Mother-of-All Hunts You May Never Replicate Again

[G8rHunter]

I have no personal stories, but I'd enjoy reading your story!

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[edslhead]

What the heck did you do to occupy your time before joining NWF ?

 

[North Plains]

Six of us went antelope hunting in Wyoming last fall. Filled all 18 tags in three days. Great hunt.

 

[bbbass]

One of my elk hunts I sat on the side of a hill. It was cold. I got bored and read a book for awhile. Then the sun came up and I fell asleep. I woke up to a hunter that had come up behind me. Left for the truck, went back to camp, and had a hot lunch.

 

[GWS]

Africa back in 2009. Friend and I were at FNRA dinner and a safari was on auction. We went after it and won. 3 other friends joined us an off to South Africa we went. The hunting was amazing. On my first stalk it just hit me like "Whamo!" I am hunting in Africa! The eland got away. A whole bunch of other plains game didn't. I harvested a kudu, blesbuck, gemsbok, zebra, red hartebeest and a blue wildebeest. Some I chased over hill and dale. Others, like the gemsbok jumped up and said "Shoot me, George!"
We also toured, going into Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe where we saw Victoria Falls.
Trip of a lifetime.

 

[G8rHunter]

Six of us went antelope hunting in Wyoming last fall. Filled all 18 tags in three days. Great hunt.

Wow, what a haul!!!

 

[G8rHunter]

What the heck did you do to occupy tour time before joining NWF ?

Wasted my time talking about politics on political sites! Funny, all that talking didn't change any politician's minds and only further frustrated me. Imagine that? Hopefully talking here about guns and hunting will motivate me to get outdoors and have my own stories. I realize now, I missed out on an incredible experience of connecting with my uncle on hunting invitations as well as firearms maturation when I was teenager. Consequently, I know precious little about this great sport, but I am learning from you guys! BTW, shot 200 rounds with my 22 at a quarry site, and I used some paper targets someone on here shared with me! Excuse my current enthusiasm, I'm just stoked for now!!!

 

[G8rHunter]

One of my elk hunts I sat on the side of a hill. It was cold. I got bored and read a book for awhile. Then the sun came up and I fell asleep. I woke up to a hunter that had come up behind me. Left for the trunk, went back to camp, and had a hot lunch.

No need to replicate that experience again, although I'm sure hunting must be similar to the fish that got away!

 

[FishnhuntOR]

Here is your mother load.
Weird findings in the woods - www.ifish.net

 

[Joe13]

Was out hunting chicks one time and.... well maybe that isn't for this thread

 

[Stomper]

1986 (pre-GPS tech) in a Latin American jungle, we were kitted up for a 2 week "look n' see" for "Uncle Ronnie" that wound up lasting a month... with no resupply. We ate our platoon leader, but it was his fault anyway... the damned non-land nav'in dummy! Turns out the Army has plenty of 1LT's, so they were cool with it.

The rest has faded from memory, but what's left of what I recall is highly classified and I'd have to kill and eat you if I told you.


I've learned to cope with the memory of that hellish nightmare of a patrol...

 

[BaggerRyder]

Mother of all hunts? Well mine at least.

My dad, my buddy, and his dad have been hunting together for a long time. We always talk about killing a bull at first light opening morning, getting it back to camp by noon, and then relaxing the rest of the week. Most of the time it's just talk, but the 3 any bull tags in our pockets gave us a real positive outlook.

Opening morning we are walking in at dark, single file, in a dusting of fresh snow. My buddy and I with very specific areas we want to be, and the old guys following along at various paces.

My buddy and I stop to wait for our dads, talking about how one of us is going to kill a huge bull at 7:30 and once hanging at camp, vacation starts.

Dads catch up, we make it about 50 yards and Mac gets a bloody nose. We stop again but are losing the cloak of darkness, so he tells me to go ahead since I still have about 2 miles till I'm at my spot. My dad and his dad tell me the same so I beat feet and get there just at shooting light.

As I start sneaking into my stand, an elk breaks loose and starts heading my way. First I see antler tips above a little knob, then he follows the exact trail I'm on heading towards me. I get down on a knee, and fully prepare to shoot, but he keeps coming, closing the distance fairly quickly. Not wanting to take a frontal I let him. 75 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards, all the while I'm thinking to myself, it's gonna happen. 7:45 and I'm going to put my tag on this big bull opening morning.

He finally startles and stops at about 10 yards, and turns broadside, trying to make sense of the bright orange rock with a gun 30 feet from him. In my scope all I see is hair, and for about 20 seconds I stare at hair. I finally snap out of my trance and glance up from the scope to see what the hell Im aiming at. Then the next trance sets in. Antlers. Damn those big antlers. Biggest bull I have had in my scope with a tag for that bull in my pocket. 10 yards away, broadside, and I'm staring at antlers. 10 more long seconds of antler admiring, and it's 7:45-ish and this bull is gonna die and once back in camp... and then it happens.
That bull swings his head to his right, that big rack almost moving in slow motion, packs up shop, and bolts. Never to be seen again.

I sat there for another couple minutes, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Why didn't my rifle go off. How did I let that bull run away and blow an opening day gimme? I followed his tracks in the snow until his tracks mingled in with other tracks that crossed other sets of tracks. Still feeling disgusted, I finally gave up the chase and headed back to the spot where it all started. Replaying the whole thing over and over, cussing myself all the way.

That was the only bull I saw that season. And the only time I have ever went just completely stupid while staring at a legal bull.

Still makes me sick to my stomach. I've never had buck fever before that day, and haven't had it since. But the prior conversation of killing a bull at first light, and the bloody nose and those big antlers, not to mention my scope being set at 6 instead of 3 all contributed to the mutha of all hunts.

 

[Kruel J]

Mother of all hunts? I got a mutha @#&$*% of all hunts. Well mine at least.

My dad, my buddy, and his dad have been hunting together for a long time. We always talk about killing a bull at first light opening morning, getting it back to camp by noon, and then relaxing the rest of the week. Most of the time it's just talk, but the 3 any bull tags in our pockets gave us a real positive outlook.

Opening morning we are walking in at dark, single file, in a dusting of fresh snow. My buddy and I with very specific areas we want to be, and the old guys following along at various paces.

My buddy and I stop to wait for our dads, talking about how one of us is going to kill a huge bull at 7:30 and once hanging at camp, vacation starts.

Dads catch up, we make it about 50 yards and Mac gets a bloody nose. We stop again but are losing the cloak of darkness, so he tells me to go ahead since I still have about 2 miles till I'm at my spot. My dad and his dad tell me the same so I beat feet and get there just at shooting light.

As I start sneaking into my stand, an elk breaks loose and starts heading my way. First I see antler tips above a little knob, then he follows the exact trail I'm on heading towards me. I get down on a knee, and fully prepare to shoot, but he keeps coming, closing the distance fairly quickly. Not wanting to take a frontal I let him. 75 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards, all the while I'm thinking to myself, it's gonna happen. 7:45 and I'm going to put my tag on this big bull opening morning.

He finally startles and stops at about 10 yards, and turns broadside, trying to make sense of the bright orange rock with a gun 30 feet from him. In my scope all I see is hair, and for about 20 seconds I stare at hair. I finally snap out of my trance and glance up from the scope to see what the hell Im aiming at. Then the next trance sets in. Antlers. Damn those big antlers. Biggest bull I have had in my scope with a tag for that bull in my pocket. 10 yards away, broadside, and I'm staring at antlers. 10 more long seconds of antler admiring, and it's 7:45-ish and this bull is gonna die and once back in camp... and then it happens.
That bull swings his head to his right, that big rack almost moving in slow motion, packs up shop, and bolts. Never to be seen again.

I sat there for another couple minutes, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Why didn't my rifle go off. How did I let that bull run away and blow an opening day gimme? I followed his tracks in the snow until his tracks mingled in with other tracks that crossed other sets of tracks. Still feeling disgusted, I finally gave up the chase and headed back to the spot where it all started. Replaying the whole thing over and over, cussing myself all the way.

That was the only bull I saw that season. And the only time I have ever went just completely stupid while staring at a legal bull.

Still makes me sick to my stomach. I've never had buck fever before that day, and haven't had it since. But the prior conversation of killing a bull at first light, and the bloody nose and those big antlers, not to mention my scope being set at 6 instead of 3 all contributed to the mutha @#$&@ of all hunts.

Now THAT'S the best post this thread will ever have. Worthy of more than one "like"....alas......

 

[DB is Here]

Gentlemen,
Please refrain from the sexual innuendos, lets keep NWFA a family friendly site.
Thread has been cleaned.

Please stay on topic, thank you.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Six of us went antelope hunting in Wyoming last fall. Filled all 18 tags in three days. Great hunt.

Holy crap ton of nasty meat.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

A little over 18 years ago.
It was my greatest hunt of all time.
In fact I made the record books.
To this day, my jealous idiotic brothers are extremely pissed off for the trophy.
And 5 trophies From that first trophy, she's even hotter!
My wife!

 

[bbbass]

not to mention my scope being set at 6 instead of 3

Oh no!!! Don't tell that old boy that people actually forget to turn their scopes down!

 

[bbbass]

Mother of all hunts? Well mine at least.

Please don't think I'm trying to outdo you.... your post reminds me of my second time deer hunting:

I didn't grow up in an area nor a household that featured hunting. But when I was in the Coast Guard, I became friends with a young man that was from Boise. (He is the one that got me to move to La Grande.) Chuck (Chucky ) and I were stationed in the late 70s at USCG Air Station San Diego. He invited me to go on vacation with him in Boise and stay at his folks house. The family owned a small cabin near a place they called Strawberry Mountain. Somewhere north of Boise.

My first year hunting deer with his family, I made the mistake of wearing too many clothes and packing a heavy pellet pistol for grouse, as well as heavy binos. By the time I had made it to the top of the hill, I had left those behind to pick up on the way back. After that day, I only wore a thermal sweatshirt. Chucky got a nice buck that day. And the following day his Mom took a heavy 4pt with a neck shot from her 32-20 fired from her classic Marlin lever gun that sported a Weaver 4x fixed scope on top. The shot unfortunately took the buck in the throat rather than the neck spine and we had to catch up to it and put it out of it's misery. I questioned the use of such a small cartridge, but was told that she had been taking bucks with that gun for longer than I had been alive. But the thing I remember most about that trip is breakfast cooked on an old cast iron wood burning range, including biscuits from it's oven (A wood stove with an oven!!! Come to find out, my current wife's family had always used a wood range.), and the sound of pack rats roaming in the attic all night. We had to keep our gear put away or the pack rats would be carting things off. That was a big wow for a city boy!!

The next year, I went up the same hill, over the other side, and then was coming back to the rig for lunch.... Chucky was still on the back side. When I heard a few shots from that side I stopped and was looking up the hill. Suddenly I saw a fabulous 6pt, or more, buck come down the hill quartering in my direction. I knelt down on one knee, hoping that it wouldn't see me. That big beautiful buck went down into a little gully, still coming my way, the edge of the gully being about 25yds. I waited for him to come bounding over the hill for a quick broadside shot. And I waited, and I waited. I began to think maybe he had turned and slipped away down that gully. As I continued to wait, I saw the tips of antlers sloooooooowly rising up from the gully. I had been expecting a broadside shot at a running deer, so I needed to shift my rifle in that direction. I did so and snicked the safety off. The antlers kept coming up. Then I could see the brow. Then I could see the eyes. Then I could see the entire head and part of the neck. He was staring straight at me. I hadn't moved, so he must have winded me I thought later. I was wondering if he would keep coming but he didn't, just stood there on the edge staring at me for what seemed the longest time. Well how am I going to get a shot at that? My rifle was pointed above him. I started lowering the rifle, looking thru the scope (set on 3 ), thinking I would be able to put a shot into his head, but didn't want to spoil those antlers so maybe in neck below his chin. However, once my scope crossed his eye plane, he gave a huge snort, and wheeled around. I thought I might be able to still get a shot off, but no, he bounded down into that gully and on down the hill. We didn't have anybody further down, so he was gone. I hunted around in case he circled back, but no joy.

That was the biggest buck I was ever to see in the field in my entire life!! An Idaho muley. Magnificent, but so gone. I can still see him plain as day 40yrs later.

 

[Mygrainman]

I have only been deer hunting a few times. Not because I don't want to, it just never seems to work out that I can get out there.
My dad didn't hunt, and only my older brother ever let me come along on a hunt as a youngster... None of my buddies were hunters, and I lack the knowledge to hunt by myself.
My neighborhood has deer everywhere, but as soon as I try to go out in the woods to find one... I find nothing... So I fished mostly.

That said... the few hunts I have been on have all been quite memorable, so I would like to go out more. Once my broken leg heals that is.

My first story was the most memorable, even though I'd rather forget. It was the morning of my very first hunt when I was about 14 years old... I had, to this point, only shot a .22 and my my BB gun at pop cans. I'd never fired a real gun with any kind of power in my life. I had just taken the required hunter safety course the week before, and my brother who is about 12 years older than I, and my "guide" for the day.. dropped the tailgate of his mid 70's f250 with a built 400sb, and more than enough lift to clear his 36" Buckshot mudders. Awsome truck, but I digress...
He laid his extra hunting rifle, a Savage 110 .270, on the case and gave me a quick tutorial on how to load the internal magazine... then he gave me a few extra rounds for my pocket and sent me up a cat trail towards a rock pit at the top of a little hill... he went off in the opposite direction and we were to meet back in an hour.
I'm now officially hunting for the first time in my life, all by myself in the majestic Cascade mountains over looking the beautiful Cowlitz river valley.

With my borrowed Savage 110 and Tasco 3x9 I worked my way up the cat track doing my best Elmer Fudd,being baowy baowy quiet and listening intently for any movement in the surrounding trees.
After about 1/4 mile, I rounded a corner at the top of the hill and there he was...
a beautiful black tail 3x3 standing broadside between me and the rock pit not 20 yards away. A perfect first deer, in a perfect position, first light opening day of my very first hunt.
Is hunting really this easy?
Then, of course, the fever kicks in... I'm looking at him, he's looking at me and neither one of us can move. After what seemed like an eternity I finally snapped out of it and raised the rifle to my shoulder...

Coopers 4 go through my head...
Gun loaded.. Check...I watched him load it.

Muzzle pointed at something I'm willing to destroy... Check...

Finger OK to be on trigger... Check

Sure of Target and what's beyond.. Check that's a legal buck, and a big ol rock pile right behind him.
I'm all set..

Line up the cross hairs behind the front shoulder right in the sweet spot.
I'm in the thrawls of some major buck fever and I'm shaking uncontrollably, but he is only 20 yards away if that... no way I could miss... and squeeze..
oops safety's on...
Try again, line it up... calm down man... squeeze......
Click
WTF? Drop to one knee and open the bolt.
I forgot to chamber a round!

OK here we go... lift the rifle back up......And he gone...just disappeared in an instant.


There were probably 7-8 of us that went out in the woods that day, and I was the only one to see a legal buck. We scoured every draw, clear cut, and rock pit for miles and nothin but a few does.

I have still yet to kill a deer.... I've had a few opportunities, but never filled a tag. My life is incomplete

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I enjoy my hunting time.
Have there been:
Upsets...
Terrible hunting partners...
Horrific terrain features coupled with a sudden reminder to get into good shape before hunting season...
Missed or bungled shots...
Forgotten gear...
Yes to all of the above and more to come I am sure.
But the mere chance to get out hunting , let alone the actual hunt , is what keeps me going out.

To the OP , the best stories are you own...go out and make some memories , while you can...Our time here is short and its a good idea to do the best you can with the time you have.
Andy