Big Game Tags

Well, as to big game tags - when it comes to elk, my son Brandon (the stage 4 cancer & chemo survivor) & I are both officially "TAGGED OUT"!!! :thumbsup:

Long story, but suffice it to say was a father/son hoot with a solid week of constant pissing, stomping & screaming matches between us & Big Bulls played out with calls, scents & decoys! Were covered up in elk & my son had two Monster bulls on different days charge on a dead run straight at him to within 10 yds of the pop-up blind he was sitting in directly underneath the main elk-community marker-post juniper he was attached to (which was shredded & raked on every side for 360 degrees around)... :D

Only sad part is Brandon shot & lost a Huge 6x7 Herd Bull (we looked for it three solid days be4 finally giving up). He still wound up with a fairly nice/decent 6x6 (especially for his first elk ever), even though no recordbook material. A Hard Lesson Learned: NEVER take a quartering away shot at an elk (it's NOT the same money-in-the-bank archery shot for elk like it is on a deer)!!! :(
A perfect broadside double-lunger sure does make for an awful short tracking job though! :D

Chose to burn my tag while still looking for Brandon's bigger bull on a big-bodied rag-bull that we had seen clipped by a car the nite be4 & was still gimping around - felt like I did a really good deed to put him out of his misery & utilize the meat! :cool:

With Brandon still not bounced back 100% physically from his yr-long ordeal with the "C"-word, he was not really able to help me much with the packing out & self-processing/butchering. Dang, two elk is some HARD W-O-R-K!!! D@#! near killed me singlehandedly, but was a labor of love - especially just still having my son around to share the experience! :cheers:

Couple pics coming later...
 
Congrats Rooster!!!! Post some pic's for us!!! Backstrap for all!!!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Congrats HHR! Just building them legs to pack out those monster phez you'll get this year! Maybe the tracking job will be easier on those rascially woosters! Your son going to make it out birding with you?
 
@Wooster: Don't really know about my son yet (though we do hope for a good rooster season together finally) - for now, that little elk "hunt" just about did him in with his current slow-recovery/physical-stamina rate... :(
 
HHR,

Very happy your son was successful! Well deserved!! :cheers:

Thanks for the story and add pictures when you can! I (and I'm sure all of us) wish your son a speedy recovery!!:thumbsup:
 
Here's a nite-of-the-harvest cell-phone pic of my older son Brandon (the cancer survivor) with his first elk ever, taken with bow & arrow. Also, a little bit better after-the-fact side view of the rack. Way too much work involved with two elk on the ground & bad lighting conditions to focus on taking pics. :thumbsup:

Nice bull still (for a little perspective those brow tines are in excess of a foot), but this one is dwarfed by the really BIG 6x7 of Brandon's that we lost... :eek: :(

Like I said, a hard lesson learned: NEVER take a quartering away archery shot at an elk (it's not the same money-in-the-bank shot like it is on a deer). Both broadside double-lungers (mine & Brandon's) didn't make it 50-100 yds!

Entire hunt with elk in peak of the rut was a GREAT, SPECIAL MEMORY with my son - he said it was by far his favorite hunt ever so far!!!
 
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hhH,

Congratulations. Your family has certainly been on a roller coaster ride this year. This has to be quite a 'high' for you and Brandon. All the best, my friend.
 
Welp, totally BUMMED OUT that I'm trashing 2 coveted unit 144 Antelope tags for Brandon & I (been 14 yrs since my last speedgoat tag & it took me 4 yrs of CO draw system to get these), season opener is today thru Oct 7...Way too much ministry/work to do in preparation for upcoming Africa and South America missions trips & gettin my Baby-Back, Baby-Back, Baby-Back from caretaking her mom in TX today (would have had to wave/tip-the-hat at her on the way out the door for the hunt the minute she got home & then turn right around & leave her again for overseas the minute I got home). Oh Well, we've been BLESSED with 2 elk in the freezer already & a man can't always have it all...I'll sulk/pout for a little bit & then be on to the next thing! :) :(

What is it with me & antelope anyway??? I have successfully drawn 3 times in my lifetime & had to trash/ burn two out of the three tags (& wound up letting my young son David @ 12 yrs old shoot my other one)...Remembering when a minister friend & I finally got drawn for mulie/antelope combo in WY decades ago & wound up having to throw the tags in the trashcan to go help start Times Square Church in New York City...It will be at least another 3-4 yrs now before I draw another tag & who knows if that one will get a chance to get used??? Oh well, God has ALWAYS more than amply made up for it one way or another with a replacement hunting opportunity of one kind or another sooner or later! :cheers:

Kinda reminds me of my minister grandad who more than once loaded up the camper & headed out for a getaway to his TX deer lease/sometimes even made it all the way there - only to have to turn right around & come back home to take care of a funeral or emergency...I LOVE hunting, but sometimes life just gets in the way & a man has to keep his priorities straight. Did I convince anybody else??? Guess I'm still just tryin to convince myself... :D

LOL, just ain't been my day or week for pleasure or entertainment - not only did I have to call off the dogs on the hunt - had to let my Journey/Foriegner tkts for tonite go as well...UNBELIEVABLE response to "Last Minute" sold-out concert tkts on craigslist, let's just say I'm not pouting too bad on the last one (a bit more like grinning ear to ear)... ;) :thumbsup:
 
Rooster, if you get the chance, even one day before the season starts, turn in the tag and let them keep the money and keep your points for the next year!! At least you will have your points!!! Saw one I would of shot today out east of Den. Horns went straight out. Love the odd balls!!!
 
BleuBijou said:
Rooster, if you get the chance, even one day before the season starts, turn in the tag and let them keep the money and keep your points for the next year!! At least you will have your points!!! Saw one I would of shot today out east of Den. Horns went straight out. Love the odd balls!!!
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That's a very good Idea. I'm wondering how many other states do this.:thumbsup:
 
@Bleu: Too Late, wish I'd a knowed about it...Still an OUTSIDE chance I might get to run out for a two-day/one-nite overniter @ the tail-end IF I get all my work done well ahead of time early part of this week.
 
Went out scouting for Deer today East of town and spotted a Very nice 185 class Muley. Very heavy and deep forks with a kicker on his left side. My season started Sat. but it has been warm here. I need to get permission in order to hunt that Muley or I am off to the river bottom for Whitetails. Looking at 3-6 inches of snow Tues into Wed night, might be a good time to take my gun out of the case and go!!!:cheers:
 
BleuBijou said:
Went out scouting for Deer today East of town and spotted a Very nice 185 class Muley. Very heavy and deep forks with a kicker on his left side. My season started Sat. but it has been warm here. I need to get permission in order to hunt that Muley or I am off to the river bottom for Whitetails. Looking at 3-6 inches of snow Tues into Wed night, might be a good time to take my gun out of the case and go!!!:cheers:
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UNCASE the gun and go for it. Good luck on the Muley. Wt's might eat better, but mabey not, Eating all that Green stuff, from the greene state.:D
Just kidding Bleu, best of luck.:cheers:
 
Here's a couple little bit better pics from my son & I's recent Sept elk hunt, well at least of the racks - the evening harvest, night-time packing out by foot & tons of work afterward butchering/processing two large animals was not conducive to quality full-body pics in the field...The one photo of us together will ever be a reminder of one of my greatest father/son memories together to date (even just still having him around for it after a serious bout with the "C"-word, much less the wild nature of the hunt with the bulls going crazy in full-rut)! :10sign: The second pic is my son sporting a portion of his full-sleeve tat with that nice archery 6x6! :D

Hey Bleu (Chad), did you get your deer yet? If so, was it that big mulie or a CO whitetail???
 
I can tell your son must get his looks from his Mother!!!LOL!! That orange and blue camo works great!!! Roger, I did not even make it out!!! Went to the river Sunday and about drowned!!! Need a Pastor with a good water dog!!!!:cheers: How them steaks tastin' ????????
 
@Bleu: LOL-HAHAHA, you weren't supposed to be lookin that close - were you checkin out my legs too??? :p Yeah, he def got his looks from his mama, although I used to look just like him in another life back-in-the-days when you & I were still walking up a hill both ways to & from school in the snow & were always thankful when we got there... :D

Would love an excuse to get the water-dog some exercise down on the river! But first, I'm going rooster chasin next wknd - what the hey, I say I hate marchin in the opening day army but this time I can't resist - been way too long since last yr & am in serious need of a getaway from work + an outdoor fix...

Been eatin real good lately with all that wapiti in the freezer - had homemade elk chili w/fresh onions, cheese & jalepenos piled on top during last weeks snowstorm & my lady of 31 yrs as of Nov 1st with the really hot legs in the family made TX-style chicken fried elk backstrap/tenderloin steaks & mashed potatoes tonite post-storm & shoveling for my two sons & I! :cheers:
 
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