Humbled 1st Timer

[Rich M]

Sounds like a fun trip. Glad you had fun and know your limitations. Next time will be different I'm sure.

Would you have shot the deer if you had say 2 "floater days" in case you needed them? Not judging, just maybe something you may want to consider next time.

I did my first mule deer hunt in 2019 and planned on hunting 9 or the 10-day season. Killed on day 6. Buddy missed on days 7 & 8. We were ready to head back out on Day 9 and he called it - said he didn't want to deal with a deer on the last day with a plane flight looming. Same kind of thing - sucks when schedules get in the way.

 

[JLane330]

"One shot and a whole lotta work!" is the saying I grew up hearing. Hunting and hiking is the easy part, once an animal is on the ground is when the real work begins. Many people don't realize that and think that getting the shot is the hard part...haha! Just quartering and deboning is work, much less the hiking out.
The only animals I want to pack out are the ones that are worth it, and to me that's something big. I've passed on 4x4 and 5x5 bulls simply because it wasn't an animal I wanted to pack out the miles I was in. Don't misunderstand, I'm not hunting for convenience, instead I'm doing the work and don't settle for just anything legal. If it's a bull worth packing, I'll gladly do the work to get it out.
In some states, hunting season is still VERY hot, as in mid-90's during the day. Unless you have a full crew of guys, or horses, or both...you won't be able to pack an animal out fast enough before it spoils in the heat. There are many miles of land that probably hold great bulls, but if I can't pack it out fast enough, it doesn't do any good to hunt those areas. Plan your hunt wisely!

 

[Rich M]

Plan your hunt wisely!

That's the deal. Not having done it - it is difficult for folks to realize what is gonna happen once they pull the trigger.

That's also why some guys would leave part of the critter on the mountain - why we have wanton waste laws. Shoot the critter, take the backstraps, maybe one ham and the horns - head on home...

Lugging a pack full of meat is a lot of work.

 

[MasterTimo]

Sounds like a fun trip. Next time will be different for sure.
Congrats still.

 

[Dos Perros]

You got to where you wanted to go, you were up and at it every day, you pushed yourself and you stuck it out. No mentioned gear failures and didn't get hurt. I think for a first timer that is a resounding success.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Well... been thinking about throwing up a quick report on my first ever solo back pack hunt so here goes. First thing I need to do is publicly thank idahohikker (on this forum). He is a stand up guy that helped me get pointed in the right direction. A little background info. In my early 40's, decent shape, and grew up in northeast WI. Have been deer hunting for nearly 35 years. Last spring decided I needed more adventure. Did some research and bought a general season Idaho mule deer tag. On to my experience. Decided on unit , parked the truck, and took a well known trail back into the mountains about 6 miles (more on that mistake later) at day break the morning before the season opened. The trek in was glorious. Although it was physically tough the adrenaline and excitement made it enjoyable. Once I found my spot for camp I got set up and found a decent spot to glass before dark. The following 4 days were what I'm guessing were pretty standard. Got up early, climbed up, glassed, and then made my way back to camp just after dark. Saw some bucks but nothing better than a small 4 point. On day 5 I decided to make a longer push up a mountain I'd been eyeballing the entire time. Took the bare necessities for the day to keep my pack light and set out early. Made it to where I wanted to be and got set up. At that point I was dead tired, about 1.75 miles from my camp and another 6 miles from my truck. After a couple hours of glassing I had finally found a buck worthy of getting in the scope. Was all set up, heart thumping, and getting ready to click off the safety. Then, it dawned on me and here comes the mistake I referenced earlier. I was 100% unprepared to make 3 (maybe 4 including camp?) 13ish mile round trip treks back and forth to the truck with with this animal on my back. I had pushed myself so hard getting father into the "backcountry" than anyone else in that particular area that I didn't have the juice left in my tank to be able to do exactly what it was that I was there for. Side bar, I only had one day left before my family became my #1 priority and I needed to bolt. At that point I made a decision to put the rifle down and enjoy the moment. The next morning I packed up and hunted my way out. All that said, here's what I learned. In my opinion nothing can prepare someone for doing this, besides doing it. Just decide to go, research, do it, and make a few mistakes (hopefully non life threatening). I think about this experience almost every day and am planning on giving it another go in the fall of 2022, would be doing it this fall if not for a planned elk trip. Sorry for my terrible rambling w

Knowing how far is too far, especially solo is one of the hardest decisions you can make. The tough guy inside us all wants to hammer it out and just get it done but wisdom dictates what you did. Nice work and I would call that a success!

 

[morgan1h]

Your situation sounds similar to one I had this last year when I took a very nice buck on a solo hunt at 6.5 miles in. It was this primary ridge I had to get up and over on the way back that was the killer. It was all worth it for that buck, but it was one of the most physically miserable 36 hours of my life and I’ve had a good few packouts. I shot it on a Sunday morning, and got back to the trailhead Monday after dark, totally exhausted and then drive an hour to be at work in the morning. Drove back and hiked in for camp in the dark the next evening. I live at 7,000 fy and was in very good shape after covering hundreds of mountain miles in scouting and hunting prior to pulling the trigger, but if I didn’t live close by, I’d have been in a bad spot trying to get everything out before running out of time. I’m 31 but I got back from that trip thinking about how my body won’t let me do that forever. Got me scheming on how I can get pack animals. Like others have said, I’ll do it all over again for a special animal, but it’ll take that. Given the situation it sounds like you made the right call, I wouldn’t regret it or overthink it - it was wise.Everything you learned makes the trip a total win.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk