2023 Archery Season

[2Tone]

Yes they are doing there best to screw it up for sure

 

[mevertsen]

I wanted to do a follow up to my season. I got two more days in, and got sick again. I have been in the hospital 9 days since mid August. A couple pics of what I did find. I had two more stalks on bucks, including a nice 4 point.

Got to 165 of a buck before he got up to feed. Completely blew the stalk on the 4 point.

Got to spend time in the hills with my wife and 8 year old.

Now to try and stay focused on staying healthy. I've applied for disability due to not being able to work currently, and only able to muster about 4 to 6 hours of energy each day.

 

[gltaylor]

Please take care and best wishes to you and your family

 

[les]

Mevertsen - So sorry to hear you are having health issues. As a full time hospital chaplain, I work with sick people all day. Our health is such a gift that we take for granted. I'll be praying that your health will improve. Seeing your daughter to adulthood is much more important than hunting.

 

[2Tone]

meversten, I too am sorry to hear of your heath issues! Enjoy the time afield you can with family and friends… It’s priceless time for sure!!

 

[HARPERC]

Prayers fot your improved health. Good pictures.

 

[les]

My 7 day elk hunt was cut short. I ended up with an eye infection, and came home after 2 days. The elk are really holed up in some gnarly spots. Two of the guys I hunt with have had shots at 10 yards or less and things went side ways for them and they didn't harvest one. Then there were camp dynamics that I just couldn't stomach. However, as I was about 4 miles back working through the dead falls from the major fire about 8 years ago and huffing and puffing from a climb that wasn't that steep, I realized I am not in good enough shape for what I was trying to do. H'm, maybe my age is catching up with me. I don't think I would have been up to packing out an elk. So, I've got to get back into my exercise routine. I think I'm going to be rifle hunting for elk from now on. I might get back up later in the week. Last year I hunted with the 45/90. After elk season last year I was able to get a 300RUM in a left handed Model 700. I had one 15 years ago and sold it. My biggest regret.

 

[2Tone]

My 7 day elk hunt was cut short. I ended up with an eye infection, and came home after 2 days. The elk are really holed up in some gnarly spots. Two of the guys I hunt with have had shots at 10 yards or less and things went side ways for them and they didn't harvest one. Then there were camp dynamics that I just couldn't stomach. However, as I was about 4 miles back working through the dead falls from the major fire about 8 years ago and huffing and puffing from a climb that wasn't that steep, I realized I am not in good enough shape for what I was trying to do. H'm, maybe my age is catching up with me. I don't think I would have been up to packing out an elk. So, I've got to get back into my exercise routine. I think I'm going to be rifle hunting for elk from now on. I might get back up later in the week. Last year I hunted with the 45/90. After elk season last year I was able to get a 300RUM in a left handed Model 700. I had one 15 years ago and sold it. My biggest regret.

Les sorry to hear your hunt got cut short with eye thing!! Nothing worse than bad camp dynamics for sure!! I feel your old age pain. I’m not that old but the tendinitis’s in my Achilles this year has made it a struggle at times and is real aggravating!!

To sum up this weekend I was solo, Buck had some pre arranged work Friday night and he had to cut his elk up Saturday which is priority!! So first off Buck is the caller and he is good! I am a hack at best not as convincing as him, so about 8:30 sat morning I am on a landing not far from Bucks kill i am bugling cow calling and I can hear sticks breaking across from me. it’s elk in the bottom so I drive to area where we packed bull out and darn it a truck is there, plan B go above them on another road walk in calling no replies .

So I’m kinda bored no sounds from the woods and such. So I’m at end of a little road nice dirt bank and I see a old clorox bottle hmmm let’s check the bow and shoot a couple with a junk broad head.. so I shoot a couple all good at 30 40 and 50 I go to get my last arrow walk to end of old road walk of edge a few feet and let out a bugle, a second later a reply back and close my first thought freakin hunter cause it sounded crappy like me! Nope then I hear a cow and big sticks breaking! dang game on I’m just above them I go in fast as I can they go one direction I go the other! go figure. I was close enough once I came across his piss puddle and it was still running down hill and not soaked in..

I end up getting back on them had a few cows in sights but that Bull just stayed to far ahead of me and he doesn’t talk much.

Day two same place and close to same time go figure came at them from different direction, Bull talks then shuts up when I get close and won’t talk any more.. so the day ends them busting and me unable to follow em, rain comes in and day over.

One more week left! It’s been painfully fun so far

 

[2Tone]

Last day of 2023 Archery season is in the books! Called it a short day but not without a lot of excitement starting at daylight with stalking bull that just would not play our game!! Win some lose some.. The lose some happens a-lot when you’re hunting with stick and string!! Too sum this season up it was awesome 1 of 2 tags filled.

So close so many times! I never forget how lucky I am when hunting with family and friends! I wasn’t sure I could do it this year with the kid and my messed up Achilles!!

Really!! Some of my best memories are seasons like these!! Kinda a little sappy post!! But I don’t care!! Oh ya we did do a little predator control yesterday

 

[JamesMuhlbeier]

Suck so far in archery blew it on a bunch of stalks so far lol

 

[les]

The end of my week off to elk hunt, Josh did get a very nice elk. It was a lot nicer with the two guys I have been hunting with for the past 5 years. Our goal was to get Mike an elk as he hasn't never shot one. The call set up was right for him to get the shot, but the bull decided to take a different route than we figured he would go, so Josh ended up with the shot. The shot was right at twenty yards. He slowly walked about 30 after the shot and laid down and died. Of course he had to roll down the hill to make the pack out more difficult. All in all a good season.

 

[Trubkir17]

I have had 3 fantastic experiences so far this year. The first was a very unique muley buck. On one side of his head, he has a typical and large 4 point antler. The other side has a thick club like antler, that bends out about 2 inches above his head. I had spotted him up the second weekend in September and tried to ambush him but it didn't work out. He came out about 100 - 110 yards away from me and there was no way I could justify that shot with my bow. I have spotted him one other time but he was on private land that I am unable to get permission on.

The next experience I had was at the end of September. I was hunting one of those days where the wind blew every direction and there was no way to predict it. It was about 11:30 am and I hadn't seen a darn thing. I was moving off a hill where I had been trying to spot game and was on my way to the truck. I stopped in a nice little spot that looked like there was some pretty good moose rutting signs. I just started to grunt when all all heck broke loose behind me. The wind was absolutely horrible for me. It was blowing at the moose but just enough off line I thought I could still have a chance. I moved as quickly as I could to get more crosswind to him, but he was coming so hard he caught me out in the open. I grunted some more and that really got him worked up. He started snorting and tearing stuff up. He was about 20-25 yards away on the other side of the thicket I was using for cover. I could see him moving but there was no way to get an arrow through to him. He started moving towards the corner of the thicket, but the damn wind changed. I saw his big ol' nose start working, and I knew the jig was up. I tried moving towards him, but he was facing dead away from me when I got clear, and there was no shot I felt good about.

The next day I wiggled into a nice area to sit and glass. I sat for about 2 hours and didn't see a darn thing. I was looking through the bush with my binoculars and thought to myself "wow there is a stick that looks like an elk antler". I sat for about another 20 minutes and was looking for that stick when I found it and suddenly it turned, and I could see the other antler. I got myself collected and dug out my best mouth call. Which was hard because I was shaking so bad. I had to take a minute and collect myself. This elk is one of the largest elk I have ever spotted in a hunting situation. I got all settled down and let out a couple of good cow calls, the bull immediately stood up and I thought "here he comes". Suddenly, I hear a bunch of cow calls and a calf elk comes running from behind the bull and runs right at me calling the whole time. The calf turns about 5 yards in front of me a runs past me on the right side. As soon as that calf hit my scent, it jumped about 8 feet in the air like a scared cat. I was trying to be calm and just let out a few more calls but that bull was not going to come to me after that display.

Can't wait for my next adventure.

 

[2Tone]

Some of my best day’s bow hunting didn’t end with a shot!!