Iccyman001\'s 2015 Hunting Journal
- Thread starter iccyman001
- Start date
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Tomorrow I am taking a guy out on his first antelope hunt ever.
He drew a pretty good tag and I know the area, so I will be bringing him around.
It\'s suppose to be a high of 98 tomorrow and low wind, so it\'ll be good for the waterhole we will sit over, but hot in that blind........
He drew a pretty good tag and I know the area, so I will be bringing him around.
It\'s suppose to be a high of 98 tomorrow and low wind, so it\'ll be good for the waterhole we will sit over, but hot in that blind........
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Tomorrow is the big day......
Leaving at 9 AM, getting up there and setting up camp, and waiting until Tuesday morning..... :upthumb:
Leaving at 9 AM, getting up there and setting up camp, and waiting until Tuesday morning..... :upthumb:
david.denham.39
New member
- Mar 20, 2014
- 372
Good luck Dan!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
I won\'t miss this.....
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Leave it to me to change my opening day stand 18 hours before opening day. I found a spot that screamed my name today.
Tomorrow is opening day. We have a good feeling. :wave:
Tomorrow is opening day. We have a good feeling. :wave:
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,356
Good luck Dan! See if you can make your hunt last more than a couple hours this year :lol:
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
This will be a lot of posting so be patient!
Elk trip 2015 started Saturday afternoon on August 29th. We wanted to get up there nice and early to check cameras, get acclimated to the higher elevation and do some final scouting, and camp set up.
We got to camp, set up, and went on our way. Right from the get go, something seemed off.
All the elk had seemed to disappear around August 26th. I knew some would be disappearing, but not everything.
After some more investigating and talking with the local rangers, we found out cats had been pretty active in the area.
That paired with elk breaking up from their groups and starting to find cows, it was a hot mess.
No worries though, we got right into scout mode and started putting on some miles.
Camp
<!-- m --><a class=\"postlink\" href=\"http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p704/iccyman0012/IMG_9274_zpsfv8qaohh.jpg\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href);return false;\">http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p70 ... 8qaohh.jpg</a><!-- m -->
Secret cameras hidden around camp (2 total)
Elk trip 2015 started Saturday afternoon on August 29th. We wanted to get up there nice and early to check cameras, get acclimated to the higher elevation and do some final scouting, and camp set up.
We got to camp, set up, and went on our way. Right from the get go, something seemed off.
All the elk had seemed to disappear around August 26th. I knew some would be disappearing, but not everything.
After some more investigating and talking with the local rangers, we found out cats had been pretty active in the area.
That paired with elk breaking up from their groups and starting to find cows, it was a hot mess.
No worries though, we got right into scout mode and started putting on some miles.
Camp
<!-- m --><a class=\"postlink\" href=\"http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p704/iccyman0012/IMG_9274_zpsfv8qaohh.jpg\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href);return false;\">http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p70 ... 8qaohh.jpg</a><!-- m -->
Secret cameras hidden around camp (2 total)
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Once we started additional scouting I started finding some really good areas.
Stuff that just screamed elk to me.
Fresh rubs, crap, beds, water, food, etc
Stuff that just screamed elk to me.
Fresh rubs, crap, beds, water, food, etc
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
There was another area that seemed to be hot too.
It was a large area spread throughout a few ridges, cliffs, valleys, that was recently was burnt.
It had great timber thickets bordering the burn, great vegetation growing in the burn area, and it was located well above a few watering holes.
It was a large area spread throughout a few ridges, cliffs, valleys, that was recently was burnt.
It had great timber thickets bordering the burn, great vegetation growing in the burn area, and it was located well above a few watering holes.
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
So day 1 opens and it was just game on.
The bulls were not very vocal, but there were a few that would talk in the morning and respond to my calls.
I had many of encounters, many close calls, many new lessons or experiences and so much fun.
Between calling stuff in, stalking in on stuff, or setting up on them, I was able to see and get into a lot of elk.
The first few days the dots would just never connect. I have a max of a 50 yard bow shot and even with that, I won\'t shoot it half the time (Prefer 40 or less).
So I cannot tell you how many elk I had at 59 yards, 55 yards, 52 yards, etc and they had to get the pass.
There were lots of new experiences for me out there too. Being from the east, I never had to deal with cats before....
I\'ll tell you what, I was a little nervous on this day, but I made the best of it.
Notice the time difference. About an hour.....
The time on the camera was wrong, so it was 5 the cat came in and 6 is when I came in....
Never the less, I still hunted my tail off and didn\'t let the cats stop me. I would still go in well before sun up and hunt until well after the sun was down.
The bulls were not very vocal, but there were a few that would talk in the morning and respond to my calls.
I had many of encounters, many close calls, many new lessons or experiences and so much fun.
Between calling stuff in, stalking in on stuff, or setting up on them, I was able to see and get into a lot of elk.
The first few days the dots would just never connect. I have a max of a 50 yard bow shot and even with that, I won\'t shoot it half the time (Prefer 40 or less).
So I cannot tell you how many elk I had at 59 yards, 55 yards, 52 yards, etc and they had to get the pass.
There were lots of new experiences for me out there too. Being from the east, I never had to deal with cats before....
I\'ll tell you what, I was a little nervous on this day, but I made the best of it.
Notice the time difference. About an hour.....
The time on the camera was wrong, so it was 5 the cat came in and 6 is when I came in....
Never the less, I still hunted my tail off and didn\'t let the cats stop me. I would still go in well before sun up and hunt until well after the sun was down.
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
After many of days of hard hunting, a few failed connections and some rough patches, I was finally able to make it happen.
Day 9.
I was up in the burn area bordering the timber that leads to a few water holes. I knew bulls were heading there in the morning to go bed down, so I wanted to try to cut them off.
When I got to my spot and first light started showing, the bulls were already on their way. Most of them were cutting up the mountain a few hundred yards before my timber pocket, so I watched them crest the ridge.
When I thought all of them had gone over, I took a few steps forward and froze. I saw a great bull about 300-400 yards ahead of me feeding.
I looked at the route ahead of me and started stalking in. After about 30 minutes I had cut myself down to 59 yards.
He stood there perfectly calm, in a great lane, at 59 yards with his head hidden behind a tree... only issue is I ran out of coverage to stalk in straight.
My only option was to cut left of him a bit in hopes of him continuing forward and giving me a 40 yard shot in a lane I found.
Well, hunting being hunting.... he cut directly up the mountain where he was. Wind was partially in my favor so I followed him for a while maintaining about 100 yards between us. Finally around 830 he decided it was time to lay down. I marked the spot on my GPS and pulled out.
When I got to my truck I realized he was bedding above a water hole I had some action at the night before (3 or 4 bulls, 2 cows, and 1 ape crazy bull in the woods screaming his head off)
So my plan of action was to sit on the waterhole that night and see if he would come in.
I got in at 530 and started my wait. Sundown was at 7:26 and that meant legal shooting hours was until 7:56.
At 7:23 I had some stupid road hunter drive in, park about 400 yards away from me and make the most pathetic bugle i\'ve ever heard. He waited 57 seconds and left....
I was livid, but it\'s public land, so that\'s that.
At 7:35 I saw movement. Low and behold, I see rack.... \"IT\'S MY BULL\"
He came into the waterhole, got into the water in front of me, 40 yards broadside.....
This is where it got a little frustrating, but I am constantly reminded that no matter how much your prepare or practice, its still bowhunting...
I had plenty of time to watch him come in and I was perfectly calm while I started going through my motions....
Draw, picked the hair I want to hit, sight is level, finger on release trigger, elbow back....arrow flies.....
and the bull drops in his place.......roblem:
I am not sure if he was dropping down to roll in the water or cool his belly, but the arrow spined him....
I\'ve had the buck fever before, but I know I was calm for this, so it drives me nuts.
I sent another arrow down at him right away hitting a lung and he died out quick, I was not about to have this thing suffer in front of me.
I got over to him and sure enough. The arrow I shot was right in line with where I wanted behind his shoulder crease, but somehow he had dropped 5-7 inches and it hit spine....
I hate it, but it happened and I assure you I did not let him suffer.
This is when the happiness began. 2nd elk hunt ever....with a bow.... and I have my second elk down. He is certainly a great upgrade from my spike last year and once again it just goes to show that hard work and determination pays off. I scouted my tail off all summer, prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually and was able to make it happen.
With a few hundred lbs of elk in the freezer and a new rack for the wall, I would say I am off to a good start for 2015. :upthumb:
Day 9.
I was up in the burn area bordering the timber that leads to a few water holes. I knew bulls were heading there in the morning to go bed down, so I wanted to try to cut them off.
When I got to my spot and first light started showing, the bulls were already on their way. Most of them were cutting up the mountain a few hundred yards before my timber pocket, so I watched them crest the ridge.
When I thought all of them had gone over, I took a few steps forward and froze. I saw a great bull about 300-400 yards ahead of me feeding.
I looked at the route ahead of me and started stalking in. After about 30 minutes I had cut myself down to 59 yards.
He stood there perfectly calm, in a great lane, at 59 yards with his head hidden behind a tree... only issue is I ran out of coverage to stalk in straight.
My only option was to cut left of him a bit in hopes of him continuing forward and giving me a 40 yard shot in a lane I found.
Well, hunting being hunting.... he cut directly up the mountain where he was. Wind was partially in my favor so I followed him for a while maintaining about 100 yards between us. Finally around 830 he decided it was time to lay down. I marked the spot on my GPS and pulled out.
When I got to my truck I realized he was bedding above a water hole I had some action at the night before (3 or 4 bulls, 2 cows, and 1 ape crazy bull in the woods screaming his head off)
So my plan of action was to sit on the waterhole that night and see if he would come in.
I got in at 530 and started my wait. Sundown was at 7:26 and that meant legal shooting hours was until 7:56.
At 7:23 I had some stupid road hunter drive in, park about 400 yards away from me and make the most pathetic bugle i\'ve ever heard. He waited 57 seconds and left....
I was livid, but it\'s public land, so that\'s that.
At 7:35 I saw movement. Low and behold, I see rack.... \"IT\'S MY BULL\"
He came into the waterhole, got into the water in front of me, 40 yards broadside.....
This is where it got a little frustrating, but I am constantly reminded that no matter how much your prepare or practice, its still bowhunting...
I had plenty of time to watch him come in and I was perfectly calm while I started going through my motions....
Draw, picked the hair I want to hit, sight is level, finger on release trigger, elbow back....arrow flies.....
and the bull drops in his place.......
roblem: I am not sure if he was dropping down to roll in the water or cool his belly, but the arrow spined him....
I\'ve had the buck fever before, but I know I was calm for this, so it drives me nuts.
I sent another arrow down at him right away hitting a lung and he died out quick, I was not about to have this thing suffer in front of me.
I got over to him and sure enough. The arrow I shot was right in line with where I wanted behind his shoulder crease, but somehow he had dropped 5-7 inches and it hit spine....
I hate it, but it happened and I assure you I did not let him suffer.
This is when the happiness began. 2nd elk hunt ever....with a bow.... and I have my second elk down. He is certainly a great upgrade from my spike last year and once again it just goes to show that hard work and determination pays off. I scouted my tail off all summer, prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually and was able to make it happen.
With a few hundred lbs of elk in the freezer and a new rack for the wall, I would say I am off to a good start for 2015. :upthumb:
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Some final random pictures
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Random
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
I should also mention my bear encounters.... this will get me for a long time....
New Mexico is an OTC quota bear state. It opens Sept 1-22 for archery and then goes into rifle.
Well I purchased a bear tag, just in case.
Sept 6th I am hunting a water hole and have a 300lb black bear come in on my.... 36 yards..... He or she sat there for about 15 minutes drinking water.
This was all while I was playing horrible mind games with myself.
I\'ve never hunted the bears here before and had no idea when the quota usually filled. So to prevent a large fine or jail time, I did not shoot.
I went into town for lunch and made a phone call to game and fish. They sort of laughed at me.....\"Sir, bear has never, ever been closed or hit the quota in archery season....\"
Oh well, I am glad I did what I did, but that would have been my first bear, and with a bow....
I went back that evening and went into a new spot. I walk in 10 minutes and catch movement up on a rock above me..... it\'s the most beautiful chocolate bear I have ever seen in my life......
62 yards away.....
There was no way I could scale the cliff in time to cut the ground and I won\'t shoot past 50... so no bears for me this trip....
Maybe next time.
New Mexico is an OTC quota bear state. It opens Sept 1-22 for archery and then goes into rifle.
Well I purchased a bear tag, just in case.
Sept 6th I am hunting a water hole and have a 300lb black bear come in on my.... 36 yards..... He or she sat there for about 15 minutes drinking water.
This was all while I was playing horrible mind games with myself.
I\'ve never hunted the bears here before and had no idea when the quota usually filled. So to prevent a large fine or jail time, I did not shoot.
I went into town for lunch and made a phone call to game and fish. They sort of laughed at me.....\"Sir, bear has never, ever been closed or hit the quota in archery season....\"
Oh well, I am glad I did what I did, but that would have been my first bear, and with a bow....
I went back that evening and went into a new spot. I walk in 10 minutes and catch movement up on a rock above me..... it\'s the most beautiful chocolate bear I have ever seen in my life......
62 yards away.....
There was no way I could scale the cliff in time to cut the ground and I won\'t shoot past 50... so no bears for me this trip....
Maybe next time.
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
So where we stand now:
Oct 1st-Jan 15th\'16 Oklahoma Deer and Turkey.
Oct 9-12th I\'ll be back up in the mountains taking a father and his two teenage sons on their first elk hunt ever. He is a guy from my base and grew up in Alabama, so this will be a TOTALLY different hunt from what he is used to.
Oct 31-Nov 4th I will be in the mountains for a mule deer hunt.
Feb 19th-21st\'16 Oryx hunt.
There will be quite a few weekend hunts in Oklahoma, but the main focus will be in Nov.
Then I may run off to either Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas or other places for more hunting.
Oct 1st-Jan 15th\'16 Oklahoma Deer and Turkey.
Oct 9-12th I\'ll be back up in the mountains taking a father and his two teenage sons on their first elk hunt ever. He is a guy from my base and grew up in Alabama, so this will be a TOTALLY different hunt from what he is used to.
Oct 31-Nov 4th I will be in the mountains for a mule deer hunt.
Feb 19th-21st\'16 Oryx hunt.
There will be quite a few weekend hunts in Oklahoma, but the main focus will be in Nov.
Then I may run off to either Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas or other places for more hunting.
