X3A & my wife

[heelerdog]

As early as last year I would never have thunk it could happen. Not only did my wife accompany me on antelope opener but she wants to go out on the deer opener too. Now I'm told my oldest daughter (11) wants her hunter safety card. Looks like next year will be very expensive (license, tags, etc.) but soon it will all pay off and be awesome. Could it be that 3 NE California elk tags are in my future? Hunting "premium" California deer zones almost every year? Take your wife and kids hunting and fishing, not only is it great but it could have some payback for you too (if'n you live in California).

 

[MarvB]

Congrats HDog! My oldest (of three daughters) is now 12 and is getting her license as well (just have to do the workbook now and show up for the test- they actually are making it more convenient these days). Some GREAT junior hunts out there for the Calif kids and they even have a "chance" of getting a tag as compared to us old folks

My C zone tag is about winding down....time to stop passing up the forkies and bust something for the freezer. Yours is about to open- got one staked out yet??

 

[Muledeer4me]

Thats super.
Whats even better is that both of you are willing to take them.
Steve and I have been hunting together for about 28 years now.
Our son did everything with us ,the payback is now our grandkids are very much into the outdoors and will be hunting soon.
Best of luck to all of you.

 

[heelerdog]

Change of plans. My wife isn't getting over a case of bronchitis as quickly as we hoped so it looks like I'm flying solo for the opener anyways. It sucks. I'll be OK though dont worry about me, I hunt solo 95% of the time anyways, but I still wish she could go.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Heelerdog, just got back from my property up on Schaffer Mountain. Both of my cousins got bucks -a 5X4 and a 2X3, both around 24 to 25 inches wide. I got a shot at a very decent 3 pointer (after chasing some poachers off the ranch -long story) but missed. I'm so used to sighting in at coastal blacktail deer, that the size of this animal threw my proportions off by quite a bit. I thought it was about 300 yards... turns out it was more like 500. Missed him clean. Jumped him later while following his tracks, but he dissappeared into the pines. Walked up on a young 3X2 in a drainage but didn't shoot him -had him totally suprised. On the last day I almost attempted a running head shot on another big 3X3 (it was the only target he gave me!!) on the last day, but he too ducked into the pines. After 5 or 6 years of not hunting mule deer, I sure re-learned alot in the past 2 weeks. Pls let me know how you did. PS, I hope it wasn't you I so rudely shouted off of my property. (By the way, do people up there have trouble reading No Tresspassing signs, and is it genetic?) LOL, Dave

 

[heelerdog]

I pissed off the Hunting Gods Dave. I had the scope on 4 (at different times) and had a group of does bust me on approach to what looked like a real good buck. Which was stupid on my part because I would have gained 20 yards at best on my sneak making a 150 yard shot a 130 yarder, still pissed at myself for that one, from where I started the does had zero idea I was there as I had no idea they were there. Since I turned my nose up at so many gifts from the gods I assume they turned off my buck supply as I never saw another one. (The tiny forky, and I emphasis tiny, with milk still on his lips does not count even though he was legal.) My wife did get to go out with me a few times and got in on a blown stalk on a 3 X 3, we got busted by the swirling wind. I had a fabulous time and even found some new area that looks great for our next 3A tag. So all in all a great deer season, only thing that could have made it better is I could have had the whole season to hunt instead of five days. I had six planned but I fell off a drop off opening day and took Sunday off to recover. Damn lava rock shifted while I was glassing and I went ass over tea kettle over the edge of an 8 foot drop. I can promise you you didnt not see or yell at me. Several people got popped for poaching this year. One group got everything except a ride home confiscated. Now it's up to the DA to prosecute these putz', hope he doesn't take this lightly and just slap them on the wrist. Almost forgot a coyote busted me sneaking in on opening morning and let everything within hearing range know. I took the liberty of scheduling an appointment with my rifle and him next week. Generally the locals can't read but the generally don't trespass either we know who to ask and where to go. Chances are it was one of your neighbors Dave.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Good to hear you had a good hunt, HD. All in all I did also. The muleys taught me a few things... things sure have changed since the 70's. I also slipped on a lava rock while sidehilling, flopped all the way down on my belly. Whump!! Luckly I was holding the rifle in the crook of my arm and the recoil pad hit the ground first. Then the barrel whipped around and cracked me in the noggin. Dong!! Didn't hurt too much... nothin' too much in my skull to get hurt with. Yep, we'll just have to try it again next year. DD