It was cold today in the Panhandle, but I never pass up a chance to roam the canyons. We didn't really have a game plan today. Just went out after church to call some coyotes, look for auodad, and just take in the beauty.
We did all of that, and we had a great day. My dad, my son, and my nephew and me. We started out walking the points looking for auodad down in the canyon. We figured they'd be looking to escape the cold wind.
We ran into several mule deer first. They were in a coulee out of the wind, just where they ought to be today. A couple of small bucks and several doe. Nothing big. Of course, the season is over in the Panhandle anyway.
We then veered off to a waterhole and let the call wail away. Nothing. So we went back to the canyon rim in a different part of the canyon. As soon as we got to the rim, we saw a group of auodad about 400 feet below us along the shelf. Mostly ewes and younguns. Zach was having a fit to shoot one, but they weren't shooters - especially in the spot they were in. It would have been a couple hours' work to get one out of the canyon. Then we saw a decent ram. Not a trophy, but he would have been for Zach. He was about 23-24". I gave Zach the green light and handed him the .257 Weatherby. Before he could get settled, they began running around the shelf to our right.
We scampered around the rimrock to cut them off. When we got there, we saw yet another group of auodad ahead of the bunch we were after. Again, nothing huge, but another nice ram. Zach couldn't get on them quick enough, so off we went around the rim again. We saw them one more time, but they wouldn't offer a shot. We climbed about half way down the canyon in one of the ONLY places that a fella can actually climb up and down out there. Nothing. The auodad went off a cliff that is about 50-60' straight down and on then on down to the creek in the bottom, and we never saw them again. Amazing animals when they are in the truly rough country.
The action was too fast and furious for pics, unfortunately.
We made one more stand with the coyote call as the sun was setting. Something came in behind us - upwind - and scared some birds off. Critter left before we could get a good look.
We did have a gorgeous sunset to cap off a great afternoon. This is the country I grew up hunting, and MAN I love to hunt the canyons. This section of Tule Canyon, according to some state surveyors, is one of the top 3 roughest square miles in the state. The pics don't do it justice, but it's an incredibly rugged canyon.
The sunsets over the plains are great too.
We did all of that, and we had a great day. My dad, my son, and my nephew and me. We started out walking the points looking for auodad down in the canyon. We figured they'd be looking to escape the cold wind.
We ran into several mule deer first. They were in a coulee out of the wind, just where they ought to be today. A couple of small bucks and several doe. Nothing big. Of course, the season is over in the Panhandle anyway.
We then veered off to a waterhole and let the call wail away. Nothing. So we went back to the canyon rim in a different part of the canyon. As soon as we got to the rim, we saw a group of auodad about 400 feet below us along the shelf. Mostly ewes and younguns. Zach was having a fit to shoot one, but they weren't shooters - especially in the spot they were in. It would have been a couple hours' work to get one out of the canyon. Then we saw a decent ram. Not a trophy, but he would have been for Zach. He was about 23-24". I gave Zach the green light and handed him the .257 Weatherby. Before he could get settled, they began running around the shelf to our right.
We scampered around the rimrock to cut them off. When we got there, we saw yet another group of auodad ahead of the bunch we were after. Again, nothing huge, but another nice ram. Zach couldn't get on them quick enough, so off we went around the rim again. We saw them one more time, but they wouldn't offer a shot. We climbed about half way down the canyon in one of the ONLY places that a fella can actually climb up and down out there. Nothing. The auodad went off a cliff that is about 50-60' straight down and on then on down to the creek in the bottom, and we never saw them again. Amazing animals when they are in the truly rough country.
The action was too fast and furious for pics, unfortunately.
We made one more stand with the coyote call as the sun was setting. Something came in behind us - upwind - and scared some birds off. Critter left before we could get a good look.
We did have a gorgeous sunset to cap off a great afternoon. This is the country I grew up hunting, and MAN I love to hunt the canyons. This section of Tule Canyon, according to some state surveyors, is one of the top 3 roughest square miles in the state. The pics don't do it justice, but it's an incredibly rugged canyon.
The sunsets over the plains are great too.
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