2009 West Boulder Ranch Adventure

[Whip]

What a great story and pictures!  I'm loving this one!  

[tippit]

Once I started crawl/sneaking, I discarded my bow quiver as it kept getting hung up in the grass and prickly scrub.  I switched to a side GN quiver and that set up worked great.

 

Doug's Green BBO bow and a belt quiver by Mark Baker.

 

I did get a couple easier stalks up draws.  Doug and Claudia warned me to be patient if the mulies busted out of their beds cause they usually stop and look back.  Well that's exactly what happened as I almost stepped on one...scared the heck out of me & the deer.

True to my partners experience a nice 4X4 stop at the top of the draw giving me wide open 20 yard broadside shot.  Now remember, I hunt the east coast and first time ever seeing mulies at bow range.  Eastern whitetails that are looking at you always drop if you can even get a shot off.  So I aimed a little low...at least I think I did  

The 4X4 just stands there until my arrow passes under his chest! This happened not once but twice to me    Another mental note...aim where you want to hit on a mule deer.  I certainly wanted to learn about hunting the west...but these lesson were getting hard to swallow.

[Bowhunter4life]

Look where you want to hit, novel concept...     Eastern and southern whitetails you have to aim where you think they will be...

Thank you so much for "bringing us along" for this one!  Hopefully your hard hunting and hard knocks will be rewarded in the days to come... If not I'm sure it was a hunt to remember!

[Jason Jelinek]

Looks like a great time so far.

Jeff, I certainly learned over the past few years hunting mule deer that they are a very different animal from whitetails.

[Pinecone]

Okay, so let's get up-to-date on the lessons of hunting the West that Jeff and I have offered up so far:

1)  If it's hot and dry, drink LOTS of water!  Stalking a deer is not the time to get shakey from dehydration.  Geeesh!!!    

2)  No stalk is impossible...especially when the mighty Ghillie is put into action.  Footnote:  Get a Ghillie!

3)  Aim where you want to hit.  I have my own little story about this all important lesson    .

4)  Keep a sense of humor.  It's a great defense against losing your mind (and your temper) when you wiff an easy shot.      !

[Pinecone]

I'm going to have to spend the rest of the weekend doing some real work, so I better finish up my part of this story.

I managed to get a couple of additonal stalks in as our week was winding down.  Even that was an achievement given that it was quite a test of physical stamina to try and keep pace with Doug as he trekked through the hills.  In fact, I'm certain that he must be part Mountain Goat!

 

To make a long story short, I got within spittin' distance of another nice buck on the last morning of the hunt and when he got up and began to walk right past me, I released my arrow and watched it sail high!  I had tried to adjust for my previous miss a few days earlier that resulted in an arrow that flew just under the deer and apparently over-corrected.  Now what was that that we were saying about aiming where you want to hit??!   .

My hunt had ended with great opportunities, wonderful memories of new friends, and an unforgettable experience.   In fact, I'm not sure there is anything that could have made this trip any better...it was simply incredible in every sense of the word.

And so, to my hunting partners Jeff and Doug, thank you.  You are the best!

 

To Karen, your wonderful cooking and western hospitality have set new standards in camp congeniality.  My hats off to you for doing all you do.
 

From one of the Three Amigos, I bid you Adios and Happy Trails until we meet again.

 

One final view of magnificent Montana...

 

[Whip]

Incredible story telling as always Claudia        
Thanks for taking us all along with you!

[Hooked]

Thanks for sharing, Claudia!

[vermonster13]

Great story telling Claudia and Jeff.

[yellow bow]

great story and pics,thanks.  

[IB]

I've been more that patient with you three, as I have followed this adventure.
 HOWEVER with all that runnin around and stalkin ya had to eat somethin.....  

WHAT DID YA EAT!!!!  

[elkken]

Fine story telling, pictures and a wonderful example of how archery can bring people together. Thanks for sharingI really enjoyed it.

[Guru]

Awesome all around!

[Mark Baker]

Thanks Claudia....would've loved to come up and meet you and Jeff while you were enjoying our part of "heaven" here, but I had a guest of my own.   You took some great pics, and related a fine tale.

[Doug Campbell]

Claudia, I'll say again, it was a real treat having you and Jeff in camp!! Thanks again        

Vance, you know how it is up here, ya gotta work pretty hard to find any grub...   :rolleyes:   I know Jeff was pretty proud of loosing several pounds before coming up but it looked to me like he was working on some winter layering of the internal kind....

Here's a pic of I think the last supper before he devoured it  
 

[Tom Phillips]

Thanks for the great story tellin & photos.

[Doug Campbell]

Wish you coulda made it up Mark, it was a hetic week, we were going from early to late every day and you know how time flies when your having fun... it was over fore we knew it.

[Strutter]

Great story and pictures.  Thanks.

Is that a rock on top of the big rock across the river from Tippet where he is checking out the fish.  It looks odd sitting there for some reason.  Kinda resembles a big owl or something.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your trip,

Rob

[Doug Campbell]

Good eye Rob, that is actually a Great Horned Owl, we have a pair that raises thier brood in a fir tree in the yard every year. The young are pretty much grown but still haven't accepted that mom and pop aren't meeting thier every need. They sit and screech at all hours... go thru the same thing every year...

[Pinecone]

Thanks, Everyone!

Vance,
You know Karen...the food was unbelievable!  Thank God I'm driving fence posts this weekend...perhaps my waistline will begin to recover!

Mark, wish you could have made it. Of course, I have a feeling that this won't be my last trip to Montana.  I just can't let the local critters have the last word...!

Now where the heck did Jeff go?  He's still got a few highlights he could share     .  Like me, he had a heck of a hunt   .

Claudia