2026 Hunting Season

Hunted with my oldest daughter on Saturday in south east utah. All private land, difficult tag to draw and of Course she drew it on a year when she was pregnant. Her husband was out of state at a funeral so I got to be the guide.
Shot was 275 years off sticks. He was going nowhere but needed a finisher, which she placed at 100 and managed not to ruin any meat. First shot was most likely liver but I did not gut this one so as not to antagonize the girl with the heightened sense of smell/nausea. My rem700 7mm-08 and 150 ablr.
He was the biggest bodied deer in a large group and we saw lots of bucks but he and three or four others over two days were all in the same age/size class-I made a mistake and called him a 4x4 but we would have shot him either way-she was over the moon with him and the whole experience. It’s been a good year for her!IMG_4500.jpeg

IMG_4494.jpeg
I like the little spur on the left side. She did not know about character points
Made her take off her orange hat and vest for the photos-IMG_4496.jpeg
 
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Your daughter has every right to be smiling. Excellent work on her part, and excellent work guiding, Dad.
 
Hunted with my oldest daughter on Saturday in south east utah. All private land, difficult tag to draw and of Course she drew it on a year when she was pregnant. Her husband was out of state at a funeral so I got to be the guide.
Shot was 275 years off sticks. He was going nowhere but needed a finisher, which she placed at 100 and managed not to ruin any meat. First shot was most likely liver but I did not gut this one so as not to antagonize the girl with the heightened sense of smell/nausea. My rem700 7mm-08 and 150 ablr.
He was the biggest bodied deer in a large group and we saw lots of bucks but he and three or four others over two days were all in the same age/size class-I made a mistake and called him a 4x4 but we would have shot him either way-she was over the moon with him and the whole experience. It’s been a good year for her!View attachment 30381

View attachment 30382
I like the little spur on the left side. She did not know about character points
Made her take off her orange hat and vest for the photos-View attachment 30383
Congrats to your daughter. Nice buck.
 
Oct 10th early in the morning on Sheep Creek, 130 yards down about a 45 degree slope.
Rifle = Nosler M48 Heritage in 26 Nosler
Cartridge = 142 Gr AccuBond Long Range
Deer = 4x3 Blacktail with decent eyeguards

Bullet hit the front of the neck (picture 3) exited the back of the neck (picture 4), hit the left rear ham and lodged in the joint (picture 5) recovered bullet diameter and weight.
Looks like good black tail ground
 
Hunted with my oldest daughter on Saturday in south east utah. All private land, difficult tag to draw and of Course she drew it on a year when she was pregnant. Her husband was out of state at a funeral so I got to be the guide.
Shot was 275 years off sticks. He was going nowhere but needed a finisher, which she placed at 100 and managed not to ruin any meat. First shot was most likely liver but I did not gut this one so as not to antagonize the girl with the heightened sense of smell/nausea. My rem700 7mm-08 and 150 ablr.
He was the biggest bodied deer in a large group and we saw lots of bucks but he and three or four others over two days were all in the same age/size class-I made a mistake and called him a 4x4 but we would have shot him either way-she was over the moon with him and the whole experience. It’s been a good year for her!View attachment 30381

View attachment 30382
I like the little spur on the left side. She did not know about character points
Made her take off her orange hat and vest for the photos-View attachment 30383
That’s a dandy, I’d have shot him in a heartbeat.
 
Messenger_creation_C63AC451-0D7C-43A5-B91E-DB60EE1567C5.jpeg

530 lbs 33 1/3" spread. Got him on the last day of hunting, I used a 30-06 with 180gr Accubonds and my hunting partner used a 338 Federal with 225 Speer BTSP. We were chasing a paddle but he slipped us on the stalk and we saw this guy in the next field over. We didn't see any other moose all week, happy to tag out at all. Self guided.
 
Hunted with my oldest daughter on Saturday in south east utah. All private land, difficult tag to draw and of Course she drew it on a year when she was pregnant. Her husband was out of state at a funeral so I got to be the guide.
Shot was 275 years off sticks. He was going nowhere but needed a finisher, which she placed at 100 and managed not to ruin any meat. First shot was most likely liver but I did not gut this one so as not to antagonize the girl with the heightened sense of smell/nausea. My rem700 7mm-08 and 150 ablr.
He was the biggest bodied deer in a large group and we saw lots of bucks but he and three or four others over two days were all in the same age/size class-I made a mistake and called him a 4x4 but we would have shot him either way-she was over the moon with him and the whole experience. It’s been a good year for her!View attachment 30381

View attachment 30382
I like the little spur on the left side. She did not know about character points
Made her take off her orange hat and vest for the photos-View attachment 30383
Congratulations to your daughter. That looks like a great buck. Nice of you to do the field dressing.
 
View attachment 30385

530 lbs 33 1/3" spread. Got him on the last day of hunting, I used a 30-06 with 180gr Accubonds and my hunting partner used a 338 Federal with 225 Speer BTSP. We were chasing a paddle but he slipped us on the stalk and we saw this guy in the next field over. We didn't see any other moose all week, happy to tag out at all. Self guided.
Congratulations on the moose.
 
Hunted with my oldest daughter on Saturday in south east utah. All private land, difficult tag to draw and of Course she drew it on a year when she was pregnant. Her husband was out of state at a funeral so I got to be the guide.
Shot was 275 years off sticks. He was going nowhere but needed a finisher, which she placed at 100 and managed not to ruin any meat. First shot was most likely liver but I did not gut this one so as not to antagonize the girl with the heightened sense of smell/nausea. My rem700 7mm-08 and 150 ablr.
He was the biggest bodied deer in a large group and we saw lots of bucks but he and three or four others over two days were all in the same age/size class-I made a mistake and called him a 4x4 but we would have shot him either way-she was over the moon with him and the whole experience. It’s been a good year for her!View attachment 30381

View attachment 30382
I like the little spur on the left side. She did not know about character points
Made her take off her orange hat and vest for the photos-View attachment 30383
That’s a nice muley your daughter got.
View attachment 30385

530 lbs 33 1/3" spread. Got him on the last day of hunting, I used a 30-06 with 180gr Accubonds and my hunting partner used a 338 Federal with 225 Speer BTSP. We were chasing a paddle but he slipped us on the stalk and we saw this guy in the next field over. We didn't see any other moose all week, happy to tag out at all. Self guided.
Congrats on the moose.
 
My buck-rather small but will accomplish my plans nicely. 28 nosler and 175 ablr, shot was 250 off sticks, kind of a no brainer except I had to sneak the bullet through a gap in the aspens. It was a neat experience and I got the trailer out before the expected rain and snow-IMG_4518.jpeg
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Entry hole-saved the bottom jaw for aging and had the fish and game dig out the brain stem for chronic wasting testing
IMG_4507.jpeg
Exit wound. He dropped literally in his tracks but the bullet did hit the “elbow” on the exit side so I’m sure that prevented him taking any steps
 
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