How did everyone's hunt go this year is it what you expected and are you going to change your plans for next year?

[gonhunting247]

It was a busy year with putting the new house in, but looking back it still went pretty well other than it seemed like I had to kind of rush all my hunts to get back home for work on the house site, the honey bee business or my regular job.
I ended up squeezing a Gator and Hog hunt in while visiting my wives family in FL for spring break, so that was a cool and somewhat unexpected adventure.
I was able to get all 3 Gobblers and a Bear in very short order (and a lot of luck) during the spring hunt here in OR also.
I was surprised and drew a NV Antelope tag unexpectedly and almost turned it back, but made a red eye 4 day run to NV and back. Turned out to be a fun hunt and a nice little buck made the trip back with me.
I was able to get a nice little Blacktail and a great fall Bear here in OR all within the first 2 days of deer season, so that worked out well.
No elk in OR this year, bee work, the foundation for the house and the new driveway ate up all of archery season, but I knew I needed to have time for MT and CO deer.
MT was a fun and successful family trip to the Breaks.
CO was a fun hunt, but 4th season seemed a bit late for the area I chose. I was able to tag out on a nice 4 point, but he wasn't near that next level buck that I've found in CO in years past. It was still a great hunt with a good friend.
As far as next year, hopefully I'll draw something cool with all of these points I have accrued all over the west. Maybe I'll get lucky and draw in AK for Bison or Moose. I do know I'll be headed to AZ this February, as I drew a tag for Javelina with my MZ, so that's a good start .

 

[BuzzH]

I "think" I wrapped up the last of the elk season helping a couple NR friends from ND. Honestly, having helped pack, kill, quarter, etc. 11 elk this fall (6 in the past 10 days) I've about had enough. Have one more friend with a January tag, may try to get out sometime and give things a look.

Was a fun time, in spite of the 5 degree weather with 25-40 MPH winds. Luckily my 2 friends are old coyote hunters from way back and they know how to shoot in the wind. They made it look easy at 275 yards, taking 2 cows from a small herd of 18. I've hunted with them the past 5 years and they're 100% successfull (12/12) on elk. They don't mess around.

 

[Slugz]

Cant complain here. I'm vertical and the children are healthy and have jobs.

CO/WY Waterfowl season, NE spring turkey, CO summer fishing, CO archery / muzzleloader elk, WY rifle elk and now waterfowl season again. Good year all around for 22.

Two differences this year will be
1) Prepping for my son and I going to AK Sept for a moose hunt. Fly in to a lake, hump the gear 1000 yards to a river, float the river a mile or two to the camp spot, hunt for 8.5 days then hopefully do the 30 mile float out heavy with animals. I still have some gear testing to do which will start after dark goose season closes in February.
2) First time in 10 years not going to elk camp in Sept. Maybe will try and hunt WY elk this year but I'm torn between burning my 3 pts on a tag and or saving a few more to go general in a few years.

Regardless, cant complain.

 

[disabled combat vet]

I "think" I wrapped up the last of the elk season helping a couple NR friends from ND. Honestly, having helped pack, kill, quarter, etc. 11 elk this fall (6 in the past 10 days) I've about had enough. Have one more friend with a January tag, may try to get out sometime and give things a look.

Was a fun time, in spite of the 5 degree weather with 25-40 MPH winds. Luckily my 2 friends are old coyote hunters from way back and they know how to shoot in the wind. They made it look easy at 275 yards, taking 2 cows from a small herd of 18. I've hunted with them the past 5 years and they're 100% successfull (12/12) on elk. They don't mess around.

Congrats!!!!!

 

[disabled combat vet]

Sounds like everyone's year went pretty good, just remember for 2023 lets be safe, make memories, be sportsman and try to respect each other on the forum and last but not least be successful !!!!!!!!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Having back issues for the past several years, I had to get it fixed or probably really limit my future hunting, along with lots of other things. I had surgery in late August and recovery has been great. I drew a great elk tag here in Colorado and with the new Colorado regs concerning turning in a tag you drew , I turned the tag in and got my points back. So I didn't hunt this year.

Part of my recovery from back surgery was lots of walking. My left knee was cleaned up with orthro surgery about 6 or 7 years ago and the Doc said I was on borrowed time with it. All the walking really bothered the knee and last week I scheduled replacement surgery for Feb 1st. Should be recovered for summer and fall. I plan on Wyoming for deer and Colorado for elk. Hope I can draw the same tag again for 2023.

Getting old and lots of body parts have worn out and need replacing.....LOL!

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Having back issues for the past several years, I had to get it fixed or probably really limit my future hunting, along with lots of other things. I had surgery in late August and recovery has been great. I drew a great elk tag here in Colorado and with the new Colorado regs concerning turning in a tag you drew , I turned the tag in and got my points back. So I didn't hunt this year.

Part of my recovery from back surgery was lots of walking. My left knee was cleaned up with orthro surgery about 6 or 7 years ago and the Doc said I was on borrowed time with it. All the walking really bothered the knee and last week I scheduled replacement surgery for Feb 1st. Should be recovered for summer and fall. I plan on Wyoming for deer and Colorado for elk. Hope I can draw the same tag again for 2023.

Getting old and lots of body parts have worn out and need replacing.....LOL!

Hang in there CC, you are my inspiration!

 

[ColoradoV]

Looks like a lot of sucess out there this year. For me a bad injury kept me out of the hills for the most part this summer as it is a long recovery I am still working on. Class III mcl tear = it tore off femur at insertion as well vertical and horizonal tears. Yea ruined my year in a lot of ways hunting was just one.

Or this was the first year since 1986 that I did not hunt deer as I had to turn in my archery buck tag.. I was able to get out w the help of friends to chase elk around in rifle seasons. Was able to help some friends w deer = one who's daughter got a great early season buck after putting in the work!! Another friend got a buck in archery that my wife had passed on in 2020 he had over a 30" inside spread this year.

Late season I was able to be involved helping a friend in Gunny w a 3rd season buck tag (ate it as they are missing a entire age class in gunny) the deer over there are really getting hammered and it is becoming evident. Worst year I have ever seen over there ever. Moved to Eagle to help another friend and man they had the best year around there I have seen since 2008.. Bad part is they took the top end out of those units this year or I saw 4 - 200"+ bucks get killed after they left private w the later dates... As well as what I concidered to be the buck of the year for Colorado. Going to be slim pickins over there next year for real big bucks.

Since we could not hunt like we wanted the wife turned in her early elk tag and to clear the head decided to go to Italy - w all the family in Late Sept - until the sat the 2nd rifle season opened. On the first day back full of jet lag - at the girls hoops game on the Saturday of the opener of 2nd rifle a old buddy I ran into at the game gave me a local LO tag for a bull elk and permission to shoot one in his fields.. I took the license and started scouting up high.. My father found a big group but hikes that that normally take me 2-3 hrs well they were taking 6+ so started hitting the trailhead around 1:30-2 am as I could not carry a overnight pack w my knee. Found the elk and filled the freezer solo w a small bull rifle. Happy to have a good buddy, wife, and brother in law come in and pack it out for me. With the pain pry physically the hardest hunt I have ever done.


My father also got a LO cow tag for 4th season from a friend and made the best of it. On the last day filled the tag with a one shot bang flop of a cow at 310 yards. Not bad for 78, on public land, w a replaced knee in the last year.

Next year I hope to be healthy and will again be on the hunt with my bow for a 200" typical w a 30" inside spread. Not sure if this is even realistic in Colo w what is happenig to the deer.

 

[RICMIC]

COV, way to go salvaging something out of a tough year. I like the photo perspective of the cow elk...it looks like he shot an eland.

\ I finally downloaded some pics of my archery spike bull. Public land, 2 1/2 hours back on horses. My plan was to camp out for a week solo, but it all happened so fast with the help of a good friend and his kids. Here I am with my "Posse".

 

[Daubs]

Lost an old friend in the Summer of 2021...had to put down our Yellow Lab of 12 years. Got a new Lab in January of 2022...and the wife got a Shiba as well...so two puppies : )

Also lost permission on a 20k acre ranch had been hunting here in Nebraska. Business man from Washington leased it up. I can't blame the rancher for making that decision.

Did not hunt deer this season...did not want to fight the orange army on public land. Thinking about a Wyoming elk hunt in October of 2023, but I have a wedding to photograph on the 14th...that might put a kink in my plans.

Got the new Yellow Dog to the waterfowl blind four times this season...he really enjoys it, and so do I.