The best tasting tag soup yet

[Netminder01]

Like most of you, I filled up on early archery OTC tag soup but as it turns out, quite satisfied by a few cool encounters I wanted to share. Nope, not a fired up 300"+ 6x6 at 15 yards or even a last day 3x1rag at 50 - but people. Random interactions with strangers who made this past week a memorable chapter of archery hunting and stories that provide perspective in the most unexpected times.

First - thank you to a few peeps on here who took the time to point me in the right direction on a unit I’ve not hunted and embarrassingly not scouted. I enjoy the scouting and prep nearly as much as the hunt itself but the past few years have been crazy. I’ve learned so much over the years from the entire HuntWA community, most of whom I’ve never met face to face. There are many to thank, but a few related to this trip are Vandeman17, Jackelope and ElkCollector82. Thanks a bunch fellas.

Like many, hunting (deer, elk, bear, ducks) is largely about the camp and hunting camaraderie. Usually, it’s with people I know - not random strangers on a trail, outside a meadow, humping up a ridge or logging road. Below are two people who stopped me in my tracks this past week and I won’t be forgetting them anytime soon. There were others, but I don’t have time to list them all now. What a trip!

1. I met Scott as we headed up to an area I scouted earlier in the week and wanted to hunt after the weather settled down. The top of a mountain, dead-end road, meadows, water, cover and not so easy access. As we approached the end of the road, we passed a truck and decided to turn around to say hello.

Yes, everyone has challenges and heartache but Scott’s personal story spanning divorce, family and his business of 25+ years was brutally sobering to hear. He didn’t seem like the kind to share the things he did with two perfect strangers and normally, I’d be pressed to be in a spot hours before the evening sit began but we all remained talking for nearly 2 hours and could’ve kept going. Scott’s grit and determination were admirable but his attitude and personality made talking as the golden hour approached completely worth it. I ended up backing off the mountain allowing him to hunt this area; I sure hope he was successful.

2. Charlie is a camp host at one of the lakes we were considering hiking through to get into elevation. Initially, I wanted to pick his brain for elk activity, the success of other hunters, etc. As we got into the conversation, he shared some of his own bow hunting prowess over the past 25 years... 14 elk in this unit alone; all taken out whole - that’s right, whole! Remote wilderness w/ no road or ORV access and he didn’t use pack mules. He knew the area, the elk and was clearly a bad ass bowhunter. As we stood outside his RV shivering, he went on to share this was the first season in 25 he had to miss; why? Leukemia.

Thankfully, he’s on the tail end of chemo and weeks away from his final set of post-chemo follow-ups. Probably like many of you, cancer has touched my circle of friends more than once and never easy. I sure connected with Scott’s story and his zest for life given the circumstances he faces. I regret not asking for his contact information nor snapping a pic but will be following up to stay in touch. It’s hard to describe the impact the news and his personality had on me.

You never know when a perfect stranger will make an imprint on lives, we can only hope to be attentive and ready for it when our paths cross. We are so blessed to be able to get out the woods with other hunting and outdoor enthusiasts who for the most part, are great - likeminded people.

Tag soup will never fill the freezer but these unsuspecting strangers sure helped nourish my soul.

[full choke]

 
Sometimes it is about more than killing...

[Elkcollector82]

A hunt based only on Trophies taken, Falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.

Fred Bear

It was a pleasure talking with you and getting to know you. I'm always up for a woods trip. Many seasons to come my friend. 

[blackpowderhunter]

i too ended up with tag soup for early archery..heres to hoping for late season success!
but also like you, met some fun people out in the woods.  One afternoon coming back up from an area my partner and I ran into two guys coming into the area..."Any luck?" "nope...what about you?"
I then shared I had a giant 6x6 feeding under my stand for the better part of 2 minutes at less than 15 yards, with no bull tag in hand.
This gentleman had a bull tag and jokingly said, "where's he at?" as he had a coveted bull tag.
I pulled out my phone, pulled up google earth, and showed him the pocket where he'd been roaming.
Later the next day he stopped by camp and we chatted for the better part of an hour, just general bs'ing and hunting stories.  I shared that we had seen that same bull again that next day in the same general area.
My hunting buddy and I had to take off the next day due to family and work obligations, but I sure do hope this gentleman from yelm was able to cross paths with the bull and tag out.
I understand keeping well found areas to ourselves, but sometimes helping out in the success of others and seeing the joy on their face is just as exciting. 
 

[bracer40]

i too ended up with tag soup for early archery..heres to hoping for late season success!
but also like you, met some fun people out in the woods.  One afternoon coming back up from an area my partner and I ran into two guys coming into the area..."Any luck?" "nope...what about you?"
I then shared I had a giant 6x6 feeding under my stand for the better part of 2 minutes at less than 15 yards, with no bull tag in hand.
This gentleman had a bull tag and jokingly said, "where's he at?" as he had a coveted bull tag.
I pulled out my phone, pulled up google earth, and showed him the pocket where he'd been roaming.
Later the next day he stopped by camp and we chatted for the better part of an hour, just general bs'ing and hunting stories.  I shared that we had seen that same bull again that next day in the same general area.
My hunting buddy and I had to take off the next day due to family and work obligations, but I sure do hope this gentleman from yelm was able to cross paths with the bull and tag out.
I understand keeping well found areas to ourselves, but sometimes helping out in the success of others and seeing the joy on their face is just as exciting. 
 

Well said. You sound like someone I'd enjoy a hot or cold beverage or two with.
Jim

[Netminder01]

i too ended up with tag soup for early archery..heres to hoping for late season success!
but also like you, met some fun people out in the woods.  One afternoon coming back up from an area my partner and I ran into two guys coming into the area..."Any luck?" "nope...what about you?"
I then shared I had a giant 6x6 feeding under my stand for the better part of 2 minutes at less than 15 yards, with no bull tag in hand.
This gentleman had a bull tag and jokingly said, "where's he at?" as he had a coveted bull tag.
I pulled out my phone, pulled up google earth, and showed him the pocket where he'd been roaming.
Later the next day he stopped by camp and we chatted for the better part of an hour, just general bs'ing and hunting stories.  I shared that we had seen that same bull again that next day in the same general area.
My hunting buddy and I had to take off the next day due to family and work obligations, but I sure do hope this gentleman from yelm was able to cross paths with the bull and tag out.
I understand keeping well found areas to ourselves, but sometimes helping out in the success of others and seeing the joy on their face is just as exciting. 
 

Well said. You sound like someone I'd enjoy a hot or cold beverage or two with.
Jim

 

[Fireant11]

I started hunting late in life.  Grew up without a dad to get me into it.  At the tail end of a 20 yr Air Force career, I tagged along with a couple other flight suit wearing buddies from the office who decided they wanted to try elk hunting (they both grew up hunting deer in the mid-west).  We hunted together for 5 years.  Were lucky enough to get 1 spike.  What made this experience so great, was the camaraderie! 

After we retired, we all went to work for Boeing.  Unfortunately, our jobs never allowed for us to have the week-long hunting camps of days remembered.  The hunts consisted of setting up camp after working on Friday, and coming home on Sunday evening.  Needless to say we weren't successful.  I broke off and tried my hand at archery for a few years with some other friends.  It was never the same!

This year, the original group is getting back together.  We were lucky enough to get selected for a 4 person group Observatory Muzzy tag!  I'm looking forward to being reunited my buds who got me into hunting!  I'm looking forward our camp and sharing our experiences each day and memories of past camps!

Hunting is about people!  It's about sharing good times with good friends!  It's about enjoying the outdoors and understanding our place in God's universe!

Harvesting an animal is bonus!

[blackpowderhunter]

I started hunting late in life.  Grew up without a dad to get me into it.  At the tail end of a 20 yr Air Force career, I tagged along with a couple other flight suit wearing buddies from the office who decided they wanted to try elk hunting (they both grew up hunting deer in the mid-west).  We hunted together for 5 years.  Were lucky enough to get 1 spike.  What made this experience so great, was the camaraderie! 

After we retired, we all went to work for Boeing.  Unfortunately, our jobs never allowed for us to have the week-long hunting camps of days remembered.  The hunts consisted of setting up camp after working on Friday, and coming home on Sunday evening.  Needless to say we weren't successful.  I broke off and tried my hand at archery for a few years with some other friends.  It was never the same!

This year, the original group is getting back together.  We were lucky enough to get selected for a 4 person group Observatory Muzzy tag!  I'm looking forward to being reunited my buds who got me into hunting!  I'm looking forward our camp and sharing our experiences each day and memories of past camps!

Hunting is about people!  It's about sharing good times with good friends!  It's about enjoying the outdoors and understanding our place in God's universe!

Harvesting an animal is bonus!

i started fairly late too...22/23 ish, now at around 30, ok i guess im 31 now...i just am having a blast having made it into the community.
I thank my main hunting partner for getting me into this and now I am even more addicted than him at times.
For me it's the camaraderie.
I love meeting new people and sharing stories and intel while out in the woods..I get guys not wanting to share stuff online, its different.. but when im out and run into a guy burning boot leather and I feel he genuinely is out there for the same reason, I want to help him/her succeed.
Good luck to all for the rest of their seasons..
I'll be out there late season giving it my all as long as we dont get snowed out.
I'll make a post closer to the late season about where we'll be...I'll be out there with a winch, chains, shovels, and maybe a maxtrax or two and if the snows bad, I want guys to know my truck to come ask for help if needed 

[DWP]

All of the above is great stuff!

These are some of the best reasons to hunt

[Rainier10]

Great deal, I also ran into quite a few people that I enjoyed meeting in the woods.  Everyone that I interacted with was good people.