Outdoorsman Thread

[garddogg56]

Wow Ken that must be a hellova hunt.

[CheckSix]

Ken,
The 2nd photo bull and 3rd photo bull on the right, are the same bull, right? I would've thought hard about bustin' that one!

[ken98k]

Ken,
The 2nd photo bull and 3rd photo bull on the right, are the same bull, right? I would've thought hard about bustin' that one!

I'm pretty sure they're all different bulls.

[philco]

Nice pictures Ken. But it's hard to cook up a picture and eat it for dinner.

[CheckSix]

speaking of Bulls, here's one I caught with the camera...

[Old Hunter]

Ken, must be terrific living in such country - nice pictures.

Dave, great shot - where did you take that picture? Looks like you were pretty close.

[TripleF]

Love that camouflage boat Bruce!

Beautiful hunting Ken.

[espn77]

Last Saturday was opening day of quail season. Boy the dogs were really fresh.

[CheckSix]

Dave, great shot - where did you take that picture? Looks like you were pretty close.

OH, I was actually not close but rather using effectively, a 600mm long lens on a DSLR. Have you ever heard of Elk Grove Village, IL??? They have a have a huge preserve there, that about 100 yrs ago, they brought in a few Elk to populate the preserve with. The Elk herd has grown and is well maintained. Under the right conditions, one can get a good view of them but they do keep their distance, hence, the long lens.

[CheckSix]

ESPN,
I love bird dogs! Great picture!

[CheckSix]

When I was in South Africa in 2004, one of the land owners was showing us his Antelope herds. He had some Gemsbok and Eland populations. There was one particular young Eland bull that had taken a liking to the landowner and was darn near a pet. He asked us to stay still and he got the young Eland to approach us. I had my camera with me and only had the 50mm normal lens, so no telephoto. Look at how close this Eland came to us!! By the way, Eland grow to about 1500 lbs in weight. They are the largest of the Antelopes. I watched one jump a 10' fence. That was unbelievable!

[jerryd6818]

Wow! That is just fascinating. Great shots.

[kootenay joe]

Neat. Some animals understand us more than we understand them, or perhaps it is show us more acceptance and compassion than we show them. We just see them as a 'game species' and only understand them from a hunting perspective. I believe they have an 'internal life' similar to what human animals have; thoughts and feelings (emotions).
Twenty years ago any biologist would have said "B.S." !!
Now some scientists working with Functional MRI's can say, "well, it's certainly a possibility".
20 years from now it will be the commonly accepted 'knowledge'.
It was commonly accepted knowledge (that other animals have an interior life) among indigenous North Americans 500 years ago.
We 'new arrivals' are slow at catching on.
kj

[Quick Steel]

I suspect anyone with a pet dog knows that animals can have thoughts and feelings. Not so sure about cats.

[CheckSix]

Not so sure about cats.

[CheckSix]

Neat. Some animals understand us more than we understand them, or perhaps it is show us more acceptance and compassion than we show them. We just see them as a 'game species' and only understand them from a hunting perspective. I believe they have an 'internal life' similar to what human animals have; thoughts and feelings (emotions).
Twenty years ago any biologist would have said "B.S." !!
Now some scientists working with Functional MRI's can say, "well, it's certainly a possibility".
20 years from now it will be the commonly accepted 'knowledge'.
It was commonly accepted knowledge (that other animals have an interior life) among indigenous North Americans 500 years ago.
We 'new arrivals' are slow at catching on.
kj

kj,
With the above experience I had with the Eland, I observed that young Eland bull had a special trust with the landowner. He told us that he had been hand feeding this one, since he was a calf. At the time this these photos were taken, the young bull would see him from a distance and walk up to see him, even though we were there. Hence, the trust.

[steve99f]

I can assure you guys that my cats love me very much. When they look at me I'm sure they see a huge skin bag of protein.

Just not sure how to get at it.

Dave, that eland is amazin'! Great story too.

[steve99f]

In PA there is an elk herd that is hunted by lottery. Something like 30 tags available. These are primarily in, where else, Elk County and surrounding areas.

While deer hunting in Sinnemahoning in 2009 we saw this bull. About 20 yards from the vehicle. He would move off if you approached but wasn't too concerned. Can't say as I blame him. We will hunt this area after Thanksgiving this year too. I can tell you the local folks, while appreciative of the dollars the lookers bring in, have little patience with these when they come in a herd. They crap a lot and you need a coal scoop the get rid of it. Saw a herd of 26 in someone's yard a couple of years ago. What a mess.

[kootenay joe]

Steve, i live on a very isolated property at the base of the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, N-E end of Kootenay Lake, B.C. (due N. of Spokane)
My place is the wintering ground for a number of elk herds. They are here from November to end of April/early May. At times there are over 100 elk in the field just below the house and another 30 or so on the front lawn.
My garden & orchard are fenced, did it 35 years ago, posts now need replacing & i'm too old to do it. I have about 50 trees i have planted on the grounds around the house. Everyone has to be fenced off for at least it's first 20 years.
Deer eat mostly terminal buds and some twig ends. Elk might leave a small tree alone for 4-5 years and then one winter will eat it right down to a 3' stump.
I don't mind sharing the land with other species. We all need a piece of land to eek out a living.
In late Spring i often find antler drops. It's a 'hunt' through the surrounding bush and my fields with binoculars to check out sticks/branches/sunlight, that looks like it could be an antler. It's a primitive sort of activity as it brings feelings of anticipation, disappointment & excitement when i find an antler.
kj

[steve99f]

kj,

I believe it. The yard I spoke of had a 10 foot fence surrounding his garden, he needed it. Have yet to come across a shed from the elk but I expect the local folks get there ahead of visitors. The rodents won't leave them alone very long either.

Sounds like you live in a scenic area kj.

[CheckSix]

Steve, beautiful bull!!!

kj, your place sounds wonderful!!

[313 Mike]

Was fortunate enough to harvest this northern Wisconsin whitetail yesterday morning, nice symmetrical 6 point, dressed out at 155. 25 yard bow shot, got all of one lung and part of the other. Tenderloins and pan fried heart for dinner last night!

[treefarmer]

Good job, Mike! Sounds like y'all know how to eat Bambi. Way too many folks leave the heart in the woods for the coyotes and buzzards. I've also found quite a few folks don't really know what the tenderloins are . How many can y'all kill per season?
Treefarmer

[kootenay joe]

Mike were you stalking on the ground or up in a tree stand ? How far did he go after taking your arrow ?
By "dressed out" do you include hide, head and all 4 lower limbs removed ? So the 155 = weight of carcass (muscle & bone) ?
Here in the mountains of B.C. a mature whitetail rarely dresses out above 130 pounds (carcass weight). It is on the Prairies with fields of grain as feed that the really big whitetails are found (up to 300 pounds carcass weight)
kj

[313 Mike]

Thanks for the comments men! I was in a portable ladder stand when I arrowed him...trailed that Buck for about 100 yards or so before I found him...good bright red foamy blood the whole way, indicative of a lung shot. We are only allowed one archery buck per year where I hunt, so that is it for me, although I do have an antlerless tag for the southern part of the state, but I won't have time to fill that unfortunately.
Of course gun season is a different story, I will have a separate buck tag to fill for that but it is only a 9 day season of which I will only be able to hunt opening weekend. All of which combines to make this buck all the more special, and me all the more grateful for it!
The dressed weight I was referring to is after gutting only. Head etc still on. Really big bucks around here get up to 200-215 lbs dressed, but those are the exception not the norm