2022 Season Recap

[BlakeA]

I usually do a recap of the year in photos on here after the season. Unfortunately, there are many photos, many of my best as I love photography, that I can't share due to the lurkers who try to to figure out spots, units, etc. so those don't get shared.

I had a great season mainly due to the friends and family I shared hunts and camp with. I'm lucky that I have a dad that still gets after it at age 67 and I never take our time outdoors for granted. We have enjoyed many hunts and adventures together over the past 30 years and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2023 has in store. I'm not going to do full recaps of each as this is more so just a photo dump.

 

[BlakeA]

Started out in April with a quick spot and spook turkey hunt with my 3 yr old. He shot some nice tree stumps and a pretty big snow bank. Also sat in moose poop. The turkeys were safe. Then we did our first open water fishing of the year and he caught his first walleye (with some help of course) within the first few minutes...of course . The next week we received almost 60 inches of snow.

 

[BlakeA]

Fast forward to August and I headed to the desert with a good friend of mine for some spot and stalk archery antelope.




I snuck up on this guy to get a better look and found myself at 32 yards arrow knocked waiting for him to stand....and waiting...and waiting...and then another buck showed up across the hill and he took off after him. I took a pic of him bedded while waiting on him.





I spotted this guy with 7 does and was able to make a good stalk in between them and execute a great shot on him. The sand/dirt was so hot while crawling and waiting in the sun that my knee caps and hips kept feeling like they were on fire lol.

 

[KG92]

first true hunting season since I was very little. Ended up with an antelope buck and a whitetail spike. It was a great year and I'm hooked.

 

[BlakeA]

Later on in the fall, @SnowyMountaineer and I loaded up our packs and walked up some hills in search of a couple mule deer bucks and some type 2 fun. @SnowyMountaineer hiked almost 7 hours up hill with a weeks worth of gear on his back, a broken bone in his foot and had a fever. All in non stop rain. The dude loves mule deer.












The weather made things difficult for us the entire week. Lots of rain, fog, snow, and cold. The perfect ingredients for a memorable hunt. Time was winding down and we had been unable to turn up what we were looking for so far. On the last morning, we turned up a group of bucks we had seen from way the F away and I was able to make a good shot on the biggest in the group. Just an awesome adventure and experience all the way through. Looking forward to the next one with @SnowyMountaineer ! He is one of the best humans and hunters I know.

 

[BlakeA]

A few weeks later, my Dad joined me on a rifle antelope tag that I had. A good buddy of mine had a tag too. Lots of fun hiking around and glassing and then having beers and sharing camp with good friends.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Very impressive! Congrats on the great adventures this past season.
Matt

 

[BlakeA]

Next up was taking my nephews out hunting for deer as one of them had a doe tag. Unfortunately the weather sucked and the deer were tough to turn up and they only had the weekend to come with us. Had alot of fun hiking and camping though! I still had a rifle deer tag and my dad came with for the last deer hunt of the year. I was able turn up this buck before shooting light. I made an educated guess as to where he would hole up for the day. I sat just shy of 10 hours in the wind and cold and he showed himself at last light. I was able to make a good shot and he dropped where he stood. We quartered him and came back the next day to pack the rest out. We then helped a buddy of mine with his buck the following day and then wrapped up camp with some drinks and ribeyes around the fire.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Thanks for sharing. You've been living right!

 

[Buschy]

Dang! What a great year and stunning pictures. I sure miss the ND walleye fishing. Thank you for sharing and I hope the tag gods smile on you this spring.

 

[BlakeA]

After Thanksgiving, my dad and I spent the rest of the weekend trying to fill one of our cow tags. I spotted a small group on our last morning and after taking a while to figure out where exactly they bedded up at, I snuck in and shot one that afternoon.

 

[huntin24/7]

Nice season and pics as usual Blake. Congrats!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

When @BlakeA gets into kill mode, odds are real high that the target is going to die. Undoubtedly among the better all around hunters on this board and top notch guy; would hunt with him again any day, and I am extremely picky about hunting partners.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Undoubtedly among the better all around hunters on this board and top notch guy

As evidenced by each year's recap on here. @BlakeA, you're a machine. Congratulations on another great season.

 

[Wild Bill]

What a year. Congrats!

 

[JShane]

I'm having freezer envy.

 

[ida homer]

@BlakeA and @SnowyMountaineer in the same MF’in place at the same MF’in time, jeez leave a buck for the rest of us! No one else in that unit had a chance.

 

[Nick87]

Congrats! That 2nd goat is a beauty!!

 

[FREAK]

Later on in the fall, @SnowyMountaineer and I loaded up our packs and walked up some hills in search of a couple mule deer bucks and some type 2 fun. @SnowyMountaineer hiked almost 7 hours up hill with a weeks worth of gear on his back, a broken bone in his foot and had a fever. All in non stop rain. The dude loves mule deer.

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The weather made things difficult for us the entire week. Lots of rain, fog, snow, and cold. The perfect ingredients for a memorable hunt. Time was winding down and we had been unable to turn up what we were looking for so far. On the last morning, we turned up a group of bucks we had seen from way the F away and I was able to make a good shot on the biggest in the group. Just an awesome adventure and experience all the way through. Looking forward to the next one with @SnowyMountaineer ! He is one of the best humans and hunters I know.

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Awesome pics, I’m curious what tipi that is? I’m looking for something around that size.

 

[BlakeA]

Awesome pics, I’m curious what tipi that is? I’m looking for something around that size.

Kifaru Tut