Hunting Mountain Whitetail – Part I

We are newcomers to whitetail hunting, so those of you who’ve hunted these beautiful, elusive animals for years will perhaps be amused by our efforts! These western mountain whitetail  don’t have near as predictable patterns as the deer that live on the fringes of agriculture fields. But they do become much more visible during the rut, making scrape lines and running along ridges looking for hot does. So if you can find an area with lots of recent sign , it’s a good place to set up.
This hunt would present another challenge that is new to us… very dense timber! Being desert dwellers, we are used to glassing open hillsides and seeing game from long distances. In this area you are very lucky if you find a spot where you can see 100 yards!
I hunted this unit last year and was fortunate to take a young 4 pt. buck, my first deer… so this place has a special feeling for me! I began to think about a hunt in this area for my Dad. There are many places that are accessible for those who aren’t able to walk very far. So I began my propaganda talks on my dad, convincing him it would be a hunt he could really enjoy! This was no small feat, as it would mean Dad had to give up his Mule deer hunt. Idaho won’t let you hunt both… you have to choose one or the other. This was a huge decision for Dad to make… He’s a mule deer man through and through… a friend even made a belt for him that makes reference to his love of mule deer hunting. In 2007 Dad drew a tag in a very coveted mule deer unit and brought home a beautiful typical 4 point buck.( I need to get my dad to tell this story someday!)

“Muley Crazy Ed”

Dad with his beautiful 190 class mule deer in 2007

 After months of  thinking it over Dad made the commitment… I was so excited for the opportunity to hunt with my dad! I knew our time together would be special… and I had visions of sharing the thrill of Dad grinning from ear to ear with his monster whitetail!

Our day of departure finally arrived. It was November 5th and we felt sure the rut was kicking in… it would be about perfect! My dad and Gary both had tags, I was along to film and just enjoy camp life and share in their hunt adventures. It was 70 degrees when we turned off the main highway at Grangeville and headed up the south fork of the Clearwater River… the thermometer read 39 when we turned up Newsome Creek! The temp difference is amazing… the cold just seems to hang down in the creek bottom. But it was still a nice sunny afternoon and we were able to get a cozy, comfortable camp set up, line our gear out and plan our strategies for the morning hunt. Gary was planning on setting up a tree stand in the same spot we had used last year. On our hunt last year a nice mature buck passed within 50 yards of our stands, but never came any closer… I was the only one with a tag and I didn’t feel comfortable at that range. Gary felt this  would be a good place to start for this year’s hunt. Dad and I planned to set up a ground blind in the same area that I had killed my buck last year.

Home for the next 5 days

Whitetail buck we just got a glimpes of through the thick stuff on our 2008 hunt