Our hunting thread

OutwardBound · #1 10-08-2007, 05:38 PM

Well I'm going to start a log so that we don't have to keep creating new ones. Hope you guys don't mind

Ok so we're back on track...home from the honeymoon and it's time to chase some ducks!

Oct 6th and we have buddies who are coming. This should be great, 2 first time duck hunters, one in the morning and one in the evening.

The morning hunt was amazing! Partially bc we got a Robo Duck for a wedding gift from our hunting buddy who's with us today. By 9 am we've got 16 ducks! Pocket had a blast and made a nice find of a duck that sailed 150 yrds away, and one swimming quacking mallard hen cripple that played dead and really was hardly hit! It was a 10 min chase that ended poorly for the hen. Dozer was tied out (he blew his CCL and needs TPLO surgery on Oct 16th), but still sat with us at the edge of the water for exposure, we hit a few dead ducks that folded in the dekes so we let him go for a few swims.

Evening hunt saw 4 of us in the marsh. Typical of early season we spent 1 1/2 hr sitting there shooting the $#!% with nothing buzzing us, then that last 15mins was crazy, but our spot was not quite where they wanted to be. Pocket had to chase down another very alive cripple bc it swam out of sluicing range, and swam around with it, dove after about 8 mins (and our new hunting buds asking if the dog was ok) and finally came back with a mouthful of teal. After that it was 4 more ducks, and a drive home with some very happy hunters and a dog. I forgot my camera today and am kicking myself!

Total for the day was 21!

OutwardBound · #2 10-14-2007, 10:27 AM

Well we got a late start to the morning bc of a buddy sleeping in (his first and last warning that we will leave him behind next time!) but overall it was still a great day, esp for the bluebird day it turned into.

The morning started out awesome as the boys took a double out of a group of buffleheads. One bird hit shore dead and the other landed in the water cripple but quickly dove and out of sluicing range. So I sent Pocket for the cripple, but this bird was tough and kept diving and swimming quite far away from her, finally it popped up in the dekes after about 10 mins, I gave Pocket a whistle and she tread water while our buddy sluiced it, then released her. What a tough bird...freakin thing was still alive! Now Pocket can do nice spread out quick doubles, but this was going to be tough. I lined her up and sent her on 'back' she took the line nicely but didn't want to leave the water...uggh ****ing match time. Finally got her to shore and she found it, but it was ugly (we'll be working on that today). Next flock of buffles see's Dustin knock one onto the other shore, she went nicely up the hill after checking the water's edge first. For the next little while it was nice singles dropping into the dekes. Our buddy Ryan decided to walk a little ways up river and sure enough shoots a low flyer around the bend out of sight. He calls to us and I send Pocket to go see Ryan. She goes to a heel beside him and he sends her 'back' and she nails it, Ryan's impressed and thinks the dog is cool. We knock a few more down with one that decides to fight back! Pocket has a little war wound on her face from a gadwell but decided she's hold it's head in her mouth and carry it like a goof in order to prevent it from continuing to bite her. It was hilarious.

Just as we're about to pack up some gw teal buzz by us. I shoot a little late and just as I'm about to say crap for missing, it goes down...about 150yrd away and up to the right and behind us on land. After I shot Pocket moved to shore about 10yrd from me and I was mad bc I thought she broke, but then the bird went down and I realized she knew it was shot and was trying to see the fall! Holy crap..dogs are amazing! So I sent her but can't see her bc it's up a hill and tall grass so we follow her up to see her work. We all thought the bird was probably still alive and bunkered down in the grass. Pocket runs pretty much right to where we though it fell and we could tell she was getting a nose full of scent, but this was a test bc we haven't done many trails with her at all. There is a lot of ground to cover but she did it very well and was a very happy dog while doing it. Finally after about 5mins and 300yrds of trailing ( I really didn't hit this bird well at all

) we see the teal start making it's way to shore, with Pocket right on it's tail (her head was down though and it was hilarious to watch bc if she just looked up it would have been quicker) finally she snorts, looks up and BAM jumps on the teal and brings me back a pretty alive bird with her tail going about a million miles an hour!! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen...esp bc we haven't trained for it..it was so natural for her!

Home we go, and hose her off, give her water and let Dozer out to play and chew on some bones.

5pm back out we go for an evening hunt. We built a stand for the dogs out in the water bc she was shivering so much the last time and couldn't mark the falls very well. She wasn't sure of it, but a 'load up' and she did as she was told anyways. Ugh bluebird day with +12...not very good for bird movement. It wasn't until sunset they started flying. We spread out about 75yrd away from each other and it was nice bc we all got some pretty good chances. I knocked down a nice bird right into the dekes after they buzzed me from behind and overhead. Pocket launched into the water and nailed it! Gave me the bird and loaded up again with a little help. Then Ryan knocked down a bird but the bugger was running on water after being shot, and it was a long swim for Pocket. Dustin was really close to the bird and Pocket so she stayed with him as there were only a few minutes left and he was only in ankle deep water and making his way back to me. As she's coming in Ryan knocks down one last bird, but Pocket has one in her mouth...ugh confusion as this has never happened to her. I give her a come in whistle and take the bird, she's looking in the dir of the fall so I send her...nice line and then...she veers left..wtf! Ryan doesn't think she saw it so he decides to go get it himself and call her off bc he thinks it's over left more...I could have killed him, but I don't want to confuse the dog more so I see how it'll pan out....Ryan picks up a clump of weeds. I blow the whistle give her a right over and she picks up the bird and brings it back. Not the best ending to the night but she still did very well for a young dog (just turned 2). Ryan was given #$@! about not giving my dog commands, and given a bit of humility when his mark was off.

Total for the day was 15

willy · #3 10-14-2007, 09:28 PM

buffle heads good eating lots on our dam?

OutwardBound · #4 10-15-2007, 11:49 AM

We're turning all the waterfowl we've got into jerky so it doesn't really matter the species. But I tried to roast a bufflehead last yr and it was so stinky I didn't even try to eat it!! Maybe someone else on here has a recipe for them. They sure are fun to shoot though!

#5 10-15-2007, 12:01 PM

Man those buffleheads are pretty.....we got into a bunch earlier this year as well. There sure seems to be lots around. Between them and the teal the action was pretty well non stop. It looks like we might have been hunting some of the same country.

OutwardBound · #6 10-20-2007, 06:10 PM

Went out for a quick evening hunt and brought along my brother for his first ever duck hunt! It was pretty cool to have him there and show him the ropes and what good dog work is! He was very impressed what Pocket was capable of and though it was neat to see her run a blind. Bird movement was slow and mostly too high bc of the nice weather. We ended up with a duck each and it was a very nice time.

the boys and dog walking with the gear

Pocket with my mallard drake...ugly duck but a drake!

Dustin and Pocket displaying the camoed truck!

cujo1969 · #7 10-20-2007, 09:04 PM

CBR i have a choc lab that loves hunting but will not quit whining or barking do those bark collars work or did you have that problem. He just goes nuts when let out of truck.

Dunezilla · #8 10-21-2007, 06:46 PM

Are you planning a big game hunt or are ducks/geese your thing? Anyhow I trust all went well on your honeymoon and it is nice to see you out hunting again.

OutwardBound · #9 10-21-2007, 07:54 PM

Dune, we've got some deer draws but no luck yet so far. Hopefully elk and moose to follow the next few years! I sure hope to put up some deer pics....Nov 1st isn't too far away either!

OutwardBound · #10 10-21-2007, 10:40 PM

Cujo, pm sent

OutwardBound · #11 10-30-2007, 07:42 PM

Well we woke up to snow and a cold day with high hopes. Unfortunately it wasn't such a good day as anticipated. Didn't see too much move and those that did were high, also locals were spooky. However I did manage to knock down a bufflehead that put the landing gear down into the dekes. Hopefully we'll have more luck in the next little while!

OutwardBound · #12 11-02-2007, 01:31 PM

So yesterday was my first deer hunt, first time with a tag in my pocket and rifle in my hand. I've been the scout on others but getting out of the truck to look for my own deer sure was an awesome feeling. We were so eager to get out to my draw zone (mulie doe) that we were an hour before hunting light! Oh well we'll check things out and calm down a bit. So there we are getting into our gear with the 15 min countdown and what walks by our truck - a nice 8-10 pt buck! Oh wow...we're in the deer!!

So we figure he's probably on the prowl for does and that must mean they're close, but upon further glassing....he was being kicked out by this pig of a buck surrounded by like 15 does!! What a start. So off on a hike we go, but in rookie eagerness we took a crappy line to them and had to crawl for an hour to get within distance. Good workout, but...So we finally get to where I was smacking the target nicely @ 200 yrds from the deer and I get ready to line up a shot from my knee and..can't see 'f' all bc of the foilage. So Dustin offers his shoulder as a rest and we get a little higher. Ok..what a difference it makes having a deer in the sights! I line up, take a ton of deep breaths and boom! Dirt underneath her flies and she jumps, runs about 20 ft and they all turn to us and slowly wander north. Crap!! Ok the stalk is on and I decide I need to get a lot closer...target practice is way easier!

As we're planning the new stalk a nice group of 4 does gathers east of us so we change our plan and sneak up on them. Here's where I decided that mulies aren't so smart. As I'm crawling to get closer the biggest doe starts walking toward me to check me out. Well hell if you're going to do that I set up for a shot and she stops about 140yrds away broadside. I breath, set up on my knee and get her in my sights, however just as I shoot a strong wind comes up, she turns a bit and we hear a faint "whap" and see the hillside dirt clump a bit but she just jumps and they all take off, including the pig buck who was bedded down over a little knoll. We watch them and she gets passed by the rest of the little herd and decides not to jump the fence and goes and beds down. Ohhh I think I got her! So off to the shot site for blood sign and what not. After 1/2 hr there isn't any sign and we decide to head to where she is laying down. We get within 300yrd of her and she jumps up and takes off over the fence....wtf!? Ok so we go track her trail and look for blood, nothing but only very faint possible blood in a little patch of grass. While all this is happening a C.O. pulls up near the field and watches us for a while then takes off. So we head to the truck to drive a few fields over and see if she met up with her herd. We meet up with the C.O. not 200 yrds from the group. Chat with him for a while about what happened and he said she joined up late but looked pretty ok, suggested we watch them for a while then try and take her again and then he left and wished me good luck in filling my tag.

Ok we watch them for a couple hours and they keep rearanging their bedding order and we lose track of the doe, so off on a sneak we go again to try and get them to stand. They spook and while counting them notice one is missing I stand and then pop up comes this big doe slowly but then quickly joins the others....crap, I try for a running shot but this was stupid as I shot like 20ft behind her...deer are way harder to hit with a rifle than ducks with a shotgun! She joins her herd at the top of the hill and heads off with them. We glass her and can't see any vital or gut wounds and head to the bed spot and can't see any blood or wound sign. We track them back to their orignal bed spot and decide to go home for lunch and a bit of an adreneline calm down.

After some food and thinking and praying to the deer gods we head back out to get this doe. When we get there we spot the herd miles away and get out prepared for a trek. But as we're walking about a km away from the road we spot a deer bedding down who's walking a bit goofy (weird head movement) and is huge. We decide to check her out, so sneak mode it is. And what a sneak it is!! After looking at the deer we also spot a smaller one bedded down a little ways away from the other one. Neither one knows we're coming bc a harsh north wind picked up and we're very well covered in the tall grass, and they're hidden behind some scrub brush and tumble weeds. We sneak to within 50 yrds before she realizes we're there and lifts her head. We stop and wait. She decides to stand and I peek over the brush and see that she's looking right at me, I also see that she's nicked in the neck but not bleeding or too wounded - so that's what happened earlier, she was stunned, probably her neck hurt, but totally survivable. I also can only see her head and neck and now we're like 30 yrds away, but after dumb mistakes this afternoon I don't want to wound her again or have to track her or spook her into a full out run. She's kinda cornered and the way we snuck there is a corridor for her to head to to my right and I recalled that after my morning shots all the deer would run about 20yrds then stop and look in the direction. I decide to try something unorthidox. I give her a 'warning' shot into the ground behind her/over her. Dustin pipes up 'how the heck did you miss her by that much!' and I think he is really dissapointed, but I tell him it was a warning shot, he's very confused! But like I thought she runs to about 80yrds from me and stops, turns broadside and looks at me. Holy crap - served on a platter if I miss this I', hanging up the gun before it ever gets a chance to take a deer. I kneel down to steady the gun but can't see anything again bc of the brush....I realize I have to take this shot standing up. Whew...deep breaths, line her up, and BAM! WHAP! DROP!! It was like a freakin hunting video where the deer just hits the ground...it was so awesome! The whole day finally came together and I did it...I took my first deer! And then time took forever to move, finally we go to her and I was in awe, can't even describe how proud I was, what a feeling! I tag her and then take a look, she was nicked in the neck, maybe 1/2 deep graze fresh, and then we take a look at the boiler room. I couldn't have placed it better if I walked up and put the bullet there, boiler room, right behind the shoulder through and through shot! Upon cleaning her it was a heart shot! That little 6.5 x 55 sure did pack a wallop!!

Hope you enjoyed the story and here are the pics:

Right after I shot her...talk about adreneline!

Holy crap..there she is!

What a shot!

Lethalconnection · #13 11-02-2007, 01:59 PM

WOW you go from gettin your first bird last year too gettin your first deer this year, Dustin you better watch it looks like your wife is gunna be a lil competiton for you, or is she already

BrownBear416 · #14 11-02-2007, 02:00 PM

Congrats Danni on a fine deer and a great shot.

Beautiful pictures as well.

ULTRAlite · #15 11-02-2007, 02:20 PM

Great pics and even better story - well done...

bagwan · #16 11-02-2007, 07:49 PM

Well done young lady. You're hooked forever.

BigRackLover · #17 11-02-2007, 08:13 PM

nice story and good persistance ... Congrats.

Barbwire · #18 11-02-2007, 10:01 PM

Way to go there Danni, welcome to the addicting world of big game hunting...lol.... Great storie and pics!!!!

Any other tags this year for you and dustin??

Barbwire

Brady · #19 11-02-2007, 10:33 PM

Well that is one way to give them the ol "famous Morbius Warning Shot"

Great story and pics, thanx fer sharing with us.

FallAirFever · #20 11-02-2007, 11:09 PM

Way to go!
congrats on your deer! Good on you for sticking with her like that. I am not a waterfowl hunter but sure do enjoy your stories and pics, hunting with dogs seems like a real cool experiance.
Have you taken your deer to a butcher? I used Paoulinis again this year, a couple year ago took a deer there and the smokies were great. Just got my 2 deer back today, all garlic sausage, smokies and pepperoni sticks. A bit pricey at 600 bucks and not carzy about the peps, have not tried the sausage or smokies but just thought I would share that.
Again, congrats on your first!

#21 11-03-2007, 01:33 PM

congrats on a fine season. heck of a shot

OutwardBound · #22 11-04-2007, 01:02 PM

Wow thanks for the compliments everyone!

Headed out today into the bush with a buddy to try and fill some WT tags, but no luck, just put on a lot of miles on the boots. However, we didn't come home empty handed and did a little bit of target practice on 2 Ruffies with the 6.5x55! Had grouse for supper last night so it wasn't all in vain!

OutwardBound · #23 11-16-2007, 01:19 PM

A buddy came down from up North and we headed out to knock some birds down with friends. It's still not really cold enough here and there is too much open water. We managed to get 4 mallard drakes so it wasn't all for not, but we've had much better days. Come on snow and cold!

Pocket

Pocket and I hiding from the incoming birds

Pocket and Dustin with some very nice northern drakes

OutwardBound · #24 11-16-2007, 02:01 PM

What a season, I can't even express how lucky and excited I am - I have been blessed by the deer gods! We've been chasing whitetails around near Calgary since I filled my mulie tag, and trying to fill Dustin's wt buck tag, but to no avail. Too much pressure and not much sign in other areas. So we hooked up with a guy Dustin knows from work out near Red Deerish area and he gave us permisson on his 400acres. We headed up yesrterday on a more or less scouting mission and maybe fill a tag. Man did we put on the km on our feet, my legs are soooo tired today.

It all started at 3am as we loaded the truck, fed the dogs and took off full of hope. Dustin has a md doe tag, and a supp wt, and I was walking around with a wt gen and supp. We got to Ron's house just before light and he gave us the lay of the land and his deer sightings (what a guy he scouted for us the night before!). He let us go on our way into a field that held the most promise. So the hike was on, and not 5 mins in we spooked a wt doe, damn - we didn't know we were that close to the field and were kinda dissapointed yet excited bcwe finally saw some deer! This place was awesome, right on the border of wt and md land. Further walking along the trail and we see deer off in the distance at the fence line. Glass em and see their md, hand the gun off to Dustin and the stalk is on. Nice roling hills and a cow trail along the trees gave us a very good chance to fill a tag early on. However we crest the hill @ 100yrds from the deer and wft!? They're gone! We were pretty dissapointed bc the wind was with us, terrain was good, how the heck did we spook them - they don't get much pressure so we were confused. Well when we stood up and started looking a freakin 'yote pops up too 200 yrds from us and upwind of the deer - dirty bugger. By the time we walked the field back to the truck it was close to 10 so we decided to go check out the other fields for sign and maybe push some bush. Lots of sign but no luck so we stop for lunch and a much needed nap around noon. Ron finds us around 1 and gives us some more tips bc he saw deer in the other field this morning and a buck at that. So we push some bush around 2 in a field he's taken deer from pushing, but to no avail. We then set up for a still hunt at the edge of 4 fields with high hopes.

Man I can't sit still, but I know this field has deer so I suck up my boredome and give it a try. We get on the grunt tube a bit and rattle some and low and behold a md doe comes out of the bush our way. Still quite a ways off but coming. Then while we're watching her, we see a wt too coming from the other side...ohh please come on. Then all of a sudden they both spook and we were pretty sure it wasn't us....we were downwind, hidden, quite etc. Then two hunter pop out up wind of the deer in a far off field, but enough to spook the deer. Ok new game plan.

We pick up camp bc we know this field is now a bust from watching the other guys, We decide to hike out of the quickly and try a stalk in the field where Ron has seen a little spike buck with 3 wt does. We get there with about 40 mins left, and resist the urge to rush in. The field is nice and we saw tons of sign on the left side of the field so we slowly walk in trying to be quite and very thankful the wind has shifted to our advantage. As we crest the second hill and comeup on a little tree cover in the middle of the field a wt comes out to the right of another little knoll and takes an interest in us. We dropped to the ground, and didn't breath hoping it didn't just bound away bc we were pretty exposed. I'm now a firm believer in the whole uv theory, last yr and early we spooked tons of deer that saw us, but I got some hunting clothes detergent and washed them last week- I really believe it saw us but didn't really see us (if that makes sense). We put the binos on the deer but it starts crossing the field and takes a bit of cover behind the trees still trying to check us out, and can't figure out if it's a doe or buck. I give the gun to Dust bc I think it's a doe and the deer comes out on the other side of the trees and stands there about 175 yrds away. Dustin raises the gun, then quickly gives me crap bc it's a buck. I take the gun and my heart starts to pump, but then I think it's just this little 2pt that Ron saw. I raise it up and holy crap he's a nice buck! Haha buck fever, I need to take some more breaths and he turn to look at us....offering me a front view. I wait him out bc I don't want to take that shot and have learnt what my itchy trigger finger can do. He gives me broadside again, I pull, oh "F" the safety is still on....haha rookie mistake. I take it off line him up again and he turns to me again, damn, Dustin is kinda getting anxious but tells me to wait for my shot. And yup he turns broadside again - I pull, and we hear the 'Thwap'. Yes I hit him!! It's back but I know he's hit. He starts to run, but pretty slowly and then does a 180, and beds down behind one of the hills. As we glass him his head is still up so we sit and wait. About 5mins later his head goes down, cool! Then the winds shift and we're directly upwind of him and he scented us. He gets to his feet and heads to the fence and trees, I raised the gun but he was by now 300yrd and I wasn't comfortable with the shot and we were very confident I hit him fatally he just needed time to expire. He clambers over the fence very poorly and we just sit there. However light is running out and we wait till we've got about 5 mins left and have sat for about 20mins and decide to go look at where he first bedded for blood. Holy crap is that hard to look for blood in hay and alfalpha when there is crappy light and no snow. We find a bit and decide to head into the bush to track him. A bit of a rookie mistake again we should have given him more time. I walked not 10yrd into the trees and up he jumps and takes off, but very slowly and wobbly. Dustin heads back to the truck for the flashlight and I wait. I though he headed to a field on the other side and decide to go to the clearing to see if I can see him out there, I get another heart attack as I freakin jumped him again and nearly stepped on him! Now my heart is racing, the adrenaline in pumping he's hurt and not doing well at all, he wobbled back to his original bed and I give my self crap and stay put. I'm losing light very quickly and have no idea where Dustin is when I see lights in the field and at the same time hear the bushes rattling close to me. He hollars to me and I tell him to stay put, I do not want to spook this buck again. So after another 10 mins I hear him trying to get up and toppling over and smacking his antlers on trees not 20 yrds from me. I look in his direction, fight the urge to move, and see him get up, go down and then see white belly and hear the grunts and last attempts to get up. I'm shaking at this point and have never felt like that before. I watch on and he's down for the count. I can barely get up on my shaking knees, I call to Dustin that he's down and go to him. Wow, what an experience. With my doe it was wham bam then down. This was a totally different feeling, tracking him, adreniline high knowing he was going down, and then yes some remorse and pity while he expired 20yrd from me. I was still shaking when Dustin came to me to take a look at him and congratulate me on a fine first buck. This is something I will never ever forget and cherish forever.

OutwardBound · #25 11-16-2007, 04:24 PM

Ps- He's not a cranker but a nice 10pter. We're going to do a euro mount to commemerate the hunt.

bagwan · #26 11-16-2007, 04:25 PM

Young lady, You are having the time of your life. I for one am marveling at your stories and am hoping that many non hunters read them. You are an inspiration to what hunting and the outdoors are all about. Congrats on a fine first timer, again, and keep enjoying what you do.

BrownBear416 · #27 11-16-2007, 05:29 PM

Nice Buck Danni.

I don't know what is more impressive the beautiful buck or that sparkling white smile.

Congrats on a great season and thanks for the pics.

FallAirFever · #28 11-16-2007, 11:30 PM

Congrats Danni and Dustin,
Enjoyed reading your story, thanks for sharing. Sounds like a very exciting day. Very nice first buck.
Hope you keep enjoying the rest of the season, look forward to seeing how the euro mount turns out.
FAF

getasheep · #29 11-17-2007, 12:13 PM

Thank you for sharing a great story and pictures. Congrats on a wonderful hunt.

OutwardBound · #30 11-18-2007, 12:48 PM

Went out last night with some buddies to see if we could knock down any ducks. Not a #$&@*@* thing was even in the air! So the dog got to go for a swim to burn off some energy as we picked up the decoys. I guess it had to happen at some point

after all this deer luck I've been having!