I had 3 muley B tags. On the opener I seen 5 muleys on the ridge next to the one I was set up on. I couldn't get to them in time before they went over the hill on me. By the time I got over there they went on private. I seen a herd of about 10 goats on the hike back but I didn't have any goat tags. I sat at a couple of other spots I had success at before and no luck. I did see deer on the private green fields and a lot of antelope running around. I may have heard 5 or 6 shots the whole day....that was it.
I think it was the next day the big storm blew in. That morning I went back to the same spots. No deer but still some good numbers of goats. The wind picked up in the afternoon and the rain/snow started and blew thru the night.
I spent the next day in the cabin as it was too ugly to try and hunt.
The following morning was foul. I made it out to my spots. Other than the same private land deer and goats....I didn't see anything. The wind, snow and sleet was miserable but tolerable. You needed eye protection. The wind chill was in the low teens that morning. The snow started to let up later that day but the wind was still blowing hard.
The next morning I went to another spot I scouted out the day I arrived. It was a beautiful spot up on top of a plateau. Unfortunately....I didn't see anything there. That afternoon I went to another spot I seen goats and deer at in the past. I seen a herd of maybe 8-10 muley does bedded up on private. I was thinking they were waiting for the evening to cross the road and come into a water tank on public for a drink. I set up on a hill overlooking the tank but the deer didn't cooperate. They never came in. On the hike back, I got to the truck and there were 4 muley does that did cross the road maybe 175 yards behind where I parked. They were on public but too close to the road to take a shot for my comfort and it was close to the end of legal shooting light. All I could do was take a few pics and leave.
I went back to the cabin and got the truck loaded up for an early departure back home the next morning. I think I seen maybe 3 bucks the whole hunt and they were on private. There were opportunities for the does if they cooperated....but they didn't. I didn't see any hunters at the spots I was at....which was good. I go a ways out to avoid the close in hunters. Overall....I seen quite a few public land goats and a lot of private land goats. As far as the deer....they were there but ya had to get away from town. I left for home at 0500 and headed down Hwy 212 to Belle Fourche. Ya had to keep your eyes open and pay attention to the shoulders of the highway as there were a lot of deer out grazing on the shoulder grass in the dark.
