Hunting Season
 

So anyone here a hunter? Just curious because some people at work this morning were talking about how huntin season starts in a few weeks. I've never gone hunting, but I do have to admit.....I love venison and duck! Yum!

So those that do it, what do you hunt?

Deer and Pheasant, but not in quite some time now. Hopefully get back into it one of these years.

I've hunted a lot of things, deer, elk, bear, cougar, wild pig, ducks, geese, grouse, rabbits, coyotes, and bobcats at least.

I don't hunt much anymore, it was because my busy work schedule didn't really allow for it, but now there are other reasons. The local elk population took a big hit about 5 years ago but nobody really knows why. Usually it's either a disease, poaching, or both. Either way they've pretty much recovered now, but I have to drive 40+ miles to get to anywhere that I can hunt and have any chance of success. It's a lot tougher than it was when I could just walk from the house. Now the deer population has taken a big downturn and I hardly ever see any deer so I'm not even going to bother deer hunting this year unless I find somewhere else to hunt. I generally archery hunt, and early deer and elk season are already open but I didn't even buy a tag.

Bears are all over the place now since the people voted to outlaw bear baiting and hound hunting. Most people now see more bears when out in the woods here than deer. I am going to bear hunt this year, I am guiding a couple of people.

Hah, I don't, but I love the food. Check this out, shot with an arrow a week or 2 ago in Datil New Mexico. Over 443 pounds of meat. The antlers were over 100 pounds. The rack is a 10 X 9.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ZMAN/photo.jpg

Holy crap, that's awesome!

That's a nice elk. smile.gif

Elk there have larger antlers and smaller bodies than the elk here.

When I was a teenager my dad got this elk with his bow.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...-Andy-0034.jpg

It's technically a 6x8. It's a 3x4 with double eyeguards and devils points on both sides with an additional spike growing out above the left eye below the antler base.

This is my first deer. It's a doe that I got with a 30/30 at 25 yards. I was either 9 or 10.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...tdeer-0008.jpg

My second deer, a doe I got with a 7mm Rem mag at 50 yards.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...-Andy-0033.jpg

My first elk, a spike that I got with a 7mm Rem mag at 300 yards. I was 12. That's also the year I was given that Chevy Luv to drive around the back roads.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...stElk-0005.jpg

My first antlered deer, a 1x2 (deer are crazy small here) that I got with a 7mm Rem mag at 225 yards.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...-Andy-0015.jpg

Me, my brothers, and my grandpa with my dad's first bear.
https://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f...mAndy-0039.jpg