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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Doug Campbell on November 30, 2011, 10:46:00 AM
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Well lets start this story back in June at our annual St Jude Charity Auction… I was needing a bow for our youngest daughter’s “significant other” Kevin in AK. Turned out I was the high bidder on a sweet looking longbow that my good buddy Walt Francis had donated. Since he’s only 50 miles away I called Walt and asked if I could run over and pick it up. He said that would be fine and I could pick up the one that had my name on it already also… Turns out Walt had already built one for me and had intended to surprise me with it shortly anyway. It not only looked great but turned out to be a very sweet shooter also. The Arrow Dynamics Traditionals I’d been shooting for a few years flew great out of Walt’s bow also so it looked like my old faithful Deters “Green” BBO was going to be taking a little time off.
Fast forward a few months to September 12th and one of the first times I’d been able get out. I was on Baker Mtn looking for a little group of elk a buddy had told me about. The wind was completely wrong for where the elk were supposed to be so I back tracked to an old wallow area I’d hunted a few times and threw a little light aluminum tree stand up and settled in for the evening. No elk show up but thirty minutes before dark the whitetail started filtering in.
This area had always held a few deer, here is a pic from 2005 of somebody you might recognize. It was taken not 50 yards from the wallow…
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/TG%20Tradware%20Outpost/100_1545.jpg)
And another from I think 2002 when I hunting this same wallow and called one of the first wolves in the area in with a rabbit squealer…
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/WolfI.gif)
Sadly this whole area was burnt off in our big fire back in 2006, now the aspens have come back thicker than hair. Apparently the whitetails really like the security and browse this provides because they have come back almost thick as the aspens. In all there were eight does and five bucks by the time they quit filtering out of the brush. Since it was early in the season and none of the bucks had reached “shooter” status yet I got ready as the lead doe cautiously moved in to the water hole. At 15 yards she dropped her head to drink, up came my bow and off went 690 grains of arrow and three blade VPA Terminator that my buddy Mike Gerardi had gifted me. The quartering away angle was pretty severe but proved to be no problem as the arrow entered high at the back of the rib cage and exited for a complete pass thru at her opposite knee joint. The rest of the deer scattered but this old girl barely made 25 yards before piling up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/9-12005.jpg)
(yea I know I should smile more ;) I think I was wondering if the camera timer was going to go off...)
I had been a little concerned about what kind of penetration I would likely get since I was pulling just under 50#, 10# less than I normally shot. Little did I know that shortly I would be grateful for this lighter draw weight…
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Nice commentary and great photos. Thanks for sharing.
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Congrats, you would think you Montana boys would be all smiles living in paradise and all.
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Looking forward to following this thread as it progresses!!!
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:thumbsup:
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:campfire:
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:thumbsup: :campfire: :coffee:
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I'm liking the long version Doug :thumbsup:
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:campfire:
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:thumbsup: :coffee:
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:pray: More
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When you said long version did you mean long wait?? :archer2:
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Nice, now I see what ya meant by the long version!! I am shooting lighter weight now and am liking it also! Can't wait to hear more or read more! Shawn
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If that is a bow Walt "built" that is some sweet lams in the riser! Me likey!
So far so good...but inquiring minds want to know more...
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Just a few days later as I was leading a couple of horses thru a gate here at the ranch when one of them decided to get stupid which caused the other one to get even stupider and I got caught in the crossfire… Wound up with some real issued in my neck, left shoulder and elbow. It was all I could do to lift my bow much less pull it so I wasn’t going to be much of a threat to the local critters for a while.
Fast forward another couple months to November, I was still far from 100% but I was finally getting back to where I could at least draw my bow again hopefully without hurting myself further. Actually the Physical Therapist told me to do my normal activities as much as the pain would allow. I was being real careful and figured I had a shot or two at best so I started doing some stand sitting again. Mostly I was looking for a dandy whitetail I’ve been pursuing for three years now. I had seen this guy numerous times as close as 30 yards but he was either leading a charmed life or more likely just smarter than me… ;) I saw him once in early November this year as he snuck thru on the trail I hadn’t picked 50 yards to the East of me, After this one glimpse he went into ghost mode again. I had numerous smaller bucks coming and going in the post rut frenzy but couldn’t bring myself to drop the string on one.
In the mean time like always I’d been glassing the surrounding hills watching the mulies getting fired up for their rut which usually peaks around Thanksgiving here. With wolves, cougars and an overly ambitious local outfitter we seldom see much in the way of mature mulies but occasionally one will survive long enough. After ten days of watching and glassing I’d found a couple that were looking pretty decent thru my spotting scope from a half mile away. Since I was getting real frustrated from contrary winds and too many hours sitting in a stand I decided to do a little closer investigating up in the sage brush…
I’ve learned the hard way to be patient and wait for the right opportunity with these more mature mulie bucks. Typically you get one opportunity and if you blow it he’s going to be many times “smarter” next time. The next to last day of our general season one of the bucks I’d been watching bedded about 10:00 AM on an open knob with lots of big boulders and sage brush making for a good stalk scenario. The drawback was the five other bucks and probably 20 does that were bedded around him, you don’t know till you try right…
I was able to drive on an old ranch two track to the base of the cliffy area below the deer, this put me within a quarter mile and out of sight of them. An hour of switchbacking and angling to get the wind right and I was well past and above where I’d last seen the big guy. I crawled up behind a boulder glass and try to pick a good route between all those eyes and ears. Fortunately the whole bunch were above where the terrain dropped off sharply for a probably 300’ to the river below. The wind was good so I’d be able to get pretty close before having to worry about being busted, the biggest problem was four inches of noisy crusty snow. I spent another hour back tracking and moving at a snails pace thru the snow and sage brush. Finally I eased up behind a chokecherry bush I’d picked earlier that should have put me within spitting distance of the herd…
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:thumbsup:
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What a great story so far....... :)
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It's getting good now.!........ :thumbsup:
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Great story, gotta love Montana. Probably closet thing hunting wise to Alaska where I lived for 25 yrs.
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Doug,I love stalking stories.Great hunt! :clapper:
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As I peeked over the edge and around the brush there was nothing there… There were still several feet of ground rising in front of me but it was obvious that the deer had moved. The strange thing is I would have bet when they moved they would have come over the edge toward me heading to a spring that was just below me coming out of the hill side. So much for the best laid plans…
I started trying to act like a real slow moving rock and crawled on up the hill with very little cover toward where the deer had to have gone. As I topped out I brought my binocs up and sure enough a couple of smaller bucks broke out 40 yards to my left and went bouncing up the hill in a panic. This is where I start liking the mulie rut, I hurried on over the hill to look into the next draw and there was so much chaos and confusion that the rest of the herd hadn’t even noticed the two little guys bounding up the hill. Sure enough the rest of the herd was bunched and milling around a hundred yards away.
It was obvious that one particular doe was in heat as the big guy just wouldn’t leave her alone unless it was to charge after one of the other bucks when they got too close. I’d been in this situation before and knew that that one doe was the key to success. To “my” buck at that time nothing else in the world mattered. I eased on in trusting in my camo and slow movements to keep from being busted. At 70 or 80 yards I figured I’d pushed my luck far enough and just hunkered down to wait.
In the next hour I almost talked myself into sneaking back out several times but was enjoying the show and it’s impossible to know when Lady Luck might choose to smile on you. I didn’t have much longer to wait when the doe either decided she’d had enough or was just looking for some privacy and headed down the draw below me. Of course Mr. Buck was right behind her. The doe led him across to my right around a small boulder covered mound. As soon as they went out of sight I jumped up intending to get around the opposite side of the mound and head them off at close range but when I got there they were nowhere to be seen. The most likely place they went was over the edge onto the steep slope I’d come up earlier so I moved as quickly and quietly to the edge as I could.
Sure enough as I looked over both stood broadside only 20 yards away. I brought up my bow and let fly at what should have been a gimme but never took into consideration the steep downhill angle. I couldn’t believe it as I watched the arrow zip right over his shoulder into the brush below. Both deer bounded to my right not realizing what was going on and stopped again at around 30 yards and looking up the hill. The buck was still broadside and it felt right so I drew back again trying to bear down a little better this time. I watched at the Grzzly tipped arrow zipped thru him at the perfect elevation but just at the back of the rib cage. The wind was gusting across the hill from right to left and had carried the arrow 6” or so from where I was aiming. Both deer bolted up the hill passing me again not 20 yards away heading back toward the main herd.
They both went into the draw then the doe came out the far side but not the buck, I eased up just in time to see him bedding down in the heavy sage brush on the far side. I hunkered down for a while and watched not being able to see anything but his horn tips as his head laid flat down on the ground. I was hoping for a liver hit so sat for 20 minutes or so then circled around to get the wind and put me where I could sneak up on his hiding spot. It probably took another 20 minutes to ease up within seven or eight steps of him with an arrow on the string. I slowly rose up from a crouched position drawing at the same time intending to get another arrow in him if it was needed. Things happened fast in the next three seconds as all of a sudden his head swung around and he bolted out of his bed. I raised the bow, let fly and was disgusted to see my arrow bury into the dirt just under his chest. I just stood there kicking myself as he bounded away thru the sage.
He slowed and quickly bedded again a hundred yards away acting like I wasn’t even on the same mountain. It was obvious he was hurt badly and once down in the sage was out of sight so I immediately started stalking his new location again. I put one of the big three blade VPAs on the string and quickly moved in. He was bedded facing me this time and had his head up looking around but it was still behind enough sage that apparently he couldn’t see me. At ten yards I stood and waited for several minutes hoping he’d put his head down so I could raise up to get a shot down into his vitals but he just kept staring off to where I’d been earlier. I finally found a hole thru the sage that I figured I could get an arrow thru. I slowly drew focusing on the hole and watched as for the first time all day my arrow hit exactly where I wanted.
The buck exploded out of his bed with the arrow buried in his throat. He went over the edge heading down the steep slope again. I ran to the edge and got there just in time to see his nose plow into the snow as he slid to a halt facing down the hill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/11-26-11006.jpg)
After almost five hours since the beginning of the stalk it was finally time to breath a sigh of relief. I’m sorry to say it wasn’t one of the best days of shooting I’d experienced but it was very satisfying having the buck on the ground after a being laid up most of the fall and the long stalk had come to a positive end.
Thanks for following along and hope you enjoyed my story…
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Now that's what I call a proper story well told!
Congratulations Doug - he's a beauty!
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Way to go Doug! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Congrats Doug , Great story and a very fine buck . Drew
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Congrats Doug, hope your recovery speeds right along.
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Congratulations on a fine buck! Good story telling too. :thumbsup:
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Thats a beautiful old deer Doug.Thanks for the story and pics.Did you find out how old a buck he was?
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Very nicely done, and well told. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Congrats.
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Well worth the wait Doug ! Thanks for sharing with us. :campfire:
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Congrats on the nice buck
doug77
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Great story, very nice buck
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You are a tough bird Doug. Way to get after it!
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Good job Doug!!
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Congrats Doug!!
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Thanks for the detailed and exciting story Doug. Great looking buck too!!
Larry
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Good shooting and congratulations! Thank you for sharing.
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Great story Doug I will finish up on iot after I get mine up!
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Now THAT'S what I wanted to hear!!!!!!
Congrats SIR!!!!!!!!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Congrats!! great story.
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How great was the story, experience and reward!!!!!!!!!
Congrats and much thanks for sharing.
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A very nice deer, and a great stalk. Congrats.
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5 hours! Well what else you gonna do up there on the mountain?.....Make knives! Heck you got the rest of the year, minus all the days you have to deal with the bosses to do that. I'm happy for you bud, nice buck and way to keep after him! Congrats, and I can't wait to see that rack in person.
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:archer:
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congrats. :thumbsup:
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Congratulations on the beautiful buck. It's tough to beat a nice mulie like that one. Thanks for the story.
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Awesome buck and story! Way to stick it out and get another arrow into him.
Diligence trumps luck on most days...
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Nice buck and good shooting !
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Very nice on all accounts!!
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:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
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Doug,
That's a great stalk & trophy. I feel like I was crawling right along with ya :)
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Great story Doug, and a very nice deer. Congrats to you!
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Congrats again!!! Great story and deer!
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Wow. Just---plain----WOW!
Congrats friend. That deserves Crab Cakes! :)
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Great story buddy! That buck is almost as good as the "11 point" ;) I got when out hunting with you.
Great buck!!! Love those mulies!!
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Congrats on a great day hunting Doug. Must have felt great to be out stalking animals, like this big boy, again. Why to stick with it and get the blessing handed to you.
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My Lord Doug what a great story! Great pics and great mulie. Way to stay after it after your injury. I have missed your stories here my friend :campfire:
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Great Stuff Doug.... :thumbsup:
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Nice mulie ane thanks for the story.
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:clapper:
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Thanks for sharing. Great buck and story!!
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Great story!!! Thank you for taking us along. I'm surprised Mr. Green didn't give you an A+ grade in his post after having you "rewrite" your paper. :p ;)
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Congrats again Doug,you have done what i dream everyday!
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Great read Doug. Glad that I got too hear the story in person. I sure think he is an awesome buck, congrats again. Don
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I like stories with happy endings. Nice job.
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Way to go bud! :wavey:
Tracy
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Thanks a bunch everybody, glad you enjoyed the story even with it's up and downs. Glad I got "encouraged" ;) to write it, always fun reliving a day like that.
Doug
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Doug Campbell + ten yards + small hole + animal=trouble for the animal. I watched Doug one day in a very, very thick briar patch thread an arrow through a small hole into the head of a cottontail, still don't know how he got an arrow through that mess.......
Way to go Doug, great job!!!!!!
David
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Congratulations, Doug! Nice buck and a well told story.
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Great story, great buck, awesome hunter!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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As always, Doug, a real pleasure to read. Thanks for taking us along.
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I missed this long version. However, it was better hearing in person today.
Congratulations again Doug.