Going for the One

Each year before hunting season Dylan starts sending me trail cam or spotting scope photos of great bucks he’s been seeing as I anxiously await my annual trip to his ranch, the Diamond C, in Humboldt County. Often there are some specific deer we hope to find but we aren’t usually just looking for one buck. My excitement level builds as the possibilities unfold.

This year I had planned to arrive late August however Dylan was seeing so many great deer he asked if I could come earlier. I was able to change my schedule and arrived Tuesday 8/2. We had a few exceptional bucks in mind to chase. A monster 3×4 that seemed like a good candidate for my bow. A 5×4 down near the cabin, and then one huge buck that had only been seen a couple times. Not sure what he was, only that he was very very BIG. This ended up being the buck we hunted for. The one.

Tuesday night Dylan and his wife Holly and I left the cabin around 6pm. Immediately we saw a 4×4 near the cabin. He looked great, deep forks, probably the biggest I’ve ever seen, but a young buck. Too young to shoot. He’ll no doubt be huge next year. One great thing about hunting every year with Dylan is that I’ve been able to see how improved the deer are on his ranch. Also you can see traits from previous great bucks that are now propagated in his herd like the huge typical ‘Cabin Buck’ or the non-typical ‘Fever’. He’s done a great job managing the ranch. He’s now part of the PLM or Private Lands Management program which has the benefit of longer seasons and also allows me to either use my bow or rifle.

We find a great vantage point on a large rock that overlooks golden hills on either side We glass for Mr. Big until sundown. A spike is milling around nearby unconcerned. Dusk is such a magical time hunting. The landscape you’ve been glassing for hours slowly transforms color as bucks and does materialize. Excitement builds as we hope to catch a glimpse of the big buck. As the sun sets behind us, the sweetly scented hills and distant trees turn a reddish gold and then slowly through shades of gray into night.

It’s a little warmer than we’d wish and we have seen some hard horned bucks. We’re thinking that they may have changed their pattern and are rubbing their velvet off somewhere in the thicker brush. We do see some great deer the next day along with all the usual pigs, turkeys, quail. Some we recognize like ‘club’ that had a big knob for an antler on one side is now a respectable 4×4. A very tall 3×3 with silver gray velvet. Too many to recall now but we don’t see one of the big ones or THE big one. Lots of does and fawns are seen all around the ranch.

Thursday I make the mistake of checking my phone, which rarely works up there, only to find it has. An urgent issue at work requires my attention by Friday. I end up leaving Thursday night. I had originally planned to be up on the 21st so decide to just come back then. Time spent this week was really a bonus.

Sunday 8/8 is Kari and my birthday. Dylan calls me and asks if I’ve seen the picture. With no cell coverage in La Honda I don’t get my texts until I’m back in the valley. Kari and I are shopping when I finally see the picture. He’s spotted the BIG buck and has taken some pics with his phone through the spotting scope and sent me the one below. The picture is impressive, his antlers stand clear above the tall grass, deep forks and extra points. Staring at my iPhone I can’t help but think I’m sharing the same feelings with my primitive ancestors as they gazed at the flickering images on the cave wall; hope, desire, hunger. This is a special buck!

When I finally call to say I’ve seen the picture. He asks wouldn’t I rather hold him in my hands. I need to get back up there as soon as possible. I don’t require any further encouragement. What a great birthday present! Yes I want to hunt this buck. I manage to communicate the urgency to Kari and have no problem securing some additional days off from work and an understanding boss. I’m headed back up Tuesday morning 8/10. I arrive mid day and take it easy at the cabin with Dylan until it gets late enough to try for him. We have the rest of the week to look for him until Friday when another hunter is coming in.

Kenny Sanders regularly hunts coyotes on the ranch for Dylan. I’m thrilled to finally meet him. He’s come to help us out. Dylan has a plan. He and Holly will both take separate locations to glass for the buck while Dylan and I will head up top near where Dylan had seen him last. Finally we all head out to our respective spots. We aren’t really seeing many deer out.

Dylan decides we should go up a little higher than where he saw the buck last. It’s not long before Dylan spots him with another buck getting up from their beds and walking away from us into a thick strand of oak trees. I only see a big rack and his rear as he disappears into the trees. Dylan says to make sure I shoot the right deer, the big one is the wide one. It’s pretty obvious which as they disappear into the woods.

Dylan takes us much further up where we grab our gear and are quickly climbing a grassy hillside, through a wooded area, and emerge onto a high rocky knob that overlooks the trees the bucks entered. I take a prone position with Dylan behind me and try to get settled in for any possible shot. I have my Sako 85 in 30.06 with a short harris bi-pod. I have a steady rest.

We have a great view if they keep coming with some clearings that offer good shot opportunities. My legs are higher than my head and I’m lying on jagged rocks. After 20 minutes my left arm is falling asleep and I’m beginning to wonder if they will show. I’m wanting to sit up for a while but I tell myself to just stay put as they could emerge at any moment.

Soon Dylan whispers behind me that he sees them. He calmly explains where to look and I see the big buck immediately. I acquire him in my scope and then turn it up to 12 power. He’s facing me with his head down at about 200 yards. I’m afraid he will walk right out of this window back into the trees. I’m looking down on him and I hold in between his shoulders. I’m squeezing and boom, he is gone at the shot. I’m not sure if it was a hit or not. I reload and watch and he emerges into the closer clearing. I’m not sure if he’s hit. I’m holding on him again, squeezing, and boom, at the shot he’s gone again. I know he’s hit and think he’s just rolled right there.

Now the buck he’s with walks right into the same clearing facing left and looking down. Hes a big 5×4 himself. He just stands there for minutes looking, we think at the other buck. He’s a great buck. After a long time we are starting to ponder the idea of shooting him too on my second tag. He just stands there offering a perfect broadside shot. Suddenly we hear crashing in the trees below and the other buck bolts off. We are pretty sure it was the first buck rolling down the steep hill. After a few more minutes we see the 5×4 in the far distance.

We finally decide to go check it out. We gather our gear and walk back down the steep hillside and then make our way to a large fir tree that they were under when we shot. We side step down the hill and eventually I see an antler rising above a log that stopped his fall. As we approach Dylan sees he has six points on that side and as we arrive and pick up his head by his beautiful antlers, he’s actually a 5×7 with great palmation on both sides. Dylan and I exchange congratulations at least a few times. I’m in shock. I still can’t believe we pulled this off. I take a moment holding his rack in my hands, what a majestic buck. He’ll provide many meals and memories and be immortalized as the biggest buck yet taken on the ranch and most likely the biggest of my life.

Kenny and Holly soon arrive along with her kids Clayton and Ashley. I’m so glad Kenny is there helping us drag him up the steep hill. We finally get him to the top where we take a couple pictures just as the sun sets.

I’m so grateful for my luck and for Dylan’s skill and knowledge to put us in the right position to have a chance and take such an incredible buck. My dad used to say there are no atheists in fox holes. I think hunting also puts you back in touch with God or whatever your notion of him may be. From urgent supplication to unbounded thanks, hunting often has me checking in with the big guy. I’ll be thankful for this day the rest of my life.

I look forward to many more hunts at the Diamond C. As I take better and better bucks I’m truly looking forward more to ‘the hunt’ the anticipation, the experience, and the memories of time spent with great friends like Dylan and Holly Carr.

More Pictures here on Flickr

New Trail Camera

The undeveloped portion of our property is bounded by a creek and there is a deer trail that rises up from the creek near my house through some oak trees. I discovered the trail shortly after moving in. Kari and I were awakened one night by something banging against our fence. I went out to investigate and a nice buck was rubbing against a willow tree that was hitting the fence. Shortly after I put up a trail camera and captured the buck rubbing against the willow.

This original camera used film which was expensive and mostly just captured the usual does and fawns. Eventually they all went digital and at that point I starting having it operational much more often and captured many young bucks crossing the trail.

To date my best buck is this old 3×4 I caught just rising up from the creek trail.

My new camera is a Bushnell Trophy Cam ordered through TrailcamPro.com.

I set it on video and caught quite a few different critters walking through but no bucks sighted yet. Probably later in the year.

Kari riding Prix St. Georges at The Horse Park in Woodside

Finally have a video of Kari riding the Prix St. George test from a dressage show at The Horse Park in Woodside today. They have a covered ring now which is very nice. It offers some shade for the riders to warm up in before the test and for us spectators as well.

This is only her third test at this level so she’s not too competitive yet. She took fourth today. I have to commend her for working so hard to get to this level. Here is info on the Prix St. Georges test from Dressage-Academy.Com. The music in the background was from another area of the show and not intended to accompany the test although I think it’s a nice touch.

Prix St. Greorges is the beginning of the international levels of dressage. This level is governed by the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale. A horse competing at this level must be a minimum of 7 years of age. At this level, it is expected that the horse and rider will have successfully exhibited all the required movements at the lower levels. Prix St. Georges continues pirouette and flying change work. Furthermore, rider’s are expected to show distinct differences within the gaits from collection to extention.

Horse and rider pairs are judged similarly to the lower levels in that the judge looks for the correct execution of the required movements, as well as, the willingness of the horse and effectiveness of the rider’s aids. The Musical Freestyle is also performed at this level. As with the lower level tests, this level includes walk, trot and canter work, multiple flying lead changes and half pirouettes.

More Scouting Pics

Dylan from the Diamond C ranch has been periodically texting me more scouting pics. The first is from a trail cam and the second two are taken just by holding his phone up to the spotting scope so the resolution isn’t the greatest. Still it’s enough to get pretty excited about the upcoming season. I’m on a quest to take a true B&C buck and am hoping that this is the year.

Some great bucks out there. This last one looks exceptional, wide past his ears and nice eye guards. Getting the scouting pics inspired me to go to the Kings Mountain Archery Range today for some practice. My first shot at 40 yards was right on. Did pretty well at various distances out to about 50 yards. Would love to take a big buck with my bow but since the ranch is PLM I have the option to use the rifle.

First Scouting Pic

Dylan sent me this last week. First scouting pic for the year from the Diamond C. This buck in velvet is already well past his ears! Looking forward to seeing more pics as we get closer to August. I will probably go mid August and then back up again in November.

Twin Towers

Last fall I shot an exceptional blacktail deer with Diamond C Outfitters up in Humboldt County. Early in the year Dylan had nicknamed him ‘twin towers’ for his split mainbeam on the left side. I had seen scouting pics of the buck but have been mostly focused on getting a big 4×4 ever since coming close the year before and having taking a few 3x4s.

In the past month the story of this buck was covered in Relentless 365 and his picture also appeared in the back of Eastman’s Hunting Journal in the Hornady Successful hunter’s section. Was really happy to get my pic in Eastmans!

Here are some scouting pics of twin towers in velvet where you can first see his split mainbeam growing on the left side.

While hunting for the big 4×4 we came upon a few bucks and he immediately identified one as ‘twin towers’. I had a lot of time to look at him through the spotting scope and didn’t think he was all that special at first, thinking his tall forked eye guard was the ‘split beam’ however after he turned I could see he truly had two mainbeams on the left each forked. At that point I decided I had to take him and the stalk was fairly uneventful. We crawled into the grass at about 200 yards until the hill breaking downward let me get a clear shot. He dropped at the shot from my new Cooper custom classic in .270. I’d waited two years for this rifle and was so happy to break it in on such a great buck.

At the sports show in San Mateo in January I talked to some guys that were starting up a brand new magazine on California hunting called Relentless 365. Soon I’m telling them my fall hunting stories, breaking out the iPhone and sharing pics. Editor Brent Miller asked if I would write a story for their Spring magazine. I told him I would be happy to. Was very pleased to see it come out last month, a full four page story with lots of pictures. It’s great to see a magazine devoted to California hunting again.

SCI Club 200 Yard Shoot

Saturday I went to the annual 200 yard shoot hosted by my local chapter of Safari Club International. We usually have about 15 guys show up to sight in their rifles for hunting season at the Chabot 200 yard range which we have to ourselves for the day.

I started out with my prized Cooper which I received last year in time to take my best Blacktail Buck to date. I had the rifle custom made in .270 winchester and waited almost two years for it to arrive.

I had bought some of the new Federal .270 with a 110 gr Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks which are rated at 3400 fps. This load was very interesting as it approximates the extremely flat trajectory of the .257 Weatherby out of a .270 Winchester. This load sighted dead on at 200 is only 5″ low at 300 yards and with a slightly higher adjustment could be a great deer load out to 400. My main concern is can the twist on my barrel stabilize such a light bullet. After a few groups I think the answer is, not well enough. I was able to shoot a couple 2″ groups however it’s not as accurate as I had hoped. The rifle is so accurate with more typical .270 loads I’ll probably just go back to 140gr Accubonds.

Next up was my Sako 85 in 30.06. This is a great all weather rifle and my go to gun for when I don’t want to carry the Cooper around, like in rain or snow. I have it set up for the Barnes 180 gr Triple Shocks so that it’s legal for pigs in the California A Zone which does not allow lead in an attempt to help save the endangered California Condor.

The Sako always seems to deliver great accuracy. It was also my best group of the day at 1 1/2″. Many of the guys out there shoot nice groups but I’m always curious how far they are off from their ‘Point of Aim’. While I’m trying to shoot under 2″ at 200 yards, most all of my shots all day were within 3 of my Point of Aim and most were under 2.

My last rifle of the day is my Sauer 202 in .300 Weatherby. This is a finicky gun for some reason. I took a nice elk with it in New Mexico only after coming up with a good handload. Today I’m just sighting in a box of 180 gr Nosler Partitions. It does about what I expected which is around a 3″ group at 200 yards. Still all three shots are within 2″ of my ‘point of aim’ and it’s still a great elk rifle with that level of accuracy.

Was a great day, always enjoy shooting with these guys as many of them have exotic hunting planned for the fall. I shot next to Mike Borel our chapter president. He always does some amazing groups with his Browning A-Bolt in .280 with a carbon fiber wrapped Christensen barrel. He’s off to Switzerland for Ibex this fall.

Spearfishing over bait

Was up north for ab diving again Saturday. The plan was to dive Ocean Cove but scoping it out there looked to be waves right in the spot we wanted to dive. So headed back down to Fort Ross. Went to the cove where I went the first time. It has something of a steep trail and at one point you have to lower yourself repelling style with a rope for about ten feet. Finally at the water and getting my gear on I notice I’m missing a glove. Halfway back up the trail and find the glove.

Back to the water, it’s flat as a swimming pool and the resident harbor seal is sunning himself on the lone wash rock at the mouth of the cove. Today I’m going to try and spearfish over bait which is legal and friends have done with great success. I have a ziploc with frozen ab guts. Put it in my mesh bag with a one pound weight and send it to the bottom in about 12 feet. Visibility is not great, maybe 8 or so. I just brought the polespear. After only a few minutes a couple rockfish are checking out the bag. A big blue sea star moves right in and I have to prod him off the bag and relocate him. Now a big rockfish is there, I try to dive to get into range but the fish scatter when I get close. After this happening two more times I decide to just fish around the bait underwater and then approach from underwater on the bottom as quietly as I can.

Cruising around the rocks and crevices I see plenty of abalone for later. Now I dive and slowly approach the bait from fifteen feet away. As the bag slowly materializes I see there is a big cabezon on it! I glide up silently and nail him with the trident. He goes ballistic, like a bird on the end of a stick, I’m holding on but he wriggles right off of my spear. So disappointed, really wanted my first Cab. Probably should have tried to stone him with a head shot.

After several more failed attempts I decide to forgo the fishing over bait. Put my spear on the boogie board and grab my abalone iron. I swim out to deeper waters near the wash rock. The seal is gone now but will usually come check me out at some point. Not long I’m finding some nice size abalone in the rocky crevices. I’ve finally marked my iron with 9″ and 10″ increments hoping to get something bigger. I pull one that I think looks huge but it’s just over 8. After a while I’ve pulled two more also around 8. I think I’ll need to go somewhere more remote if I’m ever going to see a 9.

Back to fishing, I patrol the rocks and crevices and the kelp patches chasing a big black around but never getting close enough. One big fish in a hole that scooted right as I shot. Finally decide to call it a day. The fishing over bait looks promising, think I may need a better tip to hold bigger fish when I have to use the polespear.

Winning Production Class!

Today at the Action Shooting Club match, everything came together for me to win Production class. Everything included a low turn out and the guy that usually beats me having a complete meltdown, but I did shoot very well so I’ll take it! We had six short stages which made it a lot of fun.

Stage one was simply paper targets and some steel shot in between barrels. You have to slow down a little not to hit the white no-shoots. Was a good start.

Stage two was very interesting, it featured turning targets on both sides of a barricade and you could score up to six hits on each. The drop turning targets disappear after they drop so misses are not counted against you, however you get the points for hitting them. Here is where you really need to play the game. Your score is your sum points divided by your time. I elected to not shoot the turner on the right and got six hits on the one on the left in about six and a half seconds.

Stage three was the USPSA classifier. Three paper targets with black areas that don’t score and one steel target. You shoot each of the paper twice and the steel must drop to score.

Stage Four was a simply a build out of stage two with more targets on both sides and targets shot through the ports in the middle. I aced this one getting good hits and in a farily good time.

Stage Five is really what won it for me. The guy taking the video forgot to hit the button so the video starts while I’m already shooting. Four paper targets are behind steel cover and you need to shoot each three times. The mover has a white no-shoot next to it and must also be shot three times. This is where everyone fell apart and I managed to win this stage getting two on the moving target without hitting the no shoot.

The last stage was pretty simple. Just paper targets but next to no-shoots so it slows you down a little. The last three are behind hard steel so you need to shoot in between them.

Overall I shot really well and it put me in position to win. I think it’s probably been a year since winning production as there have been some very competitive shooters out there. It’s always fun regardless of where you finish.

mseanbrowne