2017 results thread

Looks like there hasn't been much luck so far this year. I know muzzleloading season was a bust for many people here.

During muzzleloading, I was able to call in this young bull. I've never bugled for elk before, and didn't know what I was doing. Fortunately for my buddy with the bull tag, this young spike didn't know what he was doing either. The herd bull heard me calling, but didn't care and kept on going (he had just won a fight a few minutes before). This was called in on opening day. Buddy and I spotted a bunch of cows (most of us had cow tags) on opening morning, but then heard some bulls fighting in the other direction and decided to pursue. The hunt was looking great after day one, but our area was quickly overrun with other hunters and all the animals left.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Bl...=w1044-h587-no

I hunted over the gut pile for a bear for a few days, and while I heard a bear, I was too slow getting over there and he was long gone by the time I got there. I had a shot at a turkey as well, but I've yet to be able to hit one with a pistol, despite the target size and distance being within my usual skill set at matches.

Now I'm up antelope hunting. I went up the Sunday before to try and sight in my rifle. I had big plans of shooting further than 100 yards for the first time in my life, but the wind was a steady 20 mph (normal), and it was raining (not normal). Fortunately, my life coach spent a couple hours shooting with me on the Friday before opening day. After sighting in (mostly) at 200 yards, I was able to at least take shots at steel plates at 300, 400, and 500 yards. With guidance, I was able to hit all the plates, at least once.

Fast forward and I had a two opportunities at big antelope bucks on opening day, but I didn't execute correctly on the first action, and thought the shot was too far on the second action. In addition, to never having hunted antelope before, I also thought my tag restricted me to private property only. I called in today and cleared that up. Anyway, I was out today, and saw this little lady running around (I think I also saw her on day two of the hunt). I first spied her about 3/4 of a mile away, so I drove down the road to get as close as I could (I was on public at this time), and got out and set up. I used my distress call, but she didn't care at all and just kept running away. I ended up making a perfect shot, probably mostly on accident.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tg...=w1044-h587-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Vp...=w1632-h918-no

Shot was taken with my Savage Axis in .308. I didn't know the distance until after I walked out and ranged my vehicle afterward. I pretty much just guessed my hold over and let it rip. Turns out I got lucky.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ki...=w1632-h918-no

I didn't get a photo, but entry was just behind/below her ear, and here is the exit wound.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FV...=w1632-h918-no

Here is looking back at my vehicle. I landed this shot at 396 yards. She was moving away, but kept stopping to look at me.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zN...=w1632-h918-no


Heading back up tomorrow. When I came out to sight my rifle, I saw the biggest, most beautiful buck I've ever seen. On opening day, someone shot at him and the entire herd ran over to where I was hunting, but I never got a shot. I think it's too late for me to get anything now, but I'll go try anyway. Good luck everyone else for this year. Post up your pictures.

Nice post, Irving.

Good writeup, congratulations on the elk, Irving!

I'm heading out 2nd season and hope to be as lucky.

Well, my hunt was a bust, I hope someone else gets something down. I took a shot at an antelope today, but didn't connect. I spent a lot of time finding the herd again and doing a stalk, again. We were crawling up to get another shot, after over an hour of walking around, then driving around, then walking around again. I actually had a good spot, and another hunter that had been hanging back and watching me, drove in on top of the remaining animals and chased them out. We never saw them again, then it got dark. Good luck everyone else.

Congrats to your buddy on the elk Irving, and nice poke on the coyote.
I'd post a pic. of my archery antelope buck that I was lucky to get in my own pasture, but the only pics. I took are on my phone and I can't seem to figure out how to move them from my phone to the computer. I should get learned up on computer stuff someday, but probably won't.

Just got back from North Dakota last week. Bird numbers are WAY down, 60%+ according to fish and game. Always have limited out on my Uncle's farm since I was 12. We only got 1 pheasant out of the farm. Really crazy year for us so far. We ended up getting 2 limits of birds over 5 days down along the Little Missouri river at my dads house. On the bright side we got to see family and my wife got to break in her new shotgun. Chomping at the bit for our deer tags to open next weekend.

We didn't see a single elk during first season in Jackson County. Jumped a bunch of mule deer but not any elk.

Shot a medium size doe last weekend for 2nd rifle mule deer in Boulder Canyon. Suppressed 16" 6.8 SPC at 110 yards had excellent performance with Barnes 95gr Tac-tx. Missed out on Elk season this year due to a work conflict, but my hunting group got 2 bulls during first rifle season.

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Originally Posted by TRnCO

Congrats to your buddy on the elk Irving, and nice poke on the coyote.
I'd post a pic. of my archery antelope buck that I was lucky to get in my own pasture, but the only pics. I took are on my phone and I can't seem to figure out how to move them from my phone to the computer. I should get learned up on computer stuff someday, but probably won't.

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Be happy to help you out on that some time. Easy peasy to have them automagically send to any one of multiple cloud services that you can then see on your 'puter.

In mid month, my group went back to an area we hadn't hunted in at least a decade. Just east of the Flattops on Derby Mesa. We were surprised at how little game we saw. I saw a small band of cow elk on the first morning but we never saw any more the whole trip. I saw a pair of muley bucks twice, the same pair. And that was it. Years back the area was filled with mule deer and elk. Obviously the warm weather meant that the elk were still high but the amount of sign we saw was very disappointing.

Nice young muley buck taken at only 35 yards. Buckled down without moving one inch. Amazingly no exit wound with a 30-06 Spine shot. Have the bullet as a keepsake.

https://s19.postimg.org/9vlazmh7j/20171028_091457.jpg
https://s19.postimg.org/9vlazm9hr/20171024_100159.jpg

By far the most productive season I have ever had. Both animals dropped in their tracks on the first shot. My trusty old Encore in .25-06 with a 110gr Accubond did the trick again.

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Originally Posted by encorehunter

By far the most productive season I have ever had. Both animals dropped in their tracks on the first shot. My trusty old Encore in .25-06 with a 110gr Accubond did the trick again.

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Good job!

This year construction projects at home conspired to delay my hunt and I lost the first six days of the season. I finally got to my camp site in the Flat Tops region and was out before dawn on Friday. I climbed the mountain, over the top and into some aspen parks, then slowly ventured down into the dark spruce-fir timber. Before long I spotted a brown patch and brought up the binoculars. Sure enough, it was a bull elk laying in his bed looking my direction, and I could count four points on his left side. In a second or two he would bust out and be gone so I took the quick offhand shot. The 180 gr. Nosler Partition cleaved his heart and went through the lungs. Still, he stood, walked 27 yards and collapsed down an embankment.

I made the shot from 47 yards. Remarkably, where I shot him in his bed was 24 yards from where my 2016 cow elk was downed. I shot the cow at 27 yards on the first day of season last year. Both times, had I not been using binoculars while moving through the woods, those elk would have been gone before I could get a shot, or even a view. I love hunting the dark timber because it's so elky and pungent. The forest is so thick it's not easy to get close enough for a shot but when you do, it sure is gratifying. Oh yea, I'm one lucky son of a gun.

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I camp near an outfitter and usually hire them to pack out my elk. Much easier, and better than letting a bear get to it. Saturday morning, Cole had horses and mules ready to go and we had the animal back in camp by noon. I drove home and got the meat in the refrigerator before dark. Now the butchering begins....

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Originally Posted by encorehunter

By far the most productive season I have ever had. Both animals dropped in their tracks on the first shot. My trusty old Encore in .25-06 with a 110gr Accubond did the trick again.

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Outstanding, you can't get much better than a buck and a bull in the same season. Congratulations!

Thank you. Both of these guys were on public land.

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Originally Posted by spqrzilla

In mid month, my group went back to an area we hadn't hunted in at least a decade. Just east of the Flattops on Derby Mesa. We were surprised at how little game we saw. I saw a small band of cow elk on the first morning but we never saw any more the whole trip. I saw a pair of muley bucks twice, the same pair. And that was it. Years back the area was filled with mule deer and elk. Obviously the warm weather meant that the elk were still high but the amount of sign we saw was very disappointing.

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Ditto. Drew leftover and hunted Dome Peak area for muzzleloader. Over 5 days heard 1 shot, way too warm. Won't gamble on 1st choice next year. Went back second rifle and heard 2 shots and saw very little sign.

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Originally Posted by Hummer

This year construction projects at home conspired to delay my hunt and I lost the first six days of the season. I finally got to my camp site in the Flat Tops region and was out before dawn on Friday. I climbed the mountain, over the top and into some aspen parks, then slowly ventured down into the dark spruce-fir timber. Before long I spotted a brown patch and brought up the binoculars. Sure enough, it was a bull elk laying in his bed looking my direction, and I could count four points on his left side. In a second or two he would bust out and be gone so I took the quick offhand shot. The 180 gr. Nosler Partition cleaved his heart and went through the lungs. Still, he stood, walked 27 yards and collapsed down an embankment.

I made the shot from 47 yards. Remarkably, where I shot him in his bed was 24 yards from where my 2016 cow elk was downed. I shot the cow at 27 yards on the first day of season last year. Both times, had I not been using binoculars while moving through the woods, those elk would have been gone before I could get a shot, or even a view. I love hunting the dark timber because it's so elky and pungent. The forest is so thick it's not easy to get close enough for a shot but when you do, it sure is gratifying. Oh yea, I'm one lucky son of a gun.

Attachment 72376


I camp near an outfitter and usually hire them to pack out my elk. Much easier, and better than letting a bear get to it. Saturday morning, Cole had horses and mules ready to go and we had the animal back in camp by noon. I drove home and got the meat in the refrigerator before dark. Now the butchering begins....

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Awesome post. Thank you for sharing. And congrats are in order.

My year!

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Originally Posted by jhood001

Awesome post. Thank you for sharing. And congrats are in order.

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Thanks, J-- !

Since this is a 'results' thread I thought I'd follow up with a couple more photos. This year our old FoodSaver vacuum sealers weren't working any more so I got a Cabela's 12" "commercial grade" vacuum sealer to package the meat. I got it on sale and it works great!

Another years worth of fine elk steaks and sausage! Tomorrow we'll be making knapwurst German breakfast sausage, and chorizo Mexican sausage.


Attachment 72574


Every year I hang the butchered out backbone and leg sections from trees near the house so that birds can use the fat, meat and marrow. It's an important source of protein and all kinds of birds use and pick it clean by the end of December. We regularly get Steller's and Western Scrub Jays, Black-billed Magpies, Common Ravens and Crows, Clark's Nutcrackers, Hairy, Downy and Lewis's Woodpeckers, Mountain and Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-crowned Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Audubon's Warblers, Wilson's Warblers, and even Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles have used the boned out carcasses. It's great to watch them all up close. Here's one of the Clark's Nutcrackers just a few feet from our dining room window today.


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P.S.: You probably shouldn't try this if your homeowners association would disapprove. [Coffee]

Today was a sausage making day. We ground 23 lbs of elk and pork shoulder to make Mexican chorizo and Italian sausage, bulk packed in vacuum sealed bags. We also did 3 lbs. of elk jerky using the Cabela's jerky blaster. The blaster works like a caulking gun to lay strips of ground and seasoned meat onto a rack and dry in the oven at 175 degrees. Works neat!

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I had a decent year again, matched my results from last year. 2 of 4 tags filled.

Archery elk was a bust. New area for me this year, too easy to access and too hot. Lots of great exercise and peaceful nights camping but no Wapiti again this year.

Opening weekend of rifle season for Pronghorn in early October, had a real tough time closing within 500 yds of the bucks. Connected on this young buck at 225yds on the second morning, he was alone in a bowl and seemed very surprised by my appearance. Fortunately, he waffled on the decision to run and I had a decent quartering shot. 185gr Berger Hunting VLD HSM ammo from my .300WSM dropped him. I lost some meat with the VLD though - it sure does expand :)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ae55eabf10.jpg

Later in October, I was able to connect on this young mule deer from 309 yds on a small working corn farm in eastern CO. This was with the new Federal Edge TLR in 200gr, very hard hitting. Best shooting position ever, had to crawl up on top the cab of my buddies International tractor to see the full body on the other side of the irrigation ditch and weeds.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...672b66bb0b.jpg

Last tag was late season antelope, both doe tags for me and my son in the same unit I harvested the buck in October. We spent several days with not even a single sighting. Despite the tag soup, I spent some great hours with my boy in the peaceful quiet of the prairie, breaking in some new boots and stuffing tumbleweeds into every crevice underneath my truck. This about sums up how this hunt went.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5ad633be2b.jpg


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