College Girl on Break

Candace was home for Fall Break from UP. Earlier in the year she secured a controlled hunt mule deer hunt tag, Unit 14 Idaho. The season overlaps with her Fall Break - so she could come home and do it. Then she was invited on a cruise, over the same break. So, we would only have one day to fill her tag. Jaci's schedule was such that she could come along.

We headed out about 3:15 AM. I was looking forward to the time alone with Candace, but hearing the girls chatter and laugh (girl talk) was reward enough (for giving up the father-daughter talk).

But soon they feel asleep, and I had the car, and night, to myself. I ended up pulling over and dozing for a few minutes also.

We arrived at [Delete] Creek, just getting light. Sweet. We loaded up and headed up the trail. We overshot the break off point, but eventually got onto the migration trails. The climb has never been easy - and this was no exception. Near the first overlook Candace stopped us and we put on face paint.

At first look over the steep open slopes - nothin'. But then we saw a group of about half dozen mule deer on the other side. No bucks. So we kept working up and looking.

The deer on the other side were working up also. Progressing up our ridge put us closer to the adjacent deer as Meat Market narrows as it goes up. And as the sun hit the hillside we could see that one of the deer was a buck. It was probable he was with the group the whole time - but now closer, with better light - we could see his antlers. He appeared as a tall two- or three-point. His antlers were almost the exact color of the terrain - kind of a tan-yellow.

Michelle and Steve were to arrive home also for Fall Break - so there was some desire (on all of us) to get back to home. (So) I asked Candace if she wanted to take the buck - and she gave me a big smile.

I ranged ... 230 yards. I directed Candace forward a bit, crawl up and get prone, had Jaci stay behind, and moved forward to help Candace get set up with the bi-pod for the shot. "Put the crosshairs halfway between bottom and top." (She already knew to place the bullet just behind the shoulder.)

The deer were moving up the Meat Market - but I assured her he would stop - and he did.

At the shot the buck cringed, and then ran up the hill a bit, and turned around. Candace asked if she should take another shot. I told her no, but get ready. The buck was standing rump toward us - which would make a bad shot, if a hit. Wait ...

I knew the deer was `dead', though still standing.

The buck stood there for what seemed like a long time, motionless. Then it started to teeter just a bit, and collapsed. And rolled down out of sight.

SWEET!

We went down into the ravine. It rolled to almost the exact spot of her buck of five years earlier. I literally boned the deer out in the exact same spot as before (right above a small cliff). (There were even the remains of a black bag we buried there from before - but not a trace of the previous deer - as I would have expected - the creatures keep things pretty cleaned up in such places.)

Boned out we headed down. It was nice having a third person - we all carried out meat. I can hardly put my mind around how steep it is there (though I have hunted there many times). It's absurd, amazing, extreme, profound, obscene ... it's so steep.

Eventually we made it to the road, loaded up and headed home.

Both girls slept again on the drive, and I pulled over again, and dozed a bit.

What a Rich Hunt. What a rich weekend.

References

College Girl on Break (Slideshow), Jeff Filler, Associated Content.