Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 2018 Hunting Plans - Guns - Trips

My Deer hunting is over till October so I got started EARLY for the year.

We are Near Record Cold temps. 14 * this AM, Low tonight 8-9 * I had to break ice for my horses first thing and will have to repeat later. I won't do any small game hunting till it warms up some.

I have opened an account for PIC hosting >XXX> not photoPUKEIT. I'm in the process of learning how to upload & then post pix elsewhere.
'PUKEIT' made me mad this yr and I didn't post any pix here .

I already put a NEW scope on my 6mm Rem. this AM. I'll get it sighted in when the WX is more pleasant.
I have a load with 75 gr Speer HP that is devastating on coyotes. So far, I have not had 1 pass thru. I've killed a few with this gun & load in N Ark where they are thicker.

I also have a load with 100 H SP. I have killed deer with this gun & load several yrs. back. Since I'm now shooting CNS shots, I won't have to worry about property lines. I plan to use it this Fall.

I didn't get around to using my 6.5X55 with 120 NBT this year so I plan to use it & the 6mm this Fall.

Those are my plans SO FAR for 2018.

ANY projects you got going or on schedule?


Jerry

Central New York late muzzleloader hunt in December.

I have been invited on a New Jersey archery hunt but am unsure at this time.

A new stainless/synthetic bolt rifle and then I'm done.

Looking at an Ontario moose hunt but that wouldn't be until 2019 at the earliest.

My goal is to optimize every rifle I have instead of buying more, have one sitting acraglass as I type. Bedding, load development, maybe even upgrading optics, and trying out that dynacoat bore polish stuff... But taking my hunting guns to their fullest accuracy potential with my chosen bullets for them. Next year I hope to tag out again, and will probably take more does than bucks again. I like the mangement end of it, and I don’t like picking out between borderline immature/ mature bucks. Occasionally I feel like I should have let one walk for next year...

Now if a monster crosses my path... thats a different story

Texas muzzleloader season starts Jan 8

I understand all of that.
Where I hunt, either at home or on family property...regardless of what/why I pass bucks, neighbors WON’T let them walk. I saw a lot of Does early in our season - Nov 11-25 or so but most had fawns w/them. After they run them off for the rut I saw only a few grown Does.
I QUIT shooting fawns because of nubbin BUCKS. Those would be antlered bucks I’d never see/shoot. I don’t shoot DINKS for the same reason.

This season I killed my limit of bucks (2) but have family w/tags. I planned to kill more Does this yr. and i plan to next year but sometimes things just don’t work out.

Good Luck

Jerry

Probably back to upstate NY in Oct or Nov for deer hunting with some family up there. A few pheasant trips coming up in NY and PA in the next few weeks. Still waiting for my local SCI chapter to figure out what our group hunt for the year will be, but sounding like something in West Texas again vs black bear over bait in Maine.

Waiting for a Swaro Z3 to show up for a CZ550 .308 I picked up a month or so ago. Going to drop that in a B&C stock.

Lots more pigs and maybe something exotic or a trophy buck later on. And I liked the post from "Mjduct" regarding upgrading and maximizing what I've already got. I'm in the middle of that process now with several rifles.
Bob

Going to put in for the same area I hunted deer last year. Will be using my 7x57 custom for the deer hunt.

Just put a 6.5 cm McGowan barrel on my Marlin xs7. Hope it shoots. If so I will use that to kill deer around the family farm. Plan on killing a mule deer and a cow elk with my new fieldcraft in 30-06. If that does well it might mean I move most of my others down the road...

Pig hunt in the spring

Muley's in NE in Fall

PA flintlock in Winter

Want to see what the hoopla is about with RL powders and 150's in the 270. If I can get good accuracy at >2950, I'll give em a go.

Hope to work in some spring/summer trout fishing and groundhog hunting with the triple deuce. Possibly some upland hunting as well.

Guys, sounds interesting. I also like the variety.

Elks - using the « Woman’s 270 huh !

Jerry

Yup,and IF I get drawn for a bull elk tag this year,will use the "Woman's.270."

I will do my normal WY high country mule deer hunt (assuming I don't get drawn for unit 102) and I am sure I will do my normal Montana mule deer hunt. I have been thinking about whacking a whitetail this coming year as it has been a while since I have taken a good whitetail.

If I don't get any good draws for other critters this year from NM, WY, MT, ID or AK, I may try to fit a sitka deer hunt in during the November rut.

I am sure I will hunt with my normal .223 Rem and 6.5x284 NORMA, but one never knows with me.

Combo mule deer/antelope in WY in Oct
Then putting deposit down on my first elk hunt - going to WY in 2019.

If it warms up a bit Jan. through Mar. will be predator and rabbit hunting. April is trout fishing. May spring turkey. June, July and August Bass fishing and woodchuck hunting. September grey squirrels and geese. October, fall turkey, grouse and cottontails. November and December whitetails, first with crossbow, then rifle and finally late muzzleloader.

Boy do I MISS woodchuck (groundhog) hunting. For 3 yrs I experienced some of the most fun CF shooting available.


Also - I thot of this a little while ago. I have had NO luck getting drawn so I don't have great expectations BUT.....

I ALWAYS enter our Elk Hunt Permit drawing----and I will this year. Our first Elk hunting season was in the '90s. I have missed entering ONE year-----NO LUCK.



Guys, I'm enjoying your plans. THANKS


Jerry

I'm in slug territory in MN. After 20 years of muzzle loader I went back to slugs. I'll probably work up a heavy bullet load for long distance for my ml 2. I haven't been to Wyoming since 2012. I'm going to try to make it out for Prairie dogs in the summer and elk in the fall for elk zone 7.

Lots of small game here in N.C .
Deer in N.C.
Deer in either Kentucky or Kansas.
Ducks in Arkansas.

It will start with MN bears over bait in September. I rebarreled a Savage M10 to 358 Win last summer but did not have time to fit the stock. Hopefully, the load with 250 gr Hornadys I use in the BLR will work fine.

Nov will see me chasing deer in MN. I need to work up a load using 117 gr Hornady RN for my 250 Savage. Using the COAL called for in the book had the bullet sticking in the rifling. I did not have time to determine a new load. The other guns I will use in the rifle zone are a reproduction Win 1876 in 45/60 that I finally got around to loading ammo for and a Savage 1899 in 303 Savage I acquired a few years back. 350 gr flat nose over 57 gr black powder is the ticket with the Winchester and some 180 gr loads from a small manufacturer is the load I'm using in the Savage. If I get the new front sight figured out I might substitute an SMLE MK 3 for the Savage. Someone sporterized it years ago to look what Bell described his as being. It is sighted for the 215 gr bullet and throws my reloads with a 180 gr bullet pretty high.
Any one of several slug guns will be used in the slug zone, 12 ga slugs are Federal sabots with Barnes slugs or Lightfield Hybreds. 20 ga will be Remington Accutips.

If I get to the muzzleloader season it will be with a T/C inline I recently purchased. It may get used in place of a slug gun in the slug zone if I have tags to fill. I have not played with it yet so have no idea on load or bullet. Powder will be loose Pyrodex RS as I have 4-5 lbs of it.

Wisconsin will see me carrying one or both the lever guns above or a Winchester 1910 rifle. I'll have a scoped rifle along in case I get a stand where I can see further than I can throw an anchor but I haven't decided which one yet. I have a Springfield M1A that hasn't been properly blooded yet and it does passable with 165 gr Core-Lokts over some IMR 4064.

If I get asked to elk hunt again, I had to pass this year due to a leg injury, I'll probably use either a pre-64 M70 in 300 H&H or a Weatherby Vangard in 300 Weatherby as I haven't taken game with either one. I'll probably use 180 gr Accubonds in the H&H and 200 gr A-Frames in the Weatherby.

I'm planning on deer hunting in the AM. It will be just about zero out, but it will be ok if the wind ain't blowing like it was today.

Otherwise the rest is too far off right now

Wow, 2018 all ready.. Well Jan.. we will hunt some elk.. Season goes til the end of the month.. I hunted two mornings in Nov. Maybe I will hunt two mornings this mth.. But in Jan. we have coyotes, cottontails, some waterfowl, and some upland bird hunting.. All much more fun than elk.. Plus we are thinking of a short hunt in NM for quail..

Feb. Hogs in Tx.. Missed it last season, want to do this this year.. Probably the 7mm-08, .30-06, and .30-30.. While we are home coyotes will be at the top of the list. .270, .300 Sav. and 7mm-08 will ride along, but the ,22-250 AI will have top spot..

March isn't real clear yet.. Coyotes always, some gophers, maybe a trip to Montana for serious gopher shooting.. In addition to 22lr's , 22 mag,, 222, 223 and if I get it built a .223AI..

April probably some spring turkey, maybe some trout fishing.. Sure would like to take an Axis deer or two in Tx. especially if elk hunting doesn't produce.. For turkey, my model 31 12 ga. and Sako .222... Axis would be my .270 and old .300WM..

May is kind of up in the air.. Maybe a salmon trip to Riggins, and a bear hunt near that area.. Otherwise, gophers and the coyotes that are busy hunting antelope fawns.. Bear, the same rifles as Axis, coyotes: 22-250 AI and .270 or 7mm mag..

June have to leave for some family business.. Once in a lifetime deal.. Maybe some chuck shooting.. Mostly a bit of warm water fishing, visiting folks, and getting home..

July and Aug.. Ah, lots of prairie dog shooting some gopher shooting, camping, fly fishing, getting ready for fall.. Sighting in rifles, trying new loads. Shooting my pistols more fun than one can handle.. Plus we will have family visiting if all goes well..

Sept. Grouse!! Blue, ruffed and sage.. Love them all!! Maybe some turkey and sharptail also.. My old 870 12 ga. field and maybe my lighter 20 ga field. Late in the mth. ducks and geese 10 bore time.. Maybe an early mulie hunt in the western mountains.. My old .300 for long stuff, then who knows, .270, 7mm-08 or 7mm mag..

Oct. Mule deer.. My favorite game... Same rifles as before.. Also antelope.. I would like to take my antelope with pistols this season.. We will see.. Otherwise, .25-35, .270, 7mm mag.????
Hopefully my stepdaughters will be out for an antelope hunt.. Looking forward to this.. Their first western hunt.. Later whitetails and turkey, and maybe sandhill cranes.. Fishing for big browns should be excellent, but who has time to fish!!!

Nov. Coyotes, huns, and RINGNECKS.. Ah my favorite after deer, my dogs love this.. For sure the old 870 12 g. field, maybe a the 20.. Pure heaven.. Love it.. We will probably go for 14 days.. If all is well.. Sometime in this season, I may hunt for a big bull elk.. Missed all the good chances this year, because I was bird hunting.. Don't regret it one bit.. Maybe this year or next..Elk are mostly meat for us.. But I would rather eat beef and give the elk to the kids..

Dec. not sure. Coyotes, maybe some birds, maybe a Texas whitetail hunt..

I have enough points to draw a bighorn tag in many areas.. Not sure what I will do.. Age has caught up with me.. The easy areas are hard to draw, and I am too old for the tough areas.. Have one nice head.. Sure wish I could pass the points to one of my young friends. But maybe I will just get one more.. If I get to go the old 700 .300 will be there .. It has never failed in
almost 50 years.. Have a great year.. Hope all your hunts and guns come to pass with little effort and no tears..

I wont hunt anymore till Spring gobbler season ( My favorite hunting ) comes in April, Then I will keep up with My 30+ salt licks through the Summer and take note of any shooter bucks I might get pics of. I am upgrading the scopes on My deer rifles and will buy another Browning A5 3.5" 12ga and possibly another BLR in .300 WSM, otherwise I will ride My Hawg and enjoy the warm weather. Come Fall God willing I will chase Mature Whitetail bucks (150"+ or I let them walk ) In Ohio, Ky and Indiana as usual.......Hb

I have a deer hunt in Alabama planned in early February. My plan is to get into the same Alabama hunting club for next season and also continue the tradition of hunting in Ohio. My gun plan is to start to get rid of a few rifles I will likely never use as well as either selling or giving away excess equipment I am tired of storing for no purpose. Most of it is lower quality crap I purchased years ago. Like to get down to just a few rifles but its not a reality as I hunt in different places that have restrictions. I'm wanting to try a light weigh rifle like a Kimber or a Barrett but truth is I have no need for one. But maybe if I see a killer deal on one I might give one a try. My whole theme the last few years has been to have less , but have things of high quality that really work great and that i really like.

Our deer season doesn't end until Feb. 19th so I'll be at that until then. Jan. 19th headed to Texas to hunt Aoudad with Muley MIke"s outfit. Then November headed back to Kansas for my yearly deer hunting trip out there. Trying to squeeze a elk hunt in if possible this year too.

Maybe a coyote hunt or two this winter.
September archery elk in WY.
Waterfowl in MN.
Youth pheasant hunt in ND.
Hopefully October antelope in WY.
November deer in MN.
Finish with pheasants in MN the rest of the year.

New Brunswick bear in June
New Brunswick Moose in September,
NC deer in Oct and again in November,
Muzzleloading deer in Mass in Dec.
In between I will do my normal local hunting in NYS.

no new guns, but hoping for a new scope for my bear gun, maybe a S&B 1.5-6X42

I didn't know you had horses. Up here in PA breaking ice for the horses was an all winter thing. Overnight the water buckets would freeze solid. That was always fun.

As far as 2018 goes, I'd like to do some deer hunting in NY. I guess with a Bergara 308 .

Destinations:

Out back for turkey in April and May
Out back for deer in October and November
Same-old/Same-old When you're living in heaven, what the hell do you do for a vacation?

Projects:
1) I still haven't taken a deer from my new tower blind, but I like the design so much, I will probably build another.
2) I have a Rem 7600 in 35 Whelen that I've converted to cast lead. I still haven't gotten a deer with it.
3) I have a new load for the 25-06 (117 grain Hornady RN) that needs to be blooded
4) The Mauser from Hell (8X57 K98) still needs work
5) I have a 357 Mag Marlin 1894 lever that needs blooded
6) I have a brand new LHR Redemption that needs to be blooded.
7) I still haven't taken a deer with .223 REM
8) I have 2 30-30 rifles begging for another trip out.
9) The M1 Garand is staring at me. It wants to go too.

What I should probably do is go without Savage 99 308 WIN and the Ruger Hawkeye in 30-06 and challenge myself to fill my tags with something other than a 30- cal. I should also swear off my luxury box at Midway and stop hunting at the Garden of Stone. It's getting all too routine.

I may get another invite to go hunt deer up in Kansas with an old buddy, will take my 58 cal Hawken round ball rifle up there again, smoked a giant 22"x20" eight point 260+ lb pig up there last year at 44 yards, damn that was a big deer.

Regular season here and over in Arkanses will have me using old favorites yet again, will have to break in a new 7mm MSM I'm having built right now though.

Rotator cuff tears will certainly be healed up for some mid summer bow practice, will be on em at first light come 10-1-2018.

Mike, these are the 2 horses I have now. I had 2 others but they got culled <not killed- replaced>



This ice was 5/8" thick Tuesday, 1/2" thick SAME HOLE Wed.





Jerry

My 6mm Rem is the top one.
The one w/ BUBBA see-thrus is NOW my Son's. It was my first M Six 270 Win. It was named "Meat In The Pot" in 1999.




Jerry

It will depend on what the Draw here in NM brings. I'll definitely put in for Elk Muzzleloader again as my first choice. I'll add mule deer near the house as 2nd or 3rd. If I draw for deer I'll definitely take the Win M70 in 6.5x55.

I'm always hoping to go to SD. If I draw a West River tag I'll be there. Otherwise I'm hoping to be hunting the Black Hills as well as MN and WI.

Have already been out for chukar with my dog & shotgun, our season here in Washington runs to mid-month, and I can chase farm-raised pheasants for a couple more months at the pheasant club. Normally I use a good ol' 12 ga Beretta 390, but recently acquired a nice used Browning Citori. Hoping it works out, sure is a pretty gun.


After the chukar season closes, I'll be out after the coyotes again, mostly with my 25-06, it's great practice with my favorite deer rifle. I've still got the 6x Leupold on it and probably won't change from my normal deer load, a 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3120 fps. Have a cougar tag in my wallet, but chances of shooting one are admittedly slim. One shot took this coyote at 420 yards.


After that it's a long wait until bear season opens in August, archery deer & elk here in Washington, and hopefully a return trip to Wyoming in October for mule deer & pronghorn. Love that hunt! The 25-06 will be primary on that trip as well.

Best of luck to everyone!

Guy

Now Guy, Don't ya know the Xperts on the 'fire' say "plastic is ugly"?




Great Pix
Thnx


Jerry

Those are some nice pumps jwall.

Thank You JDK.

In 1999 our deer virtually disappeared. Nearly everyone in our lease had QUIT hunting. I had +/- 2000 acres to myself. I still hunted, I stalked, I tried SCARING deer in open areas. I walked miles & miles, & miles. I could not JUMP a deer anywhere.

One evening late in the season I said, "I'm going to get 'meat in the pot' out tomorrow and check it. At noon I took it to an old vacant mine and checked zero. I decided ONE MORE place to try. I sat on a steep hillside looking INTO the wind. Just before dark 2 deer came out feeding.
I moved ever so slowly. One of them saw something and looked up and FROZE. Too late. I held on the point of her right shoulder - BOOM -
Meat In The Pot ! !

I inherited My Dad's Model Six 270 so my Son has inherited My FIRST one. He has killed several deer with it since.

Thanks Again

Jerry

Nice collection Jwall.....congrats!......Hb

Thank You VaH.

The only reason they are all M Sixes is the 7600 & Six were introduced at the same time in 1981.









I don't recall how long but the first FEW yrs. there was only $20.00 diff between the 7600 & Six. Eventually Rem dropped the Six because people were NOT spending the $20.00 more than the 7600. People ? People ? I felt then and especially now, the features of the Six were worth $20.00 more.



These 3 pix show the features I really liked/like. I don't regret buying Sixes. I preferred the fore handle somewhat cone or wedged shaped.
The Six pistol grip is smaller in diameter. The Six also has the cartridge head of the 'cal' or chambering of the rifle embedded in bottom of the receiver.


I liked the LESS and LARGER locking lugs. Some people 'think', 'say' the Six/7600 have 3, well you can see more than that. The magazine release button is larger and flatter - than on 760s.

In the 90s the M Six brought $300.00 The 7600 was $280.00 in our part of the country. YES I LIKE the old Remingtons.

Jerry

That's my ugly black Beretta, just to show that yes, I actually shot chukar recently too!

Here's the purty shotgun I just got, but no birds with it yet:

Guy, I like 'purty' in guns too. They say in the race world, "chrome won't get you home", but it looks GOOD.

I don't like UGLY guns, WIMMENS, trucks etc. That reminds me, I will not drive a TRD, short for turd, truck. -


In guns & WIMMENS, sometimes they look better than they PERFORM.
And "that's the truth !"

Jerry

Cool story! Was EHD/Blue Tongue the culprit?

No, nothing so drastic. Our season was/is 5 weeks (6 weekends) so it covered a fair amount of time. Our lease was not all in 1 block.
I don't remember now but the section I/we were hunting was +1000 acres. The first couple of weeks was near normal - except for me. I just could not get in the right place at the right time.

Later - it was a combination of things. The hunting pressure on that parcel was stout and the food source also changed. I found out very late in the season from local private land owners that the deer had 'MOVED' west OFF our lease on to private property. I never did figure out what that food source was but it was not locals feeding the deer.

The following year was 'near' normal so there was no disease involved. I say near, Christmas Day '99 we had a terrible ice storm that lasted MORE than a week. + on New Year's Day 2000 we had a big Snow storm. The paper co.s of S Ark lost millions in damaged trees. They harvested as much FOR pulp wood they could, then SOLD off lots of acres. During those few weeks we did lose some deer to starvation. The ice and THEN snow on top kept the deer from eating. - sorry, don't know how to rotate pix, yet.





Back to my hunting in '99. I moved N to another section of our lease. There was 40 acres of private land inside that section. We had a driveable R. O. W. / firebreak on 2 sides. I set up on the E side of that private land ON the r o w. The 2 deer came off our lease into the edge of the r.o.w. to feed. That was the ONLY deer I killed in the '99 season.

Jerry

Those friggin Remington brochures fueled my fire many many years ago. I'd loose sleep until I got to town for the latest copies. Weatherby was another. In the early 70s it was all about deep blue and high gloss. [bleep] gorgeous rifles.

As for the years plans.

Acquire a Montana in 280AI. Just because.

Diversify my optics a bit. Got my first Meostar recently. If it works out,there might be a couple more.

Cash in my Colorado deer points. 11 years of playing the game. It time to go.

Get the boat out more. All work and no fishing makes the old man cranky.

Survive back surgery. Looking into laser currently.

Bout it.

I heard THAT !

I tried hard to get Rem., Win., Ruger, & S-W "catalogs" they called them.

I STILL have several of those. 1981 was a VERY good year. Rem brought out the M Six-- & Win. brought out the XTR FTWT !!
I DROOLED and drooled --- COST me $$$$$$ too.

Jerry

-Spring Gobbler
-Load development for a few rifles
-New scopes (upgrades) have been fitted to a couple rifles, so some sighting in for those.
-The regular range sessions to stay sharp and have fun.
-Varmints
-Chucks
-Archery deer
-Bears next November with friends in PA

Hope to explore some new hunting grounds and put up another stand or two. Will be exploring for elk. I'd like to do a Moose trip, but probably not in the cards for '18.

No new rifles. Might sell a few...

Since we're talking about hunting plans in general and not just deer:

Chuckar next Friday and Sunday-maybe an easy quail hunt on Saturday since the dogs need a day a rest between chuckar hunts.
One more chuckar hunt at the end of this month.
I'll get some coyote hunts thrown in here and there.
Wolf in Montana next month.
Spring turkey in Montana.
Maybe spring bear here in Wyoming if I get the urge.
My normal elk and antelope hunts here in Wyoming.
Mountain and sage-grouse here in Wyoming as much as possible.
Pheasants in both Idaho and South Dakota are very likely again.


I'll be doing a lot of fishing this year, like normal:
In June I will be in Appalachicola Florida again for sea trout and maybe some reds.
In late July I will be in Ketchikan Alaska again for salmon and halibut plus whatever else wants to bite.
Lots and lots of local trips for trout.
I am sure I will get in some bass fishing somewhere and most certainly some Golden trout trips in the Wind Rivers.

I will go back to Colorado for elk again next year, back to the ranch that I have hunted for the last 20 years. Don't know about deer yet--both mule deer and whitetails are draw tags in New Mexico. The Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I will try for a Coues whitetail one more time. I was able to get around up in the mountains pretty well this year, so I reckon I should be able to do it again next year.

As far as the rifle goes, I am pretty determined to either buy or build one more. It will be a lightweight--either a 6.5-.284 or a .280 AI. If I get it done, I will probably carry it some on the elk hunt as well as on the deer hunt--but, I still need to kill a bull with the .338-.280 Howell that Ken gave me.

If your travels to CO take you through the 4 Corners area give me shout. Lunch is on me.

Well my plans have already been SKEWED !!

I HAD planned to hunt my 6mm & Swede. NOW I have a NEW to me Tikka T 3x in 7mm R M. I already have 2 loads that work good.
I «could » get a lb of Rl 22 or 26 to try BUT I have a stash of Surplus 4831 I need to decrease SOOO...

Now, I plan to start with the T 3, 7 Mag and then the 6mm, then the Swede. ? ? ?

What I might do is start with the 7, kill 1, then use the 6, kill one and then use the Swede. ? ?

There’s another possibility on the horizon..... so who knows ?

I might need help ?? I ain’t sure tho.

Jerry

I am in the process of rebarrelling a tang safety M77 to 7x64. The fact that I have a 7x57 and a .280 is beside the point. I have a few rifles chambered in European rounds and I thought the 7x64 would fit right in (6.5x55, 7x57, .303, 8x57 & 9.3x62). The barrel is stainless only because my gunsmith won't work with chrome moly so I will have to get it cerakoted. That will be a first for me. I am very traditional and like blued steel and walnut. The bluing on the old Ruger is just about 100% so I hope the cerakote finish can match the action. I should probably get the whole rifle cerakoted I suppose. It has turned into rather an expensive operation with having to order a reamer from the States. I'm getting it cut to 23 inches just because I don't have a 23 inch barrel rifle and plan to load 140 - 150gn bullets. I will start with the 150gn Ballistic Tips and my local powders (H4350 and H4831sc) and also Re19. I have a 20 year old Leupold M8 6x36 that will suit the old rifle.

Just to rub insult into injury, a Sako 85 in excellent condition, chambered in 7x64, has popped up on a local used gun site for about what this rebarrel job will cost. But I have already started the process so too late to pull out now. And somehow I think I'd rather have the old Ruger than a pretty Sako.

I haven't traveled to hunt deer in years. I live in a part of the world where people come from all over to hunt Coues whitetails and desert mule deer, and I have been hooked on hunting the little whitetails that live in our mountains ever since arriving here almost 30 years ago. However, I am thinking that I might try to plan a trip to eastern Nebraska this year. I kind of have an urge to try and shoot one more big farm-fed Nebraska whitetail before I have to quit.

My stepson's in-laws have a bunch of farm ground, and I have never visited without seeing a lot of deer moving around. I have wanted him to go with me. We used to hunt every year down here before he went off to grad school and met a Nebraska girl whom he married. However, he grew up on a ranch down here, prowling the mountains and glassing for whitetails and mulies. He hates to sit in a deer blind, which is pretty much the only way to hunt up there.

Maybe if I ask one more time he will make an exception for the old man and go with me this year. I hope so.

I'm hoping to pull a SD Black Hills tag this season. I'll be bringing my 7x57 M70 for sure. If my 6.5CM ever gets here I'll probably bring that as well. If not, the back up will be the RAR compact in .223 Rem.

Javelina and pigs in Texas in March.

Axis Deer in May

Nothing past that....yet....

May, Wyoming black bear hunt (again)
June/July, Texas exotics
Spring, Turkeys, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas
Fall/winter, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, deer
November, Wyoming deer (if I draw)
December, North Carolina deer and black bear.

My new Tundra will be working overtime.

Idaho spring bear - my son turns 10 and this will be his first big game hunt!
Idaho Deer Elk - playing guide for my son and maybe I get to pull a trigger after hes done.
Wyoming Antelope - applied for a tough draw unit so we will see.
Utah - In for everything, will draw nothing.

Forgot to mention September, Wyoming Antelope. But that's a tough draw, Area 50.

Pig hunting soon!!

September 15 .... I will be shooting video as my wife bow hunts deer in South East Missouri

October 6 .......... I will be shooting video as my wife hunts altelope and p-dogs in Eastern Colorado

November 3...... I will be hunting Mule deer in the mountains of Colorado

November 10...... I will be rifle hunting deer in North Missouri

November 17....... I will again be shooting video for my wife as she rifle hunts deer in Oklahoma

After all that's done I will have surgery on both of my eyes in early December

Hey Ted

Sounds like a great roster for hunting ! !

Good Luck in all adventures.

Good Luck & God bless in surgery.


Jerry

Now that we can use scopes on ML's in Mn., I'm gonna buy an inline and do some ML hunting this fall. Lots of deer to be had. Just got to get a gun worked up and have at it.

I'll put in for New England Moose permits and PA Elk. If I happen to pull a permit I'll take my .45/70.

Thanks

I'll be 49 in August...... kinda young for cataracts

October - mule deer in WY, and I drew a cow elk tag too so looking forward to my first elk hunt. Likely continue my winning streak with my 6.5 SAUM, don’t know why I even mess with other rifles....

After deer ended Jan 1, I stayed after duck till their season ended, then geese, and now I’m on quail and squirrel- but their seasons end tomorrow and it looks like I won’t make it out again. Hunting public land in NC so I’ll be scouting even more this year, last year I didn’t see a single deer in December (while I was hunting) except for the few days I was home in WV around Christmas. Might make a trip to the Pisgah National Forest on a weekend this fall because I like hunting in the mountains like I grew up doing better than these eastern pine forests. Mostly saving up to go west in 2019.

Thanks to everyone who replies to threads like this. Great to hear what opportunities look like for like minded folks across the country. I'm pretty lucky out here in OR... it isn't always super glamorous monster bucks but I have a good time and plenty of opportunity.


Jan and Feb were for gear tinkering... picked up a new stainless ruger American 22lr and a tikka superlite in 6.5. Still need to decide on and purchase a scope for the 6.5 tikka. Plus sold some guns and gear to make room. Usually this time is focused on winter steelhead but not this year... some issues at home kept me close.

March will be several trips for rabbits with the new .22. Found some great public land rabbit spots in the last year. Scouting for turkeys too

April will be turkey hunting, bass fishing, and hopefully open access to a few higher elevation lakes for trout.
May is turkey and PRIME bass fishing, plus trout.
June, July shooting guns and fishing.
August, September more shooting and summer steelhead.

October deer... which for me means an Oregon OTC buck tag this year. I burned my points last year so it's OTC hunting blacktails on the west side of the state. Should draw an antlerless deer tag this year too to get some more meat.

Then November will be more deer hunting. This year I'm planning a whitetail hunt in northern Idaho. OTC tag.

Late November or early December (depending on tag drawn) will be the annual antlerless elk hunt. Freezer filing and great fun with friends.

Then late December maybe some winter steelhead to start it all over again.

Guns:
Shotgun is a 12g rem 870(probably going to upgrade this season... looking hard at a benelli pump and maybe a separate dedicated turkey gun)

Elk: Tikka SS lite 30-06. Leupold 3-9

Deer: new tikka SL in 6.5. Scope TBD. Or my savage lightweight in .308 with Leupold 2-7

.22 is a ruger American stainless 22lr with Leupold 2-7 rimfire.

Should be fun...

Back to N.Y. Adirondack's for this boy who showed at night 12 day's at his scrape.Will have the Ti 308 on my lap.

I’ve started thinking about a possible trip to Wyoming this year if I can get a leftover antelope doe tag. If I remember correctly, the nonres is still only $34. Just to get a little practice with spot and stalk. Doubt it’ll happen but one can dream.

2018 hunting season begins here for me in CO with Turkey in mid-April. Will draw a Whitetail tag to hunt my farm, last season saw a big, wide-racked 9-point, but only had a doe license. I know he made it thru hunting season, so hopefully he will show up this fall, a year older and bigger! Will also draw a turkey tag, so I maybe have a chance at a big Whitetail and a fall turkey in the same location.
I plan to use my Ruger #1 in .257 Roberts, for both the whitetail and the turkey.

In mid-October, it's back to Missouri, to do the obligatory family visit with the wife's relatives, then down to the Ozarks for a Sika deer buck and another Fallow doe for the freezer.
In November, the Pheasant seasons fire up, time to take my pointing Lab afield and chase birds for a while.

Can't forget our trip to Africa, in August, hunting the Eastern Cape for several species of the 'Tiny Ten' antelopes.

Looking like:

Turkeys in April-May
Hogs all year
Axis hunt with the Poobah in May
Whitetails Nov-Jan (first week)
Mule Deer Nov- Jan

McWhorter 7-08, 140 AB, 140 Partition, 120 BT
Tikka T3X 6.5 Creed, not sure about hunting bullet choice yet,

Home state PA turkey
Montana Elk/deer hunt. Not sure if I will be packing the gun or bow.
Pa and New York deer and bear

I have a hunt lined up for Ohio. Just bought a Christensen Arms Mesa in 450 Bushmaster for the hunt. Maybe a gentlemens prairie dog hunt in Montana with my best bud. Fall puts me on my home turf for white tails.

Oct - Hogs & deer in South Carolina
Nov - Deer in Nebraska and Kentucky

Had a 98 Mauser custom that I rebarreled to 6.5-284. It’s going to be hunting something/somewhere out west. If we draw a tag in Idaho, it will be elk. If we don’t get a tag, antelope in Wyoming. If I can’t get enough guys for Wyoming then mule deer in Nebraska. It’s gonna shoot something, and if all else fails whitetail in good ole’ Pa/Ny.

P.S- haven’t actually seen how it shoots yet, so plans may change.

MM