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2022-2023 Hunting Thread

markstanco

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solamente73
solamente73

Mission accomplished: Near Helper, UT 7x7 w/ a kicker 397 B&C score Dad’s Weatherby Mark V chambered in .300 Weatherby Magnum 211 yards 200gr Accubond This was a journey

686
686

I sat at that spot for 12 hours so I had plenty of time to work on the composition and wait for the light to get just right for my palate. I grew up watching Bob Ross so maybe he rubbed off on me a li

686
686

Got my 12 yr old daughter on her first deer yesterday. We sat the morning looking for does or pigs. Had a pig really early, but not enough light to shoot, then saw four bucks over the next two hours,

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Spaulding Smails

Spaulding Smails 1551

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Got skunked in Burnet County this morning.  Saw a few birds off on the horizon, but didn't even pull the trigger.  I think the rain played a huge part.  We were hunting over a tank that has always been solid on opening day when it's dry.  Bummer, but I'll take sitting in the field with a cup of coffee watching an amazing sunrise over a computer screen at the office any day of the week. 

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fattyflattie

fattyflattie 4636

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2 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

Got skunked in Burnet County this morning.  Saw a few birds off on the horizon, but didn't even pull the trigger.  I think the rain played a huge part.  We were hunting over a tank that has always been solid on opening day when it's dry.  Bummer, but I'll take sitting in the field with a cup of coffee watching an amazing sunrise over a computer screen at the office any day of the week. 

That’s what I hope is my saving grace. There’s not many tanks in our area, but what is there will be full (and hopefully loaded with dove).  

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solamente73

solamente73 1132

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Mission accomplished:

C263497B-5FDC-4B28-B7D0-4E11E885D569.thumb.jpeg.65f6c283115dde65bf95edb40838e87b.jpeg

Near Helper, UT
7x7 w/ a kicker
397 B&C score
Dad’s Weatherby Mark V chambered in .300 Weatherby Magnum
211 yards
200gr Accubond

This was a journey 37 years in the making, and he was the most majestic animal I had ever seen.

Dad was with me every step of the way.  He would have turned 94 the day before I took the shot.

Thanks again for all the help and inspiration over the past year as I set out on this adventure of a lifetime.  And @686 was right - I’m already planning the next elk hunt.

I hope all y’all going after elk this fall have great success and an even greater time achieving it!

 

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deadshank

deadshank 24651

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1 hour ago, solamente73 said:

Mission accomplished:

C263497B-5FDC-4B28-B7D0-4E11E885D569.thumb.jpeg.65f6c283115dde65bf95edb40838e87b.jpeg

Near Helper, UT
7x7 w/ a kicker
397 B&C score
Dad’s Weatherby Mark V chambered in .300 Weatherby Magnum
211 yards
200gr Accubond

This was a journey 37 years in the making, and he was the most majestic animal I had ever seen.

Dad was with me every step of the way.  He would have turned 94 the day before I took the shot.

Thanks again for all the help and inspiration over the past year as I set out on this adventure of a lifetime.  And @686 was right - I’m already planning the next elk hunt.

I hope all y’all going after elk this fall have great success and an even greater time achieving it!

 

Fantastic bull!!  Congrats!!  Look forward to reading up on your trip and how it all went down when you saw the bull, got to a spot where you were able send a bullet down range, what was churning in your bean when crosshairs were on him.  Apparently you didn't forget to breathe.

Great job.

Nice hat, too.

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Kennythetiger

Kennythetiger 9334

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7 hours ago, solamente73 said:

Mission accomplished:

C263497B-5FDC-4B28-B7D0-4E11E885D569.thumb.jpeg.65f6c283115dde65bf95edb40838e87b.jpeg

Near Helper, UT
7x7 w/ a kicker
397 B&C score
Dad’s Weatherby Mark V chambered in .300 Weatherby Magnum
211 yards
200gr Accubond

This was a journey 37 years in the making, and he was the most majestic animal I had ever seen.

Dad was with me every step of the way.  He would have turned 94 the day before I took the shot.

Thanks again for all the help and inspiration over the past year as I set out on this adventure of a lifetime.  And @686 was right - I’m already planning the next elk hunt.

I hope all y’all going after elk this fall have great success and an even greater time achieving it!

 

@deadshank, you’re up. 

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solamente73

solamente73 1132

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On 9/8/2022 at 3:18 PM, deadshank said:

Fantastic bull!!  Congrats!!  Look forward to reading up on your trip and how it all went down when you saw the bull, got to a spot where you were able send a bullet down range, what was churning in your bean when crosshairs were on him.  Apparently you didn't forget to breathe.

Great job.

Nice hat, too.

Thanks! Even though I just returned from my hunt, I envy the journey upon which you embark tomorrow.  It’s a high I can too easily see chasing again and again.

I’ll post later more pics and tidbits, but to your ask about the moment of truth… (spoilered for longcat)

Spoiler

The guide, my friend, and I had been chasing singles and gangs around for a couple of days.  It was hot (high ~90), steep, lots of timber, sagebrush meadows.  I’d tried to get shots on two different bulls, but no joy.  The guide had told us that the elk, even in that hot weather, tended to take water once per day, usually in the morning.  We had figured out where a very promising gang, which we hadn’t been able to glass well, had been taking water and then the trail they took up-mountain to feed later in the morning.  We set up across a meadow from where we thought they would emerge to feed. Sticks set, round chambered, safety on.

This was the view:

IMG_7138.thumb.JPEG.f53982184cc8b1c39b72f4d8c674da41.JPEG

Sure enough, mid-morning we saw an elk emerge from the tree line way off to the right of the landscape in that photo.  Then another elk showed up.  Then another.  It was a holy shit - game time moment.  We adjusted our position to better target that area and started to assess.  The sun was directly in our eyes - it wasn’t the ideal position but it’s what the terrain and elk gave us to work with.

One by one, 10-12 elk emerged and began to graze… right behind an oak grove about 200 yards out.  It was frustrating as hell.  Every now and then two or three would make their way from behind the grove and we could get a good look, but then they’d disappear again behind it.

Then I saw The One.  I knew it immediately - he stood out from the others with his light champagne coat and clean rack.  The G1s an G2s were amazing, and the drop at the end of the main beams was sweet.  I made the decision to target that bull… just in time for him to disappear back behind the grove.

We waited, maybe 30 minutes.  They were grazing around, popping out every now and then, teasing us.  The One was no where to be seen.  We dared not move as we were in full sunlight and in full sight of one or more of the elk - at least our silhouette was obscured by the tree line behind us.  Thick sagebrush is a real bitch to gain solid footing in, and everything from my toes to my neck were killing me without being able to move around and shift weight as I remained in position to take a shot.  Sun directly in the eyes was a beating.

Finally, I saw The One emerge again.  Two other elk partially obscured him.  I confirmed with the guide that it was him.  I called the ball - I just had to wait for the clear shot.  Yeah, it had been go time, but now it was really happening and shit was real.  I swear, my pulse rate must have jumped to 200 for a few seconds - it was unsettling and nothing like I’d experienced with any other animal in my crosshairs - not even close.  Somehow, I pulled myself together and it was all business.  Just aim where you want it to go.

The other two elk moved out of the way.  The One was broadside facing left, grazing.  Crosshairs near the top of his left shoulder crease.  Safety off. The One raised his head. “I’m taking the shot.”  Squeeze.  Bang.

Jeezus the recoil on that thing.  Plus shooting off sticks and bad footing.  I’m lucky I didn’t fall over.  I chambered another round and then back on target.  He hadn’t moved.  “Did I hit him?”  “Yeah, he’s sick.”  Then, through the rifle scope, I saw blood come out of his nose and/or mouth.  A few more eternal seconds passed.  He slowly turned 180 to face back towards the oak grove.  “Should I put another one in him?”  “No, he’s done.”  Then he dropped and rolled.

The image through those crosshairs of that bull finally dropping and rolling, kicking up dust clouds illuminated by the bright Utah morning sun, is something etched into my brain for all time.  It was absolutely cinematic.

I couldn’t believe it.  Elation redefined.  Fist bumps with the guide and my friend.  I thought I would howl but I couldn't muster more than an excited whisper. “How long do we wait?”  “We can go now."

Walking across that sagebrush meadow is a bit of a blur as my mind tried to recall all that had just happened, all while under a deluge of emotions bottled up for decades. It's cliche, but it was truly surreal - it was that moment when all the hard work and expectations culminate exactly as you had imagined it.

Walking up on the bull, I was awestruck. It's awesome size, and that ridiculous rack. Majestic and beautiful beyond compare:

IMG_7141.thumb.JPEG.0a06647272eb284d19a2beba73084f22.JPEG

It was hot, so after some photos and taking the time to venerate the bull, we had to get to work.  Field dressing confirmed a double lung hit.  I had joked to my wife (no pics) about eating the heart and wearing its blood as war paint (I have some Native American ancestry), but the guide told me I had to do it for real since it was my first elk.  The heart was quite good if a tad bland, and blood went everywhere.  My binoc pack has some blood stains that will spark good conversation.

That night, my buddy and I toasted the hunt, the animals, our guide and camp staff, and my dad.  Dad's favorites were Wild Turkey 101 and Chivas, so both made an appearance, though the 101 I think won the night.

IMG_7277.thumb.JPEG.69722911fec38de2f70b05928fbca659.JPEG

Dad's rifle had a purpose, and my father never had a chance to fulfill that purpose before cancer took him far too early.   My mission to fulfill that purpose evolved into a journey on multiple levels that educated me on many unexpected things and that made me a better hunter, husband, father, and man.  Not only was it an experience of a lifetime, but also a window into how my next 50 years can be even more rewarding than my first.

TL/DR After a couple of days of chasing a few elk around, we patterned the elk and set-up on an area where we figured they'd be feeding.  When they appeared, it was a holy shit moment.  Then once I had a clear shot on the one I wanted to take, shit got real really fast and I thought my heart would explode.  Somehow I got control of myself and got to work.  All business.  One shot, double lung, essentially a DRT.  Excitement, relief... so many emotions came flooding in.  I practiced a ton with that rifle, so some kind of muscle memory just took over when the time for the shot came.  Had it not, I probably would have been paralyzed by my brain saying "don't fuck this up."

So, don't fuck it up.

Good luck to you, sir!  Have a great time, and hope to get periodic updates, though cell service in the mountains SUUUUUCKKKKSSSS.

Edited by solamente73
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deadshank

deadshank 24651

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8 minutes ago, solamente73 said:

Thanks! Even though I just returned from my hunt, I envy the journey upon which you embark tomorrow.  It’s a high I can too easily see chasing again and again.

I’ll post later more pics and tidbits, but to your ask about the moment of truth… (spoilered for longcat)

  Hide contents

The guide, my friend, and I had been chasing singles and gangs around for a couple of days.  It was hot (high ~90), steep, lots of timber, sagebrush meadows.  I’d tried to get shots on two different bulls, but no joy.  The guide had told us that the elk, even in that hot weather, tended to take water once per day, usually in the morning.  We had figured out where a very promising gang, which we hadn’t been able to glass well, had been taking water and then the trail they took up-mountain to feed later in the morning.  We set up across a meadow from where we thought they would emerge to feed. Sticks set, round chambered, safety on.

This was the view:

IMG_7138.thumb.JPEG.f53982184cc8b1c39b72f4d8c674da41.JPEG

Sure enough, mid-morning we saw an elk emerge from the tree line way off to the right of the landscape in that photo.  Then another elk showed up.  Then another.  It was a holy shit - game time moment.  We adjusted our position to better target that area and started to assess.  The sun was directly in our eyes - it wasn’t the ideal position but it’s what the terrain and elk gave us to work with.

One by one, 10-12 elk emerged and began to graze… right behind an oak grove about 200 yards out.  It was frustrating as hell.  Every now and then two or three would make their way from behind the grove and we could get a good look, but then they’d disappear again behind it.

Then I saw The One.  I knew it immediately - he stood out from the others with his light champagne coat and clean rack.  The G1s an G2s were amazing, and the drop at the end of the main beams was sweet.  I made the decision to target that bull… just in time for him to disappear back behind the grove.

We waited, maybe 30 minutes.  They were grazing around, popping out every now and then, teasing us.  The One was no where to be seen.  We dared not move as we were in full sunlight and in full sight of one or more of the elk - at least our silhouette was obscured by the tree line behind us.  Thick sagebrush is a real bitch to gain solid footing in, and everything from my toes to my neck were killing me without being able to move around and shift weight as I remained in position to take a shot.  Sun directly in the eyes was a beating.

Finally, I saw The One emerge again.  Two other elk partially obscured him.  I confirmed with the guide that it was him.  I called the ball - I just had to wait for the clear shot.  Yeah, it had been go time, but now it was really happening and shit was real.  I swear, my pulse rate must have jumped to 200 for a few seconds - it was unsettling and nothing like I’d experienced with any other animal in my crosshairs - not even close.  Somehow, I pulled myself together and it was all business.  Just aim where you want it to go.

The other two elk moved out of the way.  The One was broadside facing left, grazing.  Crosshairs near the top of his left shoulder crease.  Safety off. The One raised his head. “I’m taking the shot.”  Squeeze.  Bang.

Jeezus the recoil on that thing.  Plus shooting off sticks and bad footing.  I’m lucky I didn’t fall over.  I chambered another round and then back on target.  He hadn’t moved.  “Did I hit him?”  “Yeah, he’s sick.”  Then, through the rifle scope, I saw blood come out of his nose and/or mouth.  A few more eternal seconds passed.  He slowly turned 180 to face back towards the oak grove.  “Should I put another one in him?”  “No, he’s done.”  Then he dropped and rolled.

The image through those crosshairs of that bull finally dropping and rolling, kicking up dust clouds illuminated by the bright Utah morning sun, is something etched into my brain for all time.  It was absolutely cinematic.

I couldn’t believe it.  Elation redefined.  Fist bumps with the guide and my friend.  I thought I would howl but I couldn't muster more than an excited whisper. “How long do we wait?”  “We can go now."

Walking across that sagebrush meadow is a bit of a blur as my mind tried to recall all that had just happened, all while under a deluge of emotions bottled up for decades. It's cliche, but it was truly surreal - it was that moment when all the hard work and expectations culminate exactly as you had imagined it.

Walking up on the bull, I was awestruck. It's awesome size, and that ridiculous rack. Majestic and beautiful beyond compare:

IMG_7141.thumb.JPEG.0a06647272eb284d19a2beba73084f22.JPEG

It was hot, so after some photos and taking the time to venerate the bull, we had to get to work.  Field dressing confirmed a double lung hit.  I had joked to my wife (no pics) about eating the heart and wearing its blood as war paint (I have some Native American ancestry), but the guide told me I had to do it for real since it was my first elk.  The heart was quite good if a tad bland, and blood went everywhere.  My binoc pack has some blood stains that will spark good conversation.

That night, my buddy and I toasted the hunt, the animals, our guide and camp staff, and my dad.  Dad's favorites were Wild Turkey 101 and Chivas, so both made an appearance, though the 101 I think won the night.

IMG_7277.thumb.JPEG.69722911fec38de2f70b05928fbca659.JPEG

Dad's rifle had a purpose, and my father never had a chance to fulfill that purpose before cancer took him far too early.   My mission to fulfill that purpose evolved into a journey on multiple levels that educated me on many unexpected things and that made me a better hunter, husband, father, and man.  Not only was it an experience of a lifetime, but also a window into how my next 50 years can be even more rewarding than my first.

TL/DR After a couple of days of chasing a few elk around, we patterned the elk and set-up on an area where we figured they'd be feeding.  When they appeared, it was a holy shit moment.  Then once I had a clear shot on the one I wanted to take, shit got real really fast and I thought my heart would explode.  Somehow I got control of myself and got to work.  All business.  One shot, double lung, essentially a DRT.  Excitement, relief... so many emotions came flooding in.  I practiced a ton with that rifle, so some kind of muscle memory just took over when the time for the shot came.  Had it not, I probably would have been paralyzed by my brain saying "don't fuck this up."

So, don't fuck it up.

Good luck to you, sir!  Have a great time, and hope to get periodic updates, though cell service in the mountains SUUUUUCKKKKSSSS.

Great story. Epic story.   I’m so very happy for you.   Thanks for getting it done, done right and sharing the story. 
 

The magic mist has you.  Breathe it in and let it course through your veins.  

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686

686 3405

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Mission accomplished
 


Epic bull amigo!!! Congrats! Awesome shot placement and a 1 shot kill is really gratifying. All the practice and prep was totally with it, as you said, the muscle memory takes over when there’s a giant downrange. What a bull!

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solamente73

solamente73 1132

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On 9/11/2022 at 8:57 PM, 686 said:

@solamente73 What are your plans for the meat / trophy; how did you transport back? I’d like to see a pic of those antlers sticking out of a truck bed if you have one! Did your friend hunt/tag out just along for the ride?

My buddy was originally just along for the ride, but my journey inspired him and early on decided to hunt as well.  He’s a waterfowler who hadn’t even hunted deer before, but he put in the time and when the opportunity presented itself, he connected on a nice bull, too.  It was awesome.  Even better for him (but perhaps worse for his pocketbook), he’s been bitten by the Big Game Bug and is planning an African Safari for himself and his wife, and his wife wants to hunt Alaskan brown bear.  We’ve talked Nilgai down in South Texas.  I’ve created two monsters, so to speak.

We were fortunate to have local processors nearby, so we had processing done there with a turnaround less than 24 hours.  Steaks (ribeyes, sirloin, tenderloin), roasts, ground cut with beef, stew meat.  Dry ice and 7 coolers for the trip home.  We played cooler Tetris and ended up with 345 quarts in the bed and another 60 in the cab.  My elk alone did a decent job of filling up my new 19.5cf upright freezer:

CA782434-F9B7-4AD3-B914-B1AD2A4F7EEB.thumb.jpeg.83b13466174b68337bf4fed2626da424.jpeg

Sorry, no pics of truck bed antlers.  We had a local Utah taxidermist take care of the trophies - familiarity with elk plus no need for awkward transport over 1250 miles.  My friend is doing a full shoulder mount, straight / no bugle.  I’m doing a euro mount and a full cape.  As much as I wanted a shoulder mount to capture the animal’s beauty, my house just isn’t suited for it, and euros are really more my taste.  Plus, I think the full cape given his gorgeous champagne color was worth it.  I kept the ivories in the skull for the euro, my friend might have jewelry made for his wife.  I’ll also make a plaque to accompany the euro - it will have a pic of me, rifle, and bull; the shell casing; and pertinent details (date, location, range…).  I might have my euro by EOY, my friend should have his by May 2023.

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Spaulding Smails

Spaulding Smails 1551

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@solamente73 Thanks for the info on the transport.  What was your breakdown on the cooler situation?  I'm trying to figure out my game plan.  I have two 100 qt Igloos and a 120 at Yeti.  Wondering if that's enough or if I need to invest in a 250 qt Yeti before then.  My buddy is bringing his coolers as well, so we'll be doing the Tetris thing for sure.  I have an 8-ft bed with a tool box, so I'm optimistic I'll have enough space, but I may have to add on the bed extender to be sure.  

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solamente73

solamente73 1132

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16 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

@solamente73 Thanks for the info on the transport.  What was your breakdown on the cooler situation?  I'm trying to figure out my game plan.  I have two 100 qt Igloos and a 120 at Yeti.  Wondering if that's enough or if I need to invest in a 250 qt Yeti before then.  My buddy is bringing his coolers as well, so we'll be doing the Tetris thing for sure.  I have an 8-ft bed with a tool box, so I'm optimistic I'll have enough space, but I may have to add on the bed extender to be sure.  

Our final cooler tally:

1x120qt Igloo
3x60qt Igloo
1x60qt Coleman (in-cab)
1x45qt Yeti
(Plus 1x30qt softside for emergency overflow, used for drinks)

I have a 5.5 bed with a Retrax cover, so it was a tight fit, but we had some room left over for boots, small bags, tools, etc.  The 120 had to be centered for the tonneau to close.

20220826_085021.thumb.jpg.4e14e57ce81a4f9893fb6ea5860e7bac.jpg

With your 100s and 120, you might be able to get another 100-120 or equivalent straight in there without the extender, taking you to ~400+.  How much volume do you think you'll need?  Also, it's hard to imagine a 250 Yeti anywhere other than on an offshore boat - that's a monster of a cooler, hard to maneuver.

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T’Boo Ted Marshall

T’Boo Ted Marshall 2724

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This isn't a bad outfit if you are looking for a day hunt.  Got invited on a company hunt here last year and it was pretty awesome.
https://www.hondodovehunt.com/rates/
If you go, make sure to stop at Haby's Bakery in Castroville and get you a dozen cowboy cookies for the road.

Have a buddy from Llano that goes there.
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