I am fairly new to this hunting gig having gone rifle hunting for the first time last year. Justin and I decided to get started since our boys are still young and we want to be able to take them when they get old enough (and we want to kind of know what we are doing before they get involved 
). So we jumped in with both feet last year: Antelope, Deer, and Elk.
Antelope hunting has been fantastic. We both filled two tags last year and I filled two this year including my first buck of any type. Elk hunting last year was great as well with both of us filling our tags on a great snow hunt.
Deer hunting has been a completely different story! Last year we took the advice of a buddy and went hunting near Eagle, CO. The result was horrific. Not only did we not fill either tag…we didn’t see a single deer the entire time..not one! We chalked it up to a bad year and our inexperience. So we changed venues this year and got deer tags near Craig, CO. Everything we heard was that this was the place to be so our luck was certain to change. We were so confident that we even brought Nick with us and got buck tags instead of doe tags.
The result was better right? W-R-O-N-G. Here is the grand total of deer we saw this year: Zip, zero, zilch, nada. Skunked again! And once again we didn’t even see a deer! We saw plenty of antelope (including a huge buck that makes me want to go back for him next year). Very. Frustrating.
We have determined that one of these reasons (or a combination) is why we have had bad luck with deer:
- We have no idea what we are doing…inexperience (I’m 100% sure this is at least part of the issue)
- We are in the wrong place (although we’ve tried 2 different locations)
- We are doing it wrong (we hiked, we sat, we drove…not sure which we’re supposed to do)
- There are no deer in Colorado (felt like it anyway)
So for now we are going to do one of the following going forward:
- Find someone who knows what they are doing (and where) and go with them.
- Start accumulating preference points until we can hunt in a better location.
- Give up on deer for the foreseeable future.
It certainly wasn’t a total loss. You can’t call two days with buddies and time spent in God’s country a waste of time…it was still fun, just not as much fun as we were hoping to have. And the Elk hunt is still to come so there is plenty to look forward to (might even come back with two this year). And the deer hunt keeps us humble and trying to improve…and it gives us something to pass along to our boys…you can’t win at everything, but you shouldn’t give up either (that is unless we give up 
.
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Two weekends ago several guys travelled up to the middle of Wyoming for our now annual Antelope hunt. There were four of us on that trip. Two of us had buck and doe tags (Virgil and I), two had doe tags (Justin and Nick). Within our first hour of getting to our area Virgil had his buck and he filled his doe tag the next day.
This was Nick’s first hunt and he filled his doe tag on the second day of the hunt (after having a shot at 150 yards he didn’t take because he couldn’t settle down ). I wasn’t actually there (Virgil was his “guide”) but I hear it was a nice shot and it was a good-sized doe.
Justin wasn’t able to fill either of his doe tags (VERY unusual for this hunting area…just wasn’t his year I guess). I filled my doe tag on the second day. I had a shot on a buck the first day as well as the second day, but missed on both shots!! I could not believe it (and the first one was a very nice buck). We had to leave a little early because of some weather that was moving into the area (they actually got quite a bit of snow so it was a good decision).
However, that left me without a buck (since I couldn’t hit one to save my life). So, I went back this past Saturday to give it one more try. Another buddy of mine (Brett) was up there as well. I hunted alone in the morning with no luck and met up with Brett t about noon. I had one more stalk left so I headed out while Brett packed up his camp (he had shot his buck the morning prior).
Long story short…after a 2 hour stalk on a group of 75 antelope I finally got my first buck ever. The pack-out was brutal but in the end it’s always worth it. I didn’t have a camera with me in the field (couldn’t find it before I left) so here are some shots from home (not the greatest, but you get the idea):
He’s about a 12 inch buck (not great, but not bad either). I dropped him off at the taxidermist yesterday to get mounted (you gotta mount the first right?). The bad news? I get him back in about a YEAR! But the wait should be worth it. We (Justin, Nick and I) head out to Craig in two weeks for our deer hunt so hopefully there is a monster buck in my near future. 
And if not, I’m sure there will be plenty of tales to tell.
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I have had some technical difficulties this last week with my blog (couldn’t load the page where I actually create a post)…but I’m back…and then I’ll be gone until this weekend on the hunt. 
I have actually had a topic on my heart for the past few days that I’m glad I finally get to share…I’m so impatient, but it has given time for God to continue to work on this area in my life. It comes out of John chapter 12:
Those who love their life in this world will lose it.
Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
John 12:25, NLT
On the surface seems pretty innocent, but it’s anything but “innocent”. This is hard teaching here from Jesus. Think about the implications…if we love our life in this world (at all) then we will lose eternity. We have to “care nothing” for our life in this world—we are supposed to be “other worldly minded”. I don’t know about you, but that’s not always the way I walk and live. Quite often I am very “this world” oriented.
But what Jesus is really getting at here is whether we are a believer or a follower of Christ. Do we just believe His words and teachings OR do we actually follow them? Are we really developing a relationship with Christ or are we simply “practicing Christianity” (do we even know the difference)? Can I honestly say that I hate my life in this world and that my full hope is in the eternal life that’s coming?
Where is my heart? Where is my mind? What’s my focus?
Am I “All In” or am I holding a little back for the next round?
These are the hard questions God is working on in my life…
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One week from today I will be in the middle of Wyoming hunting antelope for 5 days (hopefully it will only take 1 or 2). This is my second year hunting (you can see the results of last year’s hunt here) and my first year with a buck tag. There are five of us going on this particular hunt this year and I can’t wait to get up there and get started!
I officially have hunting fever…I am so ready to hit the road and get started. Hopefully I come home with some meat for the fridge and something like this to hang on the wall (in the garage of course):
I will have all the details (along with pictures) when I get back. Until then I’ll have to live with my fever…the anticipation is killing me! 
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