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Story to follow, I'm still packing out

Today marks 20 years since I first became a member of this forum. So much has transpired since then with lifelong friends made, hunting skills matured, and knowledge increased. I can't believe how fast time flies!

Turned out to be a fun trip, lots of calico bass caught and I came back with 5. Wish I could do these trips more often.

Dang. 20 years and 1 week exactly here.

Shooting a bull when it's 90 degrees outside is a lot of work. I've been hunting close to home for the most part with the occasional excursion to the greatest unit. Seeing more than a few elk. Until today, i had my standards pretty high and passed up maybe 20 spikes and small bulls. The area I liked themost got hit hard by a couple of professional hunters and you may have seen the bulls they took on ig or Facebook. That being said my normal area was devoid of elk the last couple of days. Mostly from insomnia and little from curiosity I went to the greatest unit ever this morning with determination of shooting the first branch bull I see. My dog gave me a guilt trip so he came along for the ride. We get to our spot maybe 30 minutes after first light and start walking. 10 or twenty minutes after leaving the truck I spot a calf and few other non bulls. We get closer and for the first time ever my dog is not growling at rocks he's picking fights with. Then all of sudden an antlered bull sticks his head out for a moment 65 yards away and disappears just as quickly. I wait maybe 10 minutes, maybe 20 minutes, honestly idk, he comes out broadside at 60 yards. I am shooting a 1948 marlin off handed that I picked up from cwt member. (Apologies I forgot your handle) My first shot, no reaction, second shot no reaction, chambering of third shot he starts to cantor off and I go full.john Wayne shooting everything he's in an opening. I go to where my first 3 shots were and I find blood instantly. The herd climbs the hill opposite of me without my target in tow. i start following the blood trail thinking hes within a few dozen yards. Not the case, at all , I follow and the blood trail actually gets bigger for once. After an unknown distance and time, I catch up. He stumbles up and I put two more rounds into him, one behind the shoulder and the ending shot in the neck. I think this is my 10th elk and first with a rifle.

6 weeks old. Full breed blue beers. First shots done. All males. Located in the west valley. 250& ready to go to a new home as of today 07/15.

Man, Mike was awesome! I went to high school with him, but he was one year ahead of me. I knew who he was, but it was a really big school and we were in different friend groups. When I found this site I spent hours and hours reading stories and looking throught the picture galleries. That's when I found out Mike was a serious coues hunter. He came by and scored a big deer my dad had killed, and also brought some antlers to show us. Not long before he passed we talked about doing some spot and stalk archery hunting down south in some areas I knew pretty well. It never happened. There are a LOT of members here that stopped posting years ago. There are also a lot that very rarely post. Some of these guys are the best of the best when it comes to successfully harvesting coues. It is humbling to see how good they are at it.

15yrs next mo.

18 years this week for me

Lots of good times on this site. Cheers to the next 20 years!

12 yrs...dang I'm a youngster. That's about when I started hunting in AZ though so it makes sense.

Will hit 20 in December.

Thought I’d check after seeing this post. Today is 20 years on the dot. Time flys!

I hit the 20 year mark back in March. Hard to believe.

20 years this December. Member 160? 162? Something like that if memory serves.

Joined in 2012 after a friend had mentioned the site. Have enjoyed the good reads of others success

18 years and a few days for me. Good times.

I just hit 18 years a little over a week ago! I have met a lot of great people on this site over that time. Others that I haven't met in person, I still feel like I know them pretty well. It is intersting to see how the forum and a lot of the posts have changed over the years. I think a lot of that is due to how social media has grown and evolved over that time. It used to be every different season you could read several different excellent write ups on people's hunts, along with multiple pictures. There used to be a lot more information on tactics posted. I miss those days. Ever since I first started hunting coues as a 12 year old in the early 90's I had an extreme passion for it. Looking back I really had no idea what I was doing, and if I ever got a buck it was pure dumb luck. I have learned so much from those early days and the help of many members on here. Even just a few years ago I was struggling with a tough hunt and reached out to a few members on here just asking for some tactical advice. After some advice and encouraging words I was able to take a really nice buck(in my avatar) on the last day. I owe a lot to this site and the great people involved in it.

14 yrs this yr for me. A memory popped up on my facebook the other day when we used to get a couple CWT tables and go to the OE4A banquets. Good times

Glad to know you "old pharts" 😉

April 15th 2024 will be 20 years for me. Time does fly.

Always had good luck with psa. I'd buy with confidence

Psa’s prices are crazy low on everything. It’s a wonder I have any money at all.

Can you speak English, Steve? I know it’s made by Bergara to thread onto my Savage 110. Lol. That’s all I know.

Makes me think of members past. treestandman specifically. i