Was 2020 your best hunting year ever?

2020 was a very good year for me. Living full time right in the center of MT gives me adventures in every direction close by. Shed hunting in March and April. Then the fishing. I thought I would miss the MN Walleyes, not so Some of the best eye fishing ever. A couple months of upland and waterfowl, with the Britt and Lab. 15 inch Lope and a 26 Muley close to home on public.
A quick trip back to the farm in MN for a hefty WT buck. Stayed healthy all the while.
Yep! a good year !
 
I’ve been blessed with many good hunting years, and 2020 was certainly one of them. Filled both my tags, buck antelope and bull elk, my hunting partner filled his bull tag at age 75, and the guys that I guided took either elk, deer, or both.
But filled tags aside, being in the mountains is it’s own reward.
Really appreciate all of the positive responses on this thread...you guys definitely get it.
 
I consider 2020 a great year. We had a great family antelope trip where we harvested 6 antelope. Chased a big whitetail with my bow.....did not connect with him but had 3 close encounters just couldn’t get a clear shot.
 

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not even close..weather played a huge part in our hunts and ruined many hunts. Spent more time trying to get in and out of mountains, salvaging gear etc then hunting
 
2020 was just like most seasons. Lots of highs and lows even tho its hard to be low in the field. If you wanna have encounters and situations that bring you close to a heart attack hunt with me. If you actually wanna harvest an animal hunt with me sometimes.
All in all it was a good year explored alot of new country in 2 states, came face to face with and walked thru my mental and physical wall when it comes to packing out an elk, harvested a great WT buck that I have a history with, filled my extra doe tag, first Merriam turkey, some pheasants, my first quail, some grouse, seen my first big coues buck, part of a couple other successful bull elk hunts and deer hunts, and my wife let me use the 4runner for a hunt. Haha
 
It started out on a low note when wolves ate my 6 year old Chessie. My wife bought two Chessie pups as replacements just before Christmas, and they look super.

I had some great hunts, and looking back it was a great year. I didn't get out as much as I wanted, but more than any year since we moved to Whale Pass, AK full time four years ago, and more than any year since we moved from Maine in 2005. So there is that, which is a blessing. Every year going forward will have more time free to hunt and fish since the majority of the infrastructure on the homestead is done. Spring bear is only two months away. . . and July and August in the alpine soon after that!
 
I had an epic year planned but it didn't quite turn out that way......

I drew 6 out of 7 Colorado species -

1- Antelope - Doe tag with the kids...never made it out to hunt with them.
2- Bighorn sheep - Only tag I didn't draw. Don't feel bad I had a leftover ewe tag last year and I did get to on some hunts.
Bighorn hunt#1 Nephew had a ewe tag got to help on that hunt. I had him at 234 yards first day but the scope was loose. I'm a bad uncle. Day 2 Couldn't get there early but saw somebody else shoot a ewe they had stalked fun to watch in the scope. He got a 2nd chance and I was there for he pack out.
Bighorn hunt #2 Help a NR with a ewe tag locate some sheep. They spotted some elk for me. Same guy got the tag as turned back I mentioned on a thread here.
Bighorn Hunt #3 Was supposed to spend 5+ days helping a friend in the unit I killed my ram in my profile pic. Ended up only spending 24 hours there after I was called back early to take care of my brother who is pretty sick. F%ck Cancer!
Bighorn Hunt #4- Best hunt of the year by far saw lots sheep and rutting action. Buddies wife killed a great ram on day 2.
3- Bear- Never saw a bear barely had time to hunt.
4- Deer- Hunted parts of 2 weekends saw a few bucks nothing I wanted to shoot.
5- Elk- Drew a PLO 5 month long season cow tag. Rancher never called to say the elk showed up. Still haven't seen many there.
Elk#2 Picked up a left over Limited until bull muzzy tag close to home. Hunted parts of 4 days saw elk every day. Had a 300+ 6x6 at 125 yards - No shot....
6- Moose- Drew a cow tag - Hunted parts of 7 of 14 days helping a friend looking for a good bull- he never found one. I killed a cow on the last day.
7- Mountain Goat - Drew a nanny tag but turned it in due to the fires closing the unit- Will get to hunt this year.

New Mexico-
8- Elk- Late season muzzy bull- ate the tag and the guided hunt at the last minute due to my brother's health issues.
9 - Ibex- Drew archery ibex hunted 7 days had a chance but dang those things are tough to hunt!

Looking forward to a better 2021!

Sandbrew
 
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I had an epic year planned but I didn't quite turn out that way......

I drew 6 out of 7 Colorado species -

1- Antelope - Doe tag with the kids...never made it out to hunt with them.
2- Bighorn sheep - Only tag I didn't draw. Don't feel bad I had a leftover ewe tag last year and I did get to on some hunts.
Bighorn hunt#1 Nephew had a ewe tag got to help on that hunt. I had him at 234 yards first day but the scope was loose. I'm a bad uncle. Day 2 Couldn't get there early but saw somebody else shoot a ewe they had stalked fun to watch in the scope. He got a 2nd chance and I was there for he pack out.
Bighorn hunt #2 Help a NR with a ewe tag locate some sheep. They spotted some elk for me. Same guy got the tag as turned back I mentioned on a thread here.
Bighorn Hunt #3 Was supposed to spend 5+ days helping a friend in the unit I killed my ram in my profile pic. Ended up only spending 24 hours there after I was called back early to take care of my brother who is pretty sick. F%ck Cancer!
Bighorn Hunt #4- Best hunt of the year by far saw lots sheep and rutting action. Buddies wife killed a great ram on day 2.
3- Bear- Never saw a bear barely had time to hunt.
4- Deer- Hunted parts of 2 weekends saw a few bucks nothing I wanted to shoot.
5- Elk- Drew a PLO 5 month long season cow tag. Rancher never called to say the elk showed up. Still haven't seen many there.
Elk#2 Picked up a left over Limited until bull muzzy tag close to home. Hunted parts of 4 days saw elk every day. Had a 300+ 6x6 at 125 yards - No shot....
6- Moose- Drew a cow tag - Hunted parts of 7 of 14 days helping a friend looking for a good bull- he never found one. I killed a cow on the last day.
7- Mountain Goat - Drew a nanny tag but turned it in due to the fires closing the unit- Will get to hunt this year.

New Mexico-
8- Elk- Late season muzzy bull- ate the tag and the guided hunt at the last minute due to my brother's health issues.
9 - Ibex- Drew archery ibex hunted 7 days had a chance but dang those things are tough to hunt!

Looking forward to a better 2021!

Sandbrew
Sounds like you had a....busy.... hunting season. Successful all around, tags punched or not.

Your correct about cancer! My best buddy just lost his brother yesterday. Thoughts and prayers for you and yours.
 
2020 was a good year I would say for anyone who is posting or reading. (or able)
Lost a good friend to covid but family is unscaved as of yet.
Just hunted WI this year, at least its hunting.
2021 is shaping up, heading to CO, 2nd rifle
 
It started out on a low note when wolves ate my 6 year old Chessie. My wife bought two Chessie pups as replacements just before Christmas, and they look super.

I had some great hunts, and looking back it was a great year. I didn't get out as much as I wanted, but more than any year since we moved to Whale Pass, AK full time four years ago, and more than any year since we moved from Maine in 2005. So there is that, which is a blessing. Every year going forward will have more time free to hunt and fish since the majority of the infrastructure on the homestead is done. Spring bear is only two months away. . . and July and August in the alpine soon after that!
We are getting to hate the damn wolves in our mn & WI whitetail hunting grounds they are definitely not needed .ore than woodticks or moswuitos
 
Hunting elk was one of the few bright spots in 2020. Broke both wrists in the summer and my collarbone in November.

In between those issues, I helped a first time archery hunter and then went on a solo hunt October 1st. My elk tag was filled opening day after calling a herd bull into 10 yards. Tags for my favorite area are now really hard to get so this was kind of a good send off!

Broke one of my wrists again recently skiing and surgery is next week...so 2021 isn’t starting off any better!

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2020 whooped my ass so I’ll post pics of my 2019 season instead😂
 

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2020 wasn't my best year, but definitely a good year hunting. My daughter got her 2nd triple beard tom and her first buck, my son killed his first antelope buck. The wife missed two big bucks and didn't fill any tags. I killed a few tom turkey's, a nice antelope buck, a good whitetail buck and a couple does. Screenshot_20210115-094900_Gallery.jpg
 
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