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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/26/2019 in all areas

  1. 4 points
  2. 3 points
    I have a buddy who has a CHAMP license (legally blind). He drew a cow tag this year, and i was determined to get him an elk, as was he. He rigged up an iPhone to his scope,(he was able to magnify the image, and with glasses he could see the screen of the phone) so he could shoot, as looking through the scope alone proved too difficult to see. I took him to the range to see how it would work out, and he was able to shoot really well with this set up, but i was concerned because of how long it took to get the rifle set up. But he was not dismayed. He missed opening day, but on saturday we got out there and had elk right off the bat. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the gun in position so he could see the elk, even though she was only 100 yards away. That evening he sat water with no luck. We went out again on Monday, and blew a stalk. While it looked like we were road hunting, i was careful to explain to others that we had a champ hunter. Even though he had a permit to shoot from a vehicle, that seemed really hard to facilitate. Shooting from the ground would be best. I had a tri-clawps set up on my tripod. But it was really difficult to get animals to sit still while we got the rig set up, as it took a while. One morning we had a really nice set up on an elk, but it turned out to be a bull. Finally yesterday afternoon we spotted some elk about a mile away. Light was fading fast and i knew it would be a tight squeeze making it that far in rough terrain before dark, but he wanted to go. We scrambled as fast as we could to cover some really rough country, but it took a while. Finally, I ranged her at 250 yards, and thought we could close another 50 for the shot, but a bull had us pegged. We were looking at 4 bulls and 2 cows. So we set up. I was somehow able to get the rig set up quickly, and find a cow in the scope/screen. We had trouble with them moving, and i had to keep checking for antlers because bulls kept walking in the way. But he was really patient. Finally i gave him clearance to shoot. I gotta admit, i was really nervous as to how this would turn out. He held for 250 and let her rip. She ran, and the other elk looked our way, bewildered. I thought, that's a good sign, she's the only one moving. Then she stopped, and all the other elk ran. I thought this was even better. We watched her for ever, actually till the sun went down. She didn't move, after all the elk left. I didn't want him to take a follow up shot, because of all the other elk, and i wanted to make sure we only shot one. What if this was the other cow? So we waited it out. By the time we waited for her to fall, and crossed two super nasty, steep washes to get over there, we lost most of our light. All we had was our cell phone lights. We couldn't find blood, or the spot where we saw her go down in the dark. All of our water and supplies were a mile back at the original hill. So with fading cell phone batteries, we decided to stop looking and come back at dawn. I used ONX gps tracking system, and walked right back to the hill in the complete dark. That was kind of cool. I'd still be out there if we didn't have that. I had to work, so i sent his son, who works for me, and my nephew down to look for her. My nephew and his daughter glassed the whole thing from the original hill. I told my nephew to get there at first light, glass up the spot where we last saw her, and then go look. His daughter was to stay back and look through the glasses and guide them in. Welp, it worked. She was right there at the bottom of the wash. The meat was still good. Pics to follow. If you pm me and ask me where those bulls are, i'm not telling. Seems like somebody always does that.
  3. 2 points
    Just returned home from an antelope buck and doe hunt in Wyoming. Tagged out on both the buck and doe very early in the morning, on a very easy hunt. The strong snow storms with 30-60 mph winds were a real issue going up to Wyoming, and then the day of the hunt and afterwards. After bagging the antelope we had to very quickly dress them, get back to the hotel. and depart without delay. We had another strong snow storm entering NW Wyoming and winds were at 30 mph with 60 mph recorded in some areas. Some highways were closed to tall vehicles after many overturned. We didn't clear the storm until reaching Grand Junction, CO. I didn't take any photos in the field, but here are two of the buck taken at home.
  4. 2 points
  5. 1 point
    It all started with the credit card update and then the morning check to see if the cards got any hits.Boom $650 hit on the card and now the waiting game began to see if it was the wife or I that grew the bison tag. Weeks later and I find out I am the one that drew the tag and the homework began. Started watching every video I could find on bison including everything the game and fish had for us.also sent out a few pm messages to catfishkev and idgaf. They both handed out info on the hunt and catfishkev was gracious enough to let me jump on is bandwagon and use his trail cams that he had. politics up there made us come to conclusion it would be best to have our own information. catfishkev made the first trip up to place trail cams. He placed 6 cams on different locations. My turn was next and I headed up with my dad and son to meet up with another hunter that catfishkev new and we checked cams and went over the pics for the start of his hunt which started sept 13th. After viewing the cam pictures we learned that we had a lot of bison coming thru different locations with some at night and some during day. The other hunter took that info and just couldn’t make it happen during his hunt. i also Sent the cards to Kev so he could view them and also see what the bison were doing. Seeing this cam pics made the weeks before my hunt even longer and to top it off I was unable to make it for opening day and weekend for my hunt. From day one of getting drawn and looking at graphs of herd movement and what time of year the herds were moving to different places from there gps collars I had my eyes set on the east side of the unit. All the cameras on the east side said different and that the bison just were not there. I had e mail game and fish to ask about any information I would be missing on the hunter meeting that takes place night before hunt. I got an e mail telling me I didn’t miss much and was told over the last week or so there was some movement on the east side. 5 days into the hunt and I arrive on the plateau worried I would not have a place to hunt. Went to the east side and checked out first spot. Cam didn’t work but there was very fresh sign that wasn’t there 2 weeks before. Decided to sit there for evening sense there was not any other hunters. Sat from 3 to dark and only saw deer. On way out I stoped at another camera location and man had that place changed. For over a week there was bison at that location everyday and nobody was there hunting them. That night I reviewed the cameras and saw there was a guide checking cams too that day and he had placed a ground blind in the location due to what he saw on cam. That morning I get to location and there is nobody there and I had the spot to myself so I thought. Hour into sitting with sun up I hear a truck driving up close. Said to myself no way is somebody going to walk up on me after seeing my truck. Few minutes later I hear foot steps hour after sun up. I look over and see it’s a guy my age and an older man with crutches. Start talking to them and find out that the hunter Dan is a wounded warrior that received the tag a week prior to hunt. He had met up with the Guides up there and they had sent him to this location. After I found out he was a wounded warrior and he had a hard time getting around I decided I was going to leave the area and let them hunt it telling them that there are bison coming in everyday. They turned and looked at me like I was crazy and asked me to stay which at first I was still going to leave still but then decided to stay and hunt with them. Told the wounded warrior to take the first shot if anything comes in and i will see what happens after. 0930 comes around and they are at 90 yards and closing. The heard came In and it was a mad dash to the water then the fight for the first licks of the salt. That’s when the real stress started and had to try and identify a cow bison out of the herd. I can hear the other hunting trying to figure out which one to shoot and I was doing the same. Boom they take a shot and the herd scatters. son jumps out of there blind and says well he shot let’s go look for blood. As he was doing that I decided to Pursue the herd and I went around a clump of aspen and they’re were standing there 80 to 100yards away. I dropped to the prone position and put my crosshairs on the first bison I see. She was starring right at me facing me for what seemed like an eternity. She then turned broadside and one shot dropped her in her tracks. I guess the east side of unit was calling to me because that’s were I made it happen. Turns out the wounded warrior missed his shot and didn’t get a bison down. The wounded warrior and his son stayed with me after my harvest and helped me break down the animal. I couldn’t tell them enough how much I appreciated that and if they were not there I would be having one heck of a time getting it done. I gutted her and flew back to camp to get my saw and my dad to help out. The whole time the other hunters stayed to watch over my bison tell I got back. We finished the bison and his son help me load everything into truck and I was back to camp. Long drive back to gilbert to get meat taken care off and hide and head to taxidermy. all in all I had an amazing time from start to finish and I met some great people along the way that were very helping in every way I could imagine. I am very grateful for being able to harvest a bison and share the memories with others. Catfishkev without your help I am pretty sure it would of never happened and I thank you. hope you all enjoy the long read! And catfishkev and idgaf thank you both again. trail cam pics are location I harvested my bison plus I threw in a nice deer! All cam pics are from catfishkevs cams that I was lucky enough to be able to share with him
  6. 1 point
    Was lucky to tag out and come home for a few days before heading up to CO for the third season, saw some great country and had a good solo trip, bride and little guy were happy daddy finished up early. funky little 2 by 4.
  7. 1 point
    PRDATR, I hope you make WY because I've never seen a state as full of game, from deer to antelope. If you can, try to make the earliest hunt you can due to the late season storms. Best of luck to you in the draw. Next year I hope to draw another cow elk tag here in AZ.
  8. 1 point
    Congrats on a successful hunt. I just bought another Preference Point this week. Might go next year.
  9. 1 point
    Bojangles congrats and thanks that is really aswum what you did. back in the 90's I knew a guy in WY he would set handicap people up for hunts. he would make what ever was needed for them to hunt. not to mention he brought them in on horses and gave them the entire experiance. modfied wheelchairs for the back country. He did many hunts for paraplegics , he hooked up a air system to pull the trigger. as electronics were Illegal on triggers at the time. one guy in particular he used sony handycam with external tv screen and a air system, as the person couldnt move his head that well or see that good., he could move his fingers but not arms. The Man went out of his way to help these people, he attended many seminars here in the valley and did quite a few make a wish foundation hunts back then. This guy was an older cowboy had a huge ranch up in wy and was really creative on making things work for those who wanted to hunt but couldnt.
  10. 1 point
    jr javi and goulds for us!!! \"/
  11. 1 point
    That proves when there's a will there's a way!
  12. 1 point
    He made this contraption. It worked.
  13. 1 point
  14. 1 point
    Look like the new HD’s?
  15. 1 point
    That is good stuff! I enjoyed the write-ups quite a bit. That sucks about to co-op buffalo hunter. Congrats on the buffalo and cow elk. I had to laugh a little when I saw your art work and the AZ pin striping on your truck. I think I had the exact same moment on Draysen's elk hunt a few weeks ago with our truck. We went in tight between some mesquites and could hear the deep scratches. I shuddered when I first saw them, but then accepted that if I wanted to have a serious hunting rig, "pretty" wasn't going to be in the equation. Mentally it was a pretty liberating moment, just as you described. The trick was selling my wife on it!🤣😥
  16. 1 point
    I heard two distant bugles in 7W this weekend. But the bull we saw Sat night was still pushing 7 cows....6 now.
  17. 1 point
    Part 2. We get settled in the blind and spend about an hour just trying to organize gear and have everything ready just in case an opportunity presents itself. Set our burritos in front of the buddy Heater to start warming up our breakfast. After it starts to get light start seeing and hearing critters emerge. Muley doe and her fawns come to the tank and keeps us entertained for a few minutes. 730 ish rolls around and here comes the co OP hunter. I'm kind of thinking to myself why do they meet at 5am and still show up so late. Dave the other forum member who just killed said the same thing when he hunted his spot. I see him glass my blind and I get out to go greet him. I let him know I'm happy to share the spot, and encourage him hes at one of the best spots. Since he showed up I told him I would only ask for dibs on first shot and told him I would use my bow to increase his chances by not blowing out the herd if they show up. He agreed and I continue to tell him about what my trail cams showed and assure him it's a good spot. We get back in our blinds and the wait begins.. Well about 8am or slightly after I see a bull coming in from the North, what? That's freaking weird I for sure thought they would come from the south.. I tell my boy Bison Bison! Immediately adrenalin starts flowing, I try to quietly alert the co OP guy. Behind the bull another then another and then an entire herd and they are moving fast and with apparent purpose. I was truly surprised how quick they were there. The water tank was mostly iced over and they just come crashing in breaking the ice it was totally nuts. There all in line along the water and one bull seems to ram the herd sideways pushing them all like dominoes splashing and just making a total ruckus. Now I have my bow in hand and already pre ranged certain spots. I'm holding my binos and constantly scanning bellies for that penis sheath. I see a cow and draw back... she moves. I wait and draw back again and another pops in front of her. Same thing a third time and have to draw back down... wow this is frustrating. Calm down kev just wait for your chance. A lone bull comes over in front of us to the salt and stares at us, does he see me? Anxiety is creeping in with the adrenaline now. Finally a confirmed cow heads over to the salt and my heart starts pumping faster... this is it dude make this shot count. She gets to the salt but has not pulled her right leg forward, still slightly back and I know I should wait but the panic sets in and I let the arrow fly.. hit but not in the heart where I wanted it. Just slightly back barely catching a back lung and angled out through her stomach. I'm already mentally kicking myself in the face. You freaking idiot why didnt you wait?! The herd is immediately alerted and half start trotting off. She turns opposite direction.. now I'm even more jacked up and not having the chance to correct my bow I try to make a follow up shot and completely forget I'm shooting left and fling another arrow. Thump right into the shoulder blade. Jeez kev you are totally blowing this shoot.. it penetrates but not enough. She's still more or less staying in place as the first shot hurt her and now the all the remaining herd bolts except for two other bison. This is where I start to notice something interesting. After speaking to another hunter he mentioned that after a bison is killed sometimes the herd will come back to mourn there fallen herd member. I dont know if I believe that but then the two other bison come and stand on either side of her and start sniffing the arrows sticking out of her. They stand around her seeming just to keep her company and watch over her. It's a very surreal moment, but still I am here to try and fill this tag. At this point they have worked out to 40 yards or so. Finally she turns and the other two give me a shooting lane. She is quartered away from me facing the right. I draw back and aim for the boiler room, again completely not remembering to compensate and sure enough right in the guts and anchors into the front left leg. Kill shot yeah but I'm still kicking myself in the face. Now I'm wondering why the co op guy hasn't shot the other cow yet. I nock my fourth and last arrow and wait for a boom from the other hunter or another shot opportunity. Finally she turns to the left about 45 yards. I attempt one last double lung finish shot and let her rip. Again to the left and now that she's farther away it's even worse. Bam, right through the neck and I hit the jugular and blood starts spewing out and I feel a tidal wave of relief pass over me. She starts to wobble and falls over in an amazing cloud of dust. I'm extatic and me and Caliche are quietly celebrating, but quietly to offer the other hunter his chance. I say to my son why is this guy not shooting.. I hear the co OP guy say "is that a cow" and im like yeah dude I'm pretty sure that's a cow. BOOM! the whole area echoes like thunder and the animal falls while the other bull runs off into the woods. We get out of our blinds celebrating. We are in sheer disbelief that this all happened so quickly. Me and Caliche go look at the cow and I'm in utter amazement. Then we walk over to the co op hunters bison. Oh shoot this is a bull! My heart immediately drops and I am overridden with guilt, he asked me for verification and I was certain it was a cow and now I feel like a total asshole. Here's the thing, my main objective for ID was the penis sheath and when we checked this animal the sheath had a small amount of mud which made it matted up against the belly and it totally looked like a cow and since it was young the head was still small. In retrospect the horns were a giveaway but I know theres exceptions to the rule which is why I focused on the sheath. Well he calls the guide to report it and I head back to the camper ro round up the crew for help. I come flying into camp honking the horn like a madman when I start getting close. My daughter informs my wife apparently "oh its dad honking the horn, he probably just needs to take a crap". Lol what!?!? and as I pull up I see the door open and my wife pops her head out like no way... I jump out and yell Bison with my bow first day!!! She bursts into tears and starts hugging me and screaming with excitement. I then tell her about the other hunter and what happened and were all feeling awful about it. We all jump in the vehicles and head back to break the animal down. When we get back I apologize to the guy profusely and tell him I swore that was a cow. He didnt hold me at fault, he thought it was too and he pulled the trigger. I still feel crappy that my good luck was somewhat tainted by his bad luck but that's what happened and I just cant do anything to change it. In the end game and fish took his tag and confiscated the bull. He does at least have a chance to bid on it at auction which I hope he does... Eventually the guide shows up and offers to winch my cow into the back of my truck to get it and myself out of the area for which I gladly oblige. The rest of the day is spent doing the dirty work.
  18. 1 point
    hardhorned. goofball Dude will prob try coming in the house when it gets cold out...
  19. 1 point
    Spend alot of time in 21 every year. Mule deer #’s in my opinion are increasing slowly from 2 years ago. My son took a 3x4 on the jr hunt 2 weeks ago and we saw about a dozen bucks. Area’s to look at would be New river Mesa, Cooks ,Dugas and bloody basin. All the spots mention hold the most mule deer but will also hold the most hunters come opening day. Good luck..here is the buck my son killed this year.
  20. 1 point
    I just wanted to give a shout out to Bill! I had called him the other day to come redo my back patio and he did an amazing job!!! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to be home do to work to help out as I told him I would be. His work is top notch, and thank you SOOO MUCH Bill!!! If I’m able to help you out in anyway, hunting, work etc feel free to keep my number and give me a call anytime. Thanks again
  21. 1 point
    Another Fake news story from the left nothing new to see here
  22. 1 point
    To the heck with these countries. USA gives billions of dollars to these countries and we get nothing back? President Trump is for America if you don’t like it go to canada ,russia Mexico and see how that works out for you. Teachers and professors are brain washing these kids today
  23. 1 point
  24. 1 point
    A mid day nap and a deer in the yard sounds perfect to me. That's a good day!
  25. 1 point
    It was freaking hilarious. I was just getting ready to squeeze off a shot at 1181, and a squirrel popped up about 10' to the right and behind. I ranged again real quick, and told the spotter to watch. He was sitting on top of a rock, and it was far enough away that I got back on target after the shot broke to watch the hit. I hit about 1-2" low on the angled rock, and the shrapnel blew him 20' in the air spiraling in a tangle of....parts. My spotter said, "No....FU<#!NG.... WAY!". I remained calm like it was no big deal..... I consider it my best shot ever.
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