I have not yet drawn this tag but for 3 of the last 4 years I have tagged along with friends to offer help etc.
This year a co-worker drew the tag. He didn't have anyone to go with so I offered to tag along for opening weekend.
We saw some okay bucks but not the heavy horned monster you hold out for if you draw the tag. I left Sunday evening to get back to work. The plan was, he was going to stay down there alone and hunt until this weekend. I text him a Monday to see how he is doing. He tells me he is calling it quits and is headed home. I tried to explain to him when he drew this tag that the biggest challenge of this hunt is having the mental wear with-all and commitment to try and find the bucks. Of course that is the main challenge of all hunts but what I have witnessed among folks that draw this tag is that if they haven't seen a toad of a buck akin to what is on the cover of Muley Crazy mag within two days or so, they estimate that they must have "missed the mass migration" OR better yet, "they havent started moving down yet".
In my opinion hunting this beautiful area is every bit as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical challenge.
I am a little frustrated with this co-worker for giving up on such a difficult tag when there are so many others that would have busted tail to harvest. And yes, there are still big bucks down here.
Anyone else have similar experience hunting this area?
What are your thoughts on the matter?
This year a co-worker drew the tag. He didn't have anyone to go with so I offered to tag along for opening weekend.
We saw some okay bucks but not the heavy horned monster you hold out for if you draw the tag. I left Sunday evening to get back to work. The plan was, he was going to stay down there alone and hunt until this weekend. I text him a Monday to see how he is doing. He tells me he is calling it quits and is headed home. I tried to explain to him when he drew this tag that the biggest challenge of this hunt is having the mental wear with-all and commitment to try and find the bucks. Of course that is the main challenge of all hunts but what I have witnessed among folks that draw this tag is that if they haven't seen a toad of a buck akin to what is on the cover of Muley Crazy mag within two days or so, they estimate that they must have "missed the mass migration" OR better yet, "they havent started moving down yet".
In my opinion hunting this beautiful area is every bit as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical challenge.
I am a little frustrated with this co-worker for giving up on such a difficult tag when there are so many others that would have busted tail to harvest. And yes, there are still big bucks down here.
Anyone else have similar experience hunting this area?
What are your thoughts on the matter?