2022 Hunting Adventures

Excited as usual for the upcoming season! Another year older, time sure does fly. Started the year with grabbing some Merriam tags out west for my first out of state turkey hunt. It's funny because 5-10 years ago I didn't even hunt turkeys, now I just love to spend spring taking the kids and chasing gobbles. Had good success out in the Dakotas and was able to get my boy his first Tom at 8 years old. It was an awesome hunt!

For the remainder of the year, I will be chasing deer all over with my bow. I have a Colorado high country tag for mule deer, a late season South Dakota mule deer archery hunt planned and whitetail tags in both Minnesota and Wisconsin

My high country Colorado hunt started off pretty sweet. I had a spot closer to the road where I could scout for a few days. Ended up turning up 8 bucks on the Wednesday before the opener, but only saw 1 that evening and 2 the next morning, with plenty of other company in the basin I decided I needed to stick to my original plan and hike into a more secluded basin about 4 miles in and 2500 ft higher than where I was.

During my camp setup, I was able to pick up a group of 4 bucks rebedding for the day. I went out to my initial glassing point that evening and found them again, and figured there were 2 bucks in the group that I would shoot. A Solid 150s 4x4 and a gnarly 3x2 who had the largest body in the group but not much for a rack, but he was cool and I told myself I would shoot him if I found him in the morning.

Long story short, that group of bucks was the first group I picked up at first light at about a mile away. I figured they'd be up and feeding for a few hours, and they were really high on the ridge, so my plan was to cut the distance and just not get busted to see what they were going to do. I originally cut the distance to 800 yards, then 256, then 154. I was able to get in front of them as the thermals began to rise and scoot down an avalanche shoot on my butt.

I ranged the larger buck at 78.6, but had told myself I was giving myself a 70 yard hard cut off, as that is what I was shooting at all summer. The older 3x2 was at 53.4, well within range and feeding broadside without a care in the world. I drew back, got a great anchor, checked my bubble level and held my 50 yard pin on his lungs. When the shot went off, he raised his head and went to bolt, he had moved about 6 inches by the time the arrow got there, and I hit him square through the 2nd to last rib/liver. The arrow passed through, although I thought i originally missed by the reaction of all 3 bucks.

The 4 pt went back to feeding with the other 2 bucks out of sight. I continued to follow the bucks to the left, I scooted down the next chute and ranged the big one at 56.4. When I did, I noticed the 3x2 I had shot at standing broadside again at 40.3 but could tell now that he was definitely hit. He was moving his head, but would not take a step, or feed, or flick his tail. I re-aimed, put a second arrow through his shoulder and dropped him right there. He tumbled down the mountain and got caught in the first patch of willows about 60 yards below him where he quickly expired. And just like that, I was done on opening morning on my second solo backcountry hunt in the Colorado high country.