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My son Dalton (affectionately called big D) drew an early rifle bull tag for the first time in his seventeen years on this earth. With a bear , cow elk, javelina , and coues buck under his belt he was ready for the big leagues according to him. I was able to get to camp 2 days prior to do some follow up scouting to lock a bull in be it being a limited opportunity hunt. My brother and I found some bulls that would push 310-320 so we sent him the pictures while he was in school and he's reply was dad I would shoot anything one of those. Thursday big d and his 2 cousin's 14-19 years old skipped school to be their early to scout the day and we found the one Thursday morning that he wanted to shoot. With the bull as far as we were concerned tied to a tree we were ready. Thursday evening we stayed out so we didn't bugger anything up in the mean time momma and my twins and one of the girl friends and another of Dalton's buddy showed up to help. That's right I had to figure out how to get this done with count them 7 teenagers um yikes. Opening morning came early for the kids as I rang the bell at 4am but to my surprise they all popped out of bed ready and willing. We all headed into to strategic positions with Dalton and Jacob with me and the rest to glass. My phone vibrates at 6:15 its my brother " I found him" And its a different bull one we hadn't seen before I look back tell the boys it's go time but the bull is on the other side of the fence by couple hundred yards not are unit. Well lets call so we did and brought him to within 10 yards of the fence but the bull I think knew what the fence represented. Finally he just turned around and walked off . According to some other hunters that were watching us they said the bull seen me when a was raking trees and calling. So we called the morning hunt with intentions that we would get him in the evening. Fast forward to the evening hunt my buddy (lionhunter on coues) showed up to help and we all went back to look for him with thousands of dollars worth of optics staring into the country were he was we saw nada and night fell with a long face Dalton was a little bummed. I said the morning hunt will prevail. Saturday morning back to the same spot with again alot of high dollar glass staring into the mountain's nothing. What the heck so Saturday midday during the heat we had some cameras on some water holes 4-5 miles south of the spot so we checked them and that bull was on one of them Friday night. Saturday evening hunt just changed up with relocating everyone into different locations again with lots of glass looking my wife calls and she found him and he was in unhunt able country thick and flat my dad would call it 30-30 hunting. Dalton and Jacob go after him while lionhunter and I stay back and the boys get within 15 yards with no shot so I told them to back out and we would get him in the morning in the meantime Lionhunter has a beautiful 6x6 320ish at 45 yards from him as he slipped off the backside of the hill to glass in which we had some pictures of that bull and Dalton said he would love to shoot that one. So onto Sunday morning everyone set up again we started calling and A bull responded not knowing which bull at this point we didn't care we ran right at him and ended up past him by about 100 yard so we started calling which he responded but I think he caught are wind and be boogied out of their. My phone vibrated and my my wife found him again within 5 minutes so we preceded to chase him around in the flat thick stuff for 2 hours with no luck and ended up calling of the morning hunt so we didn't spread to much scent in their. Sunday evening Lionhunter, the nephews and Trent had to get home for family so its just me and big D with the girls ,wife and brother on the glass for us. Again my phone vibrated and the wife has found the bull again this time he is close the some open country but in the same area. So Dalton and I slipped into the area with the wind in are face and the bull in front of us somewhere we started to call with no response I let out 2 or 3 bugles over a 5 minute span with nothing so switched to cow calls and the bull lit up and he was pretty close so I stayed on the cow call and set Big d up about 75 yards in front of me as the bull came in to are left I noticed that he couldn't see him and with ear protection in I couldn't get my boys attention so I started to chuck a pebble at him when I seen him lift he gun up and reposition it towards the bull. My view was impaired by trees but I could see the bull's legs as I'm watching the bull the gun goes off and the bull just walks off about 20 yards and stops so back to chucking pebbles so he could shoot again as I reared back throw I heard the gun eject and another bullet get loaded and when I looked back over at the bull he just tipped over. Dalton jumped up and threw his hand's in the air and ran for me for the biggest hug that a dad could get. I was so emotional at this point words can't explain. We had did it we hugged again and talked about the shot it only being 100 yards he said with the bipod he felt it was a perfect shot so we walked down the hill to look for the bull and there it was folded up like a lawn chair. He was so friggin excited and me too. So I called the wife and they couldn't' hear the shot and she's answer's "what up" my reply Turn out the light's the party is over. She holler's out he did it and I could hear the girls and my brother hooting and hollering. The best part was once i looked on my map on my phone to see how to get them to us we ended up being about 75 yards off another road so they came right to us. The end result was good family medicine for us spending time in the woods with the kids doing what we love enjoying the outdoors of America. Thanks for the read, Pete

Always end a tactical nap with "amen." Especially at work.

I was hunting in Unit 1 in the 1960s and decided to take a rest in the middle of a meadow that was about 100 yds x100 yds. I leaned back against a stump with my rifle across my lap and promptly dosed off . A 1/2 hr. later, I awoke and heard a kind of chewing sound. When I glanced to my left, I had two really nice mule deer bucks feeding about 5 yds away. Unfortunately, I had an elk tag in my pocket. One other time on the Kaibab, I was hunting above the Houserock Ranch on the Eastside Game Trail. It got really windy one morning, so I headed to the lee side of a steep canyon to have a smoke and a sandwich. I found a nice protected nook to hunker down but quickly fell asleep after I ate. When I woke, there was a doe bedded about 10 yards to my left. She was looking away and up the canyon. I could see a 4x4 buck working his way in the bottom with his nose glued to the sand. I waited for him to get parallel with me and turned his lights out. The doe was so surprised by the blast from my .264 that she went butt over tea kettle when she took off down the slope.

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/nation-world/national/article246089990.html Uhmmm, no...F____ NO!!!

Just because he has no "guide license" doesn't mean he won't or can't help others on hunts, scout, keep tabs on, or otherwise "pursue without taking" game. This, in no way, inhibits Blake from being in the field looking for game or helping in the pursuit of game. Just means he can't "profit" from said help. Monitarily or by any other means of payment/gifts. This really only stops him from getting a job as a guide or from profiting from locating animals for guides or clients. On the books anyway.

Absolutely correct. A piece of paper that didn't keep the POS from poaching to begin with, and won't keep the POS from poaching in the future.

Good start and a beautiful morning. FIL got it done. 1 down 3 to go.

Tessa drew a rifle bull tag in one of the block units we are leaving in the morning. She is hoping to shoot a bull bigger than my mine knowing her and how patient she is she will probably do it. Looking forward to seeing what these 28 nosler loads will do that Lance loaded for us .

These 2 spikers also woke me up from an advanced tactical nap 25 feet up in a tree on the August opener just after noon this year.

yup. we got us a legit coat wearing chef. today we took lunch on the veranda....lol

I saw that ..... just burn the house down

So was it used as a soup kitchen? 😀😀😀

seems like an ok place to hunt elk so far....

since it was recovered, my buddy is working with insurance and isnt sure if they will total or give him money for a rebuild. The street peeps got released as there was no proof they stole it as they said a friend let them live in it, even though locks are popped ruined. Cops let them go.

Thanks... Update from this weekend Finally killed one of the target bucks. I glassed him up early and Jeremy made a good stalk and shot.

....and we're off!

Ever get up early, hike for an hour in the dark to get to your glassing spot, and after glassing for hours feel the urge to lie down, stretch out, pull your cap over your eyes and have a quick sleep? Ever been shed hunting and after hiking for half a day feel the urge to curl up on a bed of comfy pine needles for a siesta? Well, don't feel guilty anymore or let anyone call you lazy, unfocused, or unmotivated. You're taking a tactical nap. My book of tactical advice is not exactly a best seller but I've been taking back country naps for years and, at the risk of seeming immodest, I'm really good at it. The Army is finally on board with the latest update to their health and fitness manual. Sleep is restorative, rejuvenating, and healing. I'm happy the military is realizing that. And I'm glad I have a new name for it; the tactical nap. Here's some info: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/us/army-naps.html This link contains some of the research and practical advice. https://www.pdhealth.mil/news/blog/tactical-naps-when-napping-can-be-good-you

Thanks for the heads up. It’s $850 on vortex and $600 at cabelas and Sheels. No taxes paid with mine.

You fell in love with a great unit. My advice, for what it’s worth, is that the only elevation you are concerned with is the elevation you glass from. You will find bucks at all elevations in that unit. Don’t get into the mindset that the only deer you see will be far from your location. Always glass near to far. Be set up before dawn and glass as soon as you can see. I also glass as long as I can in the evening. I don’t have a tag this year... could probably be talked Into helping out for a few days...

Awesome video and shot. Well done.

Such an awesome shot and video!! Love it! We get to try our hand again with my son in a few weeks.

Great video! You'll relive all the right moments every time you watch it. From the weather, to the parade, to capturing your daughters age/personality in this stage of her life. I have to say, I love Jr hunts and absolutely enjoy hunting with young ladies. They take direction so well and are absolute killers! Your daughter didn't skip a beat with you guiding her to the shot. She followed along just like any longtime hunting partner would. Great job Dad!

I shot my first big game animal after it woke me up from a tactical nap. I am in full support.

You saw the rutting trphyhntr in his element...nice!

I Just got back from there. Got to have a beer with Trophy Hunter at the Den Friday nite and look at some Heffer's . Now I see why people drink up there .LOL ! The Women kinda reminded me of my oilfield days in N Dakota............................BOB!