Hunting season 2012

[Keenan]

OK Guys lets hear some hunting stories; here is a kick off story'

 First day at camp I was working on the horse corral for when Lulyn would be coming up. Cutting and tying poles all afternoon. Was tying the last pole when a bull and a few cows came up the trail. My back was to them and I about had a heart attack when they all busted. Never heard them coming
 The next day we got into elk (opening day).  Unfortunately they spotted us before we spotted them.  I had eased down by a big wallow meadow just before daybreak. We set up and called for about 40 minutes with no responses. Thinking of moving on down the drainage, we went over and checked the trail cam. Went through some pictures of a dandy buck, reset the camera and walked over to the wallow to see if it had been used.  We were standing at the wallow when the elk showed up   Once again all the emotions of excitement followed by instant humility and disappointment. Tracked them the rest of the day. Busted a big mule deer buck out of his bed while working back toward truck.
 Day two, checked the upper drainages,some sign but several days old. Got back to camp exhausted and decided to get some burgers going. Bull wondered up the trail to camp while I was cooking burgers.  Busted and humbled again.
 Day three,  Walked several miles of drainages and benches,only to come back and find fresh tracks back at camp.  Seems I'm a little slow learning sometimes.  Put salt in horse corral at camp. Left gate open, going back in few days. LOL
 Today while getting hunting gear washed and repacking for the next trip up to camp. I noticed this group of bucks bedded down in the neighbors back yard.  these guys are the neighborhood group that have grown up around here. The big guy is eight on one side and a club beam with a duel eye guard at the bottom on the other side. He is the one remaing surviver of triplets that grew up in our garden. One got hit by a car, and the second shot by hunter causing a huge uproar with the anti-hunters because this is a no shooting area. They all had the club horn on the left side each year.

[johnston]

I'll tell , but it ain't all that exciting. Think I have temporarily blown out my first year honey hole.
Too much building of late ground blinds and such. Decided to give it a 30 day break and so found
myself late yesterday afternoon easing along the firebreak of a 120 acre cutover. Drizzling rain,
quiet and at some spots you can see 20 yds or so into the 12 foot volunteer thick stuff.

I had timed it about right as I got to the half way point with about an hour of light left. And the wind would be real good the rest of the way.
And then I heard a not so subtle voice say very clearly"you have 30 seconds". Now Ma nature don't usually sneak up nor speak
so clearly to me but this time she did, although I do believe the time thing was a little short.

That problem solved I commenced with my stalking/still hunting, getting dark now, last hundred yards or so thinking about the one
cold beer in the truck. When the three does exploded five feet inside the cover and ten feet from me all I saw were tails and those only for
micro seconds. As I stood there in the rain I was not terribly excited, been there done that kinda thing.

But even so......I sure was glad Ma Nature had so recently called.

Lane

[Keenan]

LOL and so goes our daily humbling!  so far elk 1,  hunters 0.  deer 2, hunters 0   

[rossfactor]

Going up the hill this weekend (if I can convince the wife  ).  I will report.

gabe

[rossfactor]

Maybe.  I just shot a lousy group. Yesterday it was fine, tonight, garbabe. If i don't feel good tomorrow I'm gonna have to hold off. 

[johnston]

Go.

[Blacktail]

my season has been crapy..all i have seen is does and you cant shoot  does in central oregon..if i had a TAG for others hunters or cows my freezer would be full.LOL....but i am having fun in GODS great creation..john

[johnston]

We need cooler weather down south though I know the whole country
has been blistered. Scent just floats on the hot and humid air right now.

Reckon maybe we will actually have a winter this year?

[Keenan]

Had a fairly exciting weekend. Still no meat in the freezer but came close. Saturday morning I worked down in a drainagejust as it was starting to get light. I could see a few gold colored bodies in the trees ahead just below the meadow. The wind was right and so I picked a good spot,set up and threw out a few cow calls. Still no response so I did a light chuckle and the bull responded instantly. He was just across the bottom about 80 yards out. I screamed a full blown bugle at him and he responded in rage letting me know I was closer to his cows then he liked. This is perfect I thought, as he came in a little closer and started to vent his frustration on a Innocent pine tree. I could not see him but I could see the top of the tree being thrashed. Perfect time to sneak in and get the shot. Glancing to the right I can see the cows up the drainage, still preventing me from crossing the grassy openingand getting to where I could make a shot. The bull chuckled several more times in between his thrashing sessions, each time seeming to be more worked up and irritated. Watching the cows move up towrads the big meadow I waited for my chance to move in. in the distance I hear the sound of a helicopter heading our way. Soon the sound of the chopper is pounding overhead as I see a big double bladed helicopter going right over the top of us.
I look back at the tree that was shaking and it is now still.  My eyes search frantically to determine where the bull has gone. I let out a chuckle,,,,,,,nothing,,,, throw a few cow calls,,,,,, nothing.  I can no longer see the bodies in the tree line and all is quiet. I carefully work closer to where he shredded the tree.  Branches lay strewn across the ground and a bright yellow pole remains, giving testimony of the fury of the bull displaying his dominance.
tracks show he headed back toward to meadow where his harem had waited. By now the sun is up and I can feel the wind starting to swirl. I cautiously work up to where I have a salt lick and trail cam. To my delight the camera had caught some pictures of himJust before our encounter had begun.
 With the wind swirling and the dry crunchy forest where they had headed, I decided best to back out instead of risking busting them out of the country.



And here are a few pictures of my favorite hunting partner

[youngbowyer]

We need cooler weather down south though I know the whole country
has been blistered. Scent just floats on the hot and humid air right now.

Reckon maybe we will actually have a winter this year?

I sure hope so. Our rut got killed last year by an early fall snowstorm.

[Blacktail]

OHHH MAN,what a bummer...that sounds like you got some pritty good action...every year its like you get soooo close but some thing happens...well its not over and things are cooling down...nikki said there might be a reason for this...hopefully it will happen soon...good luck...tell sister and wade HELLO AND BLESSINGS..john

[Pappy]

Sounds like you are closing in Keenan,keep us updated.
   Pappy

[rossfactor]

Wow, Keenan, that was good! I was right there with you.

Tomorrow I'm going up the hill to take my bow and arrows for an early morning walk  .  I'll bring the camera and take some pictures of the landscape.  Saw three does and a four point blacktail in the same spot, last weekend while I was cutting firewood. We'll see how it goes.

Gabe

[billy]

HEre's my story:

Deer came in, I aimed for behind the shoulder, just at the moment of release a ninja squirrel jumped outta nowhere, karate chopped my arrow in half and ran away.  HE had a red and white striped sash that looked like a candy cane..... I think he came from the Sho-Jun Ninja school from the Bronx.  They breed them tough and fast up there.  Next time I see that squirrel I'll send one his way when he's not looking....

[JW_Halverson]

Oh great.  More ninja nut-munchers. 

Heard they picked up the "hit" put out by the Dragonfly Confederation.