2015 deer camp exceptional

This is the first of a two-part series about the 2015 deer-hunting season.

The view was exceptional, as always, from The Hut. A large field of winter wheat was seen 600 yards to the east, out the eastside window. The south view consists of sagebrush and basalt outcroppings, with the same view to the west.

The north view is a bit different. About half a mile away is a grassy flat, surrounded by sloping sagebrush and angled basalt inclines. The Hut is located close to the south one-third of this mile-square hunt area.

Attending the hunt this year were Lani Schorzman, Hut 1, Thomas Steffens, Hut 3, Rudy Lopez, Hut 7 and me, Hut 6. The numbers are our radio call signs, so we can call the others for help when needed.

“Hut 1, this is Hut 6. Need help loading a buck at the corner,” for example.

The Hut Crew endured a devastating loss on Oct. 6, a few days before the opening day of deer season, with the passing of Jerry Lester, Hut 2. He was remembered throughout the season. A glass of wine was raised in his memory at each evening meal. Jerry’s disability placard and this year’s license and deer tag were placed in The Hut Crew Log Book, to remain there for all time.

I arrived at The Hut on the afternoon of Oct. 17, after Jerry’s memorial service. Lani had a 4 by 4 hanging, downed 20 minutes into the season. Rudy had arrived in the hunt area in time to help Lani load the buck into the back of the truck.

The main reason to gather at The Hut is to hunt, but the camaraderie is great and the food is outstanding. Rudy asked to make walleye tacos on his first stay at The Hut two years ago. No one discouraged him. Now he is encouraged to make the dish twice during the week-long season, as a matter of routine.

He brings a head of cabbage and slices it in half. He then shaves thin slices from the cabbage. Finely sliced red onion is added as is crushed pineapple. While preparing the slaw, Rudy noticed the golden delicious apples in the corner, so shaved apple was also added.

The walleye is in the frying pan as the final stages of the slaw are prepared and the tortillas are heated in another skillet, one by one. Everyone is served one taco, a toast is raised to Jerry and we begin eating. A second taco follows the first. Delicious, I tell ya, simply delicious.

The four of us applied for second deer tags and were drawn, but the tag was for the Game Management Unit above our normal hunt area and antlerless animals only. Rudy and I headed north on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 18.

We drove the roads through the areas north and west of Davenport, some public land and some private land. The deer were shy at first, as not one was spotted. We decided to drive a private road, which included a climb up and over a sizeable hill.

“Deer,” I said as we were about 200 yards up the hill.

A herd of 20 mule deer were standing next to a fence. We didn’t stop, but continued moving slowly up the hill, with the deer, at 400-yard distance, watching as we moved passed.

At the top of the hill we turned the Ram around and watched. They were a mile away now, but still clearly visible. The deer, as we suspected, began to jump the fence and head down a draw, eventually going out of sight.

This was our cue and we moved slowly down the hill toward the herd, even if we could not see them. They came into view again when we were directly across the valley and at a range of 300 yards or less. The deer were in a line, headed for the winter wheat field at the bottom of the hill.

We stopped, turned off the Ram and stepped out of the vehicle, Rudy went to the rear and I stepped to the front. Rudy was to shoot one of the deer at the rear of the group and, a few seconds later, his rifle sounded and a doe dropped in her tracks.

I found a single doe, aimed and fired. This deer turned and headed uphill for 10 yards before dropping. We used a range finder to determine Rudy’s shot was at 250 yards and mine was 225.

We were well suited for shooting at these distances. Rudy was sighted in at 100 yards and my .30-06 was trained to hit 3-inches high at 100 yards.

After dressing the deer, I walked to the Ram and traveled to the landowner’s house. Permission was secured to drive across the field to retrieve the animals.

“You won’t have to worry about catching the grass on fire after this rain,” the landowner said.

Rudy walked ahead guiding the Ram through the two- and three-foot high grass. Backing to the hill with the tailgate down provided an easy 50-yard downhill drag to the vehicle and easy loading of the deer.

At this point we split, with me driving back to The Hut and Rudy heading home to Spokane Valley and work, as the director of the Veteran’s Cemetery at Medical Lake, the following day. Before we parted, Rudy completed a big game transport form, in order for me to take possession of and transport his animal.

Next week: The rest of the story about the 2015 deer-hunting season.