The Closing Weekend!

 

So Emily and I just got back from a very successful California A-zone hunt on Wilderness Unlimited Leased Lands and a old deer club Emily's family belongs to. The trip was amazing since we not only “Tagged Out” but we were able to spend quality time with family in the outdoors.

 

We hunted Wednesday through a Sunday and were able to take two nice respectable bucks and a pig. Emily harvested hers on the first evening we were there. The rain poured all day and the deer were all over. Her buck was a nice little fork which weighed around 130 lbs. The buck was in the exact same spot she took a nice fork two years earlier. She made a great 60 yard shot with her Savage 243 with 100 grain hand loads.  This marks year number four she has been able to tag out on the first day of the hunt. She is too dang lucky.

 

On Thursday we decided to head to a Wilderness Unlimited Ranch nearby. We made some great hunts including one where I got within 50 yards of one of the largest Blacktails I have seen while hunting. Unfortunately while at full draw a small 2x2 stood right in front of the buck’s vitals. They finally got spooky and both bolted at the same time leaving me with the image of his rack burnt into my imagination.  On my way back to the truck I spotted a nice 3x3 about 250 yards away. After about 10 minutes, I closed the distance to 48 yards and slipped an arrow into the buck. He was a dandy archery buck with a great cape and meat. The deer this year have all been in great body condition due to the extraordinary acorn crop.  

Getting ready to shoot.

 The Limbsaver Proton, Victory Arrows and Ulmer Edge Broadheads did the trick again. I love this setup!

Friday brought us on the hunt for Pigs at a ranch near Hopland, CA. We were able to get on some pigs but were never able to get within bow range. That evening we all split up to cover some likely areas where pigs were crossing that morning. I picked a fence line that had some good rooting earlier. Toward the very end of my hike I heard pigs rooting under an Oak tree about 100 yards ahead of me. I closed the distance and put an arrow in the boiler room of a nice 80lb boar at 26 yards. Pigs are sometimes so oblivious (when they are feeding) that with the right wind you can literally walk right up to them! Pork Chops for Dinner!

The rest of the trip was filled with hikes and laughs around camp. We felt so fortunate to go home with happy hearts and heavy coolers. Another A zone season is in the bag and we cannot wait for our next hunts in October for Mule Deer. Now the Butcher work begins!