BackCountryMulies
Lil-Rokslider
This may be one of the best ways to pass the time between fall seasons, spring axis deer hunting is next level. If you have ever struggled to talk the wife into a hunt I doubt you will struggle getting her to agree to go on this one. Last may we went to Maui to visit some friends after chatting with my buddy over there I decided it would be wise to bring some hunting gear because the axis rut is full swing in May and it is unreal! We booked our tickets and started the trip out rough. I ended up with a head cold / sinus infection when we left and suffered severe baro-trauma in my right ear when the plane descended into Maui. I honestly though my ear drum was going to explode when we landed. I ended up spending the first day in the E.R. followed by the second day visiting ear specialists on the island. Well it wasn’t going to get better and there was nothing they could do so I loaded up on some ibuprofen and some antibiotics and met up with my buddy for some hunting. If I learned one thing from this trip it is that a missed up equilibrium doesn’t jive well with steep mountains and lava rock.
The third day we jumped over to Molokai to do some hunting we seen close to 300 axis deer and looked over several nice mature bucks but nothing my buddy deemed a shooter. That evening we set up over a long chute and could see deer all over in the trees when all of the sudden my buddy grabbed me and told me to get over to his position there was a beast that came out right below him. I’m still amazed how this came together. He spotted my buck and I shot him at 100 yards then her buck came running up the chute and wanted to kick its butt so she jumped on the gun and anchored hers 10 yards from mine. The axis rut is crazy I am hooked on them. I cant wait to go back on another hunt.
The next few days we relaxed and did some tourist things went out fishing for a half day. (absolutely miserable when your already dizzy to start!)
The 6th morning we woke up early and claimed up Haleakalā from the less known side and were able to take a couple Billy’s too. We left town at 2:00 and got up top before sunrise. As the sun came up we were in the middle of about 60 goats. I took the bigger billy as he walk passed us at about 40 yards. After taking care of him we worked over to another lava field and found what seemed like a hundreds of goats. We found a couple billies that really stood out so the Mrs shot the one at 420 in his bed perfect high shoulder. Then the other big one came across and gave me a quarter to at 470 so I slipped one in front of the onside shoulder. Pretty awesome experience but man they stink and by 10:00 those lava rocks are cooking.
Last afternoon my buddy sends me a text. Bruh we forgot to try and get a pig with all the ear issues, let’s go tonight no guarantees but we gotta try!
We headed out and the rain was heavy and the clouds were low. He said if we had a chance it’s on a day like today. We arrived at our hunt location and the entire hill side was socked in. We sat in the cover of the ranger and when the clouds broke my buddy instantly got exited. Big hog we gotta go. We took off and B-lined for this draw I could see a pig moving across the grassy slope in hurry so I threw a pack down my buddy was trying to get a range And had the profile on a different rifle profile he went into panic mode because the big boar was about to disappear. I figured hell hes gotta be about 200-220. He’s now hauling ass for thicker cover and he’s about to dissappear so I settled in while they were messing with the RF and put a 147 ELD-m from the 6.5 PrC right in the think tank. I look back as I’m getting looked at blankly “sorry instinct took over”
The third day we jumped over to Molokai to do some hunting we seen close to 300 axis deer and looked over several nice mature bucks but nothing my buddy deemed a shooter. That evening we set up over a long chute and could see deer all over in the trees when all of the sudden my buddy grabbed me and told me to get over to his position there was a beast that came out right below him. I’m still amazed how this came together. He spotted my buck and I shot him at 100 yards then her buck came running up the chute and wanted to kick its butt so she jumped on the gun and anchored hers 10 yards from mine. The axis rut is crazy I am hooked on them. I cant wait to go back on another hunt.
The next few days we relaxed and did some tourist things went out fishing for a half day. (absolutely miserable when your already dizzy to start!)
The 6th morning we woke up early and claimed up Haleakalā from the less known side and were able to take a couple Billy’s too. We left town at 2:00 and got up top before sunrise. As the sun came up we were in the middle of about 60 goats. I took the bigger billy as he walk passed us at about 40 yards. After taking care of him we worked over to another lava field and found what seemed like a hundreds of goats. We found a couple billies that really stood out so the Mrs shot the one at 420 in his bed perfect high shoulder. Then the other big one came across and gave me a quarter to at 470 so I slipped one in front of the onside shoulder. Pretty awesome experience but man they stink and by 10:00 those lava rocks are cooking.
Last afternoon my buddy sends me a text. Bruh we forgot to try and get a pig with all the ear issues, let’s go tonight no guarantees but we gotta try!
We headed out and the rain was heavy and the clouds were low. He said if we had a chance it’s on a day like today. We arrived at our hunt location and the entire hill side was socked in. We sat in the cover of the ranger and when the clouds broke my buddy instantly got exited. Big hog we gotta go. We took off and B-lined for this draw I could see a pig moving across the grassy slope in hurry so I threw a pack down my buddy was trying to get a range And had the profile on a different rifle profile he went into panic mode because the big boar was about to disappear. I figured hell hes gotta be about 200-220. He’s now hauling ass for thicker cover and he’s about to dissappear so I settled in while they were messing with the RF and put a 147 ELD-m from the 6.5 PrC right in the think tank. I look back as I’m getting looked at blankly “sorry instinct took over”
