains from my F250 on the back. No front chains on the Notatruck. They fit great and tightened down just like they should.

 

[Fatcamp]

Well, the coming storm cancelled classes so I wasn't able to take my final exam of nursing school. Got us on the road a little earlier, but caused some conflict between my wife and I. She is a University instructor. I am a University student with two weeks left.

 

[Fatcamp]

Well, that trip sucked. Lots of ice and about half way we passed a fatal accident. Sucks.

ETA: Holy cats! That accident wasn't fatal. Guy was wearing his seat belt and walked away. With the truck condition and an ambulance sitting with light off I figured fatal for sure.


We made it though, and ran to our hunting area to check our time allowance and spend a few minutes glassing. Found three bulls, a huge herd of antelope, and a nice tall buck in the middle of a big sagebrush flat tending a dozen does. Mrs. Fatcamp is up first and not sure if she will shoot it in the morning or not. It's better than what she has ever shot, but not even close to what we found last year. Too cold and windy to take more than a quick look, but we know right where we are going in the morning.

First trip on ice in the 4runner.



Resting and organizing our equipment. Geriatric dog is doing well.

 

[hobbes]

Good luck. Should be daylight there now. Hope you can find the big guys.

Driving by those bad accidents always puts a knot in my stomach. Glad it wasn't fatal. Some folks just won't slow down. It's a must on ice.

 

[Fatcamp]

Well, that was fun. We didn't kill anything, but saw a pile of deer and had a 6 point bull walk into 250 yards while we were glassing. A first for my wife.

Passed on a 370 yard shot on a pretty nice buck, just not willing to pull the trigger on him three hours in. My wife would have, but we had just split up to check out different draws. How it goes.

Trying to pace ourselves. Gonna try a new area in the morning. This was today's adventure.


Who knows though. We saw a whole bunch of does. I just know there have to be some nicer bucks around. Did find the world's most awesome forkhorn. Big Poppa had ten does to himself out in the middle of nowhere. He ran them by us at 100 yards. Not real smart, but that youngster has game.

 

[Fatcamp]

Cold and windy. Mrs. Fatcamp bumped a buck right when we got to our glassing spot but no shot.

 

[Fatcamp]

Took a shot. Happened fast. All I know is he is wider than his ears. Waiting for Mrs.Fatcamp to go find him. He donkey kicked and his does left without him, but I don't see him.

 

[lif]

Hoping for a good thanksgiving finish for you.

 

[Fatcamp]

As he lay.

 

[lif]

Congrats.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Congratulations!

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[Fatcamp]

Shot was around 250 yards with a Tikka in 6.5CM. Ranged him at 230 once I got behind my rifle but they were still moving. They were only 100 yards below me when I first saw them but the does spooked and ran off. I was being pretty dang sneaky too. He was quartering away and my exit was right behind the off shoulder so pretty happy about that. He went maybe 50 feet.



Mrs. Fatcamp likes cutting up the deer. Randy Newberg would probably have a fit but we get it done.



The rim behind me is where I shot from. I know there are more deer along this rim I'm just not sure we want to carry another deer that far. It was a haul up and over that mesa and still aways from the road.



Mrs. Fatcamp is up next, but first, today she got to help haul meat for the first time in her Pintler. Good times, friends.

 

[hobbes]

Congrats man! Good looking buck.

 

[Fatcamp]

Rough morning. Covered a bunch of ground with both glass and on foot and didn't see a single animal except cows.
Supposed to be a blizzard. We shall see. Still have some time before we have to head for home.