First time hunting
shimniok
11/25/07 8:05am
Few weeks ago I went out elk and deer hunting for the first time (which is kind of weird since I'm 38 but what the heck, I figure if you think you're too old to try new stuff you might as well be spending your spare time digging a 6' hole in the ground)
Anyhoo... man, what a blast. The most fun for me was stalking through the woods looking for deer. That's probably because the elk herds didn't descend -- what with the ridiculously warm weather -- it was in the friggin' 60's -- in that part of CO during 3rd rifle season. :(
Anyway, I didn't get anything but one of our party got a buck, and I helped field dress and haul it out (so that was good experience, and good to know I wasn't prone to yak) :)
I had a heck of a fun encounter the last day up on a plateau we'd been keeping an eye on. There area was pretty flat, lot of open space, a few trees and huge rocks scattered about, just enough cover. It was definitely a popular area for deer (even with my total lack of experience could tell that much)
I camped out in the late afternoon behind a nice rock and sat and waited. Then, a doe emerges from behind a tree about 200yd away moving left to right... then another doe... and another. I think "gee, I wonder where the buck is". Couple more does come out. It is like a state fair shooting gallery, does just walking across single file...
Wait...
What the? I glass the final animal... those are *antlers* ... are they long enough to be legal? Argh... spikes... too hard to tell. I had to let him go. He walks slowly across my field of view... the does disappear in the bush on the other side of the ridge and the buck (just to annoy me of course) stops for a good 10 seconds, standing perfectly broadside, and stares in my direction... then disappears into the bushes. Next year, little guy... next year. :)
Anyhoo... if anyone has nothing better to do on the holiday weekend and is really bored, I wrote up some brief stories about the opening day (it was a really long day) on my blog (yes, I am a nerd). :)
Getting there (sort of a prologue; this is a Jeep blog so...):
http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071110-053527">http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071110-053527
Long Day Pt 1 (where it really starts):http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071117-131447">http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071117-131447
Long Day Pt 2:
http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071120-134147">http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071120-134147
Long Day Pt 3:
http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071122-171451">http://tc.wagoneer.net/sblog/index.php?entry=entry071122-171451
Anyway, now I can't wait to go again next year! :)
Michael
Anyhoo... man, what a blast. The most fun for me was stalking through the woods looking for deer. That's probably because the elk herds didn't descend -- what with the ridiculously warm weather -- it was in the friggin' 60's -- in that part of CO during 3rd rifle season. :(
Anyway, I didn't get anything but one of our party got a buck, and I helped field dress and haul it out (so that was good experience, and good to know I wasn't prone to yak) :)
I had a heck of a fun encounter the last day up on a plateau we'd been keeping an eye on. There area was pretty flat, lot of open space, a few trees and huge rocks scattered about, just enough cover. It was definitely a popular area for deer (even with my total lack of experience could tell that much)
I camped out in the late afternoon behind a nice rock and sat and waited. Then, a doe emerges from behind a tree about 200yd away moving left to right... then another doe... and another. I think "gee, I wonder where the buck is". Couple more does come out. It is like a state fair shooting gallery, does just walking across single file...
Wait...
What the? I glass the final animal... those are *antlers* ... are they long enough to be legal? Argh... spikes... too hard to tell. I had to let him go. He walks slowly across my field of view... the does disappear in the bush on the other side of the ridge and the buck (just to annoy me of course) stops for a good 10 seconds, standing perfectly broadside, and stares in my direction... then disappears into the bushes. Next year, little guy... next year. :)
Anyhoo... if anyone has nothing better to do on the holiday weekend and is really bored, I wrote up some brief stories about the opening day (it was a really long day) on my blog (yes, I am a nerd). :)
Getting there (sort of a prologue; this is a Jeep blog so...):
Long Day Pt 1 (where it really starts):
Long Day Pt 2:
Long Day Pt 3:
Anyway, now I can't wait to go again next year! :)
Michael
2,656
Welcome, thanks for sharing. Sounds like a good time 'in the hills' :)
Sounds like you have the right attitude when it comes to this addiction of ours and you certainly sounded like you had fun....and THAT is the most important part of hunting in my opinion.
Well, enjoy the site and let's keep our fingers crossed that your next outing YOU'RE the one who fills the freezer!
Michael