By: Bears Butt

EarlyMorningRack copyThe Willow Creek Free Trappers 2014 Muzzy deer hunt was a blast!  We took for the hills on Tuesday morning after setting up a couple of camp trailers the weekend before (you have already read that story).  Our anticipation of a great hunt was in our blood in a big way, as it usually is.  The camp filled up fast as everyone was excited to get things rolling.  Tuesday evening saw most of the camp in bed by 9:30.  In the trailer I was staying the night went past quickly and the alarm went off at 4 a.m…..what in the world were we (me) thinking to set it so early????  We had plenty of time to drink coffee and get our things gathered.

Around the fire everyone was announcing which direction they were heading out of camp and where they were planning on spending their morning.  Some on a trail, some on a water hole, others would just ride around looking and then deciding what to do.  Us old folks mostly plan on driving around looking for deer and hoping for a shot close to the road.

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Our weather was beautiful on the opening day, even a bit on the warm side.  Most of us started out with warm clothing on in the early morning and quickly had most of it off around noon.  My ride was with “The Rack” and the occupants were really on their game for spotting deer.  The plan is always to bale out of the rig when deer are spotted and then decide if any of them are bucks.  The baling went well on day one.

GettingTheRackReady copy

But as the hunt progressed, the baling slowed down drastically and would only occur if the animal spotted was actually a buck deer.  It’s funny how that works, but natural at the same time as most of the animals are does and fawns and the guys and gals get tired of baling out and getting back into the rig.  It’s all fun no matter.

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If you are a hunter you already know that the most likely time of the day to spot an animal near the road is in the morning or just before dark in the evening.  This hunt was no different and most afternoons are spent either still hunting in the shade of a thick stand of pines or relaxing back at camp.  Of course as the days click away, there are times you have to go into the nearest town for more ice and fuel.  Again, it’s all fun and necessary if you plan on staying on the mountain for extended periods of time.  As you can imagine, it’s not always about hunting and killing animals, it’s more the fun of the camp and the food!  YUMMY!

TheMissesAndBambi copy

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But not all the food is consumed in the camp.  A lot of times when the vehicle is too far away from camp to get back before the evening hunt begins, they will break out some hot dogs and build a small fire in the roadway and cook them up.  Others will break out some quick, ready to eat things and share them with the riders.

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OystersKippersAndViennas copySome of our snacks include Smoked baby oysters, Kipper Snacks, Sliced Pepperoni and Vienna Sausages served with Ritz Crackers and/or Pringles chips.  When you think about it that is some pretty nourishing food, but can only be consumed out in the open, on a wind swept mountain and not at home.

Time spent out doors like this always calls for some cutting up.  Here is Gattlin showing off his Indian Paint Brush mustache.

GattlinCuttingUp2 copyLook out Gattlin, that might poke your eye out!

Of course there are lots of other campers out and about doing the same thing you are and it’s always nice to stop and chat about what everyone is seeing and how many shots they might have gotten.

TakingAShortBreak copyAs you can see from the pictures the Fall colors are breathtaking.  The crisp morning air is reminding everyone that winter is on its way.  I love this time of year and getting out with this bunch of ya-hooos.

I have purposely mixed up these pictures and the story.  When one is out like this for several days, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of what happened when and with whom.  So, just sit back, read the short lines and enjoy the pictures.  The bottom line to all of it is friendship, camaraderie and fun…..AND remember, what happens in the deer camp, stays in the deer camp.  Well, unless it comes to Bears Butt Dot Com:

GattlinNeedsADrink copySome folks like to drive their own rigs while in the mountains and if there is room for more they generally will offer up a ride.  Of course the riders are not the ones calling the shots as to where the rig goes and so if they have their own plan they have to go it alone.

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The main object is to find yourself in a position to bag a buck if it comes along.

PassingTheJeep copyWhat happened to Dry Dog?  No he didn’t fall out.  But it was possible he could have.

TheRackOnRidge copyWith all this driving around you would think someone would come back to camp with a buck…………………..

KenzieWeaselCodyConnerWithBuck copyThis is Weasels BIG two point taken just before dark.  His family just happened to be there to see all the action and even though Conner (in green) did have a license and rifle, the action took place too fast for him to get a shot.  It didn’t matter to him as he has a lot of time left to fill his tag!  The kids loved the action, including the dirty work of dressing the deer.  I think these three are hunters in the making!  Congrats to Weasel on a fine buck!

Again it’s not all about filling a tag, that is a bonus in our camp.  But being out in the woods you will see a lot of things that are awesome.  Moose:

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Moose?  Where are the moose?

CowCalfMoose copy 2Moose are always fun to see and on this hunt, over the five hunting days we were there we saw about 10 different (we think) moose including a couple pretty nice sized bulls.

How many of us get to see a badger?

Badger2 copyOh ya?  Where is it? Badger2 crop copy(Edit note:  This picture doesn’t seem to want to print up, I’ll keep trying but in the meantime, continue to read on, thanks!)

And there were lots of other animals seen, including a cougar which was getting out of Dodge too quickly for a picture.  Add to that Coyotes, of course, Antelope, and one guy came into camp with a report of seeing a Grey Fox….Now that is a rare animal to see.

So, as most of you know, we have ourselves a little “Biggest Buck Contest”, everyone who wants to play in the contest, puts $5 into the pot.  The one with the Biggest buck (Widest width measurement plus the total number of points over one inch) wins all the money in the pot, a great contest and it keeps everyone pretty honest.  A split skull nullifies the buck…sorry….remember, don’t shoot at the antlers (just sayin)!!!!  In addition to the $5, if you shoot at a buck and don’t bring it back to camp and you wish to remain in the contest, it costs you an additional $1 to stay in AND your name is put on the “Boobin Baby Board”….this is how our board looked at the end of the hunt this year:

2014BoobinBabyBoard20MissedShots copyI’m sorry about this picture as the rain really had the board wet and the names didn’t come out too clearly.

2014BoobinBabyBoard20MissedShots copy 2I tried to manipulate the color to make it easier to see and this is the best I could get….it reads….Bears Butt one, Wapiti Dung one, Slicker three, Bambi two, Baby Boy three, Sackless three, Gatlin two, Gunner two, Weasel one, Half Cocked two and finally Donni two……Add them up….22 MISSED shots!!!!!!  There were also a lot of shots that were not taken for various reasons and so you should be able to see we did encounter quite a few bucks.  Nothing big, but a lot of opportunities were had.  So, who tagged out?

The Misses bagged here first ever buck.  A small two point and I’m sorry but I don’t have a picture of it to put on here…did she win the biggest buck contest?  No…sorry, but you got your first ever buck!  Congratulations!

Weasel…..KenzieWeaselCodyConnerWithBuck copy

Raif…..RaifsWinningBuck copyAnd myself, Bears Butt…..ButtsBigBuckDay2 copyIt’s pretty clear to see who took the money home….Raif!  His horns surrounded Weasel’s who was a clear second place.  Mine was barely legal to begin with but will eat well!

So, 22 missed shots and four deer brought home….like Weasel said, “Collectively, we suck as shooters”!!!  He is spot on!

We had very good weather until late Friday when it started to sprinkle a bit on us.  By Saturday it was a deluge of rain that shut most travel down to main roads and by Sunday morning everyone was soaked to the bone and ready to come home to a hot shower.  It just is not fun playing in the mud and rain!

RainAndMud copyUnderTheAwning2 copy

Hiding under an awning for hours doesn’t make for a fun time.  And neither does finding out you just closed the truck door with the keys inside and the door locks!

TryingToGetDoorOpen copyThanks Halfcocked for getting that open!

Still, all in all, it was a fun time and for me it was great seeing some of my Grandkids out having fun as well.

KenzieSundayMorning copyKenzie is taking a “Photo-graphie” class in school and was getting some great pictures!  You saw her and her two brothers in the picture of their dad with his buck.

My camera will take all sorts of pictures including taking three consecutive pictures and moving the camera between each one.  It automatically stitches them together to make one panoramic shot.  I set it up to do just that and took a picture.  At the next picture, I just wanted to take one and not a panoramic, but you can’t take just one and be done while it’s set in the three shot mode.  You have to take the other two shots.  So, having taken the first shot and then realizing I had to take the other two, this is what it stitched together:

PanoramaDeercopyPictures two and three were random shots just out the side of the truck, I was not trying to get them in focus.  What is very odd with picture number three is there is a deer standing in it.  Look closely to the middle right picture….here is a blow up…

PanFuzzyDeerWas it a buck?  We will never know, I was the only one in the back of the Rack on this morning.

Well, another picture I have to post up on here is one of Wapiti and his two sons, Softball and Edjukateer….it’s a classic shot….

EdjukateerWapitiSoftBall copyThat said, this is a classic as well:

ShowingOffBellies copyWhich one eats the best?

And I could not end the story without showing “The Twinkie Kid”……Thanks Wapiti for the excellent hunt end treat!

TwinkiTheKid copy

Bears Butt

September 30, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Written on September 30th, 2014 , Hunting Stories

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COMMENTS
    bones commented

    Good story on the hunt Butt

    Reply
    October 1, 2014 at 8:58 am
      Croc commented

      GOOD HUNT!!!

      Reply
      October 3, 2014 at 11:09 pm

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Just some of my old stories, new stories, and in general what is going on in my life.