mtnwrunner
Well-Known Member
First off, what an absolute great trip. You just have to love the fall--how can you not if you are a hunter? And to share the high country of Idaho with two brothers was epic.
We backpacked into the salmon river country where we knew there were deer. It is pristine rugged country and as the saying goes, "If you are going to hunt Kong, you have to hunt where Kong lives." Well, that's what we did. Spiked out on a 9000 foot ridge, 16 degrees in the morning, lots of glucosamine for aging joints especially after a 2000 foot climb to get there. 4 miles in from any main road--never saw a soul. Which is what I like.
We passed on some small bucks and on our last evening, we were at the very top of the highest ridge around glassing the nearby south facing slopes and my brother spots a buck. He says he is just a three point and I glass him and I say no way--he's a shooter. We are in a deer bed on top of a rock cliff and its 1500 feet to the bottom--its 45 minutes till dark. I tell my two brothers that if I shoot, its gonna be a long night. He is at 565 yards and I get set up fast because he is feeding over a ridge. Just as I am about to feel the trigger go, I realize my safety is on and over the ridge he goes. SHI*! Well, about 10 minutes later, I see him on the opposite side of the other canyon. My brother calls the range at 762 yards and my leica says the same with a 17 degree downhill incline. I consult my chart with is only in 10 degree increments and dial my dope to what I think is about 17 degrees. I have an absolute rock steady rest leaning over the rocks and I touch off. The buck immediately goes down as I can see all in the scope. It's a skosh high as he is obviously hit in the spine and my brother called the trace all the way in and he says the same and says he is done. I put another one in the boiler room at the same distance. I HATE to see animals suffer. Well, "Checkmate" scored another this season. The 300 win mag, 215 berger completely took out about 6 inches of backstrap and completely broke the spine in half. I'm sold. 30 cal hole going in and about a 2" by 5" exit on the opposite side.
We beat feet down the snow covered rock shale avalanche chute and found him just as it was getting dark. Oh oh, now it sunk in what we had to do. I dressed him, boned him and we split the meat loads up between the three of us. Now the trip back up the avalanche chute (took an hour) and then the 1.5 mile slog back along the rocky ridge to our welcome tents. It was midnight under a full moon---did not even have to use headlamps going up the snowy chute. It was EPIC. Enough of the story, I'll now bore you with photos. The buck broke a tine off during the fall but he is a great high mountain buck with a story.
Randy
We backpacked into the salmon river country where we knew there were deer. It is pristine rugged country and as the saying goes, "If you are going to hunt Kong, you have to hunt where Kong lives." Well, that's what we did. Spiked out on a 9000 foot ridge, 16 degrees in the morning, lots of glucosamine for aging joints especially after a 2000 foot climb to get there. 4 miles in from any main road--never saw a soul. Which is what I like.
We passed on some small bucks and on our last evening, we were at the very top of the highest ridge around glassing the nearby south facing slopes and my brother spots a buck. He says he is just a three point and I glass him and I say no way--he's a shooter. We are in a deer bed on top of a rock cliff and its 1500 feet to the bottom--its 45 minutes till dark. I tell my two brothers that if I shoot, its gonna be a long night. He is at 565 yards and I get set up fast because he is feeding over a ridge. Just as I am about to feel the trigger go, I realize my safety is on and over the ridge he goes. SHI*! Well, about 10 minutes later, I see him on the opposite side of the other canyon. My brother calls the range at 762 yards and my leica says the same with a 17 degree downhill incline. I consult my chart with is only in 10 degree increments and dial my dope to what I think is about 17 degrees. I have an absolute rock steady rest leaning over the rocks and I touch off. The buck immediately goes down as I can see all in the scope. It's a skosh high as he is obviously hit in the spine and my brother called the trace all the way in and he says the same and says he is done. I put another one in the boiler room at the same distance. I HATE to see animals suffer. Well, "Checkmate" scored another this season. The 300 win mag, 215 berger completely took out about 6 inches of backstrap and completely broke the spine in half. I'm sold. 30 cal hole going in and about a 2" by 5" exit on the opposite side.
We beat feet down the snow covered rock shale avalanche chute and found him just as it was getting dark. Oh oh, now it sunk in what we had to do. I dressed him, boned him and we split the meat loads up between the three of us. Now the trip back up the avalanche chute (took an hour) and then the 1.5 mile slog back along the rocky ridge to our welcome tents. It was midnight under a full moon---did not even have to use headlamps going up the snowy chute. It was EPIC. Enough of the story, I'll now bore you with photos. The buck broke a tine off during the fall but he is a great high mountain buck with a story.
Randy
