Teej's 2019 Fall Extravaganza

[teej89]

I clearly remember one specific time I heard this song... I was less than 10yrs old and glassing deer from our white wood paneled caravan with my dad. I was laying on the roof with my binoculars and note pad, I'd keep track of how many deer we saw and the size of the bucks, my dad was standing leaning against the van with his binos too and this song came on the radio. Of course I knew every word and he said to me ***If I was telling you this in person this would be said in my comical serious "supervisor for life" impression of my dad*** "you might not understand this song now but you sure will when you're older T.J.". Well dad, +20yrs later and I get it ha! And we still glass that same valley for deer, he won't lemme get on the roof anymore though...

Anyways just wanted to share that little tidbit, still hands down my favorite song next to Alan Jackson "Drive".

Well this fall we have a whole mess of things going down. This thread is going to be almost like a journal, not just only a hunting journal but a journal of the adventures that are in store for us this year.

In chronological order...

1) There's a job change coming up this fall that has us relocating. We have no idea where we're being relocated to but in two days we find out! We couldn't be more stoked, we have high hopes for out west but it's not in our hands at the moment. This summer is going to involves searching for jobs, packing, finding a place to live, all the while planning my hunts for this fall and educating myself on the hunting and fishing opportunities in the next state we're moving to. I'll be touching back in with updates on this throughout the process.

2) As some people may know, last year we drew Any Elk rifle tags in the breaks with less than a 1% chance of drawing and we all killed bulls making some great friends in the process. Well this year we rolled the dice again and drew the archery tag for the same unit, once again with very slim odds... Fortunately we hiked our butts off last fall and we were there last August on a scouting trip so I'm not too concerned with scouting for the unit. More so just developing game plans and now developing plans that incorporates a boat since we'll have a boat this year. Also if everything goes right I'll be out there a couple days before the season and hunting through the 3rd week of September. You can click this link for my old thread on last years hunt: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/all-or-nothing-2018-missiouri-breaks-elk.284353/

3) This isn't hunting related but the first weekend in October, the weekend right before we move, I'm getting married! So stoked! We've been wedding planning like crazy and it's been intense but it's all going to be worth it. She's hands down the best damn woman I've ever met. Together we do all sorts of projects, workout, crossfit, snowboard, and hunt and fish together. This spring she got her first turkey and I swear I've never been more proud or more excited to knock a turkey down. You can find the link to the turkey hunt here: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/is-it-always-going-to-be-like-this.289374/

4) After the wedding there is a MT deer hunt in November planned and well the rest is going to be a journal of my adventures in whatever state we get put it. I'm sure it's going to be a comical and frustrating yet humbling experience due to the fact our more popular choices of locations are going to be out west or hunting in areas that are nothing like the big woods of PA or farm fields of OH. I really hope to be able to find some birds for the pup whether it be upland or ducks. Either way I'm extremely excited, I love hunting new ground! If it's an adventure, then I'm in. Like most people who've hunted with me know that there's no mountain I wouldn't want to climb and when I get to the top I'm looking for the next highest place. I go by the "grass is always greener" tactic when hunting haha

Anyways this is just a starter, sorry for the no pics yet but I hope to have some good context for you throughout 2019 and thanks for tagging along!

 

[mtmuley]

I'll be following. mtmuley

 

[PA deer hunter]

I’m in !

 

[Festus]

Following.
Wishing you the best in your upcoming ventures...Line 'em up and knock 'em down!
Like your 2 song choices, as well.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Good luck! My wife and I got married and then moved the next week so I can empathize. Wherever you end up just embrace it.

 

[deer_shooter]

following

 

[teej89]

Good luck! My wife and I got married and then moved the next week so I can empathize. Wherever you end up just embrace it.

ha that's funny! To throw a twist in the mix, she is gone until 4 days before our wedding. We've been planning it together via the phone and facetime in the evenings AND we're in PA AND the wedding is in seattle haah!! Throw in the mix we have no idea where we're moving to yet loL! It's an adventure that's for sure!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

ha that's funny! To throw a twist in the mix, she is gone until 4 days before our wedding. We've been planning it together via the phone and facetime in the evenings AND we're in PA AND the wedding is in seattle haah!! Throw in the mix we have no idea where we're moving to yet loL! It's an adventure that's for sure!

Dude... you can't help but laugh in those situations. You two are going to be lying in bed post wedding/move thinking why on earth did we do that...

Good experience working as a team though... which is important when life inevitably throws you a curve ball.

 

[Irrelevant]

Good luck! My wife and I got married and then moved the next week so I can empathize. Wherever you end up just embrace it.

I'll play the one upper game. We got married, bought our first house and moved across the state to start new jobs in the same week.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

I'm tuning in! Marriage is a great thing when you marry a good one. Sounds like a busy fall but I'm sure it will be one to remember!

 

[duckhunt]

Looking forward to following along.

 

[teej89]

Holy crap we're moving to Washington! No idea where in the state yet, that has to get worked out still and it's still not up to us but we're so damn excited! Now I need to look into the idaho general season OTC tags for this fall haha! And obviously washington but I've always wanted to hunt Idaho.

And I really want to give it a shot at trapping crabs haha

 

[Scott85]

Holy crap we're moving to Washington! No idea where in the state yet, that has to get worked out still and it's still not up to us but we're so damn excited! Now I need to look into the idaho general season OTC tags for this fall haha!

Congrats I guess, hope you find a good job!

 

[Irrelevant]

Holy crap we're moving to Washington! No idea where in the state yet, that has to get worked out still and it's still not up to us but we're so damn excited! Now I need to look into the idaho general season OTC tags for this fall haha! And obviously washington but I've always wanted to hunt Idaho.

And I really want to give it a shot at trapping crabs haha

You missed out on all the specials for WA. A quick run down. Deer you have to pick a weapon type, then based on that you can look at dates and figure out where and when you can hunt. https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02063
This is difference than say ID or MT where the regs are structured more toward looking up where you want to hunt then figuring when you can do it.

Elk is more restrictive, you have to pick weapon type and east side or west side. West side is almost always 3-point min (or antlerless for archery), east side is almost always spike or true spike only (again with some antlerless opportunities for archery) except for north of spokane where there is some bull OTC opportunities.

Bear is OTC Aug 1 - late fall (no idea when, but after all the bears have denned). You can shoot multiple a year.

Cabbing (no need to throw trapping in there, you'll sound like a tourist) starts July 1 I think, it's pretty easy, grab a pot and a buoy, some cat food or chicken and set your pot near another pot. Salmon (coho) start soon-ish in the straights as well. There's not a lot of general stream/river fishing in western WA for trout, almost all the waters are closed to protect juvenile salmon/steelhead.

 

[teej89]

You missed out on all the specials for WA. A quick run down. Deer you have to pick a weapon type, then based on that you can look at dates and figure out where and when you can hunt. https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02063
This is difference than say ID or MT where the regs are structured more toward looking up where you want to hunt then figuring when you can do it.

Elk is more restrictive, you have to pick weapon type and east side or west side. West side is almost always 3-point min (or antlerless for archery), east side is almost always spike or true spike only (again with some antlerless opportunities for archery) except for north of spokane where there is some bull OTC opportunities.

Bear is OTC Aug 1 - late fall (no idea when, but after all the bears have denned). You can shoot multiple a year.

Cabbing (no need to throw trapping in there, you'll sound like a tourist) starts July 1 I think, it's pretty easy, grab a pot and a buoy, some cat food or chicken and set your pot near another pot. Salmon (coho) start soon-ish in the straights as well. There's not a lot of general stream/river fishing in western WA for trout, almost all the waters are closed to protect juvenile salmon/steelhead.

Thanks for the run down! I was just looking thru their website and seeing if I could get a hard copy of the regulations. I'd much rather have something in hand than a PDF but if not then I can make do.

Question, are there any OTC for deer or are they all specials? As far as my opportunity for big game this fall would I be limited to just bear? We won't be out there till the first week of October.

 

[Irrelevant]

Thanks for the run down! I was just looking thru their website and seeing if I could get a hard copy of the regulations. I'd much rather have something in hand than a PDF but if not then I can make do.

Question, are there any OTC for deer or are they all specials? As far as my opportunity for big game this fall would I be limited to just bear? We won't be out there till the first week of October.

You can buy deer and elk OTC. Not sure if you'll qualify for resident pricing though (honestly I think it's based on the honor system though). Deer OTC is a pretty dang good tag. You'll be getting here at about the start of rifle deer, which is then followed by rifle elk. I'm really off of WA elk, I basically quick hunting the general seasons and just hold our for a special permit.

 

[teej89]

You can buy deer and elk OTC. Not sure if you'll qualify for resident pricing though (honestly I think it's based on the honor system though). Deer OTC is a pretty dang good tag. You'll be getting here at about the start of rifle deer, which is then followed by rifle elk. I'm really off of WA elk, I basically quick hunting the general seasons and just hold our for a special permit.

shoot that's exciting! Now I have to find where we're living and start the research! And get the fiancee a synthetic stock, my 25-06 with it's wooden stock isn't gonna sit well with her and the miles of hiking we're about to do!

 

[Crossbowguy]

I will be following along!

 

[teej89]

Took the pup out for his first off leash walk in 6 weeks, poor dude hurt his tail and had bad droop tail for a while. He’s been resting and on meds. Slowing trying to build his stamina up for this fall, we have a lot of birds to try and figure out in Washington this year.

I’d say he enjoyed his first time out, and for those who have labs you know this as well as me, where there’s a puddle they will find it.

He goes bananas when we hit gravel roads and begs for the window down, this is how he rides on the backroads.

 

[teej89]

Here’s some more of Boomer, the blanket picture was a day we hunted and the temps started below zero And raised to about zero ha! We’d hunt for a bit then warm up, got our limit eventually which is tough in January in PA.