Hunting 2014

[Tucker943]

Here it is folks.....

Anyone have any trips in mind? Anyone draw any tough tags? I put in for a Maine moose tag, but not to draw, just to hold my points and accrue one more. This year isn't the year for a moose hunt, but I wasn't about to part with my points.

 

[Limbrat]

I don't know what I'm doing yet Tuck, maybe nothing. I've got an elk/mule deer hunt a guy owes me for a gator hunt swap on a terrific Wyoming ranch but I didn't apply for tags. I may do my annual Illinois bow hunt, I'm waiting to find out what effect CWD had on the deer in that area. I got in a lease just east of here that's loaded with deer, hogs and turkeys, I'll probably spend most of my time there, it's a target rich environment. Have you ever applied for the PA elk draw? I've got a friend up there that does an island hunt here with me who's been after me to apply. I would imagine the odds for a nonresident to be drawn are astronomical.

 

[Husabud]

You guys and your friggin killing.

 

[Limbrat]

Trees, fish, game, whatever. It's funny, the only thing that goes to waste here is the trees. I cut some 100 year old pines last week and couldn't give the logs away. The difference between guys like Tucker and most folks is, he doesn't hire somebody else to kill his meat. And you can't beat free range!

 

[Tucker943]

I don't know what I'm doing yet Tuck, maybe nothing. I've got an elk/mule deer hunt a guy owes me for a gator hunt swap on a terrific Wyoming ranch but I didn't apply for tags. I may do my annual Illinois bow hunt, I'm waiting to find out what effect CWD had on the deer in that area. I got in a lease just east of here that's loaded with deer, hogs and turkeys, I'll probably spend most of my time there, it's a target rich environment. Have you ever applied for the PA elk draw? I've got a friend up there that does an island hunt here with me who's been after me to apply. I would imagine the odds for a nonresident to be drawn are astronomical.

You'll draw a bald eagle tag before you draw a non-resident PA elk tag. I have not applied, and probably should. Its ultra super slim, but any draw could be the one I suppose. My mothers cousin drew in 2010, and killed this monster. Bud, scroll down and maybe this will wet your killer whistle.

 

[cory]

You'll draw a bald eagle tag before you draw a non-resident PA elk tag.

HAHAHA!

Are those PA elk more or less free ranging, like on public land? Have they been there a long time or were they introduced?

Limbrat, you should do some hog hunting and post us up on it. Lots or those targets down there, right?

 

[squisher]

I'm gonna take up hunting this fall again. I'll be mostly helping/learning the ways again but will hopefully get a deer atleast. My new employee was a hunting guide/outfitter for a good part of his life, so he'll be a good guy to go with.

I'm pretty stoked about taking it from the wild to my dinner plate.

 

[cory]

 

[Tucker943]

HAHAHA!

Are those PA elk more or less free ranging, like on public land? Have they been there a long time or were they introduced?

Limbrat, you should do some hog hunting and post us up on it. Lots or those targets down there, right?

Theyre free range. Nothing holding them back. They were reintroduced a bunch of years back. The region they inhabit is rural and vast, but nothing like the rockies. If you draw a bull tag here, and sync up with a guide, you'll get a bull.

 

[Tucker943]

I'm gonna take up hunting this fall again. I'll be mostly helping/learning the ways again but will hopefully get a deer atleast. My new employee was a hunting guide/outfitter for a good part of his life, so he'll be a good guy to go with.

I'm pretty stoked about taking it from the wild to my dinner plate.

I hope you have a blast. Shooting a animal is merely a bonus to a great time in the outdoors.

 

[Husabud]

Bastard Tucker

 

[squisher]

I hope you have a blast. Shooting a animal is merely a bonus to a great time in the outdoors.

Thanks. Yup I spend a lot of time in the outdoors and woods. Lots of trail riding on horseback so we cover ground, the longer the day the better for me. I love it. My long-term goal is to hunt on horseback. I'm fascinated by all the training/planning that needs to come together to pull that off.

 

[Tucker943]

If you love the outdoors, hunting is perfect for you. You don't even have to kill. I don't know what goes into shooting off a horse, but I've heard a lot of work goes into getting the horse right.

 

[squisher]

Like everything with a horse I think doing it is what it takes, and having the right horse. ime some horses would never be up to it, I've got one super bomb-proof horse but it's still years off.

 

[Limbrat]

Squish I trained a horse to shoot off of years ago. I started before he was broke to ride by firing a cap pistol while he was eating, moving up to a .22 short, long rifle, .22 magnum and then a .38.
Eventually I could sit on him and lay a shotgun barrel between his ears and he wouldn't flinch. Of course I never fired it like that but I could shoot any gun I have off his back and he was rock steady. My wife had a gelding at the same time that was just the opposite, you pull a gun out of the scabbard in his presence and it was rodeo time. Getting a horse with the right personality, starting early and spending a lot of time earning their trust are key.

 

[Tucker943]

Ray, you do any bear hunting ever?

 

[squisher]

That sounds like a good way of going about it.

I've been spending a lot of time with our horses lately. The trust/relationship seems like it will be key. My horses are all mid-age around 12 right now so might come together with the next horse as I learn enough to make it a reality. I have two different opportunities to go along on hunts this fall I'll just be happy to get out. Meat hunts it'll be to fill the freezer, deer are everywhere around here.

 

[Limbrat]

No Tuck they won't let us hunt them here and we probably have as many per square mile as any place in the U.S. That was a GIANT bull elk! Here's a couple of bowkilled Illinois bucks. I hear you guys are growing some great deer nowadays.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Horse riding really gets to be habit forming. I like the pace of riding a horse, it seems quite suitable to having a comfortable mind.

 

[Limbrat]

You're right Jay. There is a real peace that comes in riding when you've got a good horse and there's mutual respect and trust between the horse and the rider, it is very calming and relaxing, almost hypnotic. On the other hand, I've been on some high strung types that work you and them into a lather and I was glad to be off their backs and I'm sure the feeling was mutual.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I've only ever ridden one horse with consistency. When it was good it was sublime, when it was bad, I hated the mf. Our parting was my throwing a rock at it. Not my horse, just one in a big field next to my shop that never was ridden, until the lady that owned it said i could at free will. Owning a good horse, i could see that being a great thing.

 

[Tucker943]

Ray, those bucks are monsters. I would be proud of them. Yes, things have changed here. We are growing some monsters. They're not behind every rock, but they're here. The size of our average buck really took a jump. I actually killed this the first year they changed the rules. I was home on leave from Camp Lejeune or something. Obviously, the antler restriction had impact yet on year one.

 

[Limbrat]

Ray, those bucks are monsters. I would be proud of them. Yes, things have changed here. We are growing some monsters. They're not behind every rock, but they're here. The size of our average buck really took a jump. I actually killed this the first year they changed the rules. I was home on leave from Camp Lejeune or something. Obviously, the antler restriction had impact yet on year one.

That is a stud. What does a big one like that weigh there? Here's a big three legged deer I saw several times in Illinois and could've put an arrow through once but passed. Although he never carried a big rack, he was the biggest bodied deer I've ever seen, I thought he had to be around three hundred pounds and the others that saw him agreed. He lived to the ripe old age of 8 1/2. After I passed him, the landowner forbade anyone to shoot him until he really went downhill and they didn't think he'd make it through another winter. When they gathered around for pictures, it was more like a funeral than a celebration.

 

[Tucker943]

The deer I showed weighed 225 live weight. Typically, they don't run that big. He was a farm land deer. We get some heavy deer here and there but really the big boys tend to stay below 200.

 

[cory]

That is just insane that the 3 legger lost a leg in the wild and lived. Or do you think he was born without the leg?