Posted on: September 30th, 20092009 Badlands Deer Hunt
Sept. 3rd found some of us at Back 40 heading west on I-94 with dreams of chasing some bucks in the Badlands. After the 10 hour drive from my house, and the 12-14 hour drive for my counterparts in Central WI, we were ready to get out of the trucks and do some hunting.
On opening day, hunting doesn’t actually begin until 12:00 pm, so we had time to get our gear sorted out and be out glassing soon after sun up. Jerod and I headed north as Kevin, Ryan and Matt, (AKA Anthrax) all headed south. We soon had deer in the glass, but nothing we pinned our hopes on.
For the first afternoon hunt, Jerod and I shouldered our packs and embarked on a bivy hunt to an area that Jerod had found the year before, even though the weather wasn’t exactly conducive to good deer hunting! HOT is the only way to describe it, as the thermometer read 102 on our way out that evening!
It took us 3 days to finally put the first deer in the freezer. Kevin struck first putting a great shot on a nice 2×2 Mule Deer. On the 2nd day of hunting Jerod found himself a great buck that he hunted for 5 hard days, weathering out many nights in his bivy sack. He came really close twice, but never could get a shot. I have a feeling this one might eat at Jerod until we can get back later this year or in 2010.
I had my opportunities and just never capitalized. I had a run in with a respectable 4×4 and without mincing words; he shook me up pretty good! But that is the rush we hunt for right? Anthrax was able to shoot a nice Mulie Doe deep in the Badlands, and he and Ryan had a fun time packing her out in the 100 degree heat.
Coming down to the last minutes of shooting light on our last day, Ryan was able to waylay a pretty 8 point whitetail in full velvet. Being Ryan’s largest deer to date, he went home happy.
We went out to Badlands to hunt and that is what we did. But I would be lying if I said there was no laughing and joking around going on. Overall this is one of the most fun hunts I have been on, and I look forward to many more with the Back 40 crew.
