Trailer Trash

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Hunt picture thread (Read 65 times)

Low_O2


    Since a few people wanted to see pictures of my elk and I know there are a handful of hunters around here, I thought I would start a thread for anybody to post pictures from their hunts. So please feel free to post any hunting related photos you would like to share.

     

    Warning to those who don't want to see, there are pictures of animals in here.

     

    My 2013 Colorado high country mule deer. Shot with my bow at 18 yards after a 4 hour stalk at over 12,000ft. Backpacked 5 miles into the wilderness.

     

    My 2013 New Mexico elk. Shot with my bow 30 minutes into the season. Called him in to 20 yards. This was a solo hunt, so even though he was only 1/2 mile from the road it was a long hard day of caring for the meat and getting it all back to the truck.

    mecrowe


    Computer Geek

      Congratulations on harvesting two fine animals.  Very nice!

      LB2


        Impressive. That is a very good elk, but I am pretty sure that mule deer is a P&Y class deer. The elk may be, too. I am not that familiar with the scoring of elk, not that the score matters. But, it certainly makes a statement about the quality of the animal. Congratulations. I won't be posting anything until spring, but I hope to have a few nice turkeys to post.

        LB2

        Low_O2


          Impressive. That is a very good elk, but I am pretty sure that mule deer is a P&Y class deer. The elk may be, too. I am not that familiar with the scoring of elk, not that the score matters. But, it certainly makes a statement about the quality of the animal. Congratulations. I won't be posting anything until spring, but I hope to have a few nice turkeys to post.

           

          Thanks!

          Yes, the Mule deer is well above the P&Y minimum. I scored him at 168" (minimum is 145"), he is my biggest archery mule deer. The elk should make P&Y as the minimum is 260" and he should be closer to 300 I'm guessing. I will have to get a tape on him. Yes, score isn't all that important, but I like to measure them just as a reference. I have never entered any of my animals in the books.

          mtwarden


          running under the BigSky

            2013 has been a very good year for you!  Very nice buck and bull- I've been hunting with a rifle for decades and haven't harvested any deer or elk in that class, of course my occupation got in the way of taking much time for hunting Smile

             

            my grandson and I last year

             

             

             

             

             

             

            2023 goal 2023 miles  √

            2022 goal- 2022 miles √

            2021 goal- 2021 miles √

             

            LB2


              I figured that mule deer to be around 170; I guess that was a pretty good guess. I am almost certain that elk will go beyond the 260 minimum.

               

              Nice muley for you and your grandson, too, mtwarden. Your post reminded me to turn in a poacher today. I don't think they can do anything about what he did a year ago, but I was just informed about his bragging late last week. He shot a turkey out of season, which, to me, is about as bad as it gets for wildlife violations. He is a real turkey hunter.Angry

              LB2

              Daydreamer1


                Low-O2- Nice looking animals you have there, especially being taken with a bow.  We have a small herd of Elk here in northern Pa. Some year I hope to be able to draw a tag. They only give out a couple of hundred tags or less a year so they can be hard to get. Were you able to get the Elk out by just quartering it, or did you bone it out?

                 

                Warden - Nice deer there. Great way to get the young guy involved.

                 

                LB2 - I think poachers are scum. They and game hogs really piss me off.

                Low_O2


                  warden- nice buck. It's great that you took your grandson with. Some of my best memories are of when my dad took me along on hunts even though it was probably a hassle for him. Can't wait to take my son with me.

                   

                  daydreamer - I boned it out. Probably could have left the bones in but I hate carrying the extra weight out only to throw them out when I get home. Also, the boned out meat fits in the coolers a little better. Good luck on the PA elk draws, I think there are some really big elk there if I remember correctly.

                  mecrowe


                  Computer Geek

                    we do have some huge elk here in PA and tags are VERY difficult to get drawn.   I think the last several years, there have been about 50 tags given out and 20000-ish applicants.   But we all keep applying and hoping each year.  Smile

                    FTYC


                    Faster Than Your Couch!

                      Congratulations warden and O2, these are some great animals.

                       

                      I am not a hunter myself, but with 4 generations of hunters in my family, and having prepared (skinned, boned out, etc.) many animals myself (which my dad had shot), I know this is hard work. And the meat is well worth the effort!

                       

                      warden: I always wondered how you get the animal out after having killed it, now with the cart, that makes sense.

                       

                      O2: What exactly do you mean by "boning it out" (I'm not familiar with the lingo in English), remove virtually all bones, or just certain ones?

                      Run for fun.

                      mecrowe


                      Computer Geek

                         

                        O2: What exactly do you mean by "boning it out" (I'm not familiar with the lingo in English), remove virtually all bones, or just certain ones?

                         

                        I don't want to speak for O2 but when I have "boned out" an animal in the field it was removing all of the meat from the bones.  The large portions of meat (hind-quarters, back straps, front shoulders) are all fairly easily cut free from the skeletal system.  When you are done, you basically have an elk skeleton left behind.

                        Low_O2


                          Yep, just as mecrowe said. Cut all the meat off the bones and leave them in the field for the critters to snack on. Lightens the load quite a bit on a large animal and you can't eat bones anyway. Just finished chowing down some elk fajitas for lunch. Tasty! Smile

                          FTYC


                          Faster Than Your Couch!

                            Wow, that's a lot of work, guys. I have never boned out a whole animal, at least not in one sitting all by myself, and in the field. I cut it up into legs, neck, and the larger parts of the torso only, leaving almost all bones in. I cook it with the bones, except for tenderloins, shoulders, etc..

                             

                            How long does that take you? Do you take the skin off in the field already? Not afraid of being challenged by a bear over the meat?

                            Run for fun.

                            LB2


                              Most of mine are done about like mtwarden's picture. But we don't live or hunt in a wilderness area. I gut mine and drag it to the nearest road or in some cases, I can get down the trail to it on a four wheeler or in the truck. Either way, there is some time involved with deer, hogs, bears, elk, etc. That is another reason I love turkey hunting: Sling him over your shoulder and go. Well, unless you trip, fall, break your shoulder... Yeah, that happened once.

                              LB2

                              Low_O2



                                How long does that take you? Do you take the skin off in the field already? Not afraid of being challenged by a bear over the meat?

                                Yes it is a lot of work. A lot like ultra/trail running, lots of suffering and work but somehow it is enjoyable. Smile

                                 

                                The elk took me about 4 hours to bone out since I was alone and his hind end was wedged up against the tree. I cannot move an elk by myself without cutting half the meat off first, then it is still very difficult. Usually takes something like 1.5-2 hours when there is more than one person working on it. We remove the skin as well to help the meat cool off quickly. It's amazing how much heat the hide will hold.

                                 

                                Have never had a problem with bears being aggressive. Black bears are usually not an issue, but it happens occasionally with Grizzly bears farther North I believe. In 16 years of back country hunting we have only lost one hind quarter from an elk. That was probably because we stashed it away from the carcass and away from camp(no human scent around to keep them away) to retrieve later that night. A bear ate the entire ~80lb chunk of meat in a couple hours!

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