I wanted to take the time to thank all of the Eastman's Forum Members and Staff for helping me get started hunting the West. Truly, a childhood dream. Growing up in the south with ONE big game species to hunt, I could not even imagine how much longer the learning curve would be without your help. Everything from reading forum threads, magazine articles and Mike's books to listening to the podcasts. You guys have given an enormous amount of information to someone who 7 years ago didn't even realize how much public land the West held, never had to apply for a tag, and never even seen these animals in the wild.
I started applying for tags and building points in 2010 then made my first hunt in 2013. Myself, my brother, a cousin and 2 best friends made a combo mule deer/antelope hunt in Wyoming and filled all tags. Did the same hunt in 2014 with another friend and cousin. Again, we filled all tags with respectable animals.
Drew a WY elk tag in 2015 and made my first true backcountry hunt. Myself and best friend had the elk tags while my cousin tagged along with a mule deer tag. This hunt ended up being our first taste of tag soup. Looking back, it was still a huge success for us to just stay and survive in the backcountry for 7 days hunting a wilderness boundary with grizzlies. Had several chances to get it done on elk, just never put it together. Learned a lot about hunting elk and backcountry gear.
2016 was a late season elk hunt in AZ where I decided to go guided. I got caught up in the unit hype and passed a few decent 6 point bulls that I would have been happy with which resulted in me bringing that tag home also. Again, learned a ton about hunting elk.
This year was great year for my standards. Drew a good WY deer tag and was able to take a 170" high country 3X4. Not like the giants that some of you chase but a deer bigger than I ever thought I would have the opportunity to harvest. It was an emotional hunt where my best friend also took his best buck to date. Also drew a NM elk tag and was able to get it done on day 4 with my first backcountry bull. A bull most would have passed and honestly I almost did since I had glassed 2 nice 6 points in the area that morning. Everything about dealing with a dead elk was brand new to me from de-boning and packing to processing it myself once I returned home.
On each one of these adventures I found out that so much of the information I had been given was spot on and accurate. Travel, units, tactics, animal habitats, processing and gear; I have been helped with all of the above. You probably all have contributed in some way, shape or form whether you know it or not. I may not have much to offer and while my kids are getting older I don't have the time lately to get on as much as I like but will do my best to pay it forward. So again, Thank You to the Eastman's, Staff and Forum Members for doing what you do!
Landon
I started applying for tags and building points in 2010 then made my first hunt in 2013. Myself, my brother, a cousin and 2 best friends made a combo mule deer/antelope hunt in Wyoming and filled all tags. Did the same hunt in 2014 with another friend and cousin. Again, we filled all tags with respectable animals.
Drew a WY elk tag in 2015 and made my first true backcountry hunt. Myself and best friend had the elk tags while my cousin tagged along with a mule deer tag. This hunt ended up being our first taste of tag soup. Looking back, it was still a huge success for us to just stay and survive in the backcountry for 7 days hunting a wilderness boundary with grizzlies. Had several chances to get it done on elk, just never put it together. Learned a lot about hunting elk and backcountry gear.
2016 was a late season elk hunt in AZ where I decided to go guided. I got caught up in the unit hype and passed a few decent 6 point bulls that I would have been happy with which resulted in me bringing that tag home also. Again, learned a ton about hunting elk.
This year was great year for my standards. Drew a good WY deer tag and was able to take a 170" high country 3X4. Not like the giants that some of you chase but a deer bigger than I ever thought I would have the opportunity to harvest. It was an emotional hunt where my best friend also took his best buck to date. Also drew a NM elk tag and was able to get it done on day 4 with my first backcountry bull. A bull most would have passed and honestly I almost did since I had glassed 2 nice 6 points in the area that morning. Everything about dealing with a dead elk was brand new to me from de-boning and packing to processing it myself once I returned home.
On each one of these adventures I found out that so much of the information I had been given was spot on and accurate. Travel, units, tactics, animal habitats, processing and gear; I have been helped with all of the above. You probably all have contributed in some way, shape or form whether you know it or not. I may not have much to offer and while my kids are getting older I don't have the time lately to get on as much as I like but will do my best to pay it forward. So again, Thank You to the Eastman's, Staff and Forum Members for doing what you do!
Landon
