Well no luck for me on Archery!

Stay persistent. I was really rooting for you to bag a nice one. If anyone deserves it, I would pick you for all the work you put in scouting and being out in the field. I KNOW that glorious day will come and it will be all more than worth it. Best of luck on the Muzzleloader hunt.

Im done as well, (for archery) still have my muzz and rifle tag. So well see what happens. This coming weekend I will be hunting antelope with CWP and his wife and dad. (His wife and dad both have tags) So hopefully we have some photos and maybe a video or two to show when we get back. Good luck to all that are still hunting.

I am sure that the expereince gained from this hunt will definatley help you in the future! Good luck on the Muzzy and Rifle hunt I look forward to seeing a great post when you drop a toad! :thumb

Sorry to hear it. I was very excited for you after seeing the pics you posted of several bucks to go after. Do the bucks stay in the area through the muzzle loader? That should give you a little more range and make it a little easier to get in on them. And after the kill, the antlers are easier to take care off. lol

It was cool to see that you had several good ones to go after. The area we hunt has had a lot of pressure of the last few years. On the archery hunt I saw several small one and a half year old bucks and 2 two and a half year olds. My buddy did see one 4 point in the canyon that is a 30" 190 - 200" class buck. If past years experience is the same this year I'll be one of about 20 tags looking for him. Hopefully your area has a little less pressure and you can get a good muzzy buck.

Best of luck.

Yep bowhunting does require alot of patinence which I also lack. I missed a good buck last Monday evening, but absolutely killed the small branch in front of his vitals that I failed to see. ](*,)

Sounds like my luck on the Archery hunt... I too need to practice more patience! Better luck to you on the Muzzy/Rifle hunt though!

Brett:

I sure wish you would have arrowed one of those giants you were seeing. Keep at it and you'll get one.

In all the years I've been chasing critters with a bow and arrow, I've learned a few things. The biggest thing is the ability to be patient AND aggressive on the same stalk.......however, the key is knowing when to use each respective tactic. Knowing deer behavior is the key to success, IMO.

great info BOHNTR

wish you coulda bagged one of those brutes BRETT.

i have been getting my BUTT handed to me by a group of 6 bucks for almost 2 weeks now. 2 nights ago i had 2 bucks, 1 i was going to shoot gladly, anywhere from 5 -20 yrds for 1 hr and 15 minutes! i dont think my scentloc suit works that great SO I PUT ON 2 SCENT LOC SUITS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. i kid you not 75% of the time the wind was blowing to them. unfortunatly i could not move a muscle. at no time did i not have 1 of the 2 within 10 yrds and feedind towards me... talk about frustrating

i've been with in 70 yrds almost every night, but i wont shoot that far. getting within 50 has been a struggle. but on 2 occations i had them be TO CLOSE ](*,)

Roy and others thanks. I'll have 1 chance is all on Muzzleloader and then get a crack at it on Rifle hopefully.

Roy,

I know exactly what you mean, I've gotten pretty good at it with a camera in hand. Just not quite as good with the bow yet. Saturday morning everything was working to PERFECTION until the last 10 yards or so and I simple made the wrong move and basically knew it, but was stuck in a bad spot without a shooting lane. The thing that drove me nuts is I KNEW I was in a bad spot. I had one of the bucks I would have taken at a 33 yards and another big one close by only a couple yards further. I should have sealed the deal but didn't dare move anymore as I felt they would wind me or see me for SURE. I could see the tips of the antlers on one of them.

Sure enough they got up, moved out the back. I could have taken a shot walking, but didn't know the yardage (55 or so if I was to guess) but didn't want to risk it. Just watched them walk away SO CLOSE. I spent 2 hours getting in to position and messed up in the last 5-10 yards without a shooting lane. Could have arrowed a small 3-point, but wanted the big boys. :)

Then Monday morning is another story that I don't want to talk about, simple was impatient and a idiot. :)

All to familiar of a story. Sorry you were like most of us and couldnt close the deal. Alot of Bowhunting pressure this year. More than I have ever seen before.
Read my post in the Archery section. Trials and Tribulations of Mule Deer Bowhunting. I feel your pain. Rifle season is close though.
Bow isn't over yet.. closes in about 12 days.. but with the way the other 16 days went.. well.. clean the rifle. ](*,)

I guess you'll just need to be satisfied with the opportunity and the time spent. I'm getting to realize that's what it's about anyhow. It's great being older. I never drew the bow on a buck in Utah. We've already got a week planned to hunt during the extended archery season in november. I love being out in our tent in the winter during the rut. I love the woodstove best!
Mark

sounds like lots of fun, even though there wasn't any opportunity for the shot! With your desire and experience the monster can't be to far in the future!

Sounds like my season, I ended up with a couple nice bucks in front of me on opening morning. The problem is I just couldn't get a open shot and when I did they were at 90 yards and I couldn't get any closer. Oh well maybe next year I'm addicted