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[Steelhead King]

Deer hunting season finally over, the deer god treated me pretty well this season, only one tag left for soup.... 

During the my moose hunting trip early Oct, with the extreme hot weather, we only managed to fill 2 bull tags out of the 4 we got. I guess thats hunting eh. Also shot a small buck for sausages during the same trip.  ( no pictures on that trip cause all on them are in my old computer, which is now should be in the scrap metal depo.)   

First week of Nov, Rifle season for deer is open in Alberta. Got a phone call from a good friend, spoted a few nice bucks that worth the drive.. Loaded the gear, 14 hours later, arrived in Castor, Alberta (about 230 KM SE of Edmonton.)  Arrived on a friday, season open on a Saturday. Do a little scouting, spotted a few bucks and many does.  Opening day, we hit our first spot, spotted 4-5 Whitetail doe in the field so we drove in. Buddy told me to get ready, he know the buck is in the bush and going to push it for me... Sure enough, a buck jumped out, i took a look at him though the scope and put the safty back on. Drove around more, spotted more does both whitetail and mule.( Buddy got a mule buck tag that gotto be filled.)   We came across a very nice bush line and we decided to walk it.  Not a word of lie, first 20 feet in, spotted a buck bedded down, i mean a big whitetail buck, thick base, long tines, i say it should score in the high 150-mind 160 zone..  Raised my rifle, as i pull that trigger, the buck bolted and of course, not a sign , no blood, no hair, total miss.   Its getting close to that legal hour, 7 minutes according to the GPS. As we turn the courner to another ssection of land, i yelled BUCk, buddy stopped the truck, looked up, a big mule buck standing with 9 does about 130 yards away. He grabbed his gun, and i got mine out too for back up. I went to the front of the truck, put the cross hair on him, and ready to pull the trigger as soon as i hear that bang. waited, waited, click i heard, he got the safty on, as he ready to shoot again, the buck starting to run, bang my buddy fired the shot, the buck still running but looks funny, the buck is now broad side of me, i lead about 2 feet in frount of the head, pull the trigged and follow though with in, becasue its getting dark, i can see nothing but flame comming out from the berral, the deer shape dissapear out of my scope. My buddy said, he might hit him on the first shot becasue the buck run funny into the far bush. Now its getting dark, with the flash night, we saw nothing, see no blood..  Off we go.  While we in the motel, he got a call, he needs to be back to Edmonton to sort something out, plus there some rules in Alberta, certain sections on land can only open certain days for hunting each weeks and our sweet spot is on that list... Anyway, the next few days, we been disscussing about that shot. Finally, the section reopen, went back to the same spot that i seen the big whitetail..   This time the buck was like 300 yard on the run with another doe toward another section. We have an idea where he is heading, so we decided to let him bed down and push the bush later..  We decided to go back were we shot at that mule deer buck the other day. Because if the deer is only wounded, they would not go far and stay in same area until they recover.. we walk and walk and walk, covered every squar inches, not a single sign.. while we drive back, saw some whiskey jacks flying away.. so i decided to take a look.. to my surprise, that is the deer we shot at and now dead got eaten clean. We looked about 100 yard too far, he went in the bush closest to the road. We been looking at the wrong bush the entire time. Here is what its left over.




After all, we back on to my whitetail adventure. We head to where that big whitetail going to be, and nothing, saw couple way smaller buck, pass them on. With the blink of an eye, the day is over, we back to the motel for a few drinks, hot shower and a cigar, they bed never feel that great.  The next day, see lots of deer, mainly does, few smaller whitetail bucks and couple mule deer bucks fighting. Not a sign of that big buck.   Another day went by, It comes to my last day of hunting trip. We started early, waiting for the legal shooting time. Buddy and i walk that big Whitetail bush one more time... we walk in, as quite as we can, take a step, stop, look around, lisent and take another step.  All of a sudden, the buck, that big buck jumped up 30 yards infront of me run out the bush to the open field, i tried ti take a shot at him but ithe bush is too thick, too many cover, dosent have any shot. sinces i was only 20 feet from the outside edge, so i run out, the buck already quater section away, i fire a shot anyway, but missed again. Thats the last time i saw that thing. We move on, keep on hunting. Pushed few bushes but no result.. The day came to the final couple hours.. Buddy take me to a spot where he had taking out a buck every single year.  He put me about 50 yard passes the bush and told me to get ready.  He gave me a hand signal ready to go in..  i am in a ready position, safty is off, ready at anytime... soon as he step in, i head broken branches kinda like something running.. Sure enough, a whitetail buck ran out broad side of me, i lead him about half a body lenght, pull the trigger, follow though and the buck just stand there... i quickly reload, double lung him the second shot.. He still standing, I said, WTF how can he still standing.. i start to run toward him while reloading at the same time.. half way across, down the ground he dropped but still gasping for air so one more bullet to finish him off.

[kingpin]

correct me if im wrong, but arent non residents not allowed to hunt mule deer with a rifle? and if so, why were you shooting at it.

[Fish Assassin]

Good read

[Steelhead King]

Kingpin, you allow to hunt mule deer in alberta with a rifle as long as you have the right draw. And since my buddy own a outfitter bussiness, he bought a tag for me. 

[dennyman]

Steelhead king: I thnk kingpin does raise some good points. Going over to another province there are different rules and regulations, and in Alberta when going after big game, you have to hunt with a hunter host, or an outfitter. Also special rules with regards to draws too. Anyhow, what bothers me about your post is the loss of the mule deer buck at the start of your Alberta hunt. In my opinion, perhaps a poor choice to take a shot at an animal during the last few minutes of legal hunting light. Because if the shot is not placed right, and the animal runs off wounded, good luck in trying to find it in the dark. I know you and your friend meant well, but if some farmers or other hunters came across the dead mule deer buck, they probably would have chalked it up to another dumb "slob hunter".  And I am sure if you posted this report on the Alberta Outdoorsmen forum the same sentiments would have been expressed. Anyhow, just my opinion on the matter.

[Steelhead King]

I know what you mean Dennyman...  I do hunt with a Alberta resident with a hunter host tag also he happened to own a outfitter as well so i got it cover in all bases.   But to the last few minutes of legal hunting light thing....  I do believe and at lease the people that i hang around with all agreed  the last 1/2 hr of legal hunting light is the prime. Yes, good shot placement and good optics (both bino and scope) are very important. In this case, we just didn't look hard enough and didn't spend enough time looking for it.. But that is due to an unexpected call or else we would stay as planned to search for him the next morning. But yes, all your points are well taken and i thanks you for that.

   

[Tadpole]

 Yeah, last light shooting.  About 10 years ago I shot and was not able to recover huge whitetail in a little grove surrounded with farmers  alfa alfa fields. We looked, with the owner of the farm, for a good hour and a half with flashlights in thickening snowfall. Next morning at the first light I found the spot. It was entirely consumed by sanitary coyotes. No skin  was left and only few bones , empty rib cage and chewed up head left. All I was able to recover was the antlers.

[marmot]

If I don't have time to track it I'm not going to take a shot, period.  In addition, your eyes are unable to differentiate red (blood) from other colors in the spectrum in low light....so to me shooting at an animal so close to sundown might not be such a great idea.

Just because there is no blood and no hair does not mean it's a total miss......Far from it.  Shot a whitetail earlier this year, I was spotting for my brother, it was hit and bolted into the bush.  He thought he missed entirely but what had happened was the deer quartered on us at last second and shot went straight through, only nicking a lung and exiting through a hindquarter...but.....no blood anywhere near and no hair either.  The entry and exit wounds had just not opened up enough....so, off we went into the bush as I was sure it was a hit (after waiting about half an hour).  Took us 5 hours to find the deer and almost a km on the gps through thick bush.....and the blood trail was mere droplets until about 3 hrs in when whatever fat was plugging the wound let loose and the deer bled out. If you're not prepared, mentally or physically to do at LEAST that, IMO you should not be hunting.

[yamadirt 426]

I just finished taking my core and pal and the muley story is exactly what we were taught on how not to hunt/waste your kill. I can't believe you would even post that. Maybe legal but very unethical hunting IMO.  I hope you learned from this poor hunt.

[Steelhead King]

Yamadirt 426, what you learn form text book is right but when it come to real life situation, text book can only be use as a reference, to shoot or not to shoot will based on your own judgment.  As i said before, my partner and myself had decided to go back the next morning to look for the animal but something came up in a sudden, we have to head home.. thats why we could not recover the animal before the predator get to it...  Unethical hunting... how unethical is it??  It is because i could not find the animal right away? If I'm unethical, i would not bother to go back to the area to look for him and found him dead. 

Marmot, "if i don't have time to track it I'm not going to take a shot, period." I guess you must passed up many animal eh???  IF you have problem tracking blood at night, got get yourself a "blood light" from Primos, worked great.  As for your brother's white tail, what caliber is he shooting?? and what bullet??   

[marmot]

Of course I have passeed up animals...hasn't everybody?  There are plenty of good reasons to pass up a shot and failing light is one of the biggest reasons, you shouldn't need to be reminded of this and the fact that you're on the defense sort of indicates that you don't see it as a good enough reason....not really safe either.
Like Yamadirt says hopefully you can take something from this experience and turn it into a positive. 



 

[Steelhead King]

Marmot, if you have problems seeing in low light condiction, It is time for you to get a good pair of bino and upgrade your scope.

[marmot]

Optics are fine, thank you.  The best equipment in the world won't protect against poor judgement.

[yamadirt 426]

 put the cross hair on him, and ready to pull the trigger as soon as i hear that bang. waited, waited, click i heard, he got the safty on, as he ready to shoot again, the buck starting to run, bang my buddy fired the shot, the buck still running but looks funny, the buck is now broad side of me, i lead about 2 feet in frount of the head, pull the trigged and follow though with in, becasue its getting dark, i can see nothing but flame comming out from the berral, the deer shape dissapear out of my scope. My buddy said, he might hit him on the first shot becasue the buck run funny into the far bush. Now its getting dark, with the flash night, we saw nothing, see no blood..  Off we go.  While we in the motel, he got a call, he needs to be back to Edmonton to sort something out, plus there some rules in Alberta, certain sections on land can only open certain days for hunting each weeks and our sweet spot is on that list... Anyway, the next few days, we been disscussing about that shot. Finally, the section reopen, went back to the same spot that i seen the big whitetail..

 We decided to go back were we shot at that mule deer buck the other day. Because if the deer is only wounded, they would not go far and stay in same area until they recover.. we walk and walk and walk, covered every squar inches, not a single sign.. while we drive back, saw some whiskey jacks flying away.. so i decided to take a look.. to my surprise, that is the deer we shot at and now dead got eaten clean. We looked about 100 yard too far, he went in the bush closest to the road. We been looking at the wrong bush the entire time.
 
i tried ti take a shot at him but ithe bush is too thick, too many cover, dosent have any shot. sinces i was only 20 feet from the outside edge, so i run out, the buck already quater section away, i fire a shot anyway, but missed again


But to the last few minutes of legal hunting light thing....  I do believe and at lease the people that i hang around with all agreed  the last 1/2 hr of legal hunting light is the prime. Yes, good shot placement and good optics (both bino and scope) are very important. In this case, we just didn't look hard enough and didn't spend enough time looking for it.. But that is due to an unexpected call or else we would stay as planned to search for him the next morning


IF you have problem tracking blood at night, got get yourself a "blood light" from Primos, worked great.




Now these are all your quotes.  All your hightech night optics are not gonna help you if you can not look for your deer. You shot your deer at last light then went to the hotel where you got your call that you had to go. So your blood light was useless. .Sounds like you went out hunting before looking for that deer. You shoot in heavy cover and as the deer is bolting away from you. Why risk injuring the deer and another possible wasted kill ?
Your comment on you just didn't look hard enough or spend enough time looking for it  just doesn't sound very good and then you follow up with your comment to marmot about passing up a shot like there is no way you would consider doing that.  Allthough I am new to this and I'm sure you are an O.K. guy it sounds like you need to be alot more patient waiting for the right shot or let him go unharmed if you truly care about hunting. I don't know, that hunt just doesn't sit right with me or you just made it sound bad. 

[marmot]

I've spoken to the poster a couple of times in passing and he's more than an OK guy, he's a really good fellow.  Not going to say any more on this as I'm sure enough has been said already!