2014- Recap
2014- Recap
Well, I never did catch up with that buck of a lifetime that I was after.
I probably saw more quality bucks this past pre-season than I have ever seen before.
Many of the bucks ended up being killed by other hunters but I'll share my time scouting and hunting some of them with you.
It all started towards the end of June checking out a new area to hunt.
By July 5th, we had a half dozen or so trail cams spread out over several miles.
We scouted out a new area to set up a back country camp and it was near water. I was so excited about the idea of not packing in gallons of water like we had done in years past.
I filmed these bucks on the July 5th trip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_qc...cb6qFd-3OQ8tOg
Right after I filmed the bucks, one of my friends asked if I had seen the 27-28" wide buck go over the top of a distant ridge. I hadn't but made plans on making a scouting trip overnighter on July 18th-19th. I was able to find the buck my friend Roger had seen, so I named it "Roger". It went right to the top of our hit list. I'll share more about "roger" on a later time.
Here's "roger"
On July 24th my cousin and I checked out an adjacent canyon from where we were on the 19th and once again we ran into the "Roger" buck. He had already put on another inch or two on each tine in just 5 days. He was looking really nice at that point. He was growing a 3" cheater on his left G-3 just like that buck I filmed on July 5th.
The next time we ran into the roger buck was on Labor day, Sept. 1st.
We had been hunting other bucks in other areas the past few weeks but on Sept. 1st, we went back to where I saw the roger buck on July 24th.
Right at first light we spotted him about 300 yards below us with 3 other smaller bucks. He was only about 100 yards from where he was a month earlier but he had us pegged this time.
So we just sat down and watched as the bucks slowly fed their way down canyon. I was there with my friends Paul and Corby. Our other friend Tom had family business but was on his way to meet up with us.
I had one really big problem that day. It was my Grandpas 90th birthday and my family was having a big party for him that afternoon. So the latest I could stay on the mountain would be about 11:00 am. Paul also had to head home about that time. By 11:00, the big buck had not bedded yet and looked very nervous. It was really hard to leave my friends and miss out on them making a stalk on the big ole buck but family comes first.
Come to find out, the buck feed over the ridgeline into the next canyon and neither Tom or Corby could relocate the buck.
Here's video of the buck right before I had to leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxA4...cb6qFd-3OQ8tOg
The next encounter I had with the Roger buck was on the evening of the muzzy hunt opener. In the morning we had hunted an area where we knew of a giant buck I was calling "the trashy three" buck(I'll talk about him more at a later time). After checking several areas that morning and dealing with other hunting in the same area, we decided to go back to the areas we had archery hunted.
That afternoon we split up to check different canyons.
I went to check out a canyon just North of where I had last seen the roger buck. Which I had also seen a cool looking drop tine buck earlier in the summer.
As I gained elevation to find a good glassing point, I also looked for a good tree or band of rocks I could tuck myself up in to get out of the wind and afternoon sun. It's much easier to glass and use a spotting scope that way.
I spotted a small buck with a doe about a mile down canyon that was about 500 yards above where I had parked my ATV.
Then a few minutes later a larger buck walked out, after looking at it through my spotting scope, I could see it had been shot in the hind quarter and blood was running down its hide for about 6". The buck walked with a slight limp but seemed to be eating ok. Moments later as the sun was getting ready to set, I heard rocks rolling near a small pocket of trees up in some ledges.
As I watched buck after buck started to feed out of the trees. There was 12-15 of them and most were 2 or 3 year old 3 and 4 points with a few big 2's.
Finally I located a wide 28" buck that had a 3" cheater on his left G-3.
It had to be the roger buck but he seems a lot less massive now that he had lost his velvet.
It was amazing to see how so many bucks can hide up in just a small pocket like they had. I may have found a nice little honey hole for years to come.
The strong winds were blowing right up canyon in their direction and I don't think I could have made it to within shooting distance anyway, So I waited until dark and snuck out of the area.
I couldn't wait until morning.
Sept. 25th
I had so much hope for this day. We had a game plan, I would hike up the bottom of the canyon to the South of where we had seen the Roger buck in the past and hike up to the ridgeline on the South side of that canyon. That way I could see where the bucks went if they got busted out of the canyon my cousin was hiking up that morning(which was the one I was in the afternoon before).
We were hoping the down canyon winds would keep Johns scent from spooking the bucks.
My other friend Corby would be in the same spot we had seen the roger bucks on Sept. 1st. Just in case he moved there over night.
Well, the winds were blowing so hard from the South(about 20-30mph)
that even in the morning, the "down canyon" winds were blowing up canyon. The bucks spooked before John could get close enough for a shot.
The hike I was on took a lot longer than I thought it would and I never made it to the ridgeline until an hour after sun up and that was leaving the trailhead an 1 1/2 hours before light.
I did see a few smaller 4 points but nothing I was interested in.
Once I got to the ridgeline, I could see three bucks just a couple hundred yards below where Corby was sitting but he couldn't see them from his angle.
The bucks slowly worked their way down canyon for about an hour and Corby was finally able to spot them.
About an hour later, the three bucks went up in the cliffs and met up with the roger buck! We couldn't believe we found him again. The buck was all by himself and Corby said the roger buck was within just a few yards of where we had seen it on Sept. 1st. Hoping they would stay there and bed, I started working my way down the backside of the ridge that the bucks were on.
For some reason, the three smaller bucks spooked and ran down canyon and a few seconds later roger followed them. They all went into a group of thick trees not just a few hundred yards from where my atv was parked.
We all decided to meet back up at camp and come up with a game plan on how we could push the bucks out of the thick trees into an escape route where one of us could get a shot.
to be cont....
I probably saw more quality bucks this past pre-season than I have ever seen before.
Many of the bucks ended up being killed by other hunters but I'll share my time scouting and hunting some of them with you.
It all started towards the end of June checking out a new area to hunt.
By July 5th, we had a half dozen or so trail cams spread out over several miles.
We scouted out a new area to set up a back country camp and it was near water. I was so excited about the idea of not packing in gallons of water like we had done in years past.
I filmed these bucks on the July 5th trip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_qc...cb6qFd-3OQ8tOg
Right after I filmed the bucks, one of my friends asked if I had seen the 27-28" wide buck go over the top of a distant ridge. I hadn't but made plans on making a scouting trip overnighter on July 18th-19th. I was able to find the buck my friend Roger had seen, so I named it "Roger". It went right to the top of our hit list. I'll share more about "roger" on a later time.
Here's "roger"
- roger 7-19.JPG (110.04 KiB) Viewed 7975 times
We had been hunting other bucks in other areas the past few weeks but on Sept. 1st, we went back to where I saw the roger buck on July 24th.
Right at first light we spotted him about 300 yards below us with 3 other smaller bucks. He was only about 100 yards from where he was a month earlier but he had us pegged this time.
So we just sat down and watched as the bucks slowly fed their way down canyon. I was there with my friends Paul and Corby. Our other friend Tom had family business but was on his way to meet up with us.
I had one really big problem that day. It was my Grandpas 90th birthday and my family was having a big party for him that afternoon. So the latest I could stay on the mountain would be about 11:00 am. Paul also had to head home about that time. By 11:00, the big buck had not bedded yet and looked very nervous. It was really hard to leave my friends and miss out on them making a stalk on the big ole buck but family comes first.
Come to find out, the buck feed over the ridgeline into the next canyon and neither Tom or Corby could relocate the buck.
Here's video of the buck right before I had to leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxA4...cb6qFd-3OQ8tOg
The next encounter I had with the Roger buck was on the evening of the muzzy hunt opener. In the morning we had hunted an area where we knew of a giant buck I was calling "the trashy three" buck(I'll talk about him more at a later time). After checking several areas that morning and dealing with other hunting in the same area, we decided to go back to the areas we had archery hunted.
That afternoon we split up to check different canyons.
I went to check out a canyon just North of where I had last seen the roger buck. Which I had also seen a cool looking drop tine buck earlier in the summer.
As I gained elevation to find a good glassing point, I also looked for a good tree or band of rocks I could tuck myself up in to get out of the wind and afternoon sun. It's much easier to glass and use a spotting scope that way.
I spotted a small buck with a doe about a mile down canyon that was about 500 yards above where I had parked my ATV.
Then a few minutes later a larger buck walked out, after looking at it through my spotting scope, I could see it had been shot in the hind quarter and blood was running down its hide for about 6". The buck walked with a slight limp but seemed to be eating ok. Moments later as the sun was getting ready to set, I heard rocks rolling near a small pocket of trees up in some ledges.
As I watched buck after buck started to feed out of the trees. There was 12-15 of them and most were 2 or 3 year old 3 and 4 points with a few big 2's.
Finally I located a wide 28" buck that had a 3" cheater on his left G-3.
It had to be the roger buck but he seems a lot less massive now that he had lost his velvet.
It was amazing to see how so many bucks can hide up in just a small pocket like they had. I may have found a nice little honey hole for years to come.
The strong winds were blowing right up canyon in their direction and I don't think I could have made it to within shooting distance anyway, So I waited until dark and snuck out of the area.
I couldn't wait until morning.
Sept. 25th
I had so much hope for this day. We had a game plan, I would hike up the bottom of the canyon to the South of where we had seen the Roger buck in the past and hike up to the ridgeline on the South side of that canyon. That way I could see where the bucks went if they got busted out of the canyon my cousin was hiking up that morning(which was the one I was in the afternoon before).
We were hoping the down canyon winds would keep Johns scent from spooking the bucks.
My other friend Corby would be in the same spot we had seen the roger bucks on Sept. 1st. Just in case he moved there over night.
Well, the winds were blowing so hard from the South(about 20-30mph)
that even in the morning, the "down canyon" winds were blowing up canyon. The bucks spooked before John could get close enough for a shot.
The hike I was on took a lot longer than I thought it would and I never made it to the ridgeline until an hour after sun up and that was leaving the trailhead an 1 1/2 hours before light.
I did see a few smaller 4 points but nothing I was interested in.
Once I got to the ridgeline, I could see three bucks just a couple hundred yards below where Corby was sitting but he couldn't see them from his angle.
The bucks slowly worked their way down canyon for about an hour and Corby was finally able to spot them.
About an hour later, the three bucks went up in the cliffs and met up with the roger buck! We couldn't believe we found him again. The buck was all by himself and Corby said the roger buck was within just a few yards of where we had seen it on Sept. 1st. Hoping they would stay there and bed, I started working my way down the backside of the ridge that the bucks were on.
For some reason, the three smaller bucks spooked and ran down canyon and a few seconds later roger followed them. They all went into a group of thick trees not just a few hundred yards from where my atv was parked.
We all decided to meet back up at camp and come up with a game plan on how we could push the bucks out of the thick trees into an escape route where one of us could get a shot.
to be cont....
There's always next year
Re: 2014- Recap
I'll try to finish out this adventure with the "roger" buck.
After we got back to camp, I discovered my dome tent was flat on the ground from the strong winds.
This year we were camped right out in an open meadow just off the road. So I pulled my truck up next to my tent and used my atv tie downs to strap my tent poles to the frame of the truck. Worked like a charm. While we were getting things ready for our afternoon adventure, a guy on an atv rode past our camp and up the same trail we were going to use. The trail did split and most people were using the other one that we would be using. The plan was for my cousin John to head out about an hour before Corby and I and get set up in a little saddle. Once Corby and I got to the trailhead, that other guys atv was there but since he had gotten there almost two hours before us, I figured he was some where far up the canyon. As Corby and I started to push the trees towards the saddle John was watching, Corby heard three shots on the other side of the hill we were on. I never heard the shots but Corby thought it must be John. I got hold of John and he thought it was us that shot. Come to find out it was that guy we saw. He was only about 200 yards away from John on the other side of the hill and John must have bumped the bucks when he was hiking in and they went right to the other guy. Unfortunately, he made a bad shot on the largest buck(roger) and had to track it. He had two friends come up and help him track it the next morning but they lost it. They were planning on bringing up a dog to help track it too but in the end after several weeks looking, it was never recovered or seen alive again.
Needless to say, it was very quiet back at our camp that night and the following day. We were pretty bummed out. Not that another guy lucked into picking the right place at the right time (he had never seen those bucks before but had hunted those trees in the past) but to see a buck we worked so hard on, possibly go to waste, was the real bummer.
After we got back to camp, I discovered my dome tent was flat on the ground from the strong winds.
This year we were camped right out in an open meadow just off the road. So I pulled my truck up next to my tent and used my atv tie downs to strap my tent poles to the frame of the truck. Worked like a charm. While we were getting things ready for our afternoon adventure, a guy on an atv rode past our camp and up the same trail we were going to use. The trail did split and most people were using the other one that we would be using. The plan was for my cousin John to head out about an hour before Corby and I and get set up in a little saddle. Once Corby and I got to the trailhead, that other guys atv was there but since he had gotten there almost two hours before us, I figured he was some where far up the canyon. As Corby and I started to push the trees towards the saddle John was watching, Corby heard three shots on the other side of the hill we were on. I never heard the shots but Corby thought it must be John. I got hold of John and he thought it was us that shot. Come to find out it was that guy we saw. He was only about 200 yards away from John on the other side of the hill and John must have bumped the bucks when he was hiking in and they went right to the other guy. Unfortunately, he made a bad shot on the largest buck(roger) and had to track it. He had two friends come up and help him track it the next morning but they lost it. They were planning on bringing up a dog to help track it too but in the end after several weeks looking, it was never recovered or seen alive again.
Needless to say, it was very quiet back at our camp that night and the following day. We were pretty bummed out. Not that another guy lucked into picking the right place at the right time (he had never seen those bucks before but had hunted those trees in the past) but to see a buck we worked so hard on, possibly go to waste, was the real bummer.
There's always next year
Re: 2014- Recap
STUD of a buck, to bad it had to end with him not being found. Just maybe he will be back this year
Looking forward to the rest of your hunt
Looking forward to the rest of your hunt
Watch your top knot!
-
MuleyMadness
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9997
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:34 pm
- Location: St. George, UT
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Re: 2014- Recap
Bummer news on Roger big time, I dislike those kinda stories/endings big time. Cool buck and story though.
Re: 2014- Recap
I love you take the time to share all this with us. Too bad it didn't work out, there's always next year.(Story of my life)
Re: 2014- Recap
July 26th
Just one week before, I had found the roger buck and a couple other real nice bucks that most people wouldn't hesitate to put on the wall, so my expectations were already high but the canyon I was to check out this day, I was really excited about checking out.
I had taken a friend archery hunting to this area last year and we found a really nice buck.
It had a large split in its right ear, so I would know the buck if I were to find it again. This was the main reason I put in for this area in 2014 and wanted to scout it more.
My friends and I had placed a trail camera up high in a basin in this same area on July 5th. So this time I was coming in from the bottom of the canyon and from the other side of the mountain.
After doing some google earth scouting for the best route to a rocky peak that looked good to glass from at first light. I was ready to make the unknown hike in the dark.
I was on my own this day because all my hunting buddies had other commitments. I arrived at my glassing spot just after first light and instantly saw a big mature buck high up on the mountain within just a few hundred yards of one of our trail cams. This buck was heavy, high and had a very unique 16" extra point coming off behind his right G-2. I named this buck "dagger" because of the strange extra point.
I then spotted another great buck right out in the open, he had two cheater points on his left side and was a clean typical on the right. So I named him lefty.
Moments later, I spotted another great buck straight across the canyon from me. He was a good looking 5x5 in which his upper tines turned inward, like a basket. My cousin had already named another buck like him but smaller, "the basket buck". So I named this one "the big basket buck". I know, real original names.
Here's a look at the big basket buck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9AfjOR ... Fd-3OQ8tOg
Just one week before, I had found the roger buck and a couple other real nice bucks that most people wouldn't hesitate to put on the wall, so my expectations were already high but the canyon I was to check out this day, I was really excited about checking out.
I had taken a friend archery hunting to this area last year and we found a really nice buck.
It had a large split in its right ear, so I would know the buck if I were to find it again. This was the main reason I put in for this area in 2014 and wanted to scout it more.
My friends and I had placed a trail camera up high in a basin in this same area on July 5th. So this time I was coming in from the bottom of the canyon and from the other side of the mountain.
After doing some google earth scouting for the best route to a rocky peak that looked good to glass from at first light. I was ready to make the unknown hike in the dark.
I was on my own this day because all my hunting buddies had other commitments. I arrived at my glassing spot just after first light and instantly saw a big mature buck high up on the mountain within just a few hundred yards of one of our trail cams. This buck was heavy, high and had a very unique 16" extra point coming off behind his right G-2. I named this buck "dagger" because of the strange extra point.
I then spotted another great buck right out in the open, he had two cheater points on his left side and was a clean typical on the right. So I named him lefty.
Moments later, I spotted another great buck straight across the canyon from me. He was a good looking 5x5 in which his upper tines turned inward, like a basket. My cousin had already named another buck like him but smaller, "the basket buck". So I named this one "the big basket buck". I know, real original names.
Here's a look at the big basket buck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9AfjOR ... Fd-3OQ8tOg
Last edited by ridgetop on Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There's always next year
-
MuleyMadness
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- Posts: 9997
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:34 pm
- Location: St. George, UT
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Re: 2014- Recap
Says the video doesn't exist?
Re: 2014- Recap
Aug. 2nd
The next time I saw the "big basket" buck was a week later, when a friend of mine and I went up the ridgeline to the North of were I was a week earlier. We spotted the big basket buck within a 100 yards of were I saw it before. That would be the last time I or any of my hunting friends would see it again.
I'm not sure if an archery hunter went in there and shot it or what happened. We saw several of the other bucks it was with, including "Lefty" and "dagger". We hunted the draws and canyons within a 3 mile radius of this area but no luck seeing the BB buck again.
Here's another video of the big basket buck being startled by a coyote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJJPpCsOAAQ
The next time I saw the "big basket" buck was a week later, when a friend of mine and I went up the ridgeline to the North of were I was a week earlier. We spotted the big basket buck within a 100 yards of were I saw it before. That would be the last time I or any of my hunting friends would see it again.
I'm not sure if an archery hunter went in there and shot it or what happened. We saw several of the other bucks it was with, including "Lefty" and "dagger". We hunted the draws and canyons within a 3 mile radius of this area but no luck seeing the BB buck again.
Here's another video of the big basket buck being startled by a coyote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJJPpCsOAAQ
There's always next year
Re: 2014- Recap
I think I fixed it.MuleyMadness wrote:Says the video doesn't exist?
Let me know?
Thanks
There's always next year
-
MuleyMadness
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9997
- Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 9:34 pm
- Location: St. George, UT
- Contact:
Re: 2014- Recap
Works great now, thanks. Good looking buck, appropriate name. To bad he disappeared, hope somehow he is still alive?