Well, I guess big game is over for me

Guy Miner

Guy Miner

Master Loader
Apr 6, 2006
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For this year anyway. Put my buck in the freezer. My son has run out of time to hunt, we never got him a shot at a buck doggone it. I have a friend still hunting who might need some help over the next few days. Season ends Tuesday evening.

Mama and I talked about elk - but if I got one... What would I do with it? There's no room left in the freezer. We still have plenty of meat from that great 2016 fall season... So, not going elk hunting.

Time to shift to upland game! :grin: Pheasant, chukar, Clark The Dog, shotguns. Yes!

And perhaps some winter fly fishing, though there's no steelhead season this year due to low numbers of them returning to the Columbia River.

Then there are coyotes... With of course the potential for a cougar.. I really enjoy getting out there, particularly once the snow flies, with a rifle, on snowshoes, using the mouth-blown predator call. Never know what's going to respond to the call. I'll probably use the 25-06 for most of my coyote hunting, but... I'd really like to get that old, 1913 vintage, .22 Hi Power Savage 99 afield again. I don't think it has been used for hunting in 50 years! Shoots okay, not great, but okay.

Guy
 
We always look forward to the up coming seasons
and they go so quickly!
Maybe you could fill your elk tag and donate the meat to a local church or God's Kitchen where many people could benefit from your efforts.

JD338
 
Good thoughts guys - I guess I'm also just feeling like I've done enough "big game" hunting for the year.

Time to switch gears. Been a while since I've used the fly rod, and my dog is bugging me for another outing for birds.

Guy
 
I hear you Guy... I actually look forward to the time of year the freezer is full. I like switching over to "guiding" friends and family and chasing birds! Perhaps my favorite part of the hunting season.
 
I still have some deer meat from the 2016 season. I planned to get one big buck this season and a small hog for some chorizo and pan sausage,,,hopefully. I will have some room left in the freezer for a nilgai coming in January.
 
TackDriver284":1sop4a55 said:
I still have some deer meat from the 2016 season. I planned to get one big buck this season and a small hog for some chorizo and pan sausage,,,hopefully. I will have some room left in the freezer for a nilgai coming in January.
Click to expand...

Nilgai! (y) Cool. I've often read about hunting them. Those, and a few other "imports" interest me:

Nilgai, Aoudad, Gemsbok/Oryx, and blackbuck are all of some interest to me. I hope you get that nilgai in the freezer as well. I hear that the meat is delicious!

Guy
 
The church suggestion is great. We host a wild game dinner. I’ll have to ask, I think we’re going on 12 Year’s now. The first one drew probably 80-100 people and we did it pot luck style. The last 7 Year’s we’re selling out at 550 people...we found a retired restauranter who loves to cater wild game, we give him what we can... and he buys the rest from the wholesalers...Guy, get the elk, then figure out who to give it too. Maybe even an elk dinner for the boys in blue....they could eat a whole elk.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Guy,

I agree, the elk suggestions are really good.

In my off time and past deer and elk season, while I used to live in Wyoming, I would keep my shooting skills honed by going coyote hunting, and going prairie dog shooting.

Coyote became such a challenge, and I found it to be one of the best forms of hunting I love to do.
I used an old Ruger M77 in .25-06 for my coyote and prairie dog adventures, with a Harris bipod attached. My favorite load was using a 100 gr Sierra Gameking bullet using IMR 4350 powder pushing out at 3350 fps.

Fotis can tell you of my exploits if you want to ask.
If I tell you, you would probably think I was telling tall tales. LOL

I can say that with that .25-06, I got my best coyote at 450-475 yds, in the middle of an almost blizzard, shooting left handed, which I usually shoot right handed, freezing half to death, shivering like a leaf.

Sent from my LG-TP450 using Tapatalk
 
Ya, the 25-06 is one heck of a coyote cartridge. Never had a coyote go anywhere after being hit... From 140 - 425 yards or so. Just bang/down. :)

Okay, IF I go. IF I get an elk. I'll keep some backstrap steaks for my family and donate the rest. I know a fellow who runs a homeless shelter here in town. There might be a .375" bullet hole to work around. I don't think that will be a problem! :)

Getting the elk... Now that could be difficult.

Guy
 
Guy Miner":21hnwlwd said:
For this year anyway. Put my buck in the freezer. My son has run out of time to hunt, we never got him a shot at a buck doggone it. I have a friend still hunting who might need some help over the next few days. Season ends Tuesday evening.

Mama and I talked about elk - but if I got one... What would I do with it? There's no room left in the freezer. We still have plenty of meat from that great 2016 fall season... So, not going elk hunting.

Time to shift to upland game! :grin: Pheasant, chukar, Clark The Dog, shotguns. Yes!

And perhaps some winter fly fishing, though there's no steelhead season this year due to low numbers of them returning to the Columbia River.

Then there are coyotes... With of course the potential for a cougar.. I really enjoy getting out there, particularly once the snow flies, with a rifle, on snowshoes, using the mouth-blown predator call. Never know what's going to respond to the call. I'll probably use the 25-06 for most of my coyote hunting, but... I'd really like to get that old, 1913 vintage, .22 Hi Power Savage 99 afield again. I don't think it has been used for hunting in 50 years! Shoots okay, not great, but okay.

Guy
Click to expand...

Where do you prefer to wet your line? I have always wanted to try out winter fly fishing, but I have always been more of a still water fisherman.

Coyotes are on my agenda this winter as well.

As for upland...well I got a grouse this weekend :mrgreen:
 
I have one more hunt scheduled the first of the month, so I am currently cleaning and fixing a few broken items and hope to be ready to go a couple of days a head of time.
 
5shot":1h2sj1ph said:
Where do you prefer to wet your line? I have always wanted to try out winter fly fishing, but I have always been more of a still water fisherman.

Coyotes are on my agenda this winter as well.

As for upland...well I got a grouse this weekend :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Love to fly fish for steelhead on the Methow & Wenatchee rivers, but with no steelhead season, I'll likely just go to the Yakima River, and maybe out to Rocky Ford for rainbow.

Guy
 
Sounds like fun. Some day I'll have to give Steelhead a try. Lived in WA my whole life and have never done it.
 
Guy,
I hear you. Our freezer is packed full of elk and green chile, but I’d love to get back out there for whitetail when it opens up for rifle season. When the season ends, I always enjoy shifting over to coyote to keep tuned up for the next year. I love everything about it to be honest, the driving and walking through snow, digging myself out of snow drifts, calling in inclement weather and the absolute thrill of having a predator come into a mouth call. Best of luck, but what a great dilemma to find yourself in!
V/R,
Joe
 
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