lancetkenyon

Crap. Why did the photos rotate??? Oh well, tip your laptops over to see the photos....

I used to have pretty good luck around the areas north of Red Lake on the western border of 7W. Seen some monsters in there, but few and far between. That was in the past, but it was consistent in the past. It really seems like the deer population has dropped significantly in the last 10 years in the unit. I will be heading up periodically this fall, and will post more photos if I se any more shooter bucks in the unit.

I stalked this guy for 2 hours before he gave me the slip in 7W this archery season. I could not get closer than 90 yds. These photos were from 153 yds. Well within rifle range. I have been back up there a few times since then, and not seen a whole lot of deer like there used to be. TONS of elk though, including a few bruisers last weekend. One was a 380+ bull easily. Biggest one I have seen in quite a few years up there. Lots of nice 310-340 6x6s too.

Mine is a Rem 700 BDL in .300RUM with a few tweeks. HS Precision stock, trigger job to 3#, Vortex 4-16x50, KDF muzzle brake, etc. Took an elk with it back in the 90s when it was brand new, haven't been drawn since. If I could ever draw another elk tag, I would be a happy hunter. My hand load is as follows...

Just like seeing the big bulls day before season opener, and then they disappear. I think there are calendars posted in the woods for the game animals to check. I also saw this antelope buck the day before rifle season opened for them. Sorry for the quality of the photos. They saw me coming and hightailed it until they were 600+ yds away per my LRF. Took the photos with my DSL from there.

I was up in 7 for five days. I had my family up with me so I did not hunt REALLY hard, but was out for most of the day every day. I saw a few bucks, maybe 7 over the 5 days. Mostly small forkies, but saw two that I pursued for 2+ hours until they disappeared. Never got closer 90 yards, and they were always just feeding along. One as a 1x2, but pretty wide for a 1x2. Sorry, not the best photos. He was bedded with this guy. Decent 3x3 with eye guards.

Buy a couple of cheaper tree stands. First time I ever used one was up in 12AW on an archery hunt. What a blast! I am hooked for archery hunting all game species now. Site over a tank as far away from a road as you can get. Last light is great, but I have had deer (and turkey, mountain lions, coyotes) all come in throughout the day. The mountain lion snuck in and then sat the same tank I did for 30 minutes and he had no clue I was there. We were both waiting for a deer to come in (wouldn't you know it was the ONLY year I did not buy a lion tag, but he was about 70 yards across the tank from me). Worst (or best) time I had was on a tank up there 30' up in a blue spruce. In one afternoon, I missed a big tom turkey, missed a huge 30+" heavy tall dark horned 4x4 buck at last light (long horrifying story), and thunked a coyote all in the same evening. Even though I missed the huge buck, that evening will remain in my memory (and nightmares) forever. Easily saw 25 turkeys, 40+ deer including 5 other bucks that day from 1:00PM until after dark. And turkey are freaking smart and have the best eyesight I have ever witnessed.

Antelope/elk/deer/turkey= 0 for me. Antelope/elk/deer/turkey= 0 for my wife Antelope/elk/deer/turkey= 0 for both of my kids. Bummer year for our house. Back to flinging arrows again.

1985, 14 years old, archery Turkey out of a roost in a tree at first light. Thought I missed as the arrow went sailing off into the sunrise. Then the bird started coming down and hit just about every branch on the way down it seemed. Shot through the neck.

Like others have said, WAY COOL!

Took me 10 years with Hunter's Ed and loyalty points to draw an October 12AE tag. Just saying, 7-8 points is far from a guaranteed draw for any of the 12A hunts.

I can tell you I was very thankful for the numerous roads last year in 12AE. I shot my deer 1.5 miles and 5 canyons over from my truck, and what I thought was the closest road. After dressing it and starting to pack it out, I spotted a truck on the ridge above my deer. Made getting it out the next day MUCH easier! But, there are still plenty of secluded areas that are far away from roads up there, just need to hike into them.....like I thought I was doing.....

I bought my 10 year old a "Jr. Hunt Only" license and put her in for elk & antelope. She did not get drawn, but was not "rejected". She is now put in for deer too.

My baby girl (10 years old) has not had any big game success yet, in fact she didn't get drawn for elk or antelope this year either. Hoping for a deer tag for her though. But...she is my hunting buddy for winged game, small game, and varmints. Here are a few, even though they are not up around Payson. Dove hunting Catches bigger fish than her old man from time to time... She is a great "flushing dog" too....scared this mallard drake off a stock tank last year for me.... And loves to varmint hunt...

I made a coat/hat rack out of a few sheds.... I also have a large antique copper bowl on my dining room table with some sheds, pine cones, and other stuff in it... Some sheds on the mantle, on some wooden window valences, on an end table, etc.... I'm lucky, my wife likes them.

That photo of the bison (buffalo) was taken in the big meadows just north of Demotte Park if I am not mistaken. I have seen the bison up there a few times. As for the Jr. hunt in 12A, my oldest daughter took her first mulie up there when she was 11. That was over 10 years ago, and I still remember it well. Great times, and a blast for the kids since you see so many deer. I put my younger daughter in for a deer hunt up there this year too, she will be 11 by the time the hunt starts if she gets drawn.