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My First Alaskan Deer
#6406290
08/13/16 10:16 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220
Grizz
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220 |
I was able to shoot my first Sitka Blacktail Deer in Alaska yesterday. He’s only a spike, but I absolutely worked my butt off to shoot him so I’m darn proud of him. We hiked 2 hours and 1,500 feet of elevation to the hunting spot. After glassing the entire area for several hours we didn’t have a deer within 3/4 of a mile of us. When we started to leave, we saw this deer at probably 600-700 yards out bedded down next to a brush line. We circled around the ridge behind him and got within 100 yards and confirmed he was a buck. I dropped down prone and before I could get on him, he took off in the brush and showed himself a couple of times for a second at around 100 and 140 yards. He popped out again at 200 and I let him have it. He ran about 80 yards over a rise, down into a deep ravine, and up the other side. When he got about 50 yards up the other side, he fell and rolled down into the stream at the bottom. Since we were in a bad area if a bear showed up (there was bear scat on the trail coming in), I gutted him quickly and we got out of Dodge. My son and his buddy (another Coast Guard swimmer) took turns carrying the deer out for me. Those young men are absolute beasts compared to me and they really hooked me up. As I said before, I worked my big *** off for this deer and by the time we got down out of the mountains I was almost totally spent. This was the most physically demanding hunting I have ever done, and the most fun and rewarding. This little guy will proudly hang on my wall with my other bucks. Even though he is the smallest, he definitely has the best story. How about this for service from a guide.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406292
08/13/16 10:25 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220
Grizz
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220 |
Here are a couple of views of the area we were hunting. The photos don't do this beautiful country justice.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406312
08/13/16 11:32 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,459
majekman
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,459 |
Simply outstanding Grizz!! Fine job and a memory for life.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406316
08/13/16 11:45 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,825
poisonivie
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,825 |
Glad you could hang in there with the young pups. congrats.
Pee on Photobucket
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406383
08/13/16 01:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,768
jeh7mmmag
gramps
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gramps
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,768 |
�Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.� ~ John Muir
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406526
08/13/16 04:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 604
red bluff
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 604 |
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406545
08/13/16 04:19 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,271
Palehorse
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,271 |
Looks like you had an awesome hunt. This is a hunt I have often thought of doing. If you don't mind sharing, what was your total cost?
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406576
08/13/16 04:50 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
Big_Ag
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773 |
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Big_Ag]
#6406587
08/13/16 05:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65,416
SnakeWrangler
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65,416 |
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored] Actually, BBC is pretty damn good "You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Palehorse]
#6406634
08/13/16 06:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220
Grizz
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220 |
Looks like you had an awesome hunt. This is a hunt I have often thought of doing. If you don't mind sharing, what was your total cost? My annual hunting/14 day fishing license and one deer tag were $315.00. You have some different options with airfare, but flying direct from DFW to Anchorage and then to Kodiak was around $1,100.00 or so round trip I believe. The land is just public land with no fees, and I didn't use a professional guide so there were no other fees. I'm also staying with my son so I'm not having to pay for a place to stay. It definitely pays to have someone who knows the area. I would have had no idea of where to go or how to get there. All things considered, my trip is not representative of the average Alaskan hunting trip, I'm just very fortunate to have the circumstances I have. If you get into some of the other animals like Kodiak bears, elk, buffalo, or caribou, the tags are more expensive. With at least the bears you have to go through a professional guide but I'm not sure about the others.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406645
08/13/16 06:07 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,853
txshntr
T-Rex Arms
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T-Rex Arms
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,853 |
Outstanding!!! What a great trip and memory to share with your son. A trophy is what it means to you and that's one to be proud of
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406763
08/13/16 08:29 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,043
Wilhunt
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,043 |
Congratulations on a terrific hunt. The best of times, glad the youngsters were there to help.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406817
08/13/16 09:46 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 13,991
NDN98
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 13,991 |
Congrats. Looks like a fun trip!
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: txshntr]
#6406829
08/13/16 10:12 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 29,609
SapperTitan
Taking Requests
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Taking Requests
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 29,609 |
Outstanding!!! What a great trip and memory to share with your son. A trophy is what it means to you and that's one to be proud of
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6406851
08/13/16 10:34 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496
Halfadozen
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,496 |
Congrats Grizz! What did that Sitka weigh?
Freedom is a fragile thing ...Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again. -- Ronald Reagan
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407053
08/14/16 01:00 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 436
LSCG
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 436 |
congratulations!
I bet he's good eating tonight!
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407055
08/14/16 01:01 AM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 24,258
dkershen
Rev Dave
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Rev Dave
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 24,258 |
To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.www.NewHopeEquine.com - Health and Healing through Horses.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Halfadozen]
#6407166
08/14/16 02:38 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220
Grizz
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,220 |
Congrats Grizz! What did that Sitka weigh? Thank you sir. We didn't have a scale available, but I would estimate he weighed about 90 pounds field dressed.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407260
08/14/16 04:33 AM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 274
jae011
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 274 |
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407451
08/14/16 02:21 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118 |
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407635
08/14/16 05:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083
J.G.
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,083 |
Spike or not, you got hunt Alaska and kill a deer. Few people will ever get to say that. Congrats!
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407641
08/14/16 05:26 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271
SniperRAB
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271 |
Good Stuff and with your Son Congratulations Sir
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407682
08/14/16 05:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,364
Choctaw
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,364 |
Very cool! Congratulations on a successful hunt.
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Re: My First Alaskan Deer
[Re: Grizz]
#6407685
08/14/16 05:54 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 19,100
dgilbert
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 19,100 |
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