My first trip out for this year...

[longbedder]

I drew California deer zone X9C this year - it's known as the toughest hunt in the state due to big, rough country and a fairly sparse herd. It is also the home of the biggest deer in CA, as they are actually a strain of Rocky Mountain mule deer.

I was going to go out for three solid days, sleeping in the Burb. I built a sleeping platform that's even height with my Truck Vault. It's darned comfy in there for all 6'6" of me.

I started out down in the Owens Valley trying to scare up a river buck - I actually found one and got him grunting at me form about 50 yards, but it was so thick that I never did see him before he crashed away. It's a freakin' jungle maze down there. You can see one of the game trails go into it...

 

[longbedder]

While there obviously were deer down low, I decided to try for some altitude. Up into the White Mountains I went...and found plenty of sign. Lots of poop, tracks, and rooting around under the piñon for pinennuts. I made an evening watch over a nice little clearing, but saw no deer. After dark, I had some dinner and went to bed early about 100 yards from where I was going to make a morning lookout over a couple hillsides. That was at about 8000 feet up.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

In to see if there was a happy ending

 

[longbedder]

No joy in the morning. It had gotten down to about 20°F overnight - I'd slept like a baby, but my nipples got pretty hard once I crawled out of the sleeping bag. I put on my headlight and found my perch on a shale hillside - no deer there either after about 90 minutes of glassing. I made it back to the Burb and fired up breakfast.

With a full belly, I turned the key and got one lazy click out of the starter. WTF??? My batteries are about 1 year old, and the alternator is just fine. This sucks...

I hiked down to the paved road, which luckily wasn't too far, and hung out in my cammies drinking my coffee. The first truck to come along actually floored it when they saw me trying to flag them down (welcome to California ). The second vehicle that came along a while later had two guys in it, but they were pretty suspicious. I talked to them for a minute and asked them if they'd try giving me a jump start. I figured the extra amperage might kick out the frozen Bendix. They were waffling a bit, but I told them where the Burb was and said I'd walk myself back up there. They said OK and headed up. Turns out they were super nice guys (Jake and Pedro) and we chatted for a bit. They weren't hunters, but just out boondocking for a bit. The extra amperage did the trick and I got the Burb running, we parted ways, and I decided to get higher to see if the deer were up around 10,000 feet. I didn't want to get too far from the pavement with my starter fading out, so I basically just road hunted the rest of the day.

No deer all day, but it sure was pretty and had some good little mini-hikes throughout the day. Something did have to die however: I was creeping along and noticed a moving dot near an old spring, so I got out the binocs and saw a big old coyote staring at me. I jumped out of the Burb and he decided he didn't like that. He turned and started to trot along - I didn't have time to range him, so I just held three notches up on the ballistic plex reticle, held out on his nose for windage and his speed, squeezed one off, and he rolled over dead. I hiked down to take a look, and lased back up at the Burb when I got there - 589 yards! In the picture over the truck hood, he's right in the blonde patch at the bottom of the valley.Too bad the .308 SST wrecked him so bad - he had a really nice winter coat on. I was already out and walking around at this point, so I decided to mosey around in the bristlecone pines for a while. Found a neat piece of petrified bristlecone wood for the wife (she's into geology), had a little snack, and went on doing what I was before. I decided to take Wyman Creek/Canyon back out to the pavement and just hope I happened to see a buck in there somewhere.

 

[longbedder]

Wyman Canyon is a pretty spectacular piece of work. I could spend a lot of time in there. There's a little bit of everything. The sign says 4WD recommended, but my diesel Burb is 2WD with a Gov-Loc - it did just fine, but I did get a little nervous about halfway in, alone, with night approaching, and not knowing what was ahead. There are some decent washouts and little falls as the creek and the road are one at some points. In the end, it was a really cool little trip. The creek was absolutely stacked with brook trout, and if I'd had a rod, I'm sure I could've limited out. Oh, and no deer there either (that I saw), but I did scare up two bobcats. I'd have dropped them but the fur would've been a total loss with that .308. Next time I'll pack the .204 also. Oh well - I decided to head home rather than risk a no-start in the cold morning again.

I've got two weeks left in the season...stay tuned for more.

 

[longbedder]

A few more of Wyman.

 

[K85 Octane]

I love the lines in that mountain. The valley and stream shots are beautiful.

 

[chevyfumes]

Very cool, I could take pics of my hunt the last three weeks but it would be of my windshield wipers doing about 45MPH.

 

[Keitha]

Did you make it back out to finish up the season? I am really thinking about applying for X9c or X9a for 2013. Your post here has inspired me.

 

[longbedder]

Did you make it back out to finish up the season? I am really thinking about applying for X9c or X9a for 2013. Your post here has inspired me.

I did make it back out, but in the end I got skunked.

Even though I didn't get anything (and it's a tough hunt), I've figured out that I really do like the zone. I'll put in for it again - I just need more time to dedicate to it during the season. Family obligations...

 

[Keitha]

Looks like you had a great time either way.
I just drove back from Mammoth yesterday and was wishing I could of just turned left and explored the hills East of Bishop. I get up there quite a bit and hope to get some good scouting in this summer. I have never ventured too far off 395 in that area. I am more familiar with the X9a area but have only hunted duck around Crowley.