2012 Idaho and Daughters First Buck!
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 2:10 pm
With everything on the table this year, I wasn't sure that we would be able to get much hunting in. All at once, my work schedule eased up right as fall break approached. There was little hesitation from my daughters when I asked if they wanted to head up to Idaho for a quick hunting trip. They started packing the truck while I headed down to Cabelas to pick up some tags. As we started up the final canyon to the area we hunt, a thick smoke filled the air and the temperature was extremely hot. I was worried that we might have a hard time finding deer, especially when I began to notice that the normal pre season traffic was almost non-existant. We arrived at our spot by mid afternoon and I hurried through the unloading process in hopes to put the spotting scope on the breaks to see some deer. I was extremely relieved when I picked out the first light brown body against the dry hillside above the river. Then another, then another. There were literally deer everywhere. My daughter even started taking pictures with her phone through the spotting scope.
Opening morning arrived and I pulled into the wide spot where we hike up the breaks. I had prepared my daughter for a tough half mile hike up to a shelf that usually holds some deer. We had barely lost sight of the truck when I spotted a group of deer a few hundred yards above us. They had us busted and the only buck in the group was very small. While I was glassing them, I noticed some movement behind them and focused my attention on a very big deer in some bruch. It didn't take long to notice the big pearly rack he was sporting and I knew right away that he was a taker. I got Courtey down and asked if she could see the buck through the scope. "You mean the big 3 point?" she asked. I told her that if she could get a good shot to put one behind his shoulder. Witihin a few seconds her shot rung out and I watched the brute hit the dirt. Right away I could see his white belly in the grass and knew he was down for good. We made the short hike up to him and my daughter collected her first buck, an awesome, thick, high Idaho whitetail with a huge body.
I have been waiting a long time for this opportunity and been through some hard times trying to help my daughter connect in years past. We could have packed up right then and gone home and I would have been happy, but it was opening day and I still had a tag. After taking care of my daughter's buck (shortest drag I have ever had) I headed further up the breaks to look for another buck. after a half mile, I spotted a couple smaller bucks, but nothing that triggered the adrenaline. Higher up I spotted a big deer just cresting a high peak headed into a timbered basin where the breaks meet the forest. Even from a distance, I knew that he was the one that I wanted. I could tell that he was very wide and had nice thick main beams. I decided to leave him alone as the chances of killing him in the thick timber were slim. I hiked back down, checked on the girls, and got a quick rest. By mid afternoon, I was headed back up the ridge and arrived a brushy shoot that came right out of the timber where the buck went in. I found a good vantage point and waited in the heat. As evening came, the deer started moving. Several does and a couple smaller bucks fed below me and soon, a group of nicer bucks came out of the timber where my buck went in. These bucks were all descent and it was hard to hold off as they fed within 100 yards of me. I had a feeling that the table was set for the big guy to make an appearance. Suddenly, I was suprised by big bear that appeared on the opposite side of the gully from where I was. I was so interested in the bear that I didn't notice the big buck that slipped out of the timber and went right past me until he was well below me. Upon spotting him there was no doubt and I quickly pulled up and anchored him with a single shot at 187 yards with the old Dakota. There was not ground shrinkage and I could not believe the events that had just taken place. My daughter and I had just killed the nicest buck that I have ever taken in nearly 20 years of hunting the area! It was well after dark when I got in and the kids were thrilled to see my buck. I was exhausted and hit the sack with the ear-to-ear smile of a happy hunter and a proud papa on my face.
Anyone with youth hunters should take advantage of the mentoring program that Idaho offers. Out of state mentored youth tags are less than $50.00 and allow hunters to take whitetail and mule deer in most of the state. While it may take a few years to really nail down a spot, there is definately some great opportunity up in the Gem State.
Opening morning arrived and I pulled into the wide spot where we hike up the breaks. I had prepared my daughter for a tough half mile hike up to a shelf that usually holds some deer. We had barely lost sight of the truck when I spotted a group of deer a few hundred yards above us. They had us busted and the only buck in the group was very small. While I was glassing them, I noticed some movement behind them and focused my attention on a very big deer in some bruch. It didn't take long to notice the big pearly rack he was sporting and I knew right away that he was a taker. I got Courtey down and asked if she could see the buck through the scope. "You mean the big 3 point?" she asked. I told her that if she could get a good shot to put one behind his shoulder. Witihin a few seconds her shot rung out and I watched the brute hit the dirt. Right away I could see his white belly in the grass and knew he was down for good. We made the short hike up to him and my daughter collected her first buck, an awesome, thick, high Idaho whitetail with a huge body.
I have been waiting a long time for this opportunity and been through some hard times trying to help my daughter connect in years past. We could have packed up right then and gone home and I would have been happy, but it was opening day and I still had a tag. After taking care of my daughter's buck (shortest drag I have ever had) I headed further up the breaks to look for another buck. after a half mile, I spotted a couple smaller bucks, but nothing that triggered the adrenaline. Higher up I spotted a big deer just cresting a high peak headed into a timbered basin where the breaks meet the forest. Even from a distance, I knew that he was the one that I wanted. I could tell that he was very wide and had nice thick main beams. I decided to leave him alone as the chances of killing him in the thick timber were slim. I hiked back down, checked on the girls, and got a quick rest. By mid afternoon, I was headed back up the ridge and arrived a brushy shoot that came right out of the timber where the buck went in. I found a good vantage point and waited in the heat. As evening came, the deer started moving. Several does and a couple smaller bucks fed below me and soon, a group of nicer bucks came out of the timber where my buck went in. These bucks were all descent and it was hard to hold off as they fed within 100 yards of me. I had a feeling that the table was set for the big guy to make an appearance. Suddenly, I was suprised by big bear that appeared on the opposite side of the gully from where I was. I was so interested in the bear that I didn't notice the big buck that slipped out of the timber and went right past me until he was well below me. Upon spotting him there was no doubt and I quickly pulled up and anchored him with a single shot at 187 yards with the old Dakota. There was not ground shrinkage and I could not believe the events that had just taken place. My daughter and I had just killed the nicest buck that I have ever taken in nearly 20 years of hunting the area! It was well after dark when I got in and the kids were thrilled to see my buck. I was exhausted and hit the sack with the ear-to-ear smile of a happy hunter and a proud papa on my face.
Anyone with youth hunters should take advantage of the mentoring program that Idaho offers. Out of state mentored youth tags are less than $50.00 and allow hunters to take whitetail and mule deer in most of the state. While it may take a few years to really nail down a spot, there is definately some great opportunity up in the Gem State.
