The start of a Booner Season..

[Elk-Aholic]

I had no idea you could send back an LEH authorization and decline the hunt AND, in turn, allow someone else the opportunity to draw the tag and have a chance to harvest that animal. KOODO's to you for that!

[coach]

I had no idea you could send back an LEH authorization and decline the hunt AND, in turn, allow someone else the opportunity to draw the tag and have a chance to harvest that animal. KOODO's to you for that!

With Bison, you can. It's a coveted, high odds draw and there's information in the package outlining the fact you can give it back and it will go to someone else. If I apply next year, my odds won't go down - it will be as if I didn't draw successfully. Although it may have been possible to put a trip together, I decided that I wasn't far enough along in the planning and felt the person who gets my draw deserves enough time to put their own hunt together.

FYI - you cannot give other authorizations, such as moose or elk, back. The number of authorizations allocated factors in that some people will draw a tag and never use it.

[BCRiverBoater]

Thanks, Ourea. It wasn't an easy choice. It is nice that someone else will get it. The fact that I'm going to get a chance to possibly video the Kamloops sheep hunt played a part in the decision too. A guy can only afford so much time off from work and family.

Getting a chance to be on the Kamloops sheep hunt is way harder than drawing the rare bison tag. I would consider the sheep hunt as well over the bison. Good on you to giving it back. I guarantee that there is many bison tags every year that go unused that could have been given back.

[The Dude]

I think it's awesome you took the time to do that Coach.....may the LEH Gods shine on you and give you everything you wish for......
Unless you want MY Rosie Draw, then go **** yourself

[coach]

I think it's awesome you took the time to do that Coach.....may the LEH Gods shine on you and give you everything you wish for......
Unless you want MY Rosie Draw, then go **** yourself

Another hilarious post, Dude. Might have to use that as my new sig line.

[coach]

Another week closer to hunting season..

My daughter was visiting her mom this weekend, so I took advantage of an opportunity to spend a day with my future step son (gotta marry his mom to make it official). There were lots of different options open as far as fishing goes. I though hard about taking him to Osoyoos to chase sockeye - but had no reports to get me excited. I considered taking him to Hope to fish for springs in the Fraser - but I know how that plays out - I'd be doing the combat fishing and the poor kid would be bored waiting for something to happen. I was invited by a very good fisherman to fish for summer runs in the Coquihalla - but didn't think the kid would enjoy that either. To an experienced fisherman, catching a summer run steelhead on a fly is a great thrill - but the amount of expected action would be minimal.

In the end, I decided to take him on a little drive south of Kelowna to check out a few spots in the Kettle. Although I didn't have high expectations of catching big fish, I had to think back on what I would have enjoyed at his age - lots of action. The plan was to teach him how to present a dry fly, a little bit of how to cast and how to play a fish on a fly rod. Things played out pretty well. First run we walked into, I hooked a small trout and handed him the rod. He played it briefly before it came off the hook. Next cast, I hooked another one - which he landed.



The next words out of his mouth - "This is fun!" As the day went on, he started fishing his own rod. Several times, he hooked and landed small fish of his own. There were no fish of any size - but I think I've got myself a lifetime fly fishing partner. That's my victory for the week.

A highlight of the fishing was this small brookie we hooked. This fish hit my dry fly about 3 times before I finally connected. I noticed the brownish color of it's back each time it hit the fly. I've only fished the Kettle once before - so not sure how many of these guys are in there. All of our other fish were rainbows.

[Bc Deer Hunter]

Not a bad brookie for the kettle coach!!! Looks like a great day was had by your step son and you!!

[yota]

This thread is awesome coach keep it up. I think your either helping or teasing everyone on here with excitment for there own opening days to get out in the wilderness. awesome thread again.

[coach]

Thanks, BC Deer Hunter and Yota. I stared this thread with the intent of inspiring others to share their stories and pictures. Hopefully, I'll connect on a booner animal this season - but it's really all about getting out there and enjoying the outdoors.

[sapper]

Coach, the more I read this thread the more I want to leave the lower wasteland and move to the interior. We're getting closer though - Wednesday we swap one of BC's oldest communities for another, moving from New Westminster to Langley (Walnut Grove). I will have got that much closer to my hunting grounds.
I may yet be looking for a teaching job in the interior.