Hunting 24/25: big bucks and a lot of ducks!

[Pdawg88 1,157]

I saw my first mountain lion of my life last week here in Oklahoma. We hunt 1,200 acres and pick up a new 160 a half mile away. Went to walk down a steep embankment and there he/she was laying under a cedar. It stood up and king of looked at me and just kind of walked away. Never had one on camera or seen one with me own eyes, but I’ve always heard stories about him being around. It was pretty damn cool. I will say it was bigger than I expected. 

[Ragde 260]

21 hours ago, Pdawg88 said:

I saw my first mountain lion of my life last week here in Oklahoma. We hunt 1,200 acres and pick up a new 160 a half mile away. Went to walk down a steep embankment and there he/she was laying under a cedar. It stood up and king of looked at me and just kind of walked away. Never had one on camera or seen one with me own eyes, but I’ve always heard stories about him being around. It was pretty damn cool. I will say it was bigger than I expected. 

I have an unnatural fear of big cats in the dark and snapping turtles when i cant see my feet in the water. What part of Oklahoma are you in? I'm 20 minutes east of Broken Bow and am hoping you aren't close to me. Yes im aware there could be others. The old timers say they havent seen one in 10+ years around our place.

[TwiceHorn 32,087]

1 minute ago, Ragde said:

I have an unnatural fear of big cats in the dark and snapping turtles when i cant see my feet in the water. What part of Oklahoma are you in? I'm 20 minutes east of Broken Bow and am hoping you aren't close to me. Yes im aware there could be others. The old timers say they havent seen one in 10+ years around our place.

Mountain lions see you long before you see them, if you ever do at all.  The vast, vast majority of snapping turtle injuries come from people mishandling them.  They don't bite people in the water.

[Pdawg88 1,157]

36 minutes ago, Ragde said:

I have an unnatural fear of big cats in the dark and snapping turtles when i cant see my feet in the water. What part of Oklahoma are you in? I'm 20 minutes east of Broken Bow and am hoping you aren't close to me. Yes im aware there could be others. The old timers say they havent seen one in 10+ years around our place.

Our place is in the northwest part of the state, close to Seiling. 

[BabaYaga 15,629]

I follow this crazy Russian dude on IG that has a pet mountain lion.  They're so damn cool.  We had one years back on our place.  Never sighted, but we found kills & tracks.  Warden also told us about an older one they had to put down near Millersview/Dule area.  

[Ragde 260]

49 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Mountain lions see you long before you see them, if you ever do at all.  The vast, vast majority of snapping turtle injuries come from people mishandling them.  They don't bite people in the water.

I understand both of those points. Some mornings that pop up feels damn safe tho.

[BabaYaga 15,629]

Big ass 'yote was running down the middle of the street today in the neighborhood.  I was leaving for work and he was just cruising down the street with that damn 'yote grin they all have.  Bolted out the opening to the green space and was gone.  Feasting on rabbits.  Dude was healthy.  If you know west Frisco, they live in the undeveloped land off Legacy/Stonebrook and the land behind all the apartments off Lebanon and by the lake

[Ten Bears 2,500]

56 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

I follow this crazy Russian dude on IG that has a pet mountain lion.  They're so damn cool.  We had one years back on our place.  Never sighted, but we found kills & tracks.  Warden also told us about an older one they had to put down near Millersview/DuleDoole area.  

fif my grandparents who lived in that area.

[dbagg 86]

18 hours ago, Pdawg88 said:

Our place is in the northwest part of the state, close to Seiling. 

I'm not terribly far north of you and we had a young male walk up through the creek in our back yard last year.  Trail cam was dead but a neighbor across the road snapped a pic, fish and game confirmed. 

[Cajun 11,778]

Out for my morning walk and this corn entitled mf'er followed me around the entire time...

[fattyflattie 4,640]

3 hours ago, Cajun said:

Out for my morning walk and this corn entitled mf'er followed me around the entire time...

Every year I see your neighborhood posts and laugh (dying inside) about how much I pay to have considerably less herd than your hood.   You've posted some impressive deer over the last few years. That dude with the protein we feed, oof.   

[Handcruser 2,815]

Our place is in Yorktown - hours southish of Austin.

[Storm the Field 5,367]

Man, this front rolled in just in time for a quick trip to the lease on Saturday. Should be damn nice for it still being September. Hoping to head back to camp that evening with at least one less hog drawing breath and then sit out by the firepit.

Before I leave, gotta go do some repair work and mowing at one of the feeders and set up a new game camera I bought recently. Will be nice to get out there in the morning when it's still barely 70 and not just be totally drenched in sweat the whole time.

[686 3,461]

Had my turkey from this spring mounted.

[CHIEF 5,228]

Well, I went to the new lease with CHIEF Jr. It sure is nice being an hour away than four hours away. It's brushy as shit, but, by God, it is relatively flat with no saltwater to cross daily. We trimmed mesquite hanging over the roads so nobody gets any "Texas Pinstripes". My biggest problem is there are very few places you can get your feeder more than 100 yards from the stand. Our last feeder was 176 yards, so TVs, phone calls, non-whispering voices didn't even have deer raising their head.

Apparently there are a few mad folks that have been trying to lease the place for years. But our buddy roped, and hauled cattle with him for decades and just popped the question. The owner is approaching 80, and has prime horseflesh that is probably worth ten times more than his house. Here is his house (you aren't gonna believe this shit):

Check out the glass on the dormer window. Thats a blue piece of ski rope that my buddy gave him, years ago, to hold his gate shut so the dog wouldn't get out.

CHIEF

[Ragde 260]

Doesn’t take the bears long to figure out they are being hunted. After opening weekend haven’t

 

 

had one on camera. The deer come back almost immediately when the bears leave. 200 pounds of corn dumped on the ground was gone in 2 weeks. Put 150 pounds on the ground Sunday and will be back Friday. 

Edited September 30 by Ragde
Spelling

[Storm the Field 5,367]

On 9/26/2024 at 4:21 PM, Storm the Field said:

Man, this front rolled in just in time for a quick trip to the lease on Saturday. Should be damn nice for it still being September. Hoping to head back to camp that evening with at least one less hog drawing breath and then sit out by the firepit.

Before I leave, gotta go do some repair work and mowing at one of the feeders and set up a new game camera I bought recently. Will be nice to get out there in the morning when it's still barely 70 and not just be totally drenched in sweat the whole time.

Successful trip. Rang up a 2-for-1 special Saturday evening. 1 shot, 2 pigs down.

Can't say I was trying to do so, but there were about 8 or 9 of them packed in very tight under the feeder so not terribly surprising.

Spent Sunday morning doing a bunch of work at another stand. Cleared out a ton of brush and set up a new camera at the feeder. Already started getting pics last night around 8 of a big group of hogs. Fuckers are everywhere out there.

[crimsonlonghorn 2,313]

This big nasty MF'er has been coming to my feeder in Scurry County now twice a day for the last two weeks. That feeder goes off at 7 AM and 7 PM and he has his watch set. The deer don't even bother coming because he cleans it out as soon as it hits the ground. 

I'm in Houston, but one week from tonight I will be in Snyder for a whole week and I'll have my gun set up on the back porch while I'm watching Monday Night Football... just my luck he won't show up the whole time I'm there next week. 

 

 

[crimsonlonghorn 2,313]

And he has a bigger friend who isn't quite as regular a visitor to the other feeder but he's regular enough. 

 

[crimsonlonghorn 2,313]

Followup to yesterday's posts:

This lazy entitled pig didn't even leave last night. He just spent the night laying under the feeder until he got what he wanted. 

 

SUCCESS!

 

(That last picture is actually kind of badass)

 

 

 

Edited October 1 by crimsonlonghorn

[Frank Drebin 5,840]

Been in West Texas working for a month.  Had some fantastic dove hunts -- limits every hunt.  This was last Saturday morning out near Dyess Air Force Base.  I am on the left holding the birds.  Hunted with one of my Abilene friends.

Game warden checked us for licenses and plugs.  She was one of the Lone Star law wardens.  Very nice lady.  Amelia Springer is her name.

[BabaYaga 15,629]

Straight out of no pigs....unless there is a group that lives off mesquite beans and rocks.  

[BabaYaga 15,629]

5 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

Been in West Texas working for a month.  Had some fantastic dove hunts -- limits every hunt.  This was last Saturday morning out near Dyess Air Force Base.  I am on the left holding the birds.  Hunted with one of my Abilene friends.

Game warden checked us for licenses and plugs.  She was one of the Lone Star law wardens.  Very nice lady.  Amelia Springer is her name.

Had a few scares near Dyess.  I was hunting a stock tank damn and a F4 came screaming over the place.  Low and Fast.  I will claim to my dying day I saw the pilot look over and at me.  I saw the blacked-out visor we was wearing looking in my direction.  Maybe a fee hundred feet off the ground.

This is decades ago - I can't imagine any of the ranchers are happy about low, loud flights like that.  Hasn't happened since.  My only regret if not pulling the "Wolverines" pose!

[Frank Drebin 5,840]

11 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Had a few scares near Dyess.  I was hunting a stock tank damn and a F4 came screaming over the place.  Low and Fast.  I will claim to my dying day I saw the pilot look over and at me.  I saw the blacked-out visor we was wearing looking in my direction.  Maybe a fee hundred feet off the ground.

This is decades ago - I can't imagine any of the ranchers are happy about low, loud flights like that.  Hasn't happened since.  My only regret if not pulling the "Wolverines" pose!

There was a constant stream of C-130s flying over us.  Was pretty cool.  My friend is a retired Air Force officer vet who used to be a WSO on the B-1.  He identified the planes.

[686 3,461]

I head to Colorado for elk in 8 days. Planning to pack 5 miles in, 2500’ up to the spot I went and scouted about 6 weeks ago. Packed up all my “like to have” gear and dehydrated food for 7 days and it’s 71lbs. Yikes. Going to have to cut. We’re trying to find some horse pack-in help, which if that happens will make things a lot easier.

[Frank Drebin 5,840]

1 hour ago, 686 said:

I head to Colorado for elk in 8 days. Planning to pack 5 miles in, 2500’ up to the spot I went and scouted about 6 weeks ago. Packed up all my “like to have” gear and dehydrated food for 7 days and it’s 71lbs. Yikes. Going to have to cut. We’re trying to find some horse pack-in help, which if that happens will make things a lot easier.

How do you get the elk out with all that gear?  Multiple trips?

I love my suppressors.  But if I was needing to shed weight, I would ditch it.  And just take the shot with some foam ear plugs.

Edited October 1 by Frank Drebin

[BabaYaga 15,629]

71lbs is stout.  Does that include water?

[686 3,461]

How do you get the elk out with all that gear?  Multiple trips?
I love my suppressors.  But if I was needing to shed weight, I would ditch it.  And just take the shot with some foam ear plugs.

This backpack has a load shelf you can create between the frame and the bag, and the bag comes off the frame and I have a cargo net I can swap on.

Yes it will be multiple trips if we can’t get a horse pack-out service. A big bull is probably 3 man-trips minimum with 70-100lbs each trip. I would fully debone the quarters and load the meat in bags for transport. Bones are heavy.

This suppressor is only 8oz. I have permanent hearing loss and irritating tinnitus in my left ear that started four years ago on the day I shot my first elk. (3 shots of braked 300 Weatherby with a huge pinion just to my left). I’m doing everything I can from here on to protect my right ear and not damage my left ear anymore.

For where we hunt, sometimes things happen quickly; e.g. you haven’t seen anything in days and then all of a sudden a bull walks out but you may only have seconds to make a decision and get a shot off. If it’s cold, you’re trying to pull your glove off, dig out a foam plug and cram it in your ear as you’re trying to glass, range and get set up on this bull; it just doesn’t happen. Also if you’re hunting with a partner, it’s hard to communicate with each other quietly over earplugs.

[686 3,461]

71lbs is stout.  Does that include water?

No, but includes a bag filter, life straw, and jetboil. I’ll probably leave the life straw at the truck. Our trail parallels a pretty big stream, so hopefully we’ll have plenty of water not too far from camp

[BabaYaga 15,629]

13 minutes ago, 686 said:

No, but includes a bag filter, life straw, and jetboil. I’ll probably leave the life straw at the truck. Our trail parallels a pretty big stream, so hopefully we’ll have plenty of water not too far from camp

Walk upstream - as far as you can with a water source to confirm it's not contaminated.  Giardia isn't something you want to have to deal with and short of intense, long boiling, isn't always purified with filters, etc.  

Edited October 1 by BabaYaga

[BabaYaga 15,629]

26 minutes ago, 686 said:

This backpack has a load shelf you can create between the frame and the bag, and the bag comes off the frame and I have a cargo net I can swap on.

Yes it will be multiple trips if we can’t get a horse pack-out service. A big bull is probably 3 man-trips minimum with 70-100lbs each trip. I would fully debone the quarters and load the meat in bags for transport. Bones are heavy.

This suppressor is only 8oz. I have permanent hearing loss and irritating tinnitus in my left ear that started four years ago on the day I shot my first elk. (3 shots of braked 300 Weatherby with a huge pinion just to my left). I’m doing everything I can from here on to protect my right ear and not damage my left ear anymore.

For where we hunt, sometimes things happen quickly; e.g. you haven’t seen anything in days and then all of a sudden a bull walks out but you may only have seconds to make a decision and get a shot off. If it’s cold, you’re trying to pull your glove off, dig out a foam plug and cram it in your ear as you’re trying to glass, range and get set up on this bull; it just doesn’t happen. Also if you’re hunting with a partner, it’s hard to communicate with each other quietly over earplugs.

If you have a pack-out plan, you are good.  If you guys have to do it all on the hoof, it's going to be a long trip but manageable 

[crimsonlonghorn 2,313]

2 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

There was a constant stream of C-130s flying over us.  Was pretty cool.  My friend is a retired Air Force officer vet who used to be a WSO on the B-1.  He identified the planes.

At my aforementioned place in Scurry County we are on the western end of the training routes for the B1's out of Dyess. They get to Snyder and turn around and head the 70 miles back to Abilene. You can hear them going overhead but usually they are so high up you can't see them. Late in the evening when the sun is low, sometimes you can see the reflection in the sky if you look in the right place, but they definitely aren't buzzing us 100 feet off the ground. 

[davidg 4,058]

Walk upstream - as far as you can with a water source to confirm it's not contaminated.  Giardia isn't something you want to have to deal with and short of intense, long boiling, isn't always purified with filters, etc.  

Carry a sleeve of micropur tablets instead of the filter straw for water purification backup.

[Spaulding Smails 1,610]

1 hour ago, BabaYaga said:

Walk upstream - as far as you can with a water source to confirm it's not contaminated.  Giardia isn't something you want to have to deal with and short of intense, long boiling, isn't always purified with filters, etc.  

Can confirm.  Had Giardia when I was 17 the summer before my senior year.  It suuuuuucks.  2+ weeks of being tethered to the shitter.  Lost 15 lbs that I couldn't afford to lose.  Water cooler for high school summer league baseball was filled from a tainted well.  Everyone but the kid who's dad filled the cooler got sick for weeks.  We forfeited a half dozen games that summer.  Can't imagine having it miles from civilzation.  Do not want.  Ever again.  

[sith_horn 2,522]

3 hours ago, 686 said:

I have permanent hearing loss and irritating tinnitus in my left ear that started four years ago on the day I shot my first elk. (3 shots of braked 300 Weatherby with a huge pinion just to my left). I’m doing everything I can from here on to protect my right ear and not damage my left ear anymore.

I despise brakes. Several years back, a guy set up with his braked Barrett 338 Lapua at the range beside me. It was as if my earplugs weren't even in when he took his first shot and set my ears to ringing. Felt the blast too which directs backwards to either side. Told him to hold up while I packed my chit and moved far away from him.

[Pdawg88 1,157]

Bow season opened today here in Oklahoma. Didn’t get out this morning, had to do a bit of work. Got in the stand around 3:00. Have seen a bunch of does and a small 6 point. Did smoke a really nice pig about 15 minutes ago. 

[Pdawg88 1,157]

Update:

just smoked a nice 10 point. You c a see him running in the picture when I shoot him. 

[Pdawg88 1,157]

Found him. Hunting by yourself sucks! Once I got him gutted,I had to drag his fat ass up a hill and down the edge of a wheat field about 100 yards. Great way to start the season. Good luck gentlemen! 

[BabaYaga 15,629]

Our boys shot a massive toad yesterday.  5.5yrs, 160lbs.  For Coleman county, that's BIG!

Look at that layer of fat!

Edited October 2 by BabaYaga

[686 3,461]

Bow season opened today here in Oklahoma. Didn’t get out this morning, had to do a bit of work. Got in the stand around 3:00. Have seen a bunch of does and a small 6 point. Did smoke a really nice pig about 15 minutes ago. 

Tell me about these suede (?) looking moon boots you’re wearing. Did you get any blood on them?

[Pdawg88 1,157]

49 minutes ago, 686 said:

Tell me about these suede (?) looking moon boots you’re wearing. Did you get any blood on them?

They are rubber boot from Amazon. Cheap and very comfortable when it’s warm.

[686 3,461]

They are rubber boot from Amazon. Cheap and very comfortable when it’s warm.

Kuiu Camo and cheap rubber short boots; I like the “duality of man” statement : )

[sith_horn 2,522]

13 hours ago, Pdawg88 said:

Found him. Hunting by yourself sucks! Once I got him gutted, I had to drag his fat ass up a hill and down the edge of a wheat field about 100 yards. Great way to start the season. Good luck gentlemen! 

Good exercise for old men. Nice buck.

[BabaYaga 15,629]

48 minutes ago, Pdawg88 said:

They are rubber boot from Amazon. Cheap and very comfortable when it’s warm.

The power of the crocs compels you.  In the name of the father, and the holy ghost!

[BabaYaga 15,629]

50 minutes ago, 686 said:

Kuiu Camo and cheap rubber short boots; I like the “duality of man” statement : )

KOOOOOO-YOUUUUUUU!

*I keed, shits damn fine quality

[Pdawg88 1,157]

58 minutes ago, 686 said:

Kuiu Camo and cheap rubber short boots; I like the “duality of man” statement : )

I had them from a trip to Colorado to wear around camp. But they turned into my chore boots and they are cozy. Once it gets cold they will get tossed in the garage. I do laugh when a guy has Sitka or any expensive brand of hunting clothes and a pair of Wolverine boots in the mountains. His feet normally don’t make it. 

[Pdawg88 1,157]

35 minutes ago, sith_horn said:

Good exercise for old men. Nice buck.

Yeah it wasn’t too bad. Where we hunt it’s pretty sandy, but there will be a day where I can’t do it any more so I enjoy it while I can. 

[BabaYaga 15,629]

51 minutes ago, Pdawg88 said:

I had them from a trip to Colorado to wear around camp. But they turned into my chore boots and they are cozy. Once it gets cold they will get tossed in the garage. I do laugh when a guy has Sitka or any expensive brand of hunting clothes and a pair of Wolverine boots in the mountains. His feet normally don’t make it. 

This.  You start from the ground up.  Best pair of socks you can find paired with the best pair of boots you have.  Then it's base layers, and THEN lets look at outerwear.  

[Pdawg88 1,157]

6 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

This.  You start from the ground up.  Best pair of socks you can find paired with the best pair of boots you have.  Then it's base layers, and THEN lets look at outerwear.  

Kenetrek socks for the win! 

[BabaYaga 15,629]

38 minutes ago, Pdawg88 said:

Kenetrek socks for the win! 

Darn tough and Smart wool for me.  So many good options.  Kenetrek boots are the tits.