# My First Whitetail "Spoiled" At Dark



## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

This was the farthest I've ever been from home, alone.

Rugged mountains, thick forests, and my dad's rifle swinging gently over my shoulder. This is what I had dreamt about for the past several years. But after a few days in unfamiliar country and hunting in country that is not my stereotypical hunting terrain, I was discouraged, drained and on edge. Venturing further and further into Grizzly Country. I finally had, had it the last few days I was hunting mellow country. Easy to walk, easy to access, I hate to say it but boring country, to me. As I drove closer to some steeper mountains I looked up in aww. "That's my kind of country" I said out loud to myself, with about an hour until dark. I told myself to just relax, and get organized for the morning hunt.

But luckily I changed my mind and said organized? I have all night to do that! I started hiking. I threw my Badlands Sacrifice pack over my shoulder filled with a couple game bags, a coat, fire starter, and a knife. I was going in light, because I had to hurry. Half a mile in I was winded and right as I stopped a small buck and a doe flashed in front of me. My mood changed, my motivation increased and I pushed on. 3/4's of a mile in there goes two more does, gone in a flash. I slowed up and started working sidehill, to the south, and a couple brushy, burned draws were coming up above me. With light fading and with only a few minutes left in shooting light I sat down on an old blown down pine and reached for my rattling antlers. As I looked around and didn't see anything I clanked them together, and as soon as they touched I caught movement 300 yards above me in one of the burned/brushy draws. I threw up my binos and saw a nice mainframe. As I dropped them and raised my dad's rifle. I knew it was now or never as he walked broadside. I squeezed and he jumped, I could see him still standing up there as I touched off another. Miss! I settled down for the last shot and I watched as he tipped over! It's done my First whitetail! I had no Idea exactly how big, small, eye guards or not. I didn't care I knew he had enough antlers on his head and steaks on his back to make me happy.

As I hiked up the steep draw with downed timber, thick underbrush, and wishing I had brought two headlamps. Reality hit, and it hit hard.

I'm alone, I'm hunting in Grizzly Country, oversized coyote country, and I need to find my buck, soon! After about a thirty minute search I saw a glimpse of white under belly under a log and I started running down the mountain to him, and he had no ground shrinkage! After I pulled him out from underneath a downed tree.

I quickly took 3 sets of self timer pictures, and a couple of as he layed, photos etc. Notched my tag and started caping and quartering him, as fast as I have ever done it. I'd stop to listen for incoming predators and to tell myself to slow down and be safe. I knew I had to make the pack out in one trip and in about an hour after I found the buck, I had him on my back. I shot him 1.35 Miles from my truck. About half way back after the first steep incline I started going down the second and the weight of the quartered out buck, the darkness, and all the tree branches on the ground I tripped! I hit the ground and the weight of my pack rolled me twice down the mountain before I my pack hit a log. I just laughed, got up and finished the hike out.

My dad has supported me in all of my hunting endeavors and I wanted to take his rifle, just to experience hunting with it, hoping it would tell me some old stories. I asked him if I could take it, on this trip. He said yes that'll be fine, he wasn't able to go with me. But as a lot of you guys know if you have your dad's or grandpa's rifle is in your hands, it seems like he is right by your side.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Loved to write up and congrats on a stunning buck!


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Great buck! You hunting in Idaho ?


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

First whitetail buck?? Good luck besting that one! Nice work!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Great write up and congrats on an awesome buck!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Congrats!!! What an adventure that must have been. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

That is one beautiful buck, congrats!!!!!


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Awesome buck, awesome experience (even better with your dad's rifle), and glad you made it out safely.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks guys!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

So Kade,

I gotta ask. Now that you've hunted Western Whitetails in Elk/Muley country what do you think? How would you compare the hunting and animals to mule deer? Are you going to become a sucker like me and go almost every year from now on?------SS


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Springville Shooter said:


> So Kade,
> 
> I gotta ask. Now that you've hunted Western Whitetails in Elk/Muley country what do you think? How would you compare the hunting and animals to mule deer? Are you going to become a sucker like me and go almost every year from now on?------SS


Well I love hunting mule deer/elk in High country in August & I also love hunting in the low desolate desert sage country. Mountain whitetails are fun, and frustrating in the thick country, I'll be back I just don't know how many Mule Deer & Elk Hunts will be in between.


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## LanceS4803 (Mar 5, 2014)

That's some long tines on that one!


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

How come you waited so long to share? What a great story!


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

That was awesome! Thanks for sharing.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

AF CYN said:


> How come you waited so long to share? What a great story!


I had my dream fall, one I hope I can work towards and do more often. But life will get busier and busier. I don't like posting a lot, because I feel like it is and can be taken as bragging. I don't like coming across as a look at me, look what I'm doing, type of person. I just like telling stories.

Thanks guys1


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

katorade said:


> I had my dream fall, one I hope I can work towards and do more often. But life will get busier and busier. I don't like posting a lot, because I feel like it is and can be taken as bragging. I don't like coming across as a look at me, look what I'm doing, type of person. I just like telling stories.
> 
> Thanks guys1


With a buck and a story told like that....brag away!


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## Chacoblue (Jan 21, 2016)

Awesome buck and story! Congrats


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice buck and great story. Brag away.

.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

wyogoob said:


> Nice buck and great story. Brag away.
> 
> .


Goob's alive?!?!?!


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