Free: Contests & Raffles.
Quote from: yorketransport on June 14, 2019, 12:22:54 PMCome on now, you should get at least a 380 class bull on the opening day of archery; you're a trained professional! Anything less than 400” from you really disappointing, all the years of scouting the unit, your expert eyes on judging antler size, etc......Really if you think about it this could make or break your business, who would want to book a hunt with a professional guide that can’t get himself a monster bull in a slam dunk unit.🤣
Come on now, you should get at least a 380 class bull on the opening day of archery; you're a trained professional!
Quote from: Boss .300 winmag on June 15, 2019, 08:19:48 AMQuote from: yorketransport on June 14, 2019, 12:22:54 PMCome on now, you should get at least a 380 class bull on the opening day of archery; you're a trained professional! Anything less than 400” from you really disappointing, all the years of scouting the unit, your expert eyes on judging antler size, etc......Really if you think about it this could make or break your business, who would want to book a hunt with a professional guide that can’t get himself a monster bull in a slam dunk unit.🤣 I know you guys are poking fun, but I am going to explain how I'm a bit different than some hunters. Size is generally not the most important thing to me personally, anyone who has been in my home knows this, I have some mounts of animals that score OK and other mounts that some hunters would have thrown in a horn pile in the garage or just thrown out. My hunters have taken most of the biggest animals I have hunted including the former world record cougar. My Idaho moose barely eeks out a P&Y score, most of my hunters have killed larger, but that moose is one of my fondest memories, we grunted him in and I stalked even closer, the bull quit rubbing and stepped out broadside at 15 yards, I made the decision to take him because I was packing a bow that day even knowing I could kill a better bull with my rifle on a different day, I've never regretted that decision. Almost all of our kids first animals are mounted due to the fact that those were their first kills. Yes, in between some of the bigger bucks are shoulder mounts of a spike, a fork horn, a couple 3x3's and a doe. That doe is one of the prettiest deer mounts in my house and when I go sit in my trophy room I relive the hunts of those small bucks as fondly as the bigger ones. For my family the memories, the beauty of the animal, and filling the freezer are three of the most important reasons for hunting and for putting an animal on the wall. It really doesn't concern me what anyone else expects, I've mentioned what my personal expectations are, I'd love to find a bull over 340 but know there are very few bulls over 360 in this unit, during the archery season I'll take any good 6x6 if I can get him with my bow, an elk is something I've never taken with my bow. During the early rifle season and muzzy season I'll be more selective, I've got mounted bulls from rifle and muzzy hunts, but once I get to the late rifle hunt I'll take a small bull so that we will have enough elk meat in the freezer to get us through the year. The best part of this hunt is going to be camping with my long time friend John (who guided for me 20 years ago) and his son who has a tag, and then my son is coming on the early rifle hunt, that will be a special time. Then for the muzzy hunt and the late rifle hunt I'll take along one or two of my long time guides. Earlier today I called and lined up the horses for all the hunts, I'll even be able to take along some of my favorite horses, it's going to be a blast and we'll look over a bunch of elk, but when I applied for this unit I knew I was bypassing the opportunity to hunt a premium unit with 380 to 400+ bulls, but there are other hunts I'm hoping to do in the coming years in between my business obligations and I knew I would probably draw this tag this year so I applied for it. It's hunting and I fully understand Ill end up with whatever fate and my available time will allow. Even if I don't get a big bull, this hunt will hopefully be my most memorable elk hunt due to the long anticipation and the other people involved with the hunt.Here's to the unknown this fall...
Congrats Dale, looking forward to following along.
Damn, sounds like fun! Except the car problems, hope that gets better.