MountainDevil54

I was out doing a little videoing in the snow storm this evening and took the ol fat dog along. We had just walked half way around the canyon by us and on the way back i saw a rock with snow all over it and half way down it, it looked like legs. I figured i'd show you guys how easily it is to confuse a simple snow covered rock in thick forest + snow falling, for an animal.

Turned the camera on and the screen lit up the surrounding area. Zoom in to 5x...... SOB! That aint no rock! I got so excited i forgot to press the record button! 2 Huge does (That or bucks with no antlers) were standing there 80 yards away, walking up their usual deer trail they carved into the mountain. So im sorry to say, i let you all down by forgetting to hit the button I'll be sure someone else uses the camera this hunting season LOL.

Heres some pictures though of the area. Pretty typical of our hunting areas. Thick oak brush, lots of heavy dark timber mixed with cedar. Those deer really blend it with this stuff.



The deer trail is half way up the side of this mountain,


Had the accura with me too for a powder/moisture test. And you bet i checked the sights out on them LOL. They are going to be perfect for deer and elk. You could see a lot of body ( or in my case, deer butt LOL) in them. Very good sight picture with these.



Rifle still covered with wetness so thats another test, see how good Flitz works for keeping rust away.

Tomorrow im going to take about 5lbs of corn/oats up and leave it right on that trail, may even set up the trail camera on there and see what goes on.

Breechplug

MD, nice Pics, I love the wilderness.......but if you want to see some THICK stuff then come here to N.Y. we have (RED-BRUSH) that's so thick you cant carry a gun through it, sometimes you have to crawl, and if you ever died in it they'd find you standing up. Plus the Red Brush is mixed with Briars, Blowdowns and Creepy Vine that grows thorns and when they get ahold of you they dont let go and if you get caught in it no matter wich way you move the thorns dig deeper in you, so you better have a pair of pruning shears to cut yourself out, and when you get out your a bloddy mess. Needeless to sy that's where the Deer hide especially the Big Bucks and there's NO Way to sneak up on them as they here you comming for a mile, there long gone befor you see em. A-lot of these patches of this stuff are from 5-50acres big.
Enough of that how's the moisture test going, that finger cot should keep you dry, I never had a problem with My ACCURA going off using something similar. Next time make sure you turn the camer on,LOL. We've all done it Im sure.
(BP)

cayugad

Nice pictures... How much snow do you get a year there FG? I have noted on some of your pics there is no snow and then on others there is snow.


Breechplug, we have alder in our thickets. And like you, it can grow so thick that you can not walk through it. One reason I carry a compass and a GPS because on my old Magellan GPS to get a true north you have to be moving. Once I can get a true north on the GPS, then I can stop pull up a map, set my compass to it and get an idea on how to get out of that mess.

I shot a big doe and she ran into that mess and when I found her, I was so turned around and just beat, that was the first time I considered leaving a deer in the woods. But being stubborn and being me, I walked a path to some high ground, ribboned it, and then carried and pulled her to that. After that I could get an ATV to her. I was never so physically exhausted as I was that day.



That is a walking trail through my woods... I cut roads all over my woods for walking, snowshoe, and ATV.

MountainDevil54

It all depends. Sometimes we can get 2 to 3 feet one day, then have to melt after a week and have it it 50* for a week or 2 and then a few inches here and there through out winter.

we have weird weather down here in southern colorado.

Breechplug

Dave, I've done that too, I shot a Deer once and it ran so far into the red brush that It took me a hour to find it, plus it was late in the afternoon when I shot it. When I finnaly got it gutted out I did'nt have a clue wich way to go (there was no snow) I was a little scared, plus the Coyotes were closing in on me. I too thought of leaving the Deer and just getting myself out, but I knew if I left the Deer in there that all would be left of it was the front shoulders by the time I returned and if I could find it again.
I cant tell you how long it took to get out but there was a Train about a mile away and I new the direction the Train Tracks were at so I just followed my sences and got out at 9;30 at night and I shot the Deer at 3;45pm.
We usually have a rule to try and never shoot a deer if were Huntning near red brush in the evening, or by a swamp, because you just may never find it befor the Coyotes do, or find your way out.
(BP)

bronko22000

geez - i wish coyotes were the least of my worries. I shot a doe a few years back (archery) about 45 min before dark. Gave her some time while I walked back to the truck to put my bow in and grab may big maglite.
Started trailing, lost blood, then found the trail again with the help of my friend and chased a bear off her. That bear was circling us and popping its teeth while I gutted her and began dragging her out while my friend cleared a path ahead of us.
That was the fastest gut/drag in history.

dburns51

Nice pictures MD and Cayugad. It looks like either area a fella could get himself good and lost if he didn't watch what he was doing.

Breachplug: Forgive me for asking but what is red brush? Is it black berry bushes on steroids?

Buck Hunter 1

We have Mountain Laurel and river hillsides to contend with in PA. You start driving deer, no use to take a gun you just work from one Mountain Bush to the next and don't get your feet on the ground. Sometimes ice under there until May-June time frame it is so thick. Great deer cover.

MountainDevil54

Went out this afternoon with the dog again and went up to where i saw those deer. Looks like the deer i saw were bucks with no antlers, tracks where pretty clear today. Also looks like they had 3 does with them. Bucks were lagging behind them.

Took a different way back and i dont know what made me take this path but i went through some thick oak brush and out there in a little clearing, between some pine trees, i found this laying there.

I'd love to find the other one!

5 point + 2 small stickers on the side of the rack. Some would call it a 7 point. I measured all the way around the base of the antler and its 5" all the around around with 24 1/2" long main beam.



I like this, reminds me of a razor back.

Semisane

You've got the carry strap on that dog upside down. The handle should be on top. .