Adventures and Ordeals

Well after Matthew’s success he didn’t really have much interest in the rest of the season. That didn’t stop me from camping, quadding and a little bit of walking with a really sore knee!! First, out to 316 with the trailer for some scouting around Bogey Lake on leased land. The weather has been so nice that the animals aren’t having to move!

Brother, John, came out quite a bit for the scouting of the Leased Land but not much for action.

After about 4 days in 316 it was time to move up to 318 on the north side of the Red Deer river for elk. The nice weather continued through the weekend. Very nice for quadding and sitting around the fire but the animals aren’t having to move. I did see one really nice whitetail buck that didn’t see me but after stopping and thinking about the work to get him out by myself, I calmly watched him walk away. A very smart move at 4 in the afternoon, alone!!

Another season under my belt and still no luck with Elk!! Other than Matthew’s deer being sick it has been another fun, enjoyable and memorable year. I look forward to 2022 and maybe a little more luck. 😔 I know, John has talked about bow season for Elk in 2022. Damn that would be so much warmer for camping!! Let’s hope it all works out and John buys a crossbow😀

Wow another chilly night! Trailer has frozen water again this morning! Okay, enough whining!! Time to have a quick bite to eat, start the truck and head out for the morning hunt. Down to the end of the pasture we go. In the distance we see a few bucks to the west. We then drove out of the farmland and headed west down the blind line into the coulee. Well I’ll be jiggered, there’s two bucks in the same place as they were last year. But as luck would have it, we don’t have permission for that quarter. So we sat there waiting and waiting and waiting for them to make the wrong move. Either to jump one of the fences to the south or to the east where we had permission. 3 o’clock in the afternoon and still no luck! Then a local farmer come along and gave us permission to enter the south coulee. Earlier in the day we seen a nice 4 x 4 muley done there. Low and behold as the farmer walks back up the coulee we begin glassing around again and we spot the 4 x 4. By this time of the day Matthew had enough, no lunch and wind is howling and cold. Matthew’s patience has run out!! He opened the door and he states “ I’m going to get him!” So as I stayed in the truck piercing through my binoculars I watch Matthew sneak up to within 258 yards. I’m talking to myself by this time telling him shoot shoot shoot! But nothing.… Then all of a sudden I glass back and Matthews trying to get closer. Offering a little bit more cover were these great big sandstone rocks which helped a lot. Matthew disappeared around the edge of the rocks so I returned my attention back to the buck. Still talking to myself shoot shoot shoot. Then finally the shot that I’ve been waiting for. Two seconds later down the buck went! Matthew, the new proud owner of a nice 4 x 4 buck, makes his way back to the truck. I couldn’t wipe the smile off his face! It’s been many many many years coming and he finally got the opportunity to do it all by himself. I asked him earlier, before he went after the buck, if he wanted support and he forcibly said no! Oh and shooting a deer at 4 o’clock in the afternoon makes for a long night. Also, the wind hasn’t stop blowing!! It’s still a cold wind straight out of the south. We drag him out of the coulee and back to the farm. We called Henry to come out and operate the tractor (or in this case drink beer) for us as we skin and wash this thing. Obviously taking breaks in between to have a beer by the fire to warm up our fingers. All complete by 9 PM and it’s beer time or should I say bedtime? Oh, have I mentioned the wind?! It’s still blowing!

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

UPDATE ON MATTHEW’S MULE DEER BUCK – IT HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR CRONIC WASTER DISEASE!!

Oh my God it was cold last night! The water in the trailer froze and the furnace run most of the night -12°C. Then the wind decided that it should blow!! Wow what a chilly day even around the fire. Well time to call it a night and be ready for an early morning tomorrow. Matthew should be here around 6 AM since he’s the one that has the mule deer tag this year not I.