BC Late Archery 2024

[IronNoggin]

Recognizing this will be painful, while desperately hoping the powers that be come to their senses and get this Forum back up and running as it sjould be!!

Before fleeing The Rock and wandering over to the mainland, I took a few practice sessions to ensure the bow was up to snuff:



80 yards. That should suffice!

I was rather excited as my partner had been sending me trail cam pix of the areas we hunt:



So I packed the truck the day before, then set off to hook up with a Buddy in Vancouver before over-nighting at yet another buddy's place. Fog was thick for the run to Nanaimo, and stayed that way right into Van:

[IronNoggin]

The run through Princeton and over to Kelowna was uneventful, and I was warmly greeted by my partner, his family and his HUGE Rhodesian Ridgeback. A fine feed for supper, then off to dreamland where massive bucks wandered freely.

Up in the dark the next am for the run down to Rock Creek. We have a little honey hole there that has produced well for us over the years, so had decided to check that over as first priority. Slim pickings though, we saw but thirteen whitetails, and all were behaving like bottle rockets!!

So, off to another of our favorites in the Christian Valley. Have way into that area, the check battery light comes on in my buddies 4x4.
A mad dash towards Kelowna ensued, but we did not make it and soon enough found ourselves perched on an approach beside the highway. No Cell Service. DAMN!

Fortunately a kind fellow stopped to ensure we were OK, and gave us a 5 or 6 minute boost. Somehow that kicked the ailing alternator into it's final gears, and we made it right into town!

The next day was spent replacing the battery and ripping out / tearing down the alternator.
It was obviously toast, so the search began for anew one.
Found one late in the afternoon, installed, and good to go for the next day...

[IronNoggin]

Again up well before the dawn and off to another area which will remain undisclosed.
Multiple sightings on the way in, and that was to continue over the coarse of the day.

Got busted in 4 straight stalks, but still seeing lots and the confidence ran high.
Ran into 2 different herds of elk, totaling around 100 of them overall.
Including one beautiful BIG six point!
Oh for a tag...

The whitetail numbers stayed steady.
Numbers 41 - 44 were sighted just at dusk - a massive dry doe around 50 - 75 yards ahead of a family group consisting of a doe with her twins.
Used a small hill and the heavy brush to get in front of the way they were feeding.
Did not have long to wait and the big doe stepped right into the basketball sized opening in the brush I was behind. 35 yards.
She looked right at me at the lest second, but the arrow was already on it's way.
Knew from the reaction (and tracking the Luminok as it sped from the bow) it was a good shot.
Backed out and gave her 1/2 hour to expire, then went in for a look with the headlamps.

Blood everywhere.
Solid trail, that 35 or so yards away abruptly ended?
How do you bleed so much and then it simply stops I asked.
We ran concentric and expanding circles, but did not pick up any more sign?
Back to the last of that and I suggested she either turned hard right into heavy brush, or back-tracked.
My partner did the hard right, while I scanned between him and the backtrail.
BINGO! There she was just a few yards from my buddy.
She had fallen into a bit of a hole, so we simply missed her the first time through.
Certainly took the anxiety level down substantially!

Walking up to her I instantly realized I had not misread her size. She was a TANK!





Quickly field dressed her, confirmed she was dry.
HUGE amounts of fat!! Damn fine shape!
Going to be excellent grits!
Then the drag back to the truck and loaded up for transport.

Hung in the shed upon arrival, and plans set for the next day over a late din-din...

[IronNoggin]

Up early again, and off to Lumby.
We have a few spots there that have produced over the years, and I had a 2 gallon ziplock of my blackberries to trade for huckleberries with a local rancher we know.
Spent the majority of the morning checking our spots with dismal results.
Few tracks, no sightings.
So off for a fine visit and BS Session with the rancher.

Decided to bail on that area, and ran up to check a few of our sites off the Westside Road.
Again no sightings and but a few tracks.

Pulled the chip from the trail cam at a spot closer to my buddy's home.
The week before I came, the rut was in full sway.
Prior to that the deer had only been active nocturnally.
Then for a week and change they were passing by at any given time in the daylight.
However, withing a day of my arrival, the rut had apparently quit, and they went back into Full Dark mode.
No pix at all during the day.
That trend was to last the entire time I was there, and meant forgoing the use of the blind that was set up and waiting...
Sigh...

[IronNoggin]

Again up early and back to the non-disclosed site.
No elk that run, but 37 whitetails spotted, and several attempted stalks that did not produce.
Fun that though!
One of the whitetails we watched (albeit briefly) was a beautiful and big 5 point buck,
He rather disagreed with being seen, and bottle rocketed right out of Dodge!
Great to see!

The next day my partner had to work and do some other tasks, so I showered up, did laundry and relaxed.
Checked the trail cams again before dusk - same story - no daytime movement.

Saddled up for our last day and went back to Rock Creek.
Again saw quite a few (35) but managed to blow all attempts to sneak withing bow range.
However loads of fun regardless.
Just being there with good company makes it for me!
Success is the icing on the cake, and thankfully I already had a good supply of that!

My partner clearing the trail in to one of our spots along the way:

[IronNoggin]

Got up leisurely the next day - my partner had medical appointments and I did not have to be in Vancouver until around 3:30pm.
Made the drive slowly (a change for me!) and marveled at the scenery and a handful of critters I saw along the way.

Arrived just a little early and caught up with my buddy.
Had a rum, then set off to one of the best Chinese Restaurants Vancouver has to offer.
Pricey, but DAMN GOOD!

Up early the next to run for my ferry reservation.
Arrived well in time only to see the sign:
10:40 am, 1:00 pm CANCELLED?
Argh!
The heavy winds had BC ferries cancelling more than operated!
A frantic call to my buddy: Hurry sez he I have to go to work!

Pushed it hard and got there in time.
Spent the day playing on the computer and watching old dusters.
That after being on hold fore 2 hours with BC ferries (never did get through) and struggled with their online booking service for the same.
Finally got through online after repeated tries all that time. 8:25am the only booking left.
Grabbed it!

Up the next and ran to the boat.
No issues this time, and literally smooth sailing across.
Bright & sunny all the way from Nanaimo to The Hump.
Then a solid wall of FOG!

Rolled into FRANTIC dogs when I landed at home.
Took 20 minutes before I could unpack!
The Missuz was off the following day, so hung the doe in the shed overnight.
Tried one of the tenderloins on the BarBee for dinner. AWESOME! Everything I was hoping for & more!
Very tender and most excellent flavor!

Woke up to pounding rain. Bummer.
Stretched a tarp out from the balcony to give me a dry place to work, and set to the task at hand.
Incredible fat on this gal! I removed over 30 pounds of that while butchering!





Absolutely maximized the steaks and chops off this one, yet still had a decent amount of burger.
Tried chops out for supper. Every bit as good as the tenderloin!
This one is truly a Win-Win! Tender, flavorful and HUGE!

Between her and the moose, we won't be buying any meat beyond chickens until late next fall.
When hopefully the cycle repeats!!!

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

And now another plea: Site Owners! Get it together and get this Forum back up and running!
For the few pennies it costs to do so, it generates a LOT of Good Will towards the brand, a lot of friendships, and an enormous volume of detailed information for those who need it!

GET ON IT!!!