Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

Do overs 2021 while hunting..

How about last night’s campsite selection. I would have done that choice over.

The large camp of regulars pulled out Thursday and their spot was ideal for where I was hunting. While looking around in the dark last night for dead pine needles to start a fire, I nearly tripped over this horrifying contraption. I almost drove to town and got a hotel just so I could shower after seeing it. Had to take pics today before I left.

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What the hell is up with people? Who leaves stuff like that at campsites? Get a dna sample from that and turn it in to the police…then shower…in bleach…and never feel clean again 🤪
 
Well, that doesn’t sound good. Hoping for the best man.
Thank you.

It is not optimal for sure. Had to cancel my Arkansas backpack hunt out of caution. According to doc, it wouldn’t be the smartest move to go hauling heavy loads for miles in the Ozarks, alone, with a possible undiagnosed heart issue.

They are going to run some tests and I am going to do some leas strenuous hunting in the meantime.
 
This was supposed to be 2021. But since we’re going way back I’ve got so many that nobody can compete. Picture this - you spot a bunch of cow elk at night and instead of hunting that spot you’re intimately familiar with, you pick somewhere else. 2 weeks later you find out the truck parked there the following day is that of the guy who arrowed the world record bull elk that very day.
 
This was supposed to be 2021. But since we’re going way back I’ve got so many that nobody can compete. Picture this - you spot a bunch of cow elk at night and instead of hunting that spot you’re intimately familiar with, you pick somewhere else. 2 weeks later you find out the truck parked there the following day is that of the guy who arrowed the world record bull elk that very day.
Ouch.
 
Seen some nice bucks while scouting , 2nd day a 2x2 come out and I passed on him didn't see another buck rest of season but had a great time , had elk all around me 3 days of the hunt didn't have tag only mule deer . This is hunting and we love it with or without the bonus of harvesting , on to whitetail hunting now good luck to all !
 
At the end of last season I said I was going east to hunt deer this year. I haven't yet. After the last 2 trips out with a combined travel of about 14 miles and I don't know how much elevation, on failing knees, glassing thousands of acres of what used to be good hunting, and not seeing a deer, a set of elk tracks, or another hunter, I would take a do over on that.
 
This was supposed to be 2021. But since we’re going way back I’ve got so many that nobody can compete. Picture this - you spot a bunch of cow elk at night and instead of hunting that spot you’re intimately familiar with, you pick somewhere else. 2 weeks later you find out the truck parked there the following day is that of the guy who arrowed the world record bull elk that very day.
Ouch!!!guessing we would have got better field pics if it was you
 
This was supposed to be 2021. But since we’re going way back I’ve got so many that nobody can compete. Picture this - you spot a bunch of cow elk at night and instead of hunting that spot you’re intimately familiar with, you pick somewhere else. 2 weeks later you find out the truck parked there the following day is that of the guy who arrowed the world record bull elk that very day.
I was hunting the area that same day with a friend that knows that country well. He had two spots in mind for us to hunt that morning, the spot you’re talking about and another one. He chose the wrong one.
 
In 2007, I pursued this ram for a week before getting within short range of him in a spot he would have fallen and been destroyed if I shot him. For some reason unknown to me to this day, we simply backed out quietly and moved to another drainage to chase another ram. Why I didn't stand up and toss rocks at him to see if he ended up in a more huntable location....who knows? The outcome couldn't have been any worse.

Dall19.jpg
 
This was supposed to be 2021. But since we’re going way back I’ve got so many that nobody can compete. Picture this - you spot a bunch of cow elk at night and instead of hunting that spot you’re intimately familiar with, you pick somewhere else. 2 weeks later you find out the truck parked there the following day is that of the guy who arrowed the world record bull elk that very day.
No one can top this. I nominate this as the GOAT hunting regrets.

My only consolation is you still may not have had the same opportunity he had, had you hunted that spot, and perhaps had you both been there the bull would have never been killed?
 
This year we had a doozie, but not mine to tell.

Last year we caught a glimpse of this ram just before he bedded. We watched him for way too long and got all worked up over how big he was. We hiked up and around to as close of s spot as I was comfortable with out spooking or being in sight od him and waited it out. Figured he come out on a green slab at about 400-425 yards. We had tons of time to get a good rest and ready. Stupidly I didn't account for elevation at that range. When the moment of truth came, between seeing just how big he was and dialing to much elevation, I shot over his back 2x and watched him dissappear into the fog. This was maybe the third animal I've shot and missed. We hunted him for the next 4 days and never saw him again. Didn't see him this year either. We could have gotten 100 -150 yards closer.

I seriously considered going back after we flew out and hunting him for a week but didn't want to get weathered in again and miss out on moose hunting.

One of the biggest rams I've seen.
Double broomed 38-39x13.5+ probably pushing 165. Screenshot_20211113-102906_Photos.jpg
 
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If I could do it over I’d probably take my LE Montana elk permit more serious. Been having to much fun killing coyotes that I haven’t gave it much of a serious effort but am going back up on Thursday for a few days so maybe things will change
 
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