Thunderflight's 2013/14 Adventures; OPERATION MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Thunderflight
- Start date
Sept 20 morning report; the bulls were bulging all over but none wanted to play with us. We chases the BIGGEN up hill most of the morning and I'm beat. Elk hunting is tough work but I love it!!!!
Sep 20 evening report:
Im about fed up. Tonight was a flop for elk. the area was literally void of any recent elk sign.
That said my friend shot a Muley doe, but the shot was a bit far back. We are going back out in the morning for elk and getting his deer when we are done. He liver shot her and we jumped her during our first tracking attempt.
I'm not optimistic about tomorrow morning though but you never know. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement. I was really looking forward to this trip and so far anything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Between the weather, cattle ranchers, full moon , and stealthy elk it's been tough. I've had a great time, but I was really hoping to bring home some fresh elk meat.
Sorry for the whining but after all the effort I put in doe this trip I'm feeling a bit dejected.
The. again tomorrow could be a different story too!
Im about fed up. Tonight was a flop for elk. the area was literally void of any recent elk sign.
That said my friend shot a Muley doe, but the shot was a bit far back. We are going back out in the morning for elk and getting his deer when we are done. He liver shot her and we jumped her during our first tracking attempt.
I'm not optimistic about tomorrow morning though but you never know. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement. I was really looking forward to this trip and so far anything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Between the weather, cattle ranchers, full moon , and stealthy elk it's been tough. I've had a great time, but I was really hoping to bring home some fresh elk meat.
Sorry for the whining but after all the effort I put in doe this trip I'm feeling a bit dejected.
The. again tomorrow could be a different story too!
Fullbore
Senior Member
Thanks for sharing, TF. That's an experience of a lifetime for most. Hang in there, buddy. Good luck TOO you!
Sept 21: this morning was awesome!!!
I had a chance at a cow but she busted me as I was drawing. We had a herd bull pissed off and ready to fight, but the set was ruined by a coyote. I think if we had 20 more minutes he'd have come in. He's still in the area and we may hunt him this evening.
We couldn't find my friends deer though
I'm hoping we go tonight but I not the that's ok. I wanted an opportunity and I had it today. Honestly the chances were slim on the cow. She caught us in the open but out of curiosity she came closer to check us out. I had a two second broadside window but could t get my blow back, anchored, and ready to shoot in time.
I had a chance at a cow but she busted me as I was drawing. We had a herd bull pissed off and ready to fight, but the set was ruined by a coyote. I think if we had 20 more minutes he'd have come in. He's still in the area and we may hunt him this evening.
We couldn't find my friends deer though
I'm hoping we go tonight but I not the that's ok. I wanted an opportunity and I had it today. Honestly the chances were slim on the cow. She caught us in the open but out of curiosity she came closer to check us out. I had a two second broadside window but could t get my blow back, anchored, and ready to shoot in time.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Sept 21: final chapter
Well the elk win again. I was pretty down before this mornings hunt, but overall I'm happy now. I had a chance and even got my bow back so good.
My flight leaves it 0535 so we are getting up at 0300. I have to admit I'm ready to go home and be with my family.
Ill post pictures when I return.
Well the elk win again. I was pretty down before this mornings hunt, but overall I'm happy now. I had a chance and even got my bow back so good.
My flight leaves it 0535 so we are getting up at 0300. I have to admit I'm ready to go home and be with my family.
Ill post pictures when I return.
I'm in Chicago awaiting my last flight home. I'm exhausted.
Monday I switch over to deer mode. Saturday I'm going to go to Letterkenny and start prepping for deer season. This is of course assuming my Wife doesn't have other plans for me
Monday I switch over to deer mode. Saturday I'm going to go to Letterkenny and start prepping for deer season. This is of course assuming my Wife doesn't have other plans for me
Looking forward to your pics Chuck. Sorry you didn't get one but the experience sounds very exciting.
Couple of updates: PA's deer season opens on Saturday October 5th. I still have elk on the brain though and honestly don't have that drive to hunt whitetails like I used to. I'm sure I'll get over it though. :smiley_crocodile: A friend from NM has invited me to come out in November/December for a rifle cow elk hunt. I guess on occasion you can buy cow elk tags from landowners on Craigslist. He swears you can get them for $300, but most I've found were around $500. Assuming I could find one, the trip would cost me about $1500 ($450 for airfare, $300, for the tag, 100 gas, 150 for food, $300 for any processing/freezing, and $200 for MISC expenses that tend to come up). I could cancel my Illinois trip, but I'd still need to come up with another $700 or so. I've actually thought about getting a second job in October to pay for both........ Sorry, but the thought of having a freezer empty of elk is just to depressing. Then again, I could save that money up and go to a preserve and shoot a cow elk for about $1000 too. I only want the meat and wouldn't really consider it hunting, but then there's the whole "I killed my first elk in a preserve" thing that will bug me too. Being an elitist sucks at times....
Yesterday I took my new/used Loggy Bayou climber out for a test climb. Holy cow this stand is the BOMB! It was super easy to set up and very comfortable to sit in. It's a bit noisy going up, but that is mainly because I'm new to using it. A couple friends have shown me some tips to quite them down. However there is a down side that isn't the stands fault. I have a herniated disk, three or four degenerated disk, and arthritis in my back. I only climbed five or six feet yesterday and my back was hurting BAD.... I'm not sure how this is gonna play out and I'm glad I have climbing sticks and loc on stands to fall back on. I'm going to test them out today too.
Yesterday I took my new/used Loggy Bayou climber out for a test climb. Holy cow this stand is the BOMB! It was super easy to set up and very comfortable to sit in. It's a bit noisy going up, but that is mainly because I'm new to using it. A couple friends have shown me some tips to quite them down. However there is a down side that isn't the stands fault. I have a herniated disk, three or four degenerated disk, and arthritis in my back. I only climbed five or six feet yesterday and my back was hurting BAD.... I'm not sure how this is gonna play out and I'm glad I have climbing sticks and loc on stands to fall back on. I'm going to test them out today too.
Season is off to a rough start.
My plan was to camp out at LEAD so I would be one of the first in and hopefully get my favorite spot. My efforts were greated by a nice police office who was shooing off motivated hunters after directing their attention to a sign that said the base was closed due to the gov shut down.
Needless to say I didn't hunt, but I did hang a treestand on Sunday (we can't hunt on sunday). If I don't leave for Ohio on Friday I'll hunt LEAD Zone II. If not I won't make it out until next Friday. PA has a three day ML season for seniors, juniors, and active military. I'm forgoing purity of killing with my bow to filling my freezer the fastest way possible.
My plan was to camp out at LEAD so I would be one of the first in and hopefully get my favorite spot. My efforts were greated by a nice police office who was shooing off motivated hunters after directing their attention to a sign that said the base was closed due to the gov shut down.
Needless to say I didn't hunt, but I did hang a treestand on Sunday (we can't hunt on sunday). If I don't leave for Ohio on Friday I'll hunt LEAD Zone II. If not I won't make it out until next Friday. PA has a three day ML season for seniors, juniors, and active military. I'm forgoing purity of killing with my bow to filling my freezer the fastest way possible.
Passed a small six point up Friday night while bow hunting. So far doe ML season has proved challenging. The deer numbers just don't seem to be what they were back in 05.