dguthrie2121
Member
- Messages
- 62
I wasn't hit with anything good this year on the out of state draws. So I was pretty much reserved to General or Unlimited draw tags here at home. One of the great things about living here in Idaho. My sons, brother and dad also didn't draw much other than one easy to draw bull tag. Regardless we were excited to get started with the season. Sorry for the long winded post but quite a bit happened.
On Aug 20th, my brother and I headed out on our 1st hunt of the season, archery antelope. The plan was to drive up Thursday evening and hunt that evening and Friday as we both had to be back for kids sports on Saturday. We got to the area and changed into our gear and started driving towards the hunting area. On our way up the road we stopped and glassed a small buck feeding up onto a small hill just off the road. We watched him feed out of sight, parked, grabbed our gear and took off. As we approached the top of the hill we spread out and moved to where we could see. I was surprised when I looked up and the buck was feeding within range. I motioned my brother to get down, grabbed a range and drew. I let the arrow fly, and although it sounded like I connected I couldn't tell for sure. That is until I saw the antelope run about 100 yards and tip over. I couldn't believe it, 15 min into the hunt and I had killed my 1st spot and stalk archery goat.
With a good start to the year I was excited to see how the season would go. I found some good bucks and somehow managed to mess up about every possible stalk that I tried. I was in bow range multiple times but just couldn't get an arrow off. I don't regret it at all and feel like I learned a lot. Here are a couple of the bucks that I couldn't quite connect on.
On Sept 25th, I headed up a familiar drainage with my brother to try and find some elk. He had glassed a large herd in the area that morning, but when we got to where they were at that morning we couldn't seem to turn any up. We sat and waited and as the sun was starting to go behind the hill we watched one lone bull go over a saddle and into the head of the next canyon over. We talked it over and decided we might as well give it a go. We grabbed our gear and took off. Once we got to the spot the bull crossed, I immediately heard a bugle. I looked down the canyon and on the right side there was the herd. There were 5 or 6 bulls in a full on rut fest. It was awesome to watch. We glassed a lone bull on the left side of the canyon and my brother decided that he was going to make a play. I was just going to watch unless it looked like I could make a play on the big herd. Almost as soon as he took off the herd fed towards the bottom of the canyon and I thought it was worth a shot. I closed from 450 to 130 and then saw some cows so I held tight. I noticed they were still feeding towards the bottom so I made a move and tried to cut them off. I was pumped when I saw the cows feeding out in front of me in bow range. I nocked an arrow and waited. Soon a descent 6 point came out chasing. I ranged and took a shot, and missed. I couldn't believe it. The elk however had no idea what had happened and just kept doing there thing. That 6 turned and headed back into the trees. I was pissed, I blew it on what would have been my best bull. I sat and waited and an even better bull came out to work the cows. I ranged him, took a breath, focused and let my arrow go. I heard a large WACK, and knew my arrow had hit the mark. I could tell he was hurt but he was still trying to chase the cows. I watched him follow the cows around a bend on the hillside, waited a bit and went to the last place I had seen him. By now it was dark and I wasn't sure where exactly my arrow had hit. I sat down to call my wife and turned on my headlamp. I had sat down right on his blood trail and found good blood right away. I waited a little longer and called my brother, then slowly started picking my way down the mountain. It wasn't tough as the blood was heavy. The bull had went down 50 yards after I lost sight of him. I was so excited. My best bull was on the ground. We called in some friends with horses and got to work. It was a late night but well worth it.
I spent the last few days of archery trying to get on a deer but just couldn't make it happen. I had some obligations opening day with my other kids so my brother told me he would take my oldest boy with him. They went into the area I had been chasing the deer with my bow and he was able to connect on one of the better bucks in the group. I was super excited for him as it was his best deer yet.
During the middle of the season my brother was out with our dad and he was able to take this descent heavy 3x4
While deer and elk hunting my 8 year old had just received his Hunting Passport and was determined to take a grouse. We packed the 410 a lot of miles but he was able to take his 1st bird and was one happy little dude.
On the 2nd to last day I took my 2 older boys out after deer. We spotted a herd of younger bucks and made our move. They were both able to tag out on some small bucks. It was a great day on the hill.
On the last day of the deer/elk season I took my 11 year old out after his 1st bull. We spent the morning covering country and glassing. We had just talked about how the season was probably over as we couldn't hunt that evening. I told him I had one more spot to glass before we headed home. We got to the spot and I couldn't believe I spotted a bull up at 930am. We watched him bed and decided to make our play. We drove around and hiked to a spot the would put us directly across the canyon from the bull. As we peeked over the ridge I found the bull still in his bed at 350 yards. I got Nash down on the gun and had him just watch the bull for a couple minutes. I asked if he felt good and he told me he could make the shot. I got on the glass and watched him make a great shot. The bull stood and then fell right back in his bed. What a great 1st bull and great end to the season.
On Aug 20th, my brother and I headed out on our 1st hunt of the season, archery antelope. The plan was to drive up Thursday evening and hunt that evening and Friday as we both had to be back for kids sports on Saturday. We got to the area and changed into our gear and started driving towards the hunting area. On our way up the road we stopped and glassed a small buck feeding up onto a small hill just off the road. We watched him feed out of sight, parked, grabbed our gear and took off. As we approached the top of the hill we spread out and moved to where we could see. I was surprised when I looked up and the buck was feeding within range. I motioned my brother to get down, grabbed a range and drew. I let the arrow fly, and although it sounded like I connected I couldn't tell for sure. That is until I saw the antelope run about 100 yards and tip over. I couldn't believe it, 15 min into the hunt and I had killed my 1st spot and stalk archery goat.
With a good start to the year I was excited to see how the season would go. I found some good bucks and somehow managed to mess up about every possible stalk that I tried. I was in bow range multiple times but just couldn't get an arrow off. I don't regret it at all and feel like I learned a lot. Here are a couple of the bucks that I couldn't quite connect on.
On Sept 25th, I headed up a familiar drainage with my brother to try and find some elk. He had glassed a large herd in the area that morning, but when we got to where they were at that morning we couldn't seem to turn any up. We sat and waited and as the sun was starting to go behind the hill we watched one lone bull go over a saddle and into the head of the next canyon over. We talked it over and decided we might as well give it a go. We grabbed our gear and took off. Once we got to the spot the bull crossed, I immediately heard a bugle. I looked down the canyon and on the right side there was the herd. There were 5 or 6 bulls in a full on rut fest. It was awesome to watch. We glassed a lone bull on the left side of the canyon and my brother decided that he was going to make a play. I was just going to watch unless it looked like I could make a play on the big herd. Almost as soon as he took off the herd fed towards the bottom of the canyon and I thought it was worth a shot. I closed from 450 to 130 and then saw some cows so I held tight. I noticed they were still feeding towards the bottom so I made a move and tried to cut them off. I was pumped when I saw the cows feeding out in front of me in bow range. I nocked an arrow and waited. Soon a descent 6 point came out chasing. I ranged and took a shot, and missed. I couldn't believe it. The elk however had no idea what had happened and just kept doing there thing. That 6 turned and headed back into the trees. I was pissed, I blew it on what would have been my best bull. I sat and waited and an even better bull came out to work the cows. I ranged him, took a breath, focused and let my arrow go. I heard a large WACK, and knew my arrow had hit the mark. I could tell he was hurt but he was still trying to chase the cows. I watched him follow the cows around a bend on the hillside, waited a bit and went to the last place I had seen him. By now it was dark and I wasn't sure where exactly my arrow had hit. I sat down to call my wife and turned on my headlamp. I had sat down right on his blood trail and found good blood right away. I waited a little longer and called my brother, then slowly started picking my way down the mountain. It wasn't tough as the blood was heavy. The bull had went down 50 yards after I lost sight of him. I was so excited. My best bull was on the ground. We called in some friends with horses and got to work. It was a late night but well worth it.
I spent the last few days of archery trying to get on a deer but just couldn't make it happen. I had some obligations opening day with my other kids so my brother told me he would take my oldest boy with him. They went into the area I had been chasing the deer with my bow and he was able to connect on one of the better bucks in the group. I was super excited for him as it was his best deer yet.
During the middle of the season my brother was out with our dad and he was able to take this descent heavy 3x4
While deer and elk hunting my 8 year old had just received his Hunting Passport and was determined to take a grouse. We packed the 410 a lot of miles but he was able to take his 1st bird and was one happy little dude.
On the 2nd to last day I took my 2 older boys out after deer. We spotted a herd of younger bucks and made our move. They were both able to tag out on some small bucks. It was a great day on the hill.
On the last day of the deer/elk season I took my 11 year old out after his 1st bull. We spent the morning covering country and glassing. We had just talked about how the season was probably over as we couldn't hunt that evening. I told him I had one more spot to glass before we headed home. We got to the spot and I couldn't believe I spotted a bull up at 930am. We watched him bed and decided to make our play. We drove around and hiked to a spot the would put us directly across the canyon from the bull. As we peeked over the ridge I found the bull still in his bed at 350 yards. I got Nash down on the gun and had him just watch the bull for a couple minutes. I asked if he felt good and he told me he could make the shot. I got on the glass and watched him make a great shot. The bull stood and then fell right back in his bed. What a great 1st bull and great end to the season.
