Good luck to the finish. Hope your bro is alright.
2019 Western States Draw Deadlines
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Last: 4 yr ago by cupofjoe04
Hope everyone is good. Stay hooked guys.
Don't think I'm going to be able to get back out and chase a mule deer this weekend, a depressing thought. Dreaming about what could have been if not for a wayward horse, and then I see these guys in my 'hood on my walk this am.
Still working on the knee. It's black and blue and looks like I'm smuggling a softball, but I'm determined to get it strong enough to drag my butt up the mountain after a sheep at the end of the month.
Still working on the knee. It's black and blue and looks like I'm smuggling a softball, but I'm determined to get it strong enough to drag my butt up the mountain after a sheep at the end of the month.
BTHO knee recovery
I had an elk that was 350"+ at 24.5 yards with no shot... when I finally got the shot, I had another tree blocking me, and then the cow he was with winded me and bolted to 63 yards before I could stop him. Once he stopped (I had been at full draw for at least 2 minutes) I had to guess the range and thought he was 50... arrow buried in a gopher hole and completely missed low. So sickening but I'm still out here grinding. Two more days.
Gotdang cows. I know exactly what the feels like.
Stills lots of hunting left. They fired up at all?
Stills lots of hunting left. They fired up at all?
Off and on. Had 5 bulls screaming last night and a few this morning and then it shuts down for a day. Must not be full rut, yet.
Bull down in MT. Shot it at dusk. Fun night in grizzly country. Just finished pack out.
He could have picked a more convenient spot for a solo skinnin job.
Congrats!
Congrats!
Congrats man! You're a killer. Any issues with griz?
No issues with the meat.
Did find this on a trail.
Talked to an old man that had started on a different trail, but saw a grizz at 200 yds then when the griz saw them it came into 100 yds and disappeared.
I have only seen a big color phase black bear in this area, but we are 30 miles north of yellowstone. The grizz are around.
Did find this on a trail.
Talked to an old man that had started on a different trail, but saw a grizz at 200 yds then when the griz saw them it came into 100 yds and disappeared.
I have only seen a big color phase black bear in this area, but we are 30 miles north of yellowstone. The grizz are around.
Man y'all are really getting me psyched up to go. (Head out Oct. 3)
A few gear/random questions:
1. Gaiters. Do I really need them?
2. Boxers.... wool or what?
3. I'm driving to NM for a hunt. On the good fortune I bag an elk, how much ice chest room do I need to bring it back to Texas? Any specifics or restrictions on bringing it across state lines with CWD?
A few gear/random questions:
1. Gaiters. Do I really need them?
2. Boxers.... wool or what?
3. I'm driving to NM for a hunt. On the good fortune I bag an elk, how much ice chest room do I need to bring it back to Texas? Any specifics or restrictions on bringing it across state lines with CWD?
1. Pack them decide at the truck. Probably don't need them in NM unless you are in snow, or rain is in forecast.
2. Wool, helps with smell and moisture.
3. A lot, i use 2 150 qt Coleman xtremes.
2. Wool, helps with smell and moisture.
3. A lot, i use 2 150 qt Coleman xtremes.
^
I don't miss my gaiters unless it's wet and muddy.
Wool v synthetic is a preference. I very much prefer wool.
Two 150s will get her done.
I don't miss my gaiters unless it's wet and muddy.
Wool v synthetic is a preference. I very much prefer wool.
Two 150s will get her done.
Concurharge57 said:
1. Pack them decide at the truck. Probably don't need them in NM unless you are in snow, or rain is in forecast.
2. Wool, helps with smell and moisture.
3. A lot, i use 2 150 qt Coleman xtremes.
Speaking of boxers and moisture...
One thing I do on long hot treks is put my fly down to provide a little more ventilation.
It can leave you feeling a bit awkward though after you have run into the same group of hunters a few times and you realize your fly has been down during all 3 encounters.
One thing I do on long hot treks is put my fly down to provide a little more ventilation.
It can leave you feeling a bit awkward though after you have run into the same group of hunters a few times and you realize your fly has been down during all 3 encounters.
From the TX Outdoor Annual:Apache said:
Man y'all are really getting me psyched up to go. (Head out Oct. 3)
A few gear/random questions:
1. Gaiters. Do I really need them?
2. Boxers.... wool or what?
3. I'm driving to NM for a hunt. On the good fortune I bag an elk, how much ice chest room do I need to bring it back to Texas? Any specifics or restrictions on bringing it across state lines with CWD?
Carcass Movement Restrictions in CWD Zones
No CWD-susceptible species carcasses or parts of carcasses can enter Texas from a state or country known to have CWD, and no CWD-susceptible species carcasses or parts of carcasses can be transported out of a CWD Zone EXCEPT:
- Cut quarters with all brain and spinal cord tissue removed
- Boned meat/cut and wrapped Texas regulations do not allow processing beyond quarters until reaching your final destination (possessor's personal residence or commercial facility/private cold storage).
- Caped hides with skull not attached
- Skull plate with antlers attached and cleaned of all soft tissue Finished taxidermy products
- The skinned or unskinned head of a susceptible species may be transported to a taxidermist (with a Deer Head Waiver), provided all brain material, soft tissue, spinal column and any unused portions of the head are disposed of in a landfill in Texas permitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The waiver should be kept on your person or with the deer head until it reaches the taxidermist. Download the Deer Head Waiver form (PWD 1410) to transport the intact head or obtain from a TPWD CWD check station.
- Hunters bringing intact deer heads into Texas from a state or country with CWD should also have this waiver.
I hadn't heard about the waiver form option if talking it to a taxidermist, had planned on cleaning up skull in CO or just skull capping if time got short (if I end up getting a nice buck). Probably doesn't fly if you have to drive through multiple states going from CO to TX, but coming straight from NM to TX you are probably good as far as TX is concerned.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong...BrazosBQ said:
- Boned meat/cut and wrapped Texas regulations do not allow processing beyond quarters until reaching your final destination (possessor's personal residence or commercial facility/private cold storage).
But how does this work for those of us who always bone-out the animal in the backcountry?
I think technically it's not allowed as far as Texas is concerned.
Awesome work!
Btw, it's cool to have your bro give you a shout out on Rokslide for your bull/hunt.
Btw, it's cool to have your bro give you a shout out on Rokslide for your bull/hunt.
Charismatic Megafauna
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congrats harge! Great bull!!!
Closing on hunt start here quickly, second rifle season for mule deer. Buddy has a bear and elk tag as well, so hopefully between the two of us we don't come home empty handed. Right now I am finalizing my gear list and hitting the gym hard. Anyone have anything they like to do 2-3 weeks out? I told my wife the guest bedroom becomes the staging room in October, so I can lay all my equipment out and see it together in one place.
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oil change/car maintenance, trigger time, and honey-do projects
Got some shooting done on Friday, out to 400 yards to generate a dope chart and then verify all my dialing on steel.
Good idea on vehicle maintenance.
Good idea on vehicle maintenance.
arrow said:Maybe I'm reading this wrong...BrazosBQ said:
- Boned meat/cut and wrapped Texas regulations do not allow processing beyond quarters until reaching your final destination (possessor's personal residence or commercial facility/private cold storage).
But how does this work for those of us who always bone-out the animal in the backcountry?
Which of course makes no damn sense as Colorado encourages it in order to get the most meat off the mountain while Texas only thinks about deer stands and throwing a deer in the back of the truck.
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gonna hit up American Shooting Center Friday to make sure everything's ready to go. Anybody in Houston want to join me?
Yesterday at a delivery it was so hot and miserable one cowboy fell out and had to go to the hospital for some IVs. Then had one steer dead one a truck this morning when they got to where they were going.
"Fall"
I wish I was headed back to the hills.
"Fall"
I wish I was headed back to the hills.
Did some shooting last weekend at 200 on paper. Taking it out to 300 and 400 on steel targets this coming weekend. Got a few good runs and hikes in and a few yoga sessions- don't fail me, body!
Man, you guys have made me jealous. I am still 8 weeks away...
Shot at American on Wednesday. Trying to go twice more before I leave. Don't leave until the 10th but schedule is jam packed until then so the Wife was nice enough to take kids to the in-laws this afternoon and give me a day to tinker with my gear. Just set up my new Seek Outside Lbo floorless, actually gonna start packing gear now. Probably go do a few miles this afternoon too, nice and muggy so should suck really bad.
Embrace the suck!!!
My suck starts again tomorrow. Leaving after work @ lunch time. Going to see how far up the mountain I can drag my rear and gear before dark. Hope to make it up to sheep elevation Monday morning.
This will be my first purely SOLO trip WAY BACK in, so I'm nervous about elements of it for sure. But the knee seems to be holding up, pain has stopped when flexing. The bone bruise is still pretty gnarly and sensitive- but I think it will be tolerable.
My suck starts again tomorrow. Leaving after work @ lunch time. Going to see how far up the mountain I can drag my rear and gear before dark. Hope to make it up to sheep elevation Monday morning.
This will be my first purely SOLO trip WAY BACK in, so I'm nervous about elements of it for sure. But the knee seems to be holding up, pain has stopped when flexing. The bone bruise is still pretty gnarly and sensitive- but I think it will be tolerable.
PRONGHORN DOWN!
Pics to follow.
Pics to follow.
Good luck! I know you know the area better than I do, but I saw hundreds of ewes while hunting rams up there, if you need any ideas.
cupofjoe04 said:
Embrace the suck!!!
My suck starts again tomorrow. Leaving after work @ lunch time. Going to see how far up the mountain I can drag my rear and gear before dark. Hope to make it up to sheep elevation Monday morning.
This will be my first purely SOLO trip WAY BACK in, so I'm nervous about elements of it for sure. But the knee seems to be holding up, pain has stopped when flexing. The bone bruise is still pretty gnarly and sensitive- but I think it will be tolerable.
Don't be too proud to take a soft knee brace. Maybe some extra Ziplocs and an ace bandage to use ice / snow to ice the knee as well. Just keep popping the antiinflammatories and pain pills regardless.
Outside Hereford, TX. Managed to meet up with tx4guns and do some reminiscing over bourbon on Friday night. They had a successful trip of their own, but I'll let him offer those details up.
I thought I blew it with this guy first thing this morning, because I screwed up my stalk and he jetted out of the field and property I was hunting. Turns out, sitting in your truck, baking in the heat, and reading a book for 3-4 hours (aka frustrated patience), is what it takes to get them to return to the exact area where they were at daybreak. A 500+ yard low walk/crawl later, followed up by being proned out and watching a bedded buck for 45 minutes or so, all while being assaulted by flies in 90 F heat with no wind (there are really times the wind doesn't blow on the Llano), is the recipe for bagging a pronghorn.
First pic is from Friday evening. We were sold as soon as we got a good look at him. Followed by a few pics you're only going to get in the Panhandle.
I thought I blew it with this guy first thing this morning, because I screwed up my stalk and he jetted out of the field and property I was hunting. Turns out, sitting in your truck, baking in the heat, and reading a book for 3-4 hours (aka frustrated patience), is what it takes to get them to return to the exact area where they were at daybreak. A 500+ yard low walk/crawl later, followed up by being proned out and watching a bedded buck for 45 minutes or so, all while being assaulted by flies in 90 F heat with no wind (there are really times the wind doesn't blow on the Llano), is the recipe for bagging a pronghorn.
First pic is from Friday evening. We were sold as soon as we got a good look at him. Followed by a few pics you're only going to get in the Panhandle.
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