2021 VS 2020

I've never posted in the hunt adventures forum. 2020 was definitely a year that I should have, it was a unbelievable season so hopefully I'm not jinxing myself by doing this. 2021 started out in Arizona where dad and I had OTC deer tags and javalina tags. Unfortunately I hit a javalina and would have bet anything that I had got it. After following blood for 1000 yards we completely lost blood and did zig zags trying to get lucky and find him. We went back looking for birds and did more cirlces and zig zags for the next 2 days and no luck. I hate that it happened but it's part of hunting I guess. We made a few stalks on bucks but just couldn't make it happen. Also the screen shot video is a Coatimundi that I got a shot at and barely missed

I just finished applying for everything in Wyoming, and Utah so now its just the waiting game to see if i drew out for anything. I will for sure have my general elk and deer license so that's a plus and we are hoping that my cousin draws out for moose this year! So as of right now that's all I have to post until draw results and shed season gets here!

Since it's shed season I can finally start adding to this. We had a great few days! Hopefully I can post some more like this until scouting season.

The brown/white set has a cool story. I found the brown side in 2019 and have looked what seemed like everywhere for the other side. A couple of days ago I glassed up a small brown 3 point. I almost decided to leave it because we had already walked so far and it was 2 canyons away and I knew it was little. But there's that voice saying hey there could be a 200" set somewhere on the way so we walked over and got it and there definitely wasn't a 200" set haha. But on the way back I walked through a tall patch of sage brush and happened to look behind me and could see the white points sticking up. As soon as I got to where I could see the base I knew exactly what deer that was. It took 2 years and alot of miles but finally the match is together. They ended up being almost a mile apart and 2 canyons.

Had some more luck out picking up sheds with Archer. He has really been getting it figured out. Every shed I saw I had him pick up and bring back ( I dont get many atl's now haha). One of the times I sent him for one I saw he brought it back then ran back out and picked up the other side that I couldn't see. He also found the 2nd side of the typical set while we was on our way to pick up the side I glassed up.

Cards are getting hit for Utah and looks like I drew a random tag for LE Elk! 2021 isn't looking so bad!

Have had a fun few days shed hunting with dad and Archer!

Wyo draws came out today. Gen deer and elk for me and a extra cow tag. Should be a fun year!

This will be when I get pretty boring with this thread. I'll be starting to put trail cams up tomorrow but my rule is I don't post scouting pictures until its dead ?. From what I saw tonight though I think the deer hunt should be pretty good this year!

To shoot or not to shoot..... im torn on this buck. I have watched him for a couple years and he is way cool and something ill never have the chance to shoot again probably but he just isn't that big. The hard horn has been on since 2018.

Been a while since I posted. Have been out scouting a bunch lately and have found a few shooter deer so far (sorry no pics till they are dead ?) I did go out today and get to see my 1st albino elk and it's a bull too! A very very small bull haha. Hopefully he survives but id imagine someone will end up shooting him. Also got a few bonus sheds today some being a good set!

Well not what I expected today! Decided to road hunt for the early rifle opener since I figured I'd run into more people if I hiked in than if I stayed on the road haha. Ended up working out good!

Found my dream buck dead today! His 2's are 19". He was a winter kill and i got the okay from the f&g to bring him out. Glad that I found him but I would have loved to have gotten the chance to hunt him!

Ashleigh was able to make quick work of her deer tag this morning! She made a great 430 yard shot and it was all over! She's killed some good bucks here but never has gotten one that had both eye guards so she was way excited about that ?

Have been out about everyday trying to find something 180" or 30" wide. So far no luck. There was 2 bucks that I planned on hunting and had it in my mind whichever one showed itself 1st I'd shoot but when I got trailcam pictures of them after they rubbed their velvet it was a pretty big let down. Im used to seeing them lose a little size after they rub but both of these look like totally different deer now. Still considering shooting the one cause I've always wanted a big 2 point but I'm not sure if he's the big 2 point I've wanted haha. Having a hard time getting motivated to keep going. Thinking this might be the year the streak ends ?.

I hurried up into a spot after I got off grave yards to try and turn up a deer before the oct 1 hunt starts. Right off the bat I glassed up a big bull moose (wish I knew someone with a tag). Just as the sun came up I could see 6 deer about 3 miles away. 1 was alot bigger bodied than the rest so I assumed he was a buck but I couldn't tell for sure. After watching them for about 15 minutes 2 started to spar so then I knew they was bucks and I knew there was a road that got me close to them. Problem was I knew they would be headed into the trees and if I beat my truck it would still take about 15 minutes minutes get there. I figured a broken truck is worth the possibility of a big buck so the race was on haha. As I got there.... no deer.... I looked my truck over to see what I had broke and luckily it was still in one piece haha. I decided to glass a the patch of pines they had went in hoping to see what the mystery buck was. 20 minutes into glassing a doe walked out and the whole herd followed. The last one was the buck and I could see a good frame in the trees. Just as I could see his horns all the way I about lost it cause what I saw i thought was a 8-10" drop tine. I hurried and got my gun dialed for 650 yards and decided to look at him through the kowas until he cleared. That's when the drop tine moved.... it was velvet that was hanging down haha. I looked him over and decided to pass. He did have a 2-3" cheater out one side but just wasn't quite what I'm after. It was fun to get some excitement though!

Hey Founder I can't comment on your post in here but congratulations on getting him! I guess that means I won't find his sheds this year ?

I'm starting to think this was bad luck to start this forum. I've killed a good buck every year since 07 and I think the streak is coming to an end this year. Have been out everyday but nothing to exciting has happened to post in here.

With it being the last day and using the 30-30 my standards went down alot haha. I thought I could let the streak end but I couldn't do it. Watched the buck bed in a good area to sneak and was able to sneak in above him at 27 yards and he never left his bed. I definitely passed up some bigger bucks but those were in some areas I wouldn't have shot them the last day either. Maybe it'll pay off for next year ?

Had another good morning! Was able to fill my extra cow tag. 500 yards and luckily like the deer she never left her bed! Elk are definitely alot heavier than deer. Especially when it's the oldest biggest cow there is ???

2020 general bull down. I haven't shot enough elk to be to picky on my general tag so I figured the 1st branch antlered bull that gave me a opportunity I would shoot. It atleast hopefully got my itchy trigger finger taken care of for my utah tag ?.

Holy cow what a opening day for the late elk hunt. I've have been looking forward to this hunt since the second I knew I drew it. Thanks to my dad and some great friends that were looking for me we was able to find some nice bulls. Yesterday morning we went out looking trying to find a bull to go after 1st thing this morning. After glassing for about an hour dad located a bull that looked promising but he was in a pretty popular place so I figured we'd for sure have plenty of competition for opener but we had to try where this was the biggest bull we had seen. We went back that evening and dad saw another good bull from the point he was on but he couldn't tell for sure if it was the bull and he was around a ridge from me so I never got to see it. We came up with a plan that we would hike down in where we could see both spots we seen the bull. This morning we hiked in and got to the spot right at 1st light. Just as it got light dad glassed up the bull from the night before but he was still about a mile away so we hurried down to end and was able to see this was a small 6 point so I opted to pass. When we didn't see anything else we went back to the original spot and glassed for about an hour and a half. Just as we was about to leave dad said he swore he could see a bedded elk but could only see its butt. As thick as these cedars were I called bs. After about 20 minutes he said it Is he could see horns moving. Excitement went from 0-100 real quick then haha. We wasn't sure this was the big bulk but we was betting it was just because he was within 100 yards of where we seen him the morning before. I finally found a spot where I could get laid down and could see the whole cedar face. And as luck would have it the bull stood up just as I got ready. My cousin was right there with me and all he could see was little bits of horn moving still though. I was able to range a Cedar that was by him and get the gun set up for 700 yards. I waited and waited and waited and waited some more for him and finally he started taking some steps but yep he passed through the little tiney clearing low enough that I never had a shot at his vitals and when he did stop broadside his front half was covered by a big cedar. I had a perfect rest all I needed was 2 more steps. Well he decided different turned around and went right back to his bed and laid back down. I'll skip the 4 hours of staring into a 6 inch hole in the cedars where I could see a point move every once in a while haha. So finally after 4 hours the bull got up again. I flew over into the gun and got set up. This had to be the most non moving elk I've ever seen cause I bet I was in the gun for 30 minutes waiting for him to do anything. He finally took a couple steps and I could see he was headed for what I thought would be a big enough opening to get a shot. So after his 2 steps he decided something looked good and he stopped to feed for another 10 minutes without moving. I told everyone I need 3 more stinking steps, I told them as soon as he hits that clearing im killing him. Finally his head comes up and I see his horns moving for the clearing. As soon as that shoulder hit the clearing I shot. Everyone yelled you hit him, hit him again, so I did, the bull just stood there again. So everyone yelled again you hit him! Hit him again so I did. This time he started walking backwards (always a good sign haha) so I shot him one more time to know 100% sure and this time he dropped. I'd be lying if I said that the whole state of Utah probably didn't hear us celebrating. We was able to make our way over there and the bull had never moved. His all day bed was 6 ft from where he fell down which seems crazy to me that it took that long just to get a shot and all he had to do was move 6 ft. We was able to get him taken care of and packed out by dark and now we're all just relaxing while I'm writing this story haha. I dont think ill be able to ever re pay everyone that has helped me on this hunt and a huge thanks to everyone that was there today to help. And another huge thanks to dad for somehow seeing a needle in a hay stack! It's been a goal to have a wall hanger bull and its a relief that it happened. I honestly don't know what this bull scores and I really dont care haha he was the biggest bull we've seen and he was THE ONE from the 1st time seeing him. This is my biggest bull to date and I was thankful that everyone was there with me!

From Wyoming to Utah to Wyoming, to halfway across the country in less than a week. Man I'm tired but I'm freaking out, got my biggest whitetail tonight. Thanks to the landowners for everything and thanks dad for all the HELP! #roadhuntingworks

Dad was able to get his buck last night too. Besides a couple of doe whitetail tags this pretty much is the end of the 2021 hunting season. It's been fun posting in here. Good luck to everyone else and if some random tag pops up I'll post but as of right now this is it. See ya guys!