Utah deer hunt - The Firearms Forum

hstout1143 · 10-24-2012, 04:35 PM

Deer season opened in Utah on the 20th. My youngest son Hunter and I were drawn for the hunt. We left the Wednesday the 17th after school for the 520 mile drive. Towing my trailer with our tent, 2 quads and everything else needed for a week long camping trip in the mountains. We arrived in Mesquite NV, where we always meet up with others from our hunting party, around 8pm. After breakfast with the group in the morning we left for Cedar City, UT and the Walmart there. We loaded up on more supplies than we could eat and more booze than we could drink in a month, as usual. We headed out for Panguitch soon after. Arriving in camp about 2, introductions and handshakes went around for new and old members of the party. Howard, the oldest member of the party, has been hunting the area since 56', My son Hunter, the youngest at 14, had never been to the camp with the group before. We pitched tent, set up our kitchen, dug our latrine and hung a meat pole.
Friday was our first full day. We scouted new areas to hunt, the area that we hunt is roughly 100 square miles, most accessible by truck and atv, the rest only on foot and at 9300' altitude not that easily for someone from a town in southern California. We saw lots of shootable deer since we were there looking for meat and my sons first deer. Bigger bucks take a lot more effort. We were looking forward to opening morning. 4:30 comes awfully early and going from 90 degree weather with a low of 74 to 27 degrees at 4:30 in the morning takes a little getting used to. We had our coffee and hopped on the quads, a half hour later we were at our site and 15 minutes later so was 7 other people. We waited hoping they would leave since we were there first, but they didn't. We saw a few does with fawns and saw a nice big bodied fork horn. We first saw them at 750 yards and they worked their way to within 450 yards, still out of reach for my sons shooting abilities, it was headed in our direction then a truck on the road scared him off. We packed up and headed back towards camp.
Taking a slow ride back hoping to see something, about half way back I saw a a little forky standing in the road, not 25 yards away. My son was behind me. He couldn't see the buck. The buck walked in to the aspens. I told my son to ride up real slow and get off of his quad and grab his rifle. By the time he got there to buck had ran back about 100 yards into the aspen. It was dark and hard to see it, Hunter was in a kneeling position, he didn't have a shot because the aspens were so thick. Then, the buck toke 2 steps forward to get a better look at us, BIG MISTAKE. Hunter asked if he should shoot, "Whenever you're ready" I said. I almost didn't hear the repeat of the rifle. The buck dropped in it's tracks.
I got my deer that afternoon. Our camp had a clean sweep 6 for 6. A spike, 2 forky's, a 3x2 and 2 3x3's. For 2 of the hunter's it was their first deer, for the others, it was another deer and another memory. For me it was the most important deer in the world, it was my sons first.

pdg929 · 10-24-2012, 05:03 PM

why do you tape the nose and put them in bags?

hstout1143 · 10-24-2012, 05:10 PM

The bag is to keep the flies off of them and the tape is to keep the flies from going through their nostrils to the meat.

45nut · 10-30-2012, 04:17 PM

To keep the snoring deer from keeping the camp awake!!

zkovach · 10-30-2012, 06:34 PM

Great trip congrats!!

pdg929 · 10-31-2012, 09:44 AM

thanks just curious lol

hstout1143 · 10-31-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdg929

Why do you put them in bags?

They're dressed as ghosts for halloween.

woolleyworm · 10-31-2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hstout1143

They're dressed as ghosts for halloween.

Haha! Theres some ghosts I would like to run into!

Great post ! I have my sons first hunt planned for next year; he lives out of state, so it's a little bit harder to get out and hunt with him.

hstout1143 · 10-31-2012, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woolleyworm

Haha! Theres some ghosts I would like to run into!

Great post ! I have my sons first hunt planned for next year; he lives out of state, so it's a little bit harder to get out and hunt with him.

Good luck! I hope it is a successful and memorable hunt for both of you.

10-24-2012, 04:35 PM	#1
hstout1143 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Contributor Posts: 1,742	Utah deer hunt Deer season opened in Utah on the 20th. My youngest son Hunter and I were drawn for the hunt. We left the Wednesday the 17th after school for the 520 mile drive. Towing my trailer with our tent, 2 quads and everything else needed for a week long camping trip in the mountains. We arrived in Mesquite NV, where we always meet up with others from our hunting party, around 8pm. After breakfast with the group in the morning we left for Cedar City, UT and the Walmart there. We loaded up on more supplies than we could eat and more booze than we could drink in a month, as usual. We headed out for Panguitch soon after. Arriving in camp about 2, introductions and handshakes went around for new and old members of the party. Howard, the oldest member of the party, has been hunting the area since 56', My son Hunter, the youngest at 14, had never been to the camp with the group before. We pitched tent, set up our kitchen, dug our latrine and hung a meat pole. Friday was our first full day. We scouted new areas to hunt, the area that we hunt is roughly 100 square miles, most accessible by truck and atv, the rest only on foot and at 9300' altitude not that easily for someone from a town in southern California. We saw lots of shootable deer since we were there looking for meat and my sons first deer. Bigger bucks take a lot more effort. We were looking forward to opening morning. 4:30 comes awfully early and going from 90 degree weather with a low of 74 to 27 degrees at 4:30 in the morning takes a little getting used to. We had our coffee and hopped on the quads, a half hour later we were at our site and 15 minutes later so was 7 other people. We waited hoping they would leave since we were there first, but they didn't. We saw a few does with fawns and saw a nice big bodied fork horn. We first saw them at 750 yards and they worked their way to within 450 yards, still out of reach for my sons shooting abilities, it was headed in our direction then a truck on the road scared him off. We packed up and headed back towards camp. Taking a slow ride back hoping to see something, about half way back I saw a a little forky standing in the road, not 25 yards away. My son was behind me. He couldn't see the buck. The buck walked in to the aspens. I told my son to ride up real slow and get off of his quad and grab his rifle. By the time he got there to buck had ran back about 100 yards into the aspen. It was dark and hard to see it, Hunter was in a kneeling position, he didn't have a shot because the aspens were so thick. Then, the buck toke 2 steps forward to get a better look at us, BIG MISTAKE. Hunter asked if he should shoot, "Whenever you're ready" I said. I almost didn't hear the repeat of the rifle. The buck dropped in it's tracks. I got my deer that afternoon. Our camp had a clean sweep 6 for 6. A spike, 2 forky's, a 3x2 and 2 3x3's. For 2 of the hunter's it was their first deer, for the others, it was another deer and another memory. For me it was the most important deer in the world, it was my sons first. __________________ NRA Life Member Kids that hunt and fish don't mug old ladies. "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." - Ronald Reagan "Deo Duce, Ferro Comitante", With God as my leader and my sword as my companion --> Last edited by hstout1143; 04-22-2013 at 10:38 PM..

10-24-2012, 05:03 PM	#2
pdg929 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 111	Re: Utah deer hunt why do you tape the nose and put them in bags? __________________ "GOD MADE ALL MEN, BUT SAMUEL COLT MADE THEM EQUAL" " A SHEPARD MUST TEND HIS FLOCK,AND AT TIMES FIGHT OFF THE WOLVES"

10-24-2012, 05:10 PM	#3
hstout1143 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Contributor Posts: 1,742	Re: Utah deer hunt The bag is to keep the flies off of them and the tape is to keep the flies from going through their nostrils to the meat. __________________ NRA Life Member Kids that hunt and fish don't mug old ladies. "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." - Ronald Reagan "Deo Duce, Ferro Comitante", With God as my leader and my sword as my companion

10-30-2012, 04:17 PM	#4
45nut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,428	Re: Utah deer hunt To keep the snoring deer from keeping the camp awake!! __________________ A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that. Shane Nemo me impune lacesset We recall the case of the Shoshone war band which showed up complete with one 30-30 rifle per man the week after Pearl Harbor, and simply wanted to have the enemy pointed out to them. "We hear there's a war going on and we want to go fight it." Jeff Cooper *KCCO*

10-30-2012, 06:34 PM	#5
zkovach Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,005	Re: Utah deer hunt Great trip congrats!! __________________ Liberalism: Poverty for ALL!!

10-31-2012, 09:44 AM	#6
pdg929 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 111	Re: Utah deer hunt thanks just curious lol __________________ "GOD MADE ALL MEN, BUT SAMUEL COLT MADE THEM EQUAL" " A SHEPARD MUST TEND HIS FLOCK,AND AT TIMES FIGHT OFF THE WOLVES"