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Hunt Report Thread

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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An ongoing discussion for our yearly pursuits.

Me, my whitetail deer season archery starts in 6 days. Second year hunting this particular tract of land. I'll be still hunting it, so let's hope all the intel I have from the past 2 years of scouting pays off. Got close last year but ran out of daylight on the closing day.

How have you fared/what are your plans for upcoming hunts?
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,622
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Cackalacka du Nord
I hunted down some delicious seasonal stouts at the bottle shop last week. I scored a pack of espresso KBS. Great success! I plan to go on another expedition soon, very soon.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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Went out scouting today. Saw half a dozen scrapes, and perhaps the same number of rubs. Still learning how to spot the signs and understand their movements based on said signs.

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Will be still hunting again this year. Still feel intimidated by the idea of a tree stand.
 

Atomic Dog

doesn't have a custom title yet.
Oct 22, 2002
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In the basement at Weekly World News
Deer general season was last month here in Washington. It was my second year hunting, and my second year not getting anything. At least this year I actually saw a buck. I couldn't get a good enough look to verify a third point on his antlers (3-pt minimum) so I let him pass into some thick trees to bed down below the bluff I was sitting on. Not too long after, a road hunter drove by, stopped and shot it - turns out it had a tiny third point that I couldn't see.

I did shoot a grouse one afternoon, so it wasn't a complete bust.

Currently in the midst of upland bird season, hoping to scare up some pheasant and/or quail one of these days. Tough to do without a dog, though. Next season Ruby will be ready to get out hunting with me.
 

Atomic Dog

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Oct 22, 2002
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@Atomic Dog do you bird hunt there between Pasco and Wallula?
I'm only just starting to hunt birds, so haven't been much of anywhere yet. I did go out for a bit to the west of the beef processing place near Wallula last weekend. Some good looking farm land out there, but hunting pheasant/quail without a dog seems to be a bit of a crap shoot.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,838
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I'm only just starting to hunt birds, so haven't been much of anywhere yet. I did go out for a bit to the west of the beef processing place near Wallula last weekend. Some good looking farm land out there, but hunting pheasant/quail without a dog seems to be a bit of a crap shoot.
I see so many bird hunters in that stretch! There are lots of places to quail/pheasant hunt on the Rez. I meet all sorts of wet siders out there running around.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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Ah, so close this morning. Got within 40 yards, but the doe had the high ground. I picked on side of the ridge, but she picked the other. No luck this time.

Found a game trail with rubs every other tree though, so I'll post up on that this afternoon. It leads to/from a bedding area, so I'd wager it should be productive.
 

Atomic Dog

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Oct 22, 2002
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TTP! Who's heading out this year?

I'm doing archery for whitetails in MA and will probably do rifle in VT.
A month till rifle season, I just started poking around OnX looking for some spots to look for mule deer.

Only two weeks until Quail, Partridge and Chukar season opens here, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the pup does in her (and my) first upland hunting season.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
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Crawlorado
A month till rifle season, I just started poking around OnX looking for some spots to look for mule deer.

Only two weeks until Quail, Partridge and Chukar season opens here, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the pup does in her (and my) first upland hunting season.
I've gotta get out the rifle and put a few shots down range.

Been shooting a bunch of arrows recently and slowly moving back in yardage. Feeling much better about the consistency of my release. Got my eyes on new bows though...
 

Atomic Dog

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Oct 22, 2002
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Deer season opening day shitshow is Saturday. I have a couple spots scoped out that I'm hoping are off the radar of the orange masses.

I took Ruby out looking for quail last Friday. Found a covey, but didn't have a chance at a shot. I did take home a consolation prize, mourning dove. Not a point, but her first retrieve.

Someone described doves a "dandelions" of the bird world, as you touch them and the feathers go poof. Ruby agrees. :rofl:

IMG-2310.jpg
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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Crawlorado
Photo_2022-10-19_05-50-53_PM_copy_774x774.png


Final setup for this year. Lots of testing and fiddling involved to get here.

- Mathews V3X, 65lbs @ 27" draw length
- Hamskea Hybrid Pro Hunter rest
- Axcel Bridgelock 5-pin fixed sight
- Mathews arrow web quiver
- Gold Tip Hunter XT arrows, 400 spine, Nap fixed broadheads

Gonna order up some arrow components, as I'm toying with assembling my own.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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Crawlorado
I used to build my own arrows when I was shooting a ton of 3D thinking I could get an edge up and create a killer recipe for accuracy, then I was shown that the most winning and accurate shooters just buy stock arrows by the dozen and call it a day.
Where's the fun in that? :clue:

At the rate I'm shooting, the repair aspect may save me money in the long term. I've torn the fletchings off 3-4 now in the past few weeks (in addition to those lost to the woods), and at $4 to have the shop refletch, getting the jig and a few supplies should pay itself back in a few years.

At least, thats what I'm telling myself. Was talking to a buddy about doing some TAC events, so it would be nice to have the ability to churn out a few 3D oriented configurations.
 

gonefirefightin

free wieners
Where's the fun in that? :clue:

At the rate I'm shooting, the repair aspect may save me money in the long term. I've torn the fletchings off 3-4 now in the past few weeks (in addition to those lost to the woods), and at $4 to have the shop refletch, getting the jig and a few supplies should pay itself back in a few years.

At least, thats what I'm telling myself. Was talking to a buddy about doing some TAC events, so it would be nice to have the ability to churn out a few 3D oriented configurations.
I was always in the mindset of shooting 3D or matches with the same exact gear and point of aim/welds as I would when hunting.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
8,765
Crawlorado
I was always in the mindset of shooting 3D or matches with the same exact gear and point of aim/welds as I would when hunting.
100% agree, but that approach just isn't practical for me. Ideally I'd have different bows, but thats not gonna happen either.

95% of my hunting is bushwacking with 20, 30 yard max shots. Heavy arrows, 3 pin fixed sight (I'll probably remove a few from my current), short stabs.

Would be nice to swap in a single pin slider and some micro-diameter arrows for a TAC course. I'd be doing it more recreationally, not competitive.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
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4 years and I got my first shot at a deer. And I went blank and sent that arrow to Jesus. It was like I had no idea what I was doing.

With that out od the way, methinks I'll be much better prepared next time.
 

Atomic Dog

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Oct 22, 2002
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4 years and I got my first shot at a deer. And I went blank and sent that arrow to Jesus. It was like I had no idea what I was doing.

With that out od the way, methinks I'll be much better prepared next time.
My third modern rifle deer season is done and I still have yet to take a shot at an animal. I can shoot the shit out of a target, though, lemme tell you.

At least the views were nice.

IMG-2358.jpg
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
8,765
Crawlorado
@gonefirefightin, might be throwing in the towel and getting a Spot Hogg Fast Eddie XL double stack with .010 pins. The Axcel, as much as I like it, just loosened up via regular shooting and lost its zero. That and the dovetail is too short, so I'm having a tough time getting good groups beyond 30 yards, the .019 pin just swallows up the target and I'm shooting at an area instead of a spot. Was going to stay away from a slider cause it's heavier and more complication than I need, but value proposition wide it blows away something like a 3-pin fixed.

Not ideal swapping sights in the middle of the season, but if I can get the top pin dialed at 20 and figure out my floater pin distance, it'll more than likely be enough.
 
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