Our Day by day MT Hunt...

elks96 · Nov 25, 2020

The wife, daughter son and my mom left the house at 5:00 am in lander WY we drove hard straight through just over 5 hours to Broadus. It was a great trip and once we left Gillette we started seeing animals in bulk.
When we arrived in Broadus we stopped at the Powder River Taxidermy and spoke with them, but had to power through to Miles City in order to buy my sons licenses.

needless to say we had not ate at all and we decided to eat at the Black Iron Grill. Great place with great food.

we left Miles City and decided to hunt our way back to Broadus. We had some weather moving in and the deer seemed to be really up and moving.

we drove back towards Broadus checking little random area of BLM and State. About 3:00 we found a piece of state with a bunch of doe on it. We were about ready to leave when my mom from the back said look at that buck.

the entire goal is getting my son age 10 his very first big game animal. We looked up and saw a 22” 4x4 and decided instantly it was big enough.

we get out and the wind comes up and it starts spitting rain. I am trying to hurry because the weather was rough and the light was fading fast.
We hustled in and got just under 200 yards but with the wind and weather and fading light we had to get closer. We closed to 120 yards and we’re getting set up as the buck spooked. We made another move and never lined up on the buck again.

so after that the rain was hitting hard and it was getting dark. We headed to town. About 4 miles down the road I feel in my pocket and realize none of license are there. The bag they were in was gone.
It is still dumping and already dark.

we stop the truck and check under the seats, etc. nothing no luck at all. So we turn around and god back. With flashlights we spend the next 2 hours in the dark trying to retrace out steps. Ingrid with the OnX etc. my wife and I search desperately.

we finally have to call the search.

so now I am sitting here sick to my stomach. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. No way to get a reprint etc. I am going out tomorrow to look until it gets dark again or until I find the damn bag. I have never once lost a tag. Never needed a reprint or anything at all.

really sucks as it is the very first time we ever had a chance for my boy to hunt. Wish us luck in the morning and hopefully we can get to hunting...

I am absolutely disgusted with my self. I am not sure if in the hurry to get out I did not get them in my pocket or if in the rush to beat the weather and the light I pulled them out or??!

damn it sucks...

At least we saw a bunch of decent bucks on the private as we drove today. This buck was only about 20 yards from the public.

Cahunter805 · Nov 25, 2020

Wish you all the luck and hope you find the bag/licenses.

Snoopdogg · Nov 26, 2020

Good luck in the daytime, you'll find it.

antlerradar · Nov 26, 2020

Snoopdogg said:
Good luck in the daytime, you'll find it.

You might be able to get a reprint at Wallmart in Miles City.

300stw · Nov 26, 2020

u find a buck like that close to public. get downwind and out of site,, doe fawn bleat, coax the does to you. he will follow. done that trick. numerous times

elks96 · Nov 26, 2020

Well we found the tags at 10:30 had to run my wife back to town so she can cook Turkey and now we are heading out to officially start hunting. Gonna hit some river bottom areas for white tails.

elks96 · Nov 26, 2020

Haha. Talk about crap all the way around... So literally right after my last update I am having my son start taking gear to the truck about 1/2 way through he comes in the house crying and very upset. He was not able to talk so I headed out.

Oh ****. Doors locked keys laying on center console. Seriously... So we steak a wire hanger from our Bob and get to work. A little minor damage to the door edge and a 1/2 hour later I manage to fish the keys out.

seriously, can’t make this up.

before it was all said and done we managed to hunt about 3 hours.
We had some action. Tried getting shots on Whitetail doe 3 times. Blew a couple others.
The deer on public are very few and far between and the ones you do find are skittish as all get out.

we did see a lot of good bucks on the private. No monsters but decent.

tomorrow is our day. Leave house 2 hours before light and hike for a couple miles. We are hunting how we like...

bonepicker · Nov 26, 2020

Yikes! Hope it gets better for you! If you’re able to put in a full day without a disaster you may be able to get something! ?

elks96 · Nov 26, 2020

bonepicker said:
Yikes! Hope it gets better for you! If you’re able to put in a full day without a disaster you may be able to get something! ?

Haha without a doubt one of the worst starts to any hunt I have had by a long shot. We are getting after in the am for sure!’

elks96 · Nov 27, 2020

So finally a full day hunt... Weget up early as the place I want to hit is right at 2 hours out.
Further than I would want to drive but it is literally the only place I could find escorting where we could get away from all the roads. With the nice weather and easy to dilutive roads there are vehicles everywhere.
So we rice out to the chunk I wanted to hunt. On the way out we see a few deer, a ton of turkeys etc.

Sunrise was pretty but sooner than I liked.

I have 2 ways to get into the hole figured out. One was a lot of elevation change but shorter the other was longer and less elevation change. My son and I discus the routes from a high point and he decides the long flat way.

so we drove another 1/2 hour and get around. At 8:30 we leave the jeep at the end of the vehicle trail and start to hike. We work the tree edge stopping to rattle a few times for buck as we move. No luck and honestly not a lot of fresh sign but a few track here and there to keep us pushing on. Just before lunch time we have covered a little over 3.7 miles and despite a good wind my son chooses to head straight up to the top of the buttes we had been side hilling.

by 12:30 we are on top. Wind screaming pretty good but the views were awesome. We run counter clockwise around the rim and get looking over a tight amazing little bowl in an10 year old burn. We sit down and I glass as he is getting ready for a snack.

pretty soon about 300 yards out I spot a doe and a good buck sneak out. I watch them round the corner and decide it was definitely a shooter for the boy. We take it a little slow and keep glassing the bowl finding a little spike and a couple fork horns but obviously the good buck went with the doe. We have elevation on them and a screaming wind. As we move we spook one of the small bucks around the corner towards the exit.

we ease up in the next hole and look below us. There is the smaller buck. Then straight down on the edge of the trees the doe and the bigger buck.

the small buck sees us ease up to the edge and spooks. The doe and larger buck watch him leave as we get set up.
We set up the bog pod and try to get steady. My son is on my lap and shacking like a leave, giggling and then holding his breath etc. he was way shook up. The buck walks behind a tree and we have to reposition. The doe moves up hill a touch bringing the buck with her and into sight. That little break helped a lot to get my son calmed down and steady. He steps out again and this time my son squeezes the trigger on the rugger 243. The buck is hit hard. It can’t run up hill and spins and turn straight down. We watch it disappear into the steep cut bottom.

the doe has no idea what happen. Remember the wind was blowing hard. She eventually walks down and spooks out.

we did not see the buck pile up but knew he was hit hard. We ease down and find him laying in the bottom just where he disappeared.

huge relief for my son and I both. We ge to work knowing we have a long heavy haul out. In all honesty it was about as much of a hell hole as I have ever been in!!!

we bones the meat out and were on the trail by 2:30. We covered the 3.65 miles just in time for the moon to light the way more than the sun...
It was a heavy assed pack out. Deboned and took the head. Probably right at 60 pound plus meat.

damn kid is hard core. Never complained and carried his weight all the time.

elks96 · Nov 27, 2020

Few more photos...

yoteduster · Nov 27, 2020

Congrats to you all rough start but your going now

treedagain · Nov 27, 2020

Looks good to me..

Congrads

bonepicker · Nov 27, 2020

Fantastic! Great work to you both!

BradA · Nov 27, 2020

Congratulations a huge achievement for both of you!

Sage Muleys Apparel

Sage Muleys, Sage Muleys Apparel, Apparel, Outdoor Apparel, Hunting, Mule Deer, Deer Hunting, Deer, Elk, Elk Hunting, Big Game Hunting, Camping, Outdoors, Fishing, Angler

www.sagemuleys.com

nfh · Nov 27, 2020

Way to go!!!!

blacktailBC · Nov 28, 2020

Nice!

Uttaxi1 · Nov 28, 2020

I think he is hooked now. Awesome job congrats.

unclebuck · Nov 28, 2020

Nice one ! Glad it all worked out.

Wapitiwilly · Nov 28, 2020

That is so awesome! Thanks for taking us along with you and your son.
Congratulations on the 1st of many successful hunts????

coloradoman · Nov 28, 2020

Great job dad and son. I miss those days with my daughters bad!

elks96 · Nov 28, 2020

So day 3 is under our belts.

we set out hunting little random pieces of public along the rover bottoms. Looking for my first white tail. At 1 my son and I are looking at a pretty good buck across the river. I told my son that if we knew how deep the river was I would shoot.
We watched the buck for less than 5 minutes when a small yearling muley walked across the river. Just over knee deep. I could cross it safely so. I settled in and squeezed off the shot. The Buck was hit hard but ran 15 yards out of sight.

seriously then it got me. It is November the river is slush, but not deep. I thought I had my hip wanders in the truck, but they got taken out. So the scramble was on.

Call the local stores and no one had any. The nearest place was over an hour away in miles city. So the pedal went to the medal and we were off. We hauled butt to miles city ran into the store grabbed a pair of chest wadders that fit and hauled butt back. Right at sunset we made it back to the piece of state. Still not 100% certain of the shot I went into the river hoping for the best.
I left my phone with the boy and instructions on how to call for help incase I did not make it out. LOL!!!

the Bauchi had fallen right where I last him. He is a great buck. Took me 2 trips across the river to get him out.
Wish I had better pictures, but when it is your wife’s birthday and she wants to eat out, you have to hurry.

it has been a great trip!!!

sjhgraysage · Nov 29, 2020

Congrats twice!!

yoteduster · Nov 29, 2020

Congrats again

Gunnihunter · Nov 29, 2020

Congrats on both of your deer and life long memories for your son.

Wapitiwilly · Nov 29, 2020

Memories for a lifetime.... congratulations to you and your son????

Joe2Kool · Nov 29, 2020

That is an awesome story Elks. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Congrats to you and your son on your successful hunt, and on making some of the best memories that you'll talk about forever!
That is truly what it is all about.

Congrats again and thanks for sharing.

Chesterwyo · Dec 1, 2020

That was stressful just reading that

Looks like you guys did great. In spite of all the fire drills.

PLK · Dec 1, 2020

Elks96,
You guys sure had an adventure!! Certainly a lot of highs and lows. Your son will remember this hunt and probably tell stories about it for generations to come. I was slightly disappointed as I expected you to just take off your hiking boots and wade the river barefoot. The waders were a much better choice. Congrats on a great hunt and story.

elks96 · Dec 1, 2020

PLK said:
Elks96,
You guys sure had an adventure!! Certainly a lot of highs and lows. Your son will remember this hunt and probably tell stories about it for generations to come. I was slightly disappointed as I expected you to just take off your hiking boots and wade the river barefoot. The waders were a much better choice. Congrats on a great hunt and story.

Man I was close. I just had seriously considered it but am very glad I went to get waders. From here on out I will always have waders on the river...

Gator · Dec 2, 2020

Awesome hunt, That river had to be a cold SOB.
Great memories for you and your son. Nice Bucks.

Cahunter805 · Dec 2, 2020

Awesome hunt and congrats to everyone involved!! Way to grind it out and having the while family there is great. Hope the Bday dinner was great!

Ranger1 · Dec 2, 2020

Great memories.

DeerHunter53 · Dec 3, 2020

Great Story and with the son is the best way to go

Snoopdogg · Dec 4, 2020

Elks--was that the remains of a wagon? Great find!

Congrats to you and the youngster, that muley is nothing to sneeze at and the whitetail would have been in my sights as well.

Congrats on an eventful trip. The little dude will keep that in his memory bank forever.

elks96 · Dec 4, 2020

Snoopdogg said:
Elks--was that the remains of a wagon? Great find!

Congrats to you and the youngster, that muley is nothing to sneeze at and the whitetail would have been in my sights as well.

Congrats on an eventful trip. The little dude will keep that in his memory bank forever.

It was a piece we found on the forest about 800 yards from an old farmstead. It was cool to see wish I had spent a little more time taking some pics of it as it was a cool piece. The 1950 camper was cool also. I was tempted to take the stove out of it as it is a collectable type of stove.