the day started out wet and windy,i drove to spirit mountain casino the morning of thanksgiving,i only had four hours to hunt elk but i liked my chances for seeing some elk as this was the country i was trained in.i was looking forward to some elk hunting (cow only)i entered the casino's front entrance to see an old familiar face.an old fishing buddy i have not seen in years.i shook his hand and we started talking about the good old days.after we caught up i told jim the reason for my trip down to grande ronde.he was very excited and then told me of a pure white buck that his indian brothers had chased around the entire rifle season just a few miles from where i had taken my biggest buck ever when i was a youngster.this got me excited as i had passed on a ghost buck when i was 17.just could'nt pull the trigger type of thing.but things are different now and i would love taking an albino with my mohawk.
after breakfast i went to my rig and put on my camo.i drove to the locked gate road jim had directed me to and started my hike into the unknown ahead.my brain switched to killer as i started looking at the multiple trails crossing the road,tracks everywhere,fresh elk and deer.i rounded a large bend in the road and came into a clearing (logging unit)i followed a spur road that led to a large landing.i sat down on a large fir stump overlooking the clearing and started glassing the unit.having grown up hunting this type of ground i knew where to look and within a minute i had cow elk in my nikons,i grabbed my mohawk and pack then started down the fire trail after them.i crept down the wide fresh trail checking my wind as i went.after going a couple hundred yards i stopped suddenly as my eyes picked up movement to my left.the elk left my head as i was looking at the albino buck less than 100 yds from me.he was feeding his way along the treeline coming uphill in my direction,totally unaware of me being there.i dropped down low as i was in the open,i waited for him to look away then i silently crept the few steps into the vine maple and fir trees.this is a big buck i told myself,never mind the fact that he was all white,this is a great high and wide heavy as they get deep chocolate horned monster buck.i was shaking like this was my wedding day or something,get a grip i told myself,you have this buck just wait him out he should pass within ten yds of you.the buck fed slowly up the treeline towards me.getting closer and closer.i started getting out of control,completely out of it.i was sweating,breathing was getting very hard.he was within 30 yds now.(need a nap more later)
Topic: late hunt blacktail albino buck (Read 881 times)
