Hunting season has officially started & now ended......

Well, I went out into the big game fields last week and filled my first tag. I took this mule deer buck, 2 min. after shooting hours started. I used a rifle that my grandfather gave me just before he passed away. It felt awesome, as I haven't hunted with that rifle since my son's first year afield back in '05. So there were some very good memories involved in this hunt, even though I went at it alone this year.



Saturday, I took my friend Mike and his daughter out to a new spot I found about 100 miles north of here, and helped her get her very first deer. I see a proud papa right there:


And yesterday, I finally got to officially "christen" the new rifle I just built myself a few weeks ago. My 300 Ultra Mag proved it's worth with a nearly 400 yd. shot on this fox. Yes, a 300 Ultra Mag is a bit large for a fox, but that's where the worth part comes in for the rifle. I set the scope for 350 yds, and gave her a center hold, hoping to connect with the lower chest, therefore succeeding in not cutting the animal in-two. The shot fell perfect, and as you can see, the animal is in great condition, as far as the pelt goes anyway. Later in the evening, at the end of shooting hours, I took a huge whitetail doe with the same rifle, but didn't get any pics cause my cell phone camera has a crappy flash... Only one more tag to go for myself (Elk) and deer and elk for my kids, so there's still a little huntin' left to do...

Nice only thing open here is bow.I plan on hunting this afternoon

I'm heading to the hills on saturday for a week of hunting elk
Frank

Sweet. Wish we had some mule deer here. I've got 2 whitetails with the bow so far and blackpowder starts tommorrow.Gun season starts in 2 weeks going through Jan.2nd.The rut should be close in the next week or so here.

Well, hunting season (for deer and elk) ended yesterday... And what a tough season it was. The only thing (s) great about it was the time I got to spend afield with my kids... Plus, I got to make a couple new friends while in the field as well... Here are some pics from throughout the season...

Well, the weekend following my friend Mike's daughter above taking her buck, I took another friend of mine's daughter and her brother out to see if she could get her first buck. She and her brother are twins, and they graduated high school with my son Skyler. We walked about 4 miles from the truck before we were able to put a stalk on this nice little 3x4 muley, and she was able to take him with a single shot from 157 yds.:


Of course there's my daughter Darian, sittin in the background, suckin down all the gatorade...


Last Monday, my son and I went out and since the elk hunting was so tough this year, and the season was closing soon, he took this huge bodied forked horn buck from 521 yds with my new 300 Rem Ultra Mag... I was mildly impressed...



Then the day before Thanksgiving, I took my daughter out as it was the only day she could hunt this week due to all the Christmas sales coming up at the retailer where she works; and she told me since we need the meat, she was gonna shoot the first legal buck she sees... Well, she wasn't exactly kidding Here ya go, not even 5 min after legal shooting hours, she took this nice little forked horn buck from 350 yds with her 7mm Rem Mag... Again, I was mildly impressed...


And finally, yesterday on the last morning of the season, and after taking in this beautiful sunrise;


I was able to take this calf elk... We looked all day until dark Sat for this guy because another hunter shot his mother from the road, well before shooting hours on Sat. I don't like shooting these little guys, but as young as he was, I think the wolves would've had their way with him this winter, and he may as well feed my family over a good for nothing wolf. Plus, being the last day of the season, elk meat is elk meat...


Here's a couple pics of me packing out the meat to the valley floor where my son and another friend of mine were waiting with the game cart to finish the haul out to the truck... My pack normally weighs (with this rifle) 47#, with the addition of the elk meat after quartering it up and boning most of it out, it was probably in the neighborhood of 100 - 110# + -



Here we are finishing the last 1.5 miles to the truck on the cart... All in all it was great to be able to do the things I love to do, with the people I thoroughly enjoy doing them with. According to my GPS, I logged 58.6 miles on foot from last Sunday, until yesterday... WHHEEEW! what a week...



Sorry for the long read, but I DO love my huntin...

I almost hit a big doe on my way home from the track sat night..........

Looks like a good time Doug. Nice pics---RED

Great photo's I wish all the east and left coast people who don't have any idea about our lives could understand the self esteem and sense of family that builds from hunting, racing, and connecting with the balanced natural order. Keep the kids involved.
Perry

At least you had some luck, I didn't see a darn thing. They are scarce around here this time of year I guess. No luck, but my cousins want to put in a food plot and what not. So maybe it will get better. Have fun out there

richter69 wrote:I almost hit a big doe on my way home from the track sat night..........

That's what I call fast food

Now I'm starting to drool Doug...just the thought of the sausage and jerky!