Last day of Bow season at the Ranch
Last day of Bow season at the Ranch.
30 minutes before legal shooting light, it's cold, windy and I'm off into the darkness. It's always a little creepy sneaking into this section of the ranch because this is where I had my encounter with mama grizzly in the dark 4 years ago. She was heading north and I was heading south, Bear spray wouldn't have saved me last time and I doubt it would this time with 60km gusts.
3.4 kilometers doesn't seem like much in your head but about halfway I realized I wasn't going to get on the ridge before 1st light. I decided to cut through the swamp to make up some time and came face to face with a cow moose who seemed a little tense. I didn't draw a Moose tag this year so a few pics and on to the task at hand.
I finally got to the top of the ridge as the sun kissed the valley. All that Cardio in Medicine Hat paid off....my legs gave out long before my heart and lungs.
I glassed for a while looking for the elk heard but they were no where to be seen. The Cattle were still in the staging area so chances of finding any would be slim. I just sat back and enjoyed the morning.
It's amazing how quickly peace and quiet can change to "Oh shit". Being focused on the valley below imagine my surprise to see a very large black wolf just standing there staring at me from the trees 45 yards to my left. Reaching for my bear spray seemed to spook him as he turned tail and bolted as soon as I moved, and wouldn't ya know it he had some buddies with him. I get why the moose was so nervous now.
With the mornings excitement over I resumed my vigil of the valley below. I didn't see much wild life moving but got a front row view of the Ranch hands bringing in the heard, what a magnificent ballet between man, dog, horse and cow.
As lunch time approached I decided to call it a day and begin the trek back. I got to the edge of the field that I had looked at 100 times today when three small whitetail bucks materialized out of nowhere and crossed the creek headed towards me. When I spoke to the Rancher this morning he asked if I could take a small buck whitetail this season and let the does recover which I was fine with since I'm a meat hunter first and foremost and the ranch is full of young bucks from the 2015/16 baby boom. The recipes where running through my head as I crept like a cat from bush to bush.......ok so maybe a really big cat, wearing Carhartts. The wind was in my favor blowing straight at me but the reality of the situation was this was a young and dumb forky who was headed for my freezer. He stopped broadside at 33 yards and I introduced him to a Montec G5 broadhead. The wind threw the shot off a touch so I ended up hitting him in the liver but my arrow passed through and the shot was fatal. He walked less than 80 yards and bedded down one last time.
Not a monster like last years but after dragging him 3 kilometers to my truck he is as much a trophy to me. I do recognized him from last year, he's one of Wheezy's fawns. He has a neat little white patch on his nose so I called him Patch. This deer is going to make some tasty treats this winter. A couple of things I learned from this bow season....invest in a compact shotgun and a game cart....or a horse.
Up next some pheasants with Piper, some ducks with my buddy Spud and a walk with dad's old 30/30 for deer in another zone.
30 minutes before legal shooting light, it's cold, windy and I'm off into the darkness. It's always a little creepy sneaking into this section of the ranch because this is where I had my encounter with mama grizzly in the dark 4 years ago. She was heading north and I was heading south, Bear spray wouldn't have saved me last time and I doubt it would this time with 60km gusts.
3.4 kilometers doesn't seem like much in your head but about halfway I realized I wasn't going to get on the ridge before 1st light. I decided to cut through the swamp to make up some time and came face to face with a cow moose who seemed a little tense. I didn't draw a Moose tag this year so a few pics and on to the task at hand.
It's amazing how quickly peace and quiet can change to "Oh shit". Being focused on the valley below imagine my surprise to see a very large black wolf just standing there staring at me from the trees 45 yards to my left. Reaching for my bear spray seemed to spook him as he turned tail and bolted as soon as I moved, and wouldn't ya know it he had some buddies with him. I get why the moose was so nervous now.
With the mornings excitement over I resumed my vigil of the valley below. I didn't see much wild life moving but got a front row view of the Ranch hands bringing in the heard, what a magnificent ballet between man, dog, horse and cow.
Up next some pheasants with Piper, some ducks with my buddy Spud and a walk with dad's old 30/30 for deer in another zone.
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