Our season of memories and successes...more harvest pics!

[swp]

Thanks for the pics and stories. Montana is a magical place, you are blessed.

[tim roberts]

Hey Mark,
Congradulations on the doe with the flint head, that is way cool!

[Mark Baker]

Thanks guys...as is the case there is also always more to the stories than can be told on a thread like this.   The skunk that had his home under the bush right at the base of my ladder stand....the mouse in the tree, that startled me and almost made me fall out...the stupid mistakes and the dumb luck.   It all is part of the journey, is'nt it?

[Glenn Carl]

Great story and pictures, I am really enjoying following along with you. Keep it going  Glenn

[Kevin Bahr]

Mark, following you all's story is almost as good as being there...ALMOST!  
WAY TO GO, RILEY!  That boy is sure turning out to be one fine hunter, as are Kory and Boone.  We really need to get back out to the ranch.  That pic of Jason, Fish and Riley looks like it might belong on a cover of something, MTB maybe?  
Hey, if you could, email me a pic of Riley with his elk for the PBS magazine.  I can just see the look on you and Fish's face when you walked up to that dead bull, priceless!  I can almost hear Fish now, "Oooo Riley, what have you done now?!"

[Mark Baker]

Hey Kevin....yeah, that was a special moment.  Riley had no idea we had found his bull, and there was some emotion.  It is funny that after all of us "other guys" had tried so hard for an elk this year, that Riley, who had really put in the least time and effort, elk-wise during the bow season, was the only one to tag one.  His lack of effort was not so much because he did'nt care....he clearly did...but more due to the fact that he had drawn one of those coveted either-sex bull tags for the area, and stood a great chance at tagging a much larger bull - for his first - with his rifle.   In the end, he recognized the accomplishment he achieved.  Of course, we are all fully aware of the accomplishment!    

I'll get a pic sent to you....I was kinda waiting for Fish to send them out first.    That other pic of those three is a beauty, isn't it?

[steadman]

Thanks Mark. A huge CONGRATS to Riley!! What an accomplishment. Good to see the youngsters out hunting. Good luck when the huntin resumes in a coulple weeks.

[Mark Baker]

And on it goes.....you ready?

Well, John, the ranch owner did get his big bull, an old brute with Louisville sluggers for main beams.  Opening day with the rifle.   Of course, being a rancher, he's partial to beef....a rancher thing!   So the bull hung all week until Fish, Riley, Kory and I could make it up there this weekend to bone it out, and take home the meat.   It was in great shape and Boone and Kory are grateful for some elk in the freezer.  It won't go to waste!  I should have taken a picture of the bull even though it was a rifle kill.   John was proud of it....I think the first bull he's killed in awhile.

I also took up my father in law for what will probably be his last hunt.  He has Alzheimers and my brother in law met us up there to "keep watch" on him.   He can't really function too well, but being a lifelong hunter and fisherman, he still likes the "idea" of going to hunting camp and getting to share it with his grandson.  

There were some other hunters hunting our area...John lets a few guys in.   Of course they are gun hunters.  Still, we managed to take a couple of the wary critters.  Fish filled his doe tag for the area on Saturday morning with a perfect shot.   She only made it about 40 yards.

 

[Mark Baker]

I passed on a half-dozen little guys in a gang while sitting a new stand I had put up the previous trip.  It's gonna be a real goodun when the rut heats up....located between some great bedding areas.  

Saturday evening, after moving some more deer stands for rut preparations, the hunting was  tough for all of us, and rifle shots rang out all around.  I suggested a stand to Kory, for Sunday morn that I had seen a dozen deer move near morning Fish shot his doe.  

Kory had been using a selfbow, since arrowing his buck.   He wanted to challenge himself....and I guess he's up to it.  Here is the results of Kory's sunday morning stand with one of my selfbows....and his first deer with a selfbow.    That's my boy!

   

He's hooked now!   Next year he's already making plans to take to the woods with one of his own make.  

So ends another fun weekend.   Probably won't make it  up to the ranch for another week or more, and will try and get out  locally for some deer action, and maybe elk too.   We'll see.   At any rate, the rut will be kicking in big time when we return....I can't wait!

[the Ferret]

Awesome thread Mark. You guys are so lucky to be living in the land of hunting dreams, full of beautiful scenery and abundant game.

Gosh I miss Montana. Special place.

[Littlefeather]

Really good stuff!  

[Mark Baker]

Another quick update.....

Since we are unable to hunt at the ranch for a couple weeks, I made some connections to hunt an old haunt of mine right near my house.  It had been a few years since I've hunted here.  Other hunters share the place, but it is relatively undisturbed.  Still, rifle hunters abound in the area around this property, and I had my reservations about how good it could still be....

After a quick scout of a portion of the property on Friday nite, I came back with good hopes.  This area still sports a great whitey herd, and bountiful wildlife along the spring creek just off the Yellowstone River.    

This evening, I wanted to scout another section of the property, trying to find a place to put a treestand so I could take advantage of the pre-rut activities.   I knew it would just be a matter of time before a good buck would show.
 
My son Kory purchased another over-the-counter doe tag, as he had already taken his buck, and decided to tag along.  

With a stiff wind blowing all day and a front blowing in tonite, the prospects for still-hunting were optimal.   We try and take advantage of these conditions every chance we can, as taking a deer from the ground is the ultimate in our eyes.  

I lined Kory out in a great direction to intercept some feeding does, and I elected to cross to an island to check the rut sign.  

As I stillhunted along, I spied some deer through the trees.  I also saw a decent 4x4 about a hundred yards off...so I set up in a big blowdown that let me get about 6 feet off the ground and up against a juniper tree.   I crashed my antlers together and waited.   Three bucks all came in to my noise-making, all upwing of me about 50 yards off and circling downwind.  I watched the three till dark, one was definetely a shooter in the 140 class.   But it was'nt to be for me this nite.  Still, what fun!

As I was walking back, I met another guy who was new to bowhunting as was hunting the same general area.  He related that he had seen a mountain lion where I had just been a day earlier....just what I need, another big kitty around.  Oh well, what can you do?  Just hunt!

He also had met my son Kory, and told me that Kory had a deer down.  

As I got back to the truck, Kory related his story....ten minutes into the hunt he stalked up on this doe, and made a perfect quartering away and into the heart shot....the deer only went 20 yards!    This is deer two with his selfbow and the boy is hoooked for sure!

On the ground with a selfbow, it does'nt get any better guys....Kory's bow is around mid-sixties weight wise, and he used a cedar shaft with a big magnus 4-blade.  

 

 

[Jeff Holchin]

Looks like Cory can hunt!  Gotta love November in Montana.

[Mark Baker]

some more story to add....

After watching the aforementioned bucks that I had rattled in, I noticed a scrape they all hit as they came in to the rattling.  To make a long story short, I went back a couple days later and hung a stand.   I hunted the stand a couple times, rattling in the same few "local"  two-and-a-half year olds...but no shooters.  I did notice another area to put a stand in, though, and so  my son Boone accompanied me a couple days ago (Nov 11th)....he sat the old stand and I put up a new one about 75 yards North east of his.  It was a perfect settup and I hoped to have luck rattling a buck in for him.  

We jumped a good buck that was in the scrape below Boones stand....he was pumped.  He climbed in and I moved over and quietly hung the new stand.  That nite I rattled in at least eight different bucks...they were all around us all nite long.  Alas, but no shots taken.   Fun still.  Here is a pic of one little guy.

 

 

[Mark Baker]

I was fooling with the camera as this guy came into point blank range, something I hardly ever do.  Of course, would'nt you know,  as this guy was milling around right under me, a  good buck was approaching from the distance at a quick walk.  I could'nt get the camera put away and the bow in my hand....I eventually got busted before a shot could be taken.   Doh!

[Mark Baker]

Anyway, that was the only shooter I had in range that nite.    Yesterday, I passed on hunting as the state got rocketed with high winds....85-90 mph around my home area.  To brutal to be out in.   As the front passed this morning, we got some good rain and then a  couple inches of new white stuff....you know the bucks will be moving and freshining scrapes then!    I got to head out this evening.....

I just made it to the stand around 3:30 pm and settled in after spooking a half dozen does out of the area....I always seem to do that.   But they come back, usually.  Five minutes after I got in, a small spike walked by from the direction I had come in.  

Five minutes after he passed, this nice buck materialized and he spent the next half-hour freshing 4 or 5 scrapes in the direction of the other stand I was'nt in!  

 

[Mark Baker]

I decided to put away the camera after this buck walked away...did'nt need to get "caught" unprepared again.  

A  doe soon showed and she fed her way right up to my stand....looked me over and then fed past.    I breathed a sigh when she failed to see me as a threat.   She moved off through a screen of juniper and I considered taking up the horns for a session and then I glanced another nice buck heading my direction!  He was a shooter...

He cut the does trail and followed her nearly to my stand, grunting occassionaly...then he kindof saw my big lump in this not too brushy tree I  was in, so he cut around a juniper.   I then made my move to ready for the shot.  As he came around I began to draw....like molasses on a cold day I coreographed my motions...but he still  picked up some movement and began to panic.  

I could see the look in his eyes turning to fullout fear and at ten yards and me at three-quarters draw, I figured it was time.    I let Frankenstein free and he sent a blood seeker right behind the shoulder angling up into the chest....the buck ran and I watched him for 150 yards or so before I lost him.   It was still early,  so I climbed down, organized my stuff, and knowing the shot was good, took up the instant blood trail.  

He got to a fence and crossed over onto another property, so I had to retreat back to my truck, and make some phone calls.  I decided with darkness fast approaching, I would wait until Kory stopped by after work so that I could take advantage of his "younger"  eyesight.

We took up the bloodtrail where I last left it, and promptly found the buck about ten yards further on.....I never spotted him across the fence!    

Another fine buck after a great season.   Although not a monster, he is a big-bodied brute, and a good mature whitey taken with primitive gear.  Frankenstein...a sinew backed osage flatbow, and cane arrows tipped with Wensel Woodsmans.  

 

 

[Mark Baker]

And so my buck hunting is done this year...but our season goes on still, with more doe tags, then some late season does....and possibly a mountain lion too.   We'll see!   A  nice return to Paradise, for me.

 

[Walt Francis]

Congratulations Mark!!

That is a really nice buck for the area you were hunting.  Give me a call after the regular season ends and we can hit my stands in the weapons restricted area.  Also, you might try to convince Kory and Boone to give it a chance this year.

[LEOPARD]

Thanks for sharing Mark! Always great to read other people's hunting stories!