Hunting & Fishing 2018 Hunting Thread - Post your pictures!
- Thread starter Oregonmuley
- Start date
My middle son. He is only 5 but this is his second year in the field and first deer with him. He did everything but pull the trigger. We’ve spooked off lots of deer so far, but finally got a spike to stick around as we “stalked” it. Got to help gut it and everything. Might be another year or two before he gets his own rifle to hike with.
My first elk hunt. Camp Navajo,
AZ. Oct. 25 2018
My little Brother dropped this nice bull with a Hornady 140 BTHP match out of his 260 from about 500 yds out.
Plagiarizing myself from another forum:
A few weeks later I got this muley buck on a friend's property (Thanks Rock!). I didn't have time to range him and, I believe, overestimated the range on the first shot. I'm still not entirely sure what happened, but the 127gr LRX hit him high in the shoulder and perhaps deflected upward, shocking his spine but not breaking it. He dropped but got back up and I caught him mid-three legged run with a 140gr Accubond to the chest a split second later. Or at least that's what I think happened, I managed to stab myself pretty good while guttting, then had a hell of a drag up hill, when I finally got to the truck I was beat and didn't really make the effort I now wish I had to trace the wound channels.
A few weeks later I got this muley buck on a friend's property (Thanks Rock!). I didn't have time to range him and, I believe, overestimated the range on the first shot. I'm still not entirely sure what happened, but the 127gr LRX hit him high in the shoulder and perhaps deflected upward, shocking his spine but not breaking it. He dropped but got back up and I caught him mid-three legged run with a 140gr Accubond to the chest a split second later. Or at least that's what I think happened, I managed to stab myself pretty good while guttting, then had a hell of a drag up hill, when I finally got to the truck I was beat and didn't really make the effort I now wish I had to trace the wound channels.
I struck out on bulls during bow season and early rifle in a new area I tried out this year. This past weekend I went to fill my cow tag in the normal area I like to hunt. I hiked a little over 10 miles Saturday, glassing and trying to cut herd tracks in the fresh snow.
On Sunday I talked to the area hunt coordinator from the state on the road, and she pointed me towards a herd of a couple hundred she had seen moving over a ridge. I wound up tracking them several miles over the course of the day, during which, two other groups of hunters saw them and tried to make shots. Hopefully they missed cleanly because I didn't see any elk down as I followed their path.
A little after 2 pm I finally spotted them bedded down on a hill top about a mile away. By 3 pm I had snuck and then crawled to a position on an adjacent hill top about 320 yds away. I watched them for a few minutes and when they started to spook and stand up, I picked a decent cow in the clear and sent a 180gr Accubond her way. She went down hard a few seconds later as the herd was starting to move out, but she was still sitting up so I shot again.
The bullets hit about 5 inchs apart with the first one hitting the onside shoulder and, I believe the heart before exiting the chest cavity and entering the far shoulder. The second shot hit at a different angle as she was quartering towards me when she went down, it went through the lungs and exited further rearward in the far side ribcage.
I wound up finding the bullet from the first shot under the skin. It went through a lot of bone and weighed 109gr as pictured.
I actually shot last year's cow on the far ridge visible a little over a mile back in this picture... not a great move, that pack out was a tough one.
It wasn't so bad this year though, I quartered and skinned the cow, put the bagged quarters in a scraggly tree and hiked out for the night.
Monday I came back with a friend and his Ice fishing sled and we dragged the quarters the 2.6 miles to the parking area. Way better than packing or game carts as far as I'm concerned if you have some snow. The day would have been a lot nicer if it weren't 10 deg with 30 mph winds... A bit chilly.
Yours truly in about 5 layers dragging the sled in (Laramie Peak in the background).
Friend next to the quartered elk-cicles loaded up in the sled.
On Sunday I talked to the area hunt coordinator from the state on the road, and she pointed me towards a herd of a couple hundred she had seen moving over a ridge. I wound up tracking them several miles over the course of the day, during which, two other groups of hunters saw them and tried to make shots. Hopefully they missed cleanly because I didn't see any elk down as I followed their path.
A little after 2 pm I finally spotted them bedded down on a hill top about a mile away. By 3 pm I had snuck and then crawled to a position on an adjacent hill top about 320 yds away. I watched them for a few minutes and when they started to spook and stand up, I picked a decent cow in the clear and sent a 180gr Accubond her way. She went down hard a few seconds later as the herd was starting to move out, but she was still sitting up so I shot again.
The bullets hit about 5 inchs apart with the first one hitting the onside shoulder and, I believe the heart before exiting the chest cavity and entering the far shoulder. The second shot hit at a different angle as she was quartering towards me when she went down, it went through the lungs and exited further rearward in the far side ribcage.
I wound up finding the bullet from the first shot under the skin. It went through a lot of bone and weighed 109gr as pictured.
I actually shot last year's cow on the far ridge visible a little over a mile back in this picture... not a great move, that pack out was a tough one.
It wasn't so bad this year though, I quartered and skinned the cow, put the bagged quarters in a scraggly tree and hiked out for the night.
Monday I came back with a friend and his Ice fishing sled and we dragged the quarters the 2.6 miles to the parking area. Way better than packing or game carts as far as I'm concerned if you have some snow. The day would have been a lot nicer if it weren't 10 deg with 30 mph winds... A bit chilly.
Yours truly in about 5 layers dragging the sled in (Laramie Peak in the background).
Friend next to the quartered elk-cicles loaded up in the sled.
Hunted hard this bow season with some piss poor luck. Connected on this guy this morning (MI firearms opener) Christensen Arms Mesa in 450 Bushmaster in a KRG Bravo topped with a Vortex 1-6 Razor Gen 2. Come in trailing a hot doe. 80 yard heart shot. Ran about 50 yards before piling up.
Passed on a nice 5x5, instead looking to fill the freezer. This Montana doe sure does taste better than a stinky old buck in rut, that's for sure! 
Still, some nice buck/bulls in this thread. I meat hunt mostly at this point in my life.
6.5 CM. 143gr ELD-X
Still, some nice buck/bulls in this thread. I meat hunt mostly at this point in my life.6.5 CM. 143gr ELD-X
This big ugly ran off a nice buck. Punched that ticket with a 178 grain eldx to shoulder. Dropped like a sack of rocks.
Caldwell Texas. All pinched between 150 - 200. GAP 308 168gr SMK. All placed in the ear hole
yards
I finally got a Elk! I had bow hunted for them in the late 90's and early 2000's. Since I wasn't getting any younger I decided I needed to get out there and get one. I got back to ELk hunting in 2016, but this time with a rifle. This year I connected with a nice cow in northwest Colorado. She sure is good tasting.
The shot turned out to be 200+ yards uphill. I thought it was longer but we didn't have time to get a reading because the Elk were on the move. My shot ended up in the high shoulder. It didn't break the spine but it caused her to drop and roll downhill some. Had to finish her off when I got to her.
The shot turned out to be 200+ yards uphill. I thought it was longer but we didn't have time to get a reading because the Elk were on the move. My shot ended up in the high shoulder. It didn't break the spine but it caused her to drop and roll downhill some. Had to finish her off when I got to her.
Right between the eyes 120y through the brush. It was headshot or clean miss
Got 3 in 2 days for the Michigan Opener. One 2.5 year old "buck" that had one mangled antler, and a nice doe both on opening day. The next morning cought this guy trying to sneak past at 250 yards .
Not a monster, but any buck with the stick and string makes me happy.
Whitetail doe, double lung with 75gr gold dot, half dollar size exit wound, 100 yards.
Got my nephew on his first deer this morning. I gave him the option of waiting for a buck but he was a little trigger happy. Tikka 243 in a Mountain Tactical stock @105 yards
My first buck I took on opening weekend here in Indiana! Still gets my heart pumping thinking about it! 6.5 Creedmoor at a very underwhelming 40 yards, lol!
My son filled his buck tag after waiting for 8 hours for the shot opportunity to present itself. I was very impressed with the patience he had as he passed up other decent bucks during the wait.
Public land hunt west of Laramie, WY. Four of us all punched our tags in 1 day. Mine is the one on the right end.
One day I'd like to get to the US for a hunt. Montana looks nice, do you have Mule deer and Elk in that part of the country?
Yes, but Montana is a fairly large and varied state. Pick wisely the area you wish to hunt, and you will be rewarded handsomely.
Awesome pictures guys. I was able to get away for few days in eastern NC. Seen few nice bucks and black bear on trail cam, but none during the hunt.
I was able to connect with a small spike and two does to fill the freezer.
Shot the spike w/CTR 260 and the does w/T3 7mm-08. Buck at 110 yards and does at 45 and 55. Sorry for the crappy pictures
I was able to connect with a small spike and two does to fill the freezer.
Shot the spike w/CTR 260 and the does w/T3 7mm-08. Buck at 110 yards and does at 45 and 55. Sorry for the crappy pictures
Fun with family I’m Michigan. Not my biggest but good eatin
This years Bou. Bone stock M70, 7 RM, bushy xrs, duck tape/popsicle stick cheek riser, 168 vld @ 3105. 370 yards.
Held together well!My little Brother dropped this nice bull with a Hornady 140 BTHP match out of his 260 from about 500 yds out.
Nice Bull.. What part of the country?
Aimee, my wife, got her cow elk this evening.
GAP 6.5 Saum. Nightforce 2.5-10x42 and 147 eldm at 328 yards.
She picked it out and made an awesome one shot kill ! Very proud of her !!
GAP 6.5 Saum. Nightforce 2.5-10x42 and 147 eldm at 328 yards.
She picked it out and made an awesome one shot kill ! Very proud of her !!
Congrats to your wife Scott - looks like heck of a big cow elk!! Need to try and add that to my list next year if I tag out on antelope
Near Turtle Lake Saskachewan. He went 265lbs and 171.
Aimee, my wife, got her cow elk this evening.
GAP 6.5 Saum. Nightforce 2.5-10x42 and 147 eldm at 328 yards.
She picked it out and made an awesome one shot kill ! Very proud of her !!
BAM, the Exreme Hunter strikes again, great job and great eats! Those Wyoming cow elk are sure tasty!
First time mule deer hunting and first mule deer hiked many miles up and down the mountains they were few and far between. 300 yard shot with my Tikka 6.5 he went about 30 feet.
View of him through the scope
After the shot.
View of him through the scope
After the shot.
