EXTREME public - video added
- Singing Bridge
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EXTREME public - video added
Sometimes we go to extreme lengths with our public land hunting. It may be extreme danger or effort, maybe even a combination of the two. Or, extreme in some other way... cost or driving distance, etc. I'm looking to see what some Beasts have done that is extreme...
One example I'll give is a do it yourself Canadian wilderness whitetail hunt. I had located a great funnel adjacent to doe bedding, and the date I would hunt was November 7th. The spot consisted of head high regrowth of aspen on top of a 350 foot, nearly vertical bluff. Scouting at a distance showed me there was a doe family bedding / feeding in the cut.
The funnel was the best way to get down or up the bluff for travelling bucks checking on the does... it consisted of a slight wash that lead down the bluff to the valley floor. Even better there were beaver ponds at the base with a dam near the wash that I glassed from a distance... and it contained big, fresh rubs and scrapes.
I needed an undetected way to hunt the funnel, which is where the extreme came in. The bluff was too vertical to stand so I slid down the face on my back... about a third of the way down was a huge tree growing out of the bluff. Everyone that hunts extremely vertical hills / bluffs / mountains knows that really big trees have a washout on the uphill side. When I reached the big tree I had a flat area to set up with my stool and a tree to lean my rifle against. I was on stand about an hour when a big 9 came through that would dress well over 200 pounds. He finally hesitated close to the dam to watch, smell and listen to the crossing. A well placed shot from my 7 Mag put him down hard.
Going extreme again, it took me a full day to drag the buck up the bluff a foot at a time... literally. That was where I had to go to get to my vehicle. I remember thinking, "I will never do that again!!"
Bridge
One example I'll give is a do it yourself Canadian wilderness whitetail hunt. I had located a great funnel adjacent to doe bedding, and the date I would hunt was November 7th. The spot consisted of head high regrowth of aspen on top of a 350 foot, nearly vertical bluff. Scouting at a distance showed me there was a doe family bedding / feeding in the cut.
The funnel was the best way to get down or up the bluff for travelling bucks checking on the does... it consisted of a slight wash that lead down the bluff to the valley floor. Even better there were beaver ponds at the base with a dam near the wash that I glassed from a distance... and it contained big, fresh rubs and scrapes.
I needed an undetected way to hunt the funnel, which is where the extreme came in. The bluff was too vertical to stand so I slid down the face on my back... about a third of the way down was a huge tree growing out of the bluff. Everyone that hunts extremely vertical hills / bluffs / mountains knows that really big trees have a washout on the uphill side. When I reached the big tree I had a flat area to set up with my stool and a tree to lean my rifle against. I was on stand about an hour when a big 9 came through that would dress well over 200 pounds. He finally hesitated close to the dam to watch, smell and listen to the crossing. A well placed shot from my 7 Mag put him down hard.
Going extreme again, it took me a full day to drag the buck up the bluff a foot at a time... literally. That was where I had to go to get to my vehicle. I remember thinking, "I will never do that again!!"
Bridge
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
I’ve had some pretty sketchy experiences in bogs and high, fast flowing rivers, but the dumbest thing I do is hunt in extreme cold. 2 years ago I was hunting in -10 temps, and when I got back to my truck it wouldn’t start. The starter was sticking and it wouldn’t turn over. Luckily it engaged after 10-12 tries.
My record for a kill (yearling buck) was -15. Actual temp but no wind so that helped. My fingertips peeled a couple days later.
It’s dangerous, but man the deer move good when it’s that cold!
My record for a kill (yearling buck) was -15. Actual temp but no wind so that helped. My fingertips peeled a couple days later.
It’s dangerous, but man the deer move good when it’s that cold!
- AfootTrack56
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Not a whitetail hunt, but it qualifies for the “EXTREME” public hunting. A few years back, I located a giant desert mule deer in a very remote canyon in a wilderness area in southern Arizona. I had a few trail cams set up in various places and was confident I could kill this buck. Despite getting numerous pictures of heavily armed drug smugglers, I was gonna kill this deer. I wanted my buddy to go along with me, for safety reasons, but having seen the crazy pictures I had gotten he elected to hunt a different area. He made numerous attempts to talk me out of it, but this buck wasn’t getting a free ride anymore. Finally the wind was right for me to sneak in there. My access route had me taking a big wash that leads up into a small draw that eventually tops out at a saddle that overlooks the big canyon where this deer was living. I had gotten several pictures of him on this saddle, all with the same wind. So I figured he’d be there today.
300 yards from the spot I want to be, I hear something in the rocks to my left. I just can’t see it through the brush. I nock an arrow and get ready for this beast to walk out. A few minutes go by and I hear nothing else. So I start sneaking that way. I pop out of the main wash and I can’t see anything moving. About 40 yards ahead of me is a small finger wash with thicker trees. The sound came from there, so why not check it out. I get about 20 yards from the wash, and I hear rocks rolling and brush cracking to my right. I draw my bow expecting a buck to come out. Within seconds the entire wash erupted and 10-12 illegals bust out of the trees and run up through the saddle I was just going to hunt.
Fully knowing what might be around there I wasted no time in backing out. About 100 yards from where they ran, I stumbled onto several bundles of dope under the trees. I gave a quick call to the Border Patrol, relayed the info and left. I seen the Agents a little while later on their way out. They told me they recovered 10 packs of the good stuff, just under 500 pounds. They never found any of the guys, but they had enough time to get out of the area before agents got in there. That was the last time I hunted that spot.
300 yards from the spot I want to be, I hear something in the rocks to my left. I just can’t see it through the brush. I nock an arrow and get ready for this beast to walk out. A few minutes go by and I hear nothing else. So I start sneaking that way. I pop out of the main wash and I can’t see anything moving. About 40 yards ahead of me is a small finger wash with thicker trees. The sound came from there, so why not check it out. I get about 20 yards from the wash, and I hear rocks rolling and brush cracking to my right. I draw my bow expecting a buck to come out. Within seconds the entire wash erupted and 10-12 illegals bust out of the trees and run up through the saddle I was just going to hunt.
Fully knowing what might be around there I wasted no time in backing out. About 100 yards from where they ran, I stumbled onto several bundles of dope under the trees. I gave a quick call to the Border Patrol, relayed the info and left. I seen the Agents a little while later on their way out. They told me they recovered 10 packs of the good stuff, just under 500 pounds. They never found any of the guys, but they had enough time to get out of the area before agents got in there. That was the last time I hunted that spot.
- stash59
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
AfootTrack56 wrote:Not a whitetail hunt, but it qualifies for the “EXTREME” public hunting. A few years back, I located a giant desert mule deer in a very remote canyon in a wilderness area in southern Arizona. I had a few trail cams set up in various places and was confident I could kill this buck. Despite getting numerous pictures of heavily armed drug smugglers, I was gonna kill this deer. I wanted my buddy to go along with me, for safety reasons, but having seen the crazy pictures I had gotten he elected to hunt a different area. He made numerous attempts to talk me out of it, but this buck wasn’t getting a free ride anymore. Finally the wind was right for me to sneak in there. My access route had me taking a big wash that leads up into a small draw that eventually tops out at a saddle that overlooks the big canyon where this deer was living. I had gotten several pictures of him on this saddle, all with the same wind. So I figured he’d be there today.
300 yards from the spot I want to be, I hear something in the rocks to my left. I just can’t see it through the brush. I nock an arrow and get ready for this beast to walk out. A few minutes go by and I hear nothing else. So I start sneaking that way. I pop out of the main wash and I can’t see anything moving. About 40 yards ahead of me is a small finger wash with thicker trees. The sound came from there, so why not check it out. I get about 20 yards from the wash, and I hear rocks rolling and brush cracking to my right. I draw my bow expecting a buck to come out. Within seconds the entire wash erupted and 10-12 illegals bust out of the trees and run up through the saddle I was just going to hunt.
Fully knowing what might be around there I wasted no time in backing out. About 100 yards from where they ran, I stumbled onto several bundles of dope under the trees. I gave a quick call to the Border Patrol, relayed the info and left. I seen the Agents a little while later on their way out. They told me they recovered 10 packs of the good stuff, just under 500 pounds. They never found any of the guys, but they had enough time to get out of the area before agents got in there. That was the last time I hunted that spot.
And we don't need no stinking wall!!!!
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!
- AfootTrack56
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
stash59 wrote:AfootTrack56 wrote:Not a whitetail hunt, but it qualifies for the “EXTREME” public hunting. A few years back, I located a giant desert mule deer in a very remote canyon in a wilderness area in southern Arizona. I had a few trail cams set up in various places and was confident I could kill this buck. Despite getting numerous pictures of heavily armed drug smugglers, I was gonna kill this deer. I wanted my buddy to go along with me, for safety reasons, but having seen the crazy pictures I had gotten he elected to hunt a different area. He made numerous attempts to talk me out of it, but this buck wasn’t getting a free ride anymore. Finally the wind was right for me to sneak in there. My access route had me taking a big wash that leads up into a small draw that eventually tops out at a saddle that overlooks the big canyon where this deer was living. I had gotten several pictures of him on this saddle, all with the same wind. So I figured he’d be there today.
300 yards from the spot I want to be, I hear something in the rocks to my left. I just can’t see it through the brush. I nock an arrow and get ready for this beast to walk out. A few minutes go by and I hear nothing else. So I start sneaking that way. I pop out of the main wash and I can’t see anything moving. About 40 yards ahead of me is a small finger wash with thicker trees. The sound came from there, so why not check it out. I get about 20 yards from the wash, and I hear rocks rolling and brush cracking to my right. I draw my bow expecting a buck to come out. Within seconds the entire wash erupted and 10-12 illegals bust out of the trees and run up through the saddle I was just going to hunt.
Fully knowing what might be around there I wasted no time in backing out. About 100 yards from where they ran, I stumbled onto several bundles of dope under the trees. I gave a quick call to the Border Patrol, relayed the info and left. I seen the Agents a little while later on their way out. They told me they recovered 10 packs of the good stuff, just under 500 pounds. They never found any of the guys, but they had enough time to get out of the area before agents got in there. That was the last time I hunted that spot.
And we don't need no stinking wall!!!!
Hahaha!! If we had one, I may have arrowed that bruiser. We will never know.
- BRoth82
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Extreme NE MN;
several years ago the Friday night before the last weekend of rifle season I met up with my younger brother and step dad at his house. Our hunting shack is located on a very remote 80 acres that is surrounded by public land, just to get there is a little crazy. We go down a dirt road then turn off that onto a forest service road 18 miles to a gate, then 5 miles in on a four wheeler (this wheeler ride takes a good part of an hour if it's not frozen). We usually go 1-2 miles from the cabin to hunt, on this trip it was cold and the Wednesday before I got up there my step dad had shot a nice buck way back in there and hid in it a logging brush pile, hoping we'd help him get it out when we got there. Here's where the good part starts, that Saturday morning I ended up shooting a nice 8 pointer before i even got to my stand, once we got it back to the shack my step dad and I jump on the snowmobile and sled to go get his buck. We ended up going down a winter road that was so thick with cattails that I had to go in front and knock them down so the snowmobile could get through. We ended up getting to the buck and loaded it in the sled.
Not wanting to go through the cattail jungle again we opted for a more direct route where the only obstacle was a beaver dam. When we got to the dam i jumped off so my step dad could get up the dam and across the pond (maybe 60 yards across), As I'm standing on the dam watching, i can see him get a run for it and jump the dam no problem, until the sled with the deer in it came crashing down and broke the ice. I just stood there dumbfounded watching the sled and snowmobile disappear under the water, it was at this time my step dad is yelling at me to get the !!!##!! in here to help get the snowmobile out of the water. I slid to the edge of the ice and slowly slipped in the water was neck deep, but the got that sucker out of there along with the deer and sled. This is were it gets bad, we're soaking wet, about 1 1/2 miles from the cabin as the crow flies and it's a tangled mess with no trails, roads nothing. It's either freeze to death or get moving, so we set out on our way me following along, (My step dad is the best person I know as far as woods skills, some how he just knows exactly where he needs to go and how to get there without looking at a map or compass). I'm guessing we were half way there and both of us were stumbling and slurring our words, I couldn't feel anything from the knees and elbows down, but we just kept on going. We ended up busting out of the brush 300 yards from the cabin, when we got there we stoked up the wood stove as hot as we could, changed our cloths and jumped in the sleeping bags.
The next day we went and got the snowmobile and dragged it back to the shack, every time I look at that deer I shiver.
several years ago the Friday night before the last weekend of rifle season I met up with my younger brother and step dad at his house. Our hunting shack is located on a very remote 80 acres that is surrounded by public land, just to get there is a little crazy. We go down a dirt road then turn off that onto a forest service road 18 miles to a gate, then 5 miles in on a four wheeler (this wheeler ride takes a good part of an hour if it's not frozen). We usually go 1-2 miles from the cabin to hunt, on this trip it was cold and the Wednesday before I got up there my step dad had shot a nice buck way back in there and hid in it a logging brush pile, hoping we'd help him get it out when we got there. Here's where the good part starts, that Saturday morning I ended up shooting a nice 8 pointer before i even got to my stand, once we got it back to the shack my step dad and I jump on the snowmobile and sled to go get his buck. We ended up going down a winter road that was so thick with cattails that I had to go in front and knock them down so the snowmobile could get through. We ended up getting to the buck and loaded it in the sled.
Not wanting to go through the cattail jungle again we opted for a more direct route where the only obstacle was a beaver dam. When we got to the dam i jumped off so my step dad could get up the dam and across the pond (maybe 60 yards across), As I'm standing on the dam watching, i can see him get a run for it and jump the dam no problem, until the sled with the deer in it came crashing down and broke the ice. I just stood there dumbfounded watching the sled and snowmobile disappear under the water, it was at this time my step dad is yelling at me to get the !!!##!! in here to help get the snowmobile out of the water. I slid to the edge of the ice and slowly slipped in the water was neck deep, but the got that sucker out of there along with the deer and sled. This is were it gets bad, we're soaking wet, about 1 1/2 miles from the cabin as the crow flies and it's a tangled mess with no trails, roads nothing. It's either freeze to death or get moving, so we set out on our way me following along, (My step dad is the best person I know as far as woods skills, some how he just knows exactly where he needs to go and how to get there without looking at a map or compass). I'm guessing we were half way there and both of us were stumbling and slurring our words, I couldn't feel anything from the knees and elbows down, but we just kept on going. We ended up busting out of the brush 300 yards from the cabin, when we got there we stoked up the wood stove as hot as we could, changed our cloths and jumped in the sleeping bags.
The next day we went and got the snowmobile and dragged it back to the shack, every time I look at that deer I shiver.
- BRoth82
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Another cold weather hunting day,
I was bow hunting on the ground, the actual temp was -15 and the wind was blowing 10-12 MPH. I figured the deer would be moving like crazy and the did, i only ended up sitting for an hour and took a nice doe, she only ran 50 yards and piled up. When I was gutting her out I reached over and grabbed the knife blade instead of the handle and it froze to my fingers, I ended up having to breath on it to free it. After that I said no way am I hunting again when it's that cold, the next year I shot a doe when the temp was only -5 and little to no wind.
I was bow hunting on the ground, the actual temp was -15 and the wind was blowing 10-12 MPH. I figured the deer would be moving like crazy and the did, i only ended up sitting for an hour and took a nice doe, she only ran 50 yards and piled up. When I was gutting her out I reached over and grabbed the knife blade instead of the handle and it froze to my fingers, I ended up having to breath on it to free it. After that I said no way am I hunting again when it's that cold, the next year I shot a doe when the temp was only -5 and little to no wind.
- hunter_mike
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Tent camped in 11 degrees 3 nights to go bowhunting for a long weekend
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
BRoth82 wrote:Another cold weather hunting day,
I was bow hunting on the ground, the actual temp was -15 and the wind was blowing 10-12 MPH. I figured the deer would be moving like crazy and the did, i only ended up sitting for an hour and took a nice doe, she only ran 50 yards and piled up. When I was gutting her out I reached over and grabbed the knife blade instead of the handle and it froze to my fingers, I ended up having to breath on it to free it. After that I said no way am I hunting again when it's that cold, the next year I shot a doe when the temp was only -5 and little to no wind.
You are crazy!
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
hunter_mike wrote:Tent camped in 11 degrees 3 nights to go bowhunting for a long weekend
How did you stay warm?
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
- hunter_mike
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
mheichelbech wrote:hunter_mike wrote:Tent camped in 11 degrees 3 nights to go bowhunting for a long weekend
How did you stay warm?
It is warm inside a sleeping bag. Outside of the sleeping bag, it is not... When its that cold you pretty much turn into an animal an I am pretty sure your body just starts burning a ton of calories to keep yourself warm.
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
- Tufrthnails
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Bowhunted in FL in August BEFORE thermocells were invented!!! I kid sorta. Swamp stomping is by far the most "Extreme" hunting I've ever done. But it's pretty normal for us that grow in the swamps.
Tuf- The below average hunting beast
- AfootTrack56
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
hunter_mike wrote:mheichelbech wrote:hunter_mike wrote:Tent camped in 11 degrees 3 nights to go bowhunting for a long weekend
How did you stay warm?
It is warm inside a sleeping bag. Outside of the sleeping bag, it is not... When its that cold you pretty much turn into an animal an I am pretty sure your body just starts burning a ton of calories to keep yourself warm.
The worst part about camping in the cold is getting out of the sleeping bag. Toughest part of the day.
- Singing Bridge
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
I had scouted a Michigan mature buck in the Upper Peninsula that I planned to target during the gun season, which is when I typically rotated up there from other locations. My scouting of a remote series of small islands in a swamp about a mile from the nearest difficult access showed fresh buck sign from a mature buck. He was fresh rubbing 10" diameter trees and the rubs were tall.
In order for me to approach my stand without being detected, I would have to do a huge end around in hip boots, it was all flooded about a knee deep. On opening morning it took me 2.5 hours to get on stand. Between 9 and 10 am I heard the buck approaching his bed, my gun was up with the scope covering the only place I could see (thick cover) in front of me. Unfortunately he winded me (my best guess) and I could hear him crashing off through the swamp. I won't bother to describe my feelings for the next few hours.
At 1:15 I heard another lone buck approaching and I again raised my rifle to cover the lone shot area I had... he kept coming, and instead of him walking on the edge of the island and swamp I was set up to cover I realized this buck was approaching on my left and was going to run me over... The buck stopped when he saw me and paused for a couple of seconds (I was on the ground on a very small knoll). Then he exploded out of there...
I am a crack shot with a rifle, and at 70 yards I could only see his head... I fired at the middle of his neck and he disappeared from my scope sight picture. I could not see or hear him after that... I walked over and found him where I shot him. He dressed over 200# and I was plenty happy with him despite his being significantly smaller than the buck that got away.
It took a friend and I 24 hours in total to get him out and to a road I could access with my truck.
Bridge.
In order for me to approach my stand without being detected, I would have to do a huge end around in hip boots, it was all flooded about a knee deep. On opening morning it took me 2.5 hours to get on stand. Between 9 and 10 am I heard the buck approaching his bed, my gun was up with the scope covering the only place I could see (thick cover) in front of me. Unfortunately he winded me (my best guess) and I could hear him crashing off through the swamp. I won't bother to describe my feelings for the next few hours.
At 1:15 I heard another lone buck approaching and I again raised my rifle to cover the lone shot area I had... he kept coming, and instead of him walking on the edge of the island and swamp I was set up to cover I realized this buck was approaching on my left and was going to run me over... The buck stopped when he saw me and paused for a couple of seconds (I was on the ground on a very small knoll). Then he exploded out of there...
I am a crack shot with a rifle, and at 70 yards I could only see his head... I fired at the middle of his neck and he disappeared from my scope sight picture. I could not see or hear him after that... I walked over and found him where I shot him. He dressed over 200# and I was plenty happy with him despite his being significantly smaller than the buck that got away.
It took a friend and I 24 hours in total to get him out and to a road I could access with my truck.
Bridge.
- AfootTrack56
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Re: EXTREME public hunting
Singing Bridge wrote:I had scouted a Michigan mature buck in the Upper Peninsula that I planned to target during the gun season, which is when I typically rotated up there from other locations. My scouting of a remote series of small islands in a swamp about a mile from the nearest difficult access showed fresh buck sign from a mature buck. He was fresh rubbing 10" diameter trees and the rubs were tall.
In order for me to approach my stand without being detected, I would have to do a huge end around in hip boots, it was all flooded about a knee deep. On opening morning it took me 2.5 hours to get on stand. Between 9 and 10 am I heard the buck approaching his bed, my gun was up with the scope covering the only place I could see (thick cover) in front of me. Unfortunately he winded me (my best guess) and I could hear him crashing off through the swamp. I won't bother to describe my feelings for the next few hours.
At 1:15 I heard another lone buck approaching and I again raised my rifle to cover the lone shot area I had... he kept coming, and instead of him walking on the edge of the island and swamp I was set up to cover I realized this buck was approaching on my left and was going to run me over... The buck stopped when he saw me and paused for a couple of seconds (I was on the ground on a very small knoll). Then he exploded out of there...
I am a crack shot with a rifle, and at 70 yards I could only see his head... I fired at the middle of his neck and he disappeared from my scope sight picture. I could not see or hear him after that... I walked over and found him where I shot him. He dressed over 200# and I was plenty happy with him despite his being significantly smaller than the buck that got away.
It took a friend and I 24 hours in total to get him out and to a road I could access with my truck.
Bridge.
Great story! They always seem to get the last laugh, but it’s just that much better when you finally get em to the truck.
Finally getting them in the truck after extreme effort is one of this things you never forget!
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