Hunting this year

Ernie Bishop

It really feels good to be excited about hunting big game again. Last two years have been difficult for a number of reasons, even though I did get some hunting in.
This year I am lined out for Antelope, Mule Deer, and Elk. Two years since I have taken my last Mule Deer, and 4 years since I have killed an elk.
I will hunt my lope with a 7RM/162 A-Max, Mule Deer - Not sure yet , and Elk with a 284 Win/162 A-Max.
Was able to visit with my elk hunting partner tonight, and it just feels great to be wound up about hunting.
Just wanted to share my joy.
I hope you are equally excited for the hunting you plan to do this year.

Zee

Excellent!

My deer hunting is unsure of until the surveys are taken and folks decide if they need culling or not. Pigs as well. But, I hope the numbers will be such that I get a chance to shoot some.

bisley

I'm excited about it for the first time in a couple years because I may get to hunt with my grandsons again. We are going to look at a place, today, and if it works out, I can really ramp up my excitement level. It's great fun to be preparing for a hunt with the boys again.

Nearby hunting leases that are affordable are the only real option where I live, and they are rare as hen's teeth, despite an abundance of deer and hogs.

snake284

Well, they told me I have my spot again this year, which is nice because now I can buy another feeder and start to get things set up again. Need a couple blinds and need to fix the feeder fences. I haven't been out there since like March. This is what i live for.

BigDanS

Ernie Bishop wrote: »

It really feels good to be excited about hunting big game again. Last two years have been difficult for a number of reasons, even though I did get some hunting in.
This year I am lined out for Antelope, Mule Deer, and Elk. Two years since I have taken my last Mule Deer, and 4 years since I have killed an elk.
I will hunt my lope with a 7RM/162 A-Max, Mule Deer - Not sure yet , and Elk with a 284 Win/162 A-Max.
Was able to visit with my elk hunting partner tonight, and it just feels great to be wound up about hunting.
Just wanted to share my joy.
I hope you are equally excited for the hunting you plan to do this year.

Is it possible in Wyoming to not get an elk if you try? Every time I visit the area the wild life is impressive! Do they issue bison tags? Although I am not sure what I would do with 1500 lbs of bison...

D

bisley

BigDanS wrote: »

Is it possible in Wyoming to not get an elk if you try? Every time I visit the area the wild life is impressive! Do they issue bison tags? Although I am not sure what I would do with 1500 lbs of bison...

D

Pack it in dry ice and ship it to me. I'll pay half the freight, just to help you get rid of it. :tooth:

Ernie Bishop

Nothing is sure when it comes to elk. I have come up empty handed before.
There are a few Bison tags every year. Yes we do have some free-ranging Bison in the state still.

Jermanator

I am excited for you Ernie. Good luck.


This year, I get to hunt deer on my own land for the first time ever-- which is bordered by thousands and thousands of acres of National Forest land on three sides. That, and I got a bear hunt coming up that I have been planning for years. This year should be a good one.

JerryBobCo

I'm glad for you, Ernie, and any others who are excited about the upcoming season. I quit hunting antelope several years ago, but still enjoy going out with friends. Unfortunately, none of my hunting buddies drew goat tags this year, so I'll miss that.

I'd like to take a cow elk for the meat. After finally taking a good bull, I have decided they're just not worth the effort. Unfortunately, I don't have a cow tag, so that's out.

Same way with deer. I might have a go at late season whitetails, but there were way more hunters than anything else last year. If I do, I'll take my .358 just so I can bloody it.

Any way, good luck to all who venture out. Hope you have a good season.

snake284

Another thing I might do is a food plot. I have enough wire and I would need to buy about 20 t posts and drive em in. I have a tiller now so we can till up some ground and throw some seeds. I'm thinking hard about this. I guess if I'm gonna do it I should get crackin'.

Bigslug

cpj wrote: »

I wasn't excited, until I get back from Arizona last Sunday night. Left 100+ degree temps, to arrive home in 60 degree temps.

That's basically the boat I'm in - it's like the inside of a pizza oven here now. In this heat, I can't get too motivated about anything besides slinging pixels at you guys. Archery (which I basically regard as just "heavily armed scouting for October/November rifle season") kicks off next Saturday. It's only supposed to be 75F tomorrow up in the mountains where my tags are for - I might drag my ass up there and look around.

Six-Gun

I wish you the best of luck, Ernie. Hopefully, the difficulties are in the past and you'll tag out quickly this year.

On my end, I'm presently holding antelope and mule deer for Montana, and whitetail tags/permits in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. I haven't even bought my Ohio tags yet and I am waiting to see if its even worth it this year. With as little time as I have, any serious hunting I'm going to do will require taking leave, so after-work hunts will be few and far between. Between that and the buffoonery that I witnessed here in the opening weeks of archery season last year, I'm just not excited to hunt public land in my own area anytime soon.

shootbrownelk

I drew a cow Moose tag this year, so I picked up a general elk & general deer tag for the same area. I drew an antelope tag for the area I wanted, after not drawing the area for 4 years. Antelope opens September 15th. and Moose on October 1st. I've been there 2 times scouting, never hunted the area before. I used to hunt in Teton country for Moose, but the wolves all but wiped out the moose numbers there. Tag quotas are dismal.

orchidman

Ernie Bishop wrote: »

It really feels good to be excited about hunting big game again.................................................. Just wanted to share my joy.
I hope you are equally excited for the hunting you plan to do this year.

I miss your hunting reports. Look forward to reading them Ernie. ( I note you didn't include the 308 long gun in your post...............:tooth:)

To you and all the others that are chasing 'game'...............I hope the hunting Gods smile down on you and that you have a safe hunting season.

jbohio

Good deal, Ernie. I'm happy for you.

Me, no western hunts planned this year. I've got trail cams, and mineral blocks out here at my place. Been shooting my bow. I'm getting excited for archery season. My wife has decided to hunt again, so that's fun.

Big Al1

I hope you have a very successful season!! Although I don't hunt anymore, I remember the anticipation and preparation were almost as much fun as the actual hunt. There was always a need to build a new rifle, work up a good load for it. Then the hunting on horse back, and the wilderness camping, and all the beautiful, scenery!! I always considered taking an animal as an extra bonus, I was never disappointed by not filling a tag!!

JerryBobCo

I ran into a guy earlier today who's already archery hunting for elk and deer. It's 90 degrees here. No doubt he's hunting at a much higher elevation where it's cooler, but it's still pretty warm for hunting.

NN

Excited

---

no

I will hunt something

Six-Gun

JerryBobCo wrote: »

I ran into a guy earlier today who's already archery hunting for elk and deer. It's 90 degrees here. No doubt he's hunting at a much higher elevation where it's cooler, but it's still pretty warm for hunting.

When I went on that Utah fishing trip, their early archery elk and mule deer season were in full swing. Decent numbers of camo-clad folks were in the mountains.

twa

Ernie Bishop wrote: »

It really feels good to be excited about hunting big game again. Last two years have been difficult for a number of reasons, even though I did get some hunting in.
This year I am lined out for Antelope, Mule Deer, and Elk. Two years since I have taken my last Mule Deer, and 4 years since I have killed an elk.
I will hunt my lope with a 7RM/162 A-Max, Mule Deer - Not sure yet , and Elk with a 284 Win/162 A-Max.
Was able to visit with my elk hunting partner tonight, and it just feels great to be wound up about hunting.
Just wanted to share my joy.
I hope you are equally excited for the hunting you plan to do this year.

Clarify please....SP I am assuming.....do you even own a rifle? :tooth: Glad you are pumped up again, I am pumped as well!!!

BigDanS

cpj wrote: »

Went and had a look see at the property today. Deer turds right under my stand.
Camper was still there and intact, save for a few mouse turds. I left it there all year, I should have brought it back. I did kill a mouse that had made a nest in my mini BBQ grill. No other sign, but I didn't look real close. I, going back next weekend to spend more time there.

Mouse traps with peanut butter.

D

Ernie Bishop

Antelope will be with a rifle, Deer and elk - SP's

twa wrote: »

Clarify please....SP I am assuming.....do you even own a rifle? :tooth: Glad you are pumped up again, I am pumped as well!!!

Ernie Bishop

Yes, I own rifles.
Will actually have two more after the first of the year.
Will be selling one, possibly two after that though.
Need to keep those R's in check:jester:

Doing some things now, that require more rifle work.

twa wrote: »

Do you even own a rifle? :tooth:

snake284

Took my wife to the range this morning with her .308 I bought her at the end of last season. She shot about 10 rounds. I cranked the scope down because it was shooting about 5 inches high, and cranked it to the left a couple inches and got it dead on. She started shooting all over the paper until she got settled in. She can keep five shots within 2 inches. That's deer killing accuracy at the ranges she'll shoot at.

I shot my .250 Savage a few times. It's shooting about an inch high and right down the middle so I'm not touching it. 115 grain bullets in a .257 bore are deadly.

twa

Ernie Bishop wrote: »

Yes, I own rifles.
Will actually have two more after the first of the year.
Will be selling one, possibly two after that though.
Need to keep those R's in check:jester:

Doing some things now, that require more rifle work.

Must be working out to a mile or two I guess......:roll2:

Ernie Bishop

No. I can do that with some of my pistols and one rifle I have had for awhile.
I am writing for a magazine some now, and it will be more rifle oriented than handgun.

twa wrote: »

Must be working out to a mile or two I guess......:roll2:

Ernie Bishop

Uh..................................................................................................NO!!!!:bang:

cpj wrote: »

Cool. So you are going to be singing the praises of the .308 Winchester?

Ernie Bishop

First two articles: #1 7mm Dakota XP. #2 6XC Rifle.
No 30 calibers were used in the writing of these articles:applause::jester:

Ernie Bishop

Just for you CPJ.
One rifle which will be sold in the next 4-5 months...Rem 700 in 308 Winchester.

cpj wrote: »

It's cool, you are among friends. We won't ridicule you for being a 308 rifle fanboy. I mean, it's not like you like the .270.

Ernie Bishop

cpj wrote: »

Sure.
We know the truth.

If you purchase it from me, then you will know I am speaking the truth about this.

Ernie Bishop

I am not selling the scope or the rings though