Nice buck, has some extra points see that is cool
Nice buck, has some extra points see that is cool
"The farther one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom."
I was taken out duck hunting by a friend of a friend a few years back, showed me the ropes and helped me start going myself.
This year i'm taking 3 people new to waterfowl out with me, to start them up.
2 of them are first time hunters, and we're planning a big trip this nov for deer. stoked.
Was lucky enough to harvest a real ugly bull elk one year and while I was moving in for the final stalk, I bumped a real nice 160-170 class mule deer. After I had made three trips packing out the meat over the next two days, I decided I wanted to have a try at the deer. I had recently met a new hunter that was the boyfriend of a coworker of mine and I invited him to join me. I honestly think after carrying out the elk that I didn't want to kill another animal that far in alone again. Anyway, we hit the bush at first light and were about ten minutes into the climb when I stopped as I thought I had heard a bugle. Nope, off we go again. A minute or so later, again.... I lean back to my buddy and said you hear that. He calmly said "yup". I replied "well you have an elk tag?". "Yes" he replies "but I thought we were hunting for your deer?" I let out a little chuckle and said "Not anymore!" half hour later we had a 6 point bull on the ground. His first ever big game animal.
Later that year I took him out and he harvested his first whitetail, a nice 5 point. I told him that I didn't know too many people that have harvested those two animals as their "first's" Come to mention it, I don't think he has shot an elk since and that was close to 15 years ago.....
As for the elk bugling, if your in the right spot and they are hot, you'll be hearing them. I am with you though Harry, it has been a bit frustrating for me this year. Ya just gotta keep getting out there.
There was a time I thought all parties that cared for wildlife and habitat conservation could find common ground. I was wrong. Adapt....
^^^^thanks for the insight Seeker and HighCountry...
Met a guy on Gunnutz chatting about moose hunting in region 6. Turns out we discovered we both hunted deer in the same watershed, him for 20 years, me for close to 30.
We didn't meet up for a couple years then two years ago we agreed to meet at the camp site it turns out we both had regularly used for years but at different times of year. He was going off to his super secret hot spot he'd learned from a local years ago but he drew me a diagram on a shop towel of a pretty good place to sit and watch. Sure enough, I went in and 1 1/2 hours later shot a three point buck.
This year, two years after that first meeting, we met up again last week and on Tuesday I heard a shot from his spot as I knew what general area it was in. Went back to camp to meet up and him and me and his other buddy and buddy's girlfriend all went in to help pull his deer out as he is somewhat handicapped due to an old injury. Next day his buddy went into the same spot and shot a buck too. Having revealed the location to me, they encouraged me to go in. On Thursday I saw two does there and Friday morning 12 does and fawns but no bucks. Pretty amazing to see that many deer come through the same gap in one morning.
Like I said, I've been hunting that area since 1987 and have had spotty success despite searching for prominent deer trails and putting in many many days of hard hiking and long boring sitting too, but with the local knowledge passed on by a generous hunter, I'm more confident that next time I go, my chances will have vastly improved.
Last edited by MichelD; 10-13-2020 at 10:50 PM.
^^^^thats great, sounds like it's worked well for both you and your new friend..