The past 8 days buck hunt
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The past 8 days buck hunt
I'm back from our extended late season buck hunt in the wilds of Tehama Co, CA. Our camp was an hour and a half of rough 4 wheel drive trail from Los Molinos, deep into the canyon of Mill Creek. It's rough lava country, but beautiful despite the steep slopes and difficult hunting conditions. I can see why Ishi was able to live in the wild for so long. Hiking and hunting in that terrain wasn't easy. We saw at least 40-60 deer every day, with most being a half mile, or more, down in the canyon. None could be stalked, either. There were always guard does around keeping watch. Even though I belly crawled to the canyon edge to take a peek they always seemed to be looking up at me.
We set up camp beneath the wires of the 500KV Pacific Intertie and the snap and crackle of the conductors was all we could hear as we went to sleep each night. I woke up a few times thinking it was raining, but it sure wasn't.
There was an old shack that we cooked around and ate in each day, but tents were our home for the duration of the hunt. This is what it looked like on our arrival at the site.
As I said before, the terrain was steep and rocky, but quite beautiful in it's own right. These shots will give a small glimpse of the area. Even the flats were lava strewn, with lots of small round stones to roll under your boots. I stumbled around several times while hiking down those canyon hills and gullies.
This wily old buck is one that showed himself on the flats one morning, but made it into the canyon before my cousins could get a shot at him. I long shot with a 270 WSM put the brakes on this 5X5. As with most of the bucks taken on the trip, he had to be halved and packed up and out of the canyon.
Since my chance to take a big 4X4 was lost when my shots didn't make the mark I had to settle for a little forkie. We had glassed for most of the day, seeing several "shooter bucks" deep in the canyon, but had no chance to make a stalk on any of them. One was a heavy horned 4X5 that we coveted, yet couldn't approach anywhere near him. He's still there, surrounded by his does. This buck came across the ridge from another canyon and I spotted him from almost a half mile away. We had to walk slowly away from where he was standing and climb to the top to work our way toward his position. Peering through the brush told me that he hadn't moved much further down the hill, but getting to a shooting position meant crawling on our hands and knees on that rough lava. I "Injuned" up to the edge and peered over to see where the buck stood and if he was good enough to take. He was only a fork horn, but had good mass and a wide enough spread. We conferred and I made the decision to take the shot. The range finder read 229 yds and it was down slope at a 45º angle. In a hazardous prone position, I poked the barrel of my Remington 700 .30-06 over the edge and put the crosshairs on his back. The buck was standing directly away from me and facing downhill, which didn't offer the best shot, but knowing that the rifle was dead on I touched it off. SLAM! That buck collapsed like a house of cards, not moving one iota. We stood and looked down at him on the ground. A long way down, but not too bad. You can see the bluff where the shot was taken from high above and slightly to my left of my head.
After gutting the buck and removing his lower legs, I hacked him in half and the young kids hiked him right out. Here's the last pic of the deer before he was dressed and cut in half. Before I forget, the little fork horn weighed in at 139 lbs and the spread was 22" wide and 19 1/2" high. Good enough.
When I pulled out of camp yesterday at noon, 9 bucks had been taken by our 14 hunter group. There's still today and tomorrow, so hopefully a few more will be scored before the sun sets on Sunday evening.
We set up camp beneath the wires of the 500KV Pacific Intertie and the snap and crackle of the conductors was all we could hear as we went to sleep each night. I woke up a few times thinking it was raining, but it sure wasn't.
There was an old shack that we cooked around and ate in each day, but tents were our home for the duration of the hunt. This is what it looked like on our arrival at the site.
As I said before, the terrain was steep and rocky, but quite beautiful in it's own right. These shots will give a small glimpse of the area. Even the flats were lava strewn, with lots of small round stones to roll under your boots. I stumbled around several times while hiking down those canyon hills and gullies.
This wily old buck is one that showed himself on the flats one morning, but made it into the canyon before my cousins could get a shot at him. I long shot with a 270 WSM put the brakes on this 5X5. As with most of the bucks taken on the trip, he had to be halved and packed up and out of the canyon.
Since my chance to take a big 4X4 was lost when my shots didn't make the mark I had to settle for a little forkie. We had glassed for most of the day, seeing several "shooter bucks" deep in the canyon, but had no chance to make a stalk on any of them. One was a heavy horned 4X5 that we coveted, yet couldn't approach anywhere near him. He's still there, surrounded by his does. This buck came across the ridge from another canyon and I spotted him from almost a half mile away. We had to walk slowly away from where he was standing and climb to the top to work our way toward his position. Peering through the brush told me that he hadn't moved much further down the hill, but getting to a shooting position meant crawling on our hands and knees on that rough lava. I "Injuned" up to the edge and peered over to see where the buck stood and if he was good enough to take. He was only a fork horn, but had good mass and a wide enough spread. We conferred and I made the decision to take the shot. The range finder read 229 yds and it was down slope at a 45º angle. In a hazardous prone position, I poked the barrel of my Remington 700 .30-06 over the edge and put the crosshairs on his back. The buck was standing directly away from me and facing downhill, which didn't offer the best shot, but knowing that the rifle was dead on I touched it off. SLAM! That buck collapsed like a house of cards, not moving one iota. We stood and looked down at him on the ground. A long way down, but not too bad. You can see the bluff where the shot was taken from high above and slightly to my left of my head.
After gutting the buck and removing his lower legs, I hacked him in half and the young kids hiked him right out. Here's the last pic of the deer before he was dressed and cut in half. Before I forget, the little fork horn weighed in at 139 lbs and the spread was 22" wide and 19 1/2" high. Good enough.
When I pulled out of camp yesterday at noon, 9 bucks had been taken by our 14 hunter group. There's still today and tomorrow, so hopefully a few more will be scored before the sun sets on Sunday evening.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Very Nice! Congratulations! Any luck with the call?
Professional Hunter
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http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
That was a really good read. Good hunting and good eating to follow.
Grizz
Grizz
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Congrats - great read.
would love to hear more about that area. Were you just hunting with friends on public land ??
would love to hear more about that area. Were you just hunting with friends on public land ??
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
I was going to mention that call, Joe. What a RIOT!! I got does to run right up to us, along with a coyote and a fox. No varmints can be killed on this property because it belongs to the Nature Conservancy and they want the "natural balance" to be maintained. What MORONS! The call works great, but bucks don't care diddly about it. The fox ran right up to my truck with a purpose.86er wrote:Very Nice! Congratulations! Any luck with the call?
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
No, it's private land that belongs to the Nature Conservancy. The Dye Creek folks have the hunting concession and charge quite a bit to use the property. Our piece is one of the best and it borders the Tehama Wildlife Area. Plenty of room for 14, or more, hunters to go without stepping on anyone's toes. I was invited to participate by my cousins who have hunted the area for 10 years.seasidehunter wrote:Congrats - great read.
would love to hear more about that area. Were you just hunting with friends on public land ??
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Wow - beautiful country there. And very good for you. congrats again.
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
One more thing that is important and I failed to mention it. We were all shooting Barnes TSX all copper bullets and they performed absolutely perfectly in every way. I didn't find the bullet that killed my buck, but it entered the back and destroyed the lungs. We had to ground skin it, so we didn't look too hard for the bullet. The buck was very dark and had a perfect "black" face and one of the other guys caped it out for a mount using a set of antlers from home. One of the reasons for taking that forkie was to get him out of the gene pool. He would never have been anything but a fork, so he had to go. Not a problem, he was a fine buck anyway and I was proud to have him.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
- Modoc ED
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Wow Mike!! What a great hunt and what a great story to go with it. Thanks for posting,Mike D. wrote:I'm back from our extended late season buck hunt in the wilds of Tehama Co, CA. Our camp was an hour and a half of rough 4 wheel drive trail from Los Molinos, deep into the canyon of Mill Creek. It's rough lava country, but beautiful despite the steep slopes and difficult hunting conditions. I can see why Ishi was able to live in the wild for so long. Hiking and hunting in that terrain wasn't easy. We saw at least 40-60 deer every day, with most being a half mile, or more, down in the canyon. None could be stalked, either. There were always guard does around keeping watch. Even though I belly crawled to the canyon edge to take a peek they always seemed to be looking up at me.
We set up camp beneath the wires of the 500KV Pacific Intertie and the snap and crackle of the conductors was all we could hear as we went to sleep each night. I woke up a few times thinking it was raining, but it sure wasn't.
There was an old shack that we cooked around and ate in each day, but tents were our home for the duration of the hunt. This is what it looked like on our arrival at the site.
As I said before, the terrain was steep and rocky, but quite beautiful in it's own right. These shots will give a small glimpse of the area. Even the flats were lava strewn, with lots of small round stones to roll under your boots. I stumbled around several times while hiking down those canyon hills and gullies.
This wily old buck is one that showed himself on the flats one morning, but made it into the canyon before my cousins could get a shot at him. I long shot with a 270 WSM put the brakes on this 5X5. As with most of the bucks taken on the trip, he had to be halved and packed up and out of the canyon.
Since my chance to take a big 4X4 was lost when my shots didn't make the mark I had to settle for a little forkie. We had glassed for most of the day, seeing several "shooter bucks" deep in the canyon, but had no chance to make a stalk on any of them. One was a heavy horned 4X5 that we coveted, yet couldn't approach anywhere near him. He's still there, surrounded by his does. This buck came across the ridge from another canyon and I spotted him from almost a half mile away. We had to walk slowly away from where he was standing and climb to the top to work our way toward his position. Peering through the brush told me that he hadn't moved much further down the hill, but getting to a shooting position meant crawling on our hands and knees on that rough lava. I "Injuned" up to the edge and peered over to see where the buck stood and if he was good enough to take. He was only a fork horn, but had good mass and a wide enough spread. We conferred and I made the decision to take the shot. The range finder read 229 yds and it was down slope at a 45º angle. In a hazardous prone position, I poked the barrel of my Remington 700 .30-06 over the edge and put the crosshairs on his back. The buck was standing directly away from me and facing downhill, which didn't offer the best shot, but knowing that the rifle was dead on I touched it off. SLAM! That buck collapsed like a house of cards, not moving one iota. We stood and looked down at him on the ground. A long way down, but not too bad.
You can see the bluff where the shot was taken from high above and slightly to my left of my head.
After gutting the buck and removing his lower legs, I hacked him in half and the young kids hiked him right out. Here's the last pic of the deer before he was dressed and cut in half. Before I forget, the little fork horn weighed in at 139 lbs and the spread was 22" wide and 19 1/2" high. Good enough.
When I pulled out of camp yesterday at noon, 9 bucks had been taken by our 14 hunter group. There's still today and tomorrow, so hopefully a few more will be scored before the sun sets on Sunday evening.
- KirkD
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Very enjoyable report. Photo hunting reports like this are something I really enjoy.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- Shasta
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Way to go Mike! Those bucks are real hogs! I bagged 2 little forkies on public land over on the B side this year and both of them together don't come close to the size and weight of yours! There is something to be said for hunting private land.
Thanks for the report. It sure is good to know there are still respectible bucks to be had in California for those who know how.
SHASTA
Thanks for the report. It sure is good to know there are still respectible bucks to be had in California for those who know how.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
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http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Mike,
were you guys using handloads or the Federal premium ammo. ??
glad to hear that detail about the ammo, thanks.
were you guys using handloads or the Federal premium ammo. ??
glad to hear that detail about the ammo, thanks.
- Rimfire McNutjob
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Great photos. Sounds like it was a pretty good time.
... I love poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with a stick.
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Great hunt, Mike! Congratulations! This year I'm hunting vicariously through hunting posts like yours. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your hunt on the Forum.
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Great job!!
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I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Really nice. Great hunt and great post!
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
One of my favorite words for an event like that:
OUTSTANDING
Man that brings back memories. 25 years ago I hunted that area.
OUTSTANDING
Man that brings back memories. 25 years ago I hunted that area.
KI6WZU
NRA member
"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'"
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NRA member
"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'"
--President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
“Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner”
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Thanks y'all. A few of us had reloads, but some were using the expensive Federal Premium boxed stuff. I had 150 grain Barnes for the 1895 Winchester and 168s for the bolt gun. My old '06s were the "weakest link" on the property. Most guys had 7mm Mags and WSM types. That didn't bother me much, I knew that the tried and true .30-06 could handle any old Blacktail at most "reasonable" ranges. My cousins are very good hunters and highly ethical so no extreme shots were attempted. About 350 yds was the maximum range attempted and that one was a clean drop . None of us wanted a wounded animal suffering down in the canyon so no chances were taken on a "maybe" shot. We hunted two at a time, with one spotter and one shooter. Sometimes, no animals were seen at first, but hours of glassing made deer suddenly materialize before our binoculars. Most were so far away that their horns were not easily discerned, but still very visible. My old eyes could not put points on a buck at 1200+ yards, but the "kids" could see small "crab claws" on some of them. Oh, to be 32 again.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged"....President Abraham Lincoln
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Outstanding MikeD...
As much as I love Nev. I still am a Californian at heart. Can't help but wish that someday things will change. Sadly, I don't think they will.
The deer is a beauty...his body is typical of a californy muley. Nice & stocky
Ya' done us proud Pard!
LB
As much as I love Nev. I still am a Californian at heart. Can't help but wish that someday things will change. Sadly, I don't think they will.
The deer is a beauty...his body is typical of a californy muley. Nice & stocky
Ya' done us proud Pard!
LB
Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
Thanks Mike, fantastic area and good shooting.
You keep showing them young'ns how it's done
Nath.
You keep showing them young'ns how it's done
Nath.
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
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Re: The past 8 days buck hunt
EXCELLENT!