2024 season, Its gonna be busy

[Wyhunter]

Little bit of a rough start to the season. It's mid 90s and I couldn't ethically kill an elk 3 miles back in and pack it out without spoiling the meat. So, I decided to switch gears and chase whitetail to put some meat in the freezer. Saw a few good bucks but blew the stalk on them pretty quick with swirling winds. I decided to setup and glass a creek bottom. Around 630 they started coming out to feed and I spotted 8 deer about 1300 yards away. Wind was in my favor so I started to stalk in. I got into 54 yards behind a small hill and was able to draw on a small buck. It felt good, so I released the arrow and saw the impact... it was low but he was hit hard. I watched him bed and backed out for 2 hours. I came back in after dark had settled and the buck expired. I quickly went to work breaking him down and getting him out of there since it was still 88 degrees I was worried. Sorry, no field pictures of this guy, I was more concerned with meat. I'll post some later of the skull. 2.5 miles later, I got to the truck with all the meat and headed back to camp. I'm still picking cactus from my legs. Heading home for the week because of the heat, but I'll be in the mountains friday for a day hunt. Should be cooler up there!

 

[perma]

Little bit of a rough start to the season. It's mid 90s and I couldn't ethically kill an elk 3 miles back in and pack it out without spoiling the meat. So, I decided to switch gears and chase whitetail to put some meat in the freezer. Saw a few good bucks but blew the stalk on them pretty quick with swirling winds. I decided to setup and glass a creek bottom. Around 630 they started coming out to feed and I spotted 8 deer about 1300 yards away. Wind was in my favor so I started to stalk in. I got into 54 yards behind a small hill and was able to draw on a small buck. It felt good, so I released the arrow and saw the impact... it was low but he was hit hard. I watched him bed and backed out for 2 hours. I came back in after dark had settled and the buck expired. I quickly went to work breaking him down and getting him out of there since it was still 88 degrees I was worried. Sorry, no field pictures of this guy, I was more concerned with meat. I'll post some later of the skull. 2.5 miles later, I got to the truck with all the meat and headed back to camp. I'm still picking cactus from my legs. Heading home for the week because of the heat, but I'll be in the mountains friday for a day hunt. Should be cooler up there!View attachment 338827

Already on the board!? Save some for us!

 

[Wyhunter]

I'm a meat hunter through and through. I usually dont pass on any legal big game that has antlers. It's pretty much the only meat my family eats aside from chicken. Here's the little buck. Only one I've ever harvested that was still in full velvet

 

[Bowmannate2000]

I'm a meat hunter through and through. I usually dont pass on any legal big game that has antlers. It's pretty much the only meat my family eats aside from chicken. Here's the little buck. Only one I've ever harvested that was still in full velvet

You also have a lot of tags to fill, so that's another good reason to get that whitetail out of the way and in the freezer!

 

[Joshua 24:15 Outdoors]

It's safe to say, my leave balance will be exhausted by the end of November. Heres my hunt schedule in order by calender date. Hopefully, I'll have some good stories, adventures, pictures, and meat in the freezer by the end of it.

August- Wyoming LE Pronghorn
September- Wyoming GEN elk
September- Wyoming GEN mule deer
October- Idaho DV GEN mule deer
November- Wyoming LE whitetail buck
November- Nebraska LE MDCA mule deer
November- Colorado LE 4th Bull elk
November- Colorado LE 4th mule deer

4 states in 4 months. Let's go!

Packed but excited schedule, best of luck and happy hunting!

 

[Wyhunter]

You also have a lot of tags to fill, so that's another good reason to get that whitetail out of the way and in the freezer!

My thoughts exactly! Nebraska will be my focus for a 4x4.

 

[jadkins223]

Goodluck this year wish you all great success and memories

 

[Wyhunter]

Headed up elk hunting for Friday and saturday. Elk were still pretty quiet. Only had locate bugles and bugles when I busted up herds. I had a nice 5 point I was tracking, but he busted me at 94 yards. The deadfall is pretty miserable hunting. Anytime I'd cow call, the elk would literally take off running.... I must be terrible haha. I hiked more on saturday than I have ever for a hunt. I covered 26.9 miles saturday and 12.1 on friday. Ended up with a good opportunity at a nice 160+ 4x4 muley, but a squirrel ratted me out. They stood up and had me pinned about to bolt, so I didnt have time to range him. I estimated him at 60 and shot right over his back, turned out to be at 54 yards. That was a bummer. Lots of lessons learned this weekend, ill be out next Friday. I'm hoping some bulls will be ready to play by then.

 

[Huckleberry406]

Good Luck!

 

[jas60hawk]

Awesome play by play! Congrats on the velvet buck, that'll make a sweet one on the wall!

 

[Wyhunter]

Spent Friday and saturday chasing bulls around. They are all bugling and answering pretty much every call, but not coming in. The just work their way away from you. Still a week or so early In my area, but it's been fun. Decided to hike out a different way last night and that was a bade idea. Ended up fighting deadfall for about 3.5 miles. The grouse are thick... ended up shooting a limit, but got cocky and it cost me 2 arrows in the end. I'm taking next weekend off for family time and heading up the last weekend in September. The last bull I was on ended up being 6.5 miles back and over 1200 foot down into a steep canyon. I was second guessing if I could even get him out of there alone. I think I'll stay a little closer in next time I go. My body is too banged up for that kind of haul. I was tired just getting my ass back to the truck.

I found this skeleton and not quite sure what it is... maybe a fox, maybe an alien or a small Bigfoot