Last Training Hike

There’s no better was to train for hiking in the mountains with a heavy pack…than hiking in the mountains with a heavy pack. So with less than a week until I jet for Anchorage and sheep hunting 2011, I headed for the deer hills with the hopes of hiking back heavily laden. The forecast looked better for Sunday than Saturday so instead of leaving after work on Friday I waited until Saturday afternoon. It was clear in the valley bottom when I started, but clouds covered the peaks. A three hour hike put me at the edge of the alpine and in the fog…again. AHHHH, so frustrating. Was it going to be a repeat of last weekend? When a middlin’ 2x3 practically gave himself up to me right there at camp I was sorely tempted, but the forecast for the next day kept me in check. I went to bed and hoped for the best in the morning. A midnight check, revealed stars overhead. Okay, now I’m getting excited. At four am I was up and had clear visibility, but fog and clouds were socked in to the valley bottom and headed my way. By 4:30 I was enveloped again. NOOOO. I was feeling pretty bottled up. Second weekend in a row up high with no visibility. What even made it more frustrating was to be able to see blue sky above me and several of the surrounding peaks. Crud I thought, I picked the wrong mountain. I slowly worked my way in the fog to the peak to at least put myself in position and finally about 8:30 the clouds burned away and a sweet flat-topped alpine ridge spread out below me dotted with deer. Finally, this is what I climbed up here for. With the spotting scope I picked out the biggest buck I could find, a modest 3x4 and planned my approach. I had about 900 yards to cover to get in shooting position, if he stayed put. I had to work my way past several deer. I think they can sense a threat and these seemed to know they weren’t my target. I just presented myself to them and walked past. None spooked bad. They just watched me walk by or slowly walked off. Some at under 20 yards distance. As I neared the bucks last known location, I couldn’t find him. There were several other deer still in the area so I figured he wasn’t far off. By now I was out of cover. So I moved slow, rifle at the ready thinking every little roll or depression of terrain could be hiding him. Every step could have me right on top of him. Now deer were standing watching from several directions. It was like having an audience watch my stalk. Then 200 yards ahead, orange, brown hides in the scrub brush. Binoculars confirm one is him. I slip out of my pack and get prone, one little juniper bush my only hint of cover. At 175 yards he turns broadside and the 30.06 broke the spell over the alpine.