Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Hunting season

Thanks for telling one on yourself for the team. Might keep someone else (me, for instance) from making the same error. I just began using the xbow this season and am two for two, but wasn't really tempted with any questionable shot opportunities. These things are hammers, but frontal shots are tough even with a rifle at times. I took that shot with my ML a couple years ago, and while he dropped like a rock, penetration of the X-Bullet was less than I expected, and it lodged in his spine between his shoulders. I was worried it would churn up his guts, but it never got close.

Even broadside shots can go bad. My son had an arrow bounce out of the shoulder of a buck a couple weeks ago, from a bow set somewhere in the high 60s, I believe.

It has been an interesting season. I had no particular plans, but got a couple of last minute chances to hunt.

The first was an opportunity to close a chapter opened in 2004 when a mountain goat hunt in the Chugach ended without a goat. The terrain and the goats won. This time I had a chance to hunt the Coastal Range in BC. Despite 14 more years on the old bones and less than perfect conditioning due to the last minute plans, a great guide made the difference.
Tough terrain. great hunt. I am happy with the experience.



A chance to hunt MD in ID. A great area with a lot of game. A lot of deer but it took work to find a mature buck. A good chance to use the old classic 270 Win.

Well done! Congratulations.

Our rifle season begins Saturday. I have a few nice bucks on my cameras so I'm pretty excited. I've noticed a couple bucks that must be from the same gene pool as their brow tines go up and the tips point forward. Pretty cool. Good luck to everyone!

Thanks, John.

They are getting better but no where near what they were 6-7 years ago. Used to be if you had a place with a little cover you would see a lot of deer. Since we had the big blue tongue outbreaks those marginal areas are pretty thin on deer. They have limited the amount of does you can shoot and the population is increasing.

They are getting better but no where near what they were 6-7 years ago. Used to be if you had a place with a little cover you would see a lot of deer. Since we had the big blue tongue outbreaks those marginal areas are pretty thin on deer. They have limited the amount of does you can shoot and the population is increasing.

Missouri update: shot a Missouri-legal buck this morning, but a trophy by no means. Cold weather, halfway through my 3 days to hunt, expensive non-resident tag to fill, and a need to show my boys that the old man’s still got it...

W C 264

ALLLLLLright ! So Nice !

Love the pix, thnx for posting.


Jerry

Tough climbs, relatively long shots, but the experiences of a lifetime. I feel very fortunate to have had this chance.

Dang, Dude, I'd say you did pretty well for yourself!

Sheep get all the glory, but goats are amazing-looking animals, almost like something somebody dreamed up. That buck'll do too. What a great season for you!

I’m very fortunate to have married a woman who tells me that the next 5 years - now that I’m retired - are important for me to do those hunts done that require a signficant level of physicial effort, while I still can. She’s also responsible for me going to Africa.

Agree that Rocky Mountain goats are very underestimated. The hunt was definitely tougher than my Dall sheep hunt in the Talkeetnas. They offfer the challenge of a sheep hunt at a fraction of the cost. A great experience and a phenomenal trophy.

Sounds to me like you have a ....

TROPHY of a wife ! !

Congrats on both counts.


Jerry

Opening weekend of rifle season in the delta zone of Mississippi, saw plenty of deer but nothing that I wanted to tag. Hunted some really thick cover Saturday night and busted this 165 pound sow running through the woods right before sundown:




145lrx @ 2925fps from my 7mm-08AI punched both lungs, heart and exited through the shoulder. She ran about 40 yards after being shot, I had no difficulty following the blood trail:





Hopefully I'll have an opportunity on a nice buck later this season.

David

Early evening on Michigan opener the 15th of Nov. Dropped an eight point with my Ruger 77 MK II in .257 Roberts. Very satisified with the terminal performance of the 110 gr Nozler AB. Love my 257 Bob

Adding meat to the freezer. Took a nice doe opening weekend (11/3/18) and took a doe again this past Sunday (11/18). Brought a friend along and he took a 3 1/2 year old 8 point that was pretty nice and a doe. I've got 5 tags to use so I'm spreading it out a bit to enjoy the season more.

Hey Mule Deer,
I was in the breaks last week and the mulie bucks were chasing the does like there was no tomorrow. Saw some descent ones but non I wanted to pack 5 miles back to camp. Did not see any elk though. It was cool at night, about 7 to 15 degrees and during the day warmed up to a sweltering 25. just another great time to be in Montana.

killed a decent 9 point with a bow in mid oct.
killed a decent 11 point with a rifle last week.
wife killed an awesome 145" 9 point with a rifle 2 days ago.

we did well

BluMtn,

Thanks for the Breaks report! Love that country. Have passed up quite a few bucks there, not just because of the pack but because I want to go look at some more! Breaks country anywhere in the West is just such a fine place to look at mule deer, even if you never pull the trigger.

Killed some more pigs