Spikes taken with Quality permit

[Pegasus]

I'll speak up....I am the one in the Entiat that shot spike zilla!!     

For inquiring minds, I will share the story.  I drew the tag with 6 points.  I had the entire season off.....until I switched jobs at the start of September.  Not having any vacation, I managed to trade a few days and ended up with 6 full days of hunting.  I changed my mentality with only having six days and still wanting to make it a quality experience.  I took my son out of school to spend the entire hunt with me.  I had my hunting buddy and a few random friends stop in to enjoy camp life with the shortened days of hunting.  I set up my new wall tent and figured we would make the best out of a shorter season than I would have wanted.  We spotted quite a few very nice bucks, some that were out of stalking range and others that I just blew stocks on.....that is part of archery hunting.  I passed up shots daily on 3 points....some of them very nice 3 points.  My hunting buddy said I would regret it....but I knew I wouldn't.  I would rather shoot a spike on the last day than shoot a 3 point on day 2-3 or 4.  I blew a stock on a huge 4x4 that I got to within 30 yards of.  I had multiple blown stocks on 160+ bucks (3 or 4).  We saw tons of deer, had a ton of fun and the last evening hunt, I decided to shoot a spike or 2 pt to fill the freezer.  My son was by my side and got to help drag it out, gut it, skin it and ultimately be part of the entire 6 day hunt.  Hands down one of the best hunts I have ever had. 

Sure, do I wish I had shot one of the big boys.....OBVIOUSLY YES!!  Do I regret filling the freezer with spike zilla....NO.  I purposely didn't do a write up on here because people are cruel and I didn't want my son reading it.  To him this spike had just as much bone as a 190 class muley.  I personally don't care what people say about me, but I find myself protecting my kids from people that think quality means antlers.  I teach my kids that quality was 6 days in the field with my son and best friend (hunting buddy). 

Here are pics of what Quality means to me!!!  Bobcat, as a moderator your question of "who does that?" Is mildly insulting.  Of all people .... showing a little restraint and promoting our sport as something more that bone=quality.......

Well done. Looks like you made some memories for your son and yourself to share forever. Nothing wrong with wanting to bring some meat home after a hunt and I am surprised that anyone would question it.

[Mtnwalker]

I'll speak up....I am the one in the Entiat that shot spike zilla!!     

For inquiring minds, I will share the story.  I drew the tag with 6 points.  I had the entire season off.....until I switched jobs at the start of September.  Not having any vacation, I managed to trade a few days and ended up with 6 full days of hunting.  I changed my mentality with only having six days and still wanting to make it a quality experience.  I took my son out of school to spend the entire hunt with me.  I had my hunting buddy and a few random friends stop in to enjoy camp life with the shortened days of hunting.  I set up my new wall tent and figured we would make the best out of a shorter season than I would have wanted.  We spotted quite a few very nice bucks, some that were out of stalking range and others that I just blew stocks on.....that is part of archery hunting.  I passed up shots daily on 3 points....some of them very nice 3 points.  My hunting buddy said I would regret it....but I knew I wouldn't.  I would rather shoot a spike on the last day than shoot a 3 point on day 2-3 or 4.  I blew a stock on a huge 4x4 that I got to within 30 yards of.  I had multiple blown stocks on 160+ bucks (3 or 4).  We saw tons of deer, had a ton of fun and the last evening hunt, I decided to shoot a spike or 2 pt to fill the freezer.  My son was by my side and got to help drag it out, gut it, skin it and ultimately be part of the entire 6 day hunt.  Hands down one of the best hunts I have ever had. 

Sure, do I wish I had shot one of the big boys.....OBVIOUSLY YES!!  Do I regret filling the freezer with spike zilla....NO.  I purposely didn't do a write up on here because people are cruel and I didn't want my son reading it.  To him this spike had just as much bone as a 190 class muley.  I personally don't care what people say about me, but I find myself protecting my kids from people that think quality means antlers.  I teach my kids that quality was 6 days in the field with my son and best friend (hunting buddy). 

Here are pics of what Quality means to me!!!  Bobcat, as a moderator your question of "who does that?" Is mildly insulting.  Of all people .... showing a little restraint and promoting our sport as something more that bone=quality.......

There you go, awesome stuff right there. When my kid gets old enough to go with me I’ll take a hunt like that over killing a stud by myself any day of the week

[Bucks2Ducks]

Thanks for the post Jrebel, glad you got to enjoy your hunt!

[Southpole]

That’s awesome, sounded like a quality hunt to me!

[Colville]

If quality were a second deer tag and I had filled a general tag.  Spike would walk.  However, the single most enjoyed thing about a deer for me, is how it tastes.  Push comes to shove and I'm eating deer.

Jrebel, with a young man in tow, i'd take a deer at the end for sure.  It's a great chance to go through the whole process, hunt, dress, bone, package/prepare and then later, how to serve.  Zero chances with a young man like yours that I'd have passed up that opportunity at the end of the game.  Happy for you.

[huntnfmly]

I'll speak up....I am the one in the Entiat that shot spike zilla!!     

For inquiring minds, I will share the story.  I drew the tag with 6 points.  I had the entire season off.....until I switched jobs at the start of September.  Not having any vacation, I managed to trade a few days and ended up with 6 full days of hunting.  I changed my mentality with only having six days and still wanting to make it a quality experience.  I took my son out of school to spend the entire hunt with me.  I had my hunting buddy and a few random friends stop in to enjoy camp life with the shortened days of hunting.  I set up my new wall tent and figured we would make the best out of a shorter season than I would have wanted.  We spotted quite a few very nice bucks, some that were out of stalking range and others that I just blew stocks on.....that is part of archery hunting.  I passed up shots daily on 3 points....some of them very nice 3 points.  My hunting buddy said I would regret it....but I knew I wouldn't.  I would rather shoot a spike on the last day than shoot a 3 point on day 2-3 or 4.  I blew a stock on a huge 4x4 that I got to within 30 yards of.  I had multiple blown stocks on 160+ bucks (3 or 4).  We saw tons of deer, had a ton of fun and the last evening hunt, I decided to shoot a spike or 2 pt to fill the freezer.  My son was by my side and got to help drag it out, gut it, skin it and ultimately be part of the entire 6 day hunt.  Hands down one of the best hunts I have ever had. 

Sure, do I wish I had shot one of the big boys.....OBVIOUSLY YES!!  Do I regret filling the freezer with spike zilla....NO.  I purposely didn't do a write up on here because people are cruel and I didn't want my son reading it.  To him this spike had just as much bone as a 190 class muley.  I personally don't care what people say about me, but I find myself protecting my kids from people that think quality means antlers.  I teach my kids that quality was 6 days in the field with my son and best friend (hunting buddy). 

Here are pics of what Quality means to me!!!  Bobcat, as a moderator your question of "who does that?" Is mildly insulting.  Of all people .... showing a little restraint and promoting our sport as something more that bone=quality.......

That there is the definition of a quality hunt with family and friends congrats

[Bulldozer77]

I'll speak up....I am the one in the Entiat that shot spike zilla!!     

For inquiring minds, I will share the story.  I drew the tag with 6 points.  I had the entire season off.....until I switched jobs at the start of September.  Not having any vacation, I managed to trade a few days and ended up with 6 full days of hunting.  I changed my mentality with only having six days and still wanting to make it a quality experience.  I took my son out of school to spend the entire hunt with me.  I had my hunting buddy and a few random friends stop in to enjoy camp life with the shortened days of hunting.  I set up my new wall tent and figured we would make the best out of a shorter season than I would have wanted.  We spotted quite a few very nice bucks, some that were out of stalking range and others that I just blew stocks on.....that is part of archery hunting.  I passed up shots daily on 3 points....some of them very nice 3 points.  My hunting buddy said I would regret it....but I knew I wouldn't.  I would rather shoot a spike on the last day than shoot a 3 point on day 2-3 or 4.  I blew a stock on a huge 4x4 that I got to within 30 yards of.  I had multiple blown stocks on 160+ bucks (3 or 4).  We saw tons of deer, had a ton of fun and the last evening hunt, I decided to shoot a spike or 2 pt to fill the freezer.  My son was by my side and got to help drag it out, gut it, skin it and ultimately be part of the entire 6 day hunt.  Hands down one of the best hunts I have ever had. 

Sure, do I wish I had shot one of the big boys.....OBVIOUSLY YES!!  Do I regret filling the freezer with spike zilla....NO.  I purposely didn't do a write up on here because people are cruel and I didn't want my son reading it.  To him this spike had just as much bone as a 190 class muley.  I personally don't care what people say about me, but I find myself protecting my kids from people that think quality means antlers.  I teach my kids that quality was 6 days in the field with my son and best friend (hunting buddy). 

Here are pics of what Quality means to me!!!  Bobcat, as a moderator your question of "who does that?" Is mildly insulting.  Of all people .... showing a little restraint and promoting our sport as something more that bone=quality.......

This right here is awesome!!!....... And those jars of stew meat 

[jstone]

Awesome archery entiat spike hunt. Good for you and with the kid.
Can you tell me where you set up your tent? If I draw this year I will be taking a walk tent.

[jrebel]

Awesome archery entiat spike hunt. Good for you and with the kid.
Can you tell me where you set up your tent? If I draw this year I will be taking a walk tent.

This was in the bottom of Mud.  Most late season hunters set up in this general area as it is centrally located making it easy to go anywhere.  Lots of flat ground too. 

[jstone]

Ya I was thinking of the spot on the corner of mud and where it goes over to Oklahoma Gulch

[Pegasus]

Ya I was thinking of the spot on the corner of mud and where it goes over to Oklahoma Gulch

How many points you gots? Seems like you are doing a lot of planning(or dreaming) for a tag you have not drawn, yet.

[jrebel]

Ya I was thinking of the spot on the corner of mud and where it goes over to Oklahoma Gulch

Lots of great spots.  We hope to be back this year or next with by buddy drawing.   We never put in as a group because we want to experience the hunt as often as we can.  If one of us draw the other goes as a spotter and beer drinking buddy.  By doing it this way we get twice as many experiences even though one of us can not hunt.   We love being in the field that time of the year.  If we hammer a big boy....awesome!!  If we don't, we are at least making memories for a lifetime. 

[KP-Skagit]

I'll speak up....I am the one in the Entiat that shot spike zilla!!     

For inquiring minds, I will share the story.  I drew the tag with 6 points.  I had the entire season off.....until I switched jobs at the start of September.  Not having any vacation, I managed to trade a few days and ended up with 6 full days of hunting.  I changed my mentality with only having six days and still wanting to make it a quality experience.  I took my son out of school to spend the entire hunt with me.  I had my hunting buddy and a few random friends stop in to enjoy camp life with the shortened days of hunting.  I set up my new wall tent and figured we would make the best out of a shorter season than I would have wanted.  We spotted quite a few very nice bucks, some that were out of stalking range and others that I just blew stocks on.....that is part of archery hunting.  I passed up shots daily on 3 points....some of them very nice 3 points.  My hunting buddy said I would regret it....but I knew I wouldn't.  I would rather shoot a spike on the last day than shoot a 3 point on day 2-3 or 4.  I blew a stock on a huge 4x4 that I got to within 30 yards of.  I had multiple blown stocks on 160+ bucks (3 or 4).  We saw tons of deer, had a ton of fun and the last evening hunt, I decided to shoot a spike or 2 pt to fill the freezer.  My son was by my side and got to help drag it out, gut it, skin it and ultimately be part of the entire 6 day hunt.  Hands down one of the best hunts I have ever had. 

Sure, do I wish I had shot one of the big boys.....OBVIOUSLY YES!!  Do I regret filling the freezer with spike zilla....NO.  I purposely didn't do a write up on here because people are cruel and I didn't want my son reading it.  To him this spike had just as much bone as a 190 class muley.  I personally don't care what people say about me, but I find myself protecting my kids from people that think quality means antlers.  I teach my kids that quality was 6 days in the field with my son and best friend (hunting buddy). 

Here are pics of what Quality means to me!!!  Bobcat, as a moderator your question of "who does that?" Is mildly insulting.  Of all people .... showing a little restraint and promoting our sport as something more that bone=quality.......

I for one very much enjoyed the story! I am happy it got shared eventually.

[RB]

I had the Entiat quality rifle tag in 2016, due to time constraints and not having a crew to go with me, I nearly shot the first two point I saw close to the road. I understand everyones definition of a "quality" hunt is different and we all dream of spending days at a time in the woods to shoot a record Buck, but reality is, life happens.

I had the Peaches Ridge Elk rifle tag in 2003 spent the first seven days of the season in the brush and finally found a nice five point, and straight up missed! Due to work I had to go home but was able to return for the last weekend of the season but could not find another bull. Having the tent set up and spending time with friends and family will always be remembered.

[Karl Blanchard]

I can kinda sorta see Bobcats point in a way. Guys wait 20 years to draw a quality tag and can't. Lots think it's as easy as just drawing the tag and then just drive around and pop a gagger buck so they see young deer being taken and think "why in the world?".

Lots of factors go into ones expectations. If a guy has only shot a few animals and still has that blood lust it's hard to pass legal animals.

The pressure of a quality permit can also drive guys to punch out. You see the same thing with out of state tags. A guy pays $500 for a deer tag and they feel they HAVE to fill it.

Jrebels story is another good example of tailoring ones standards of a trophy.

Meat is another factor. My line for any hunt is always directly related to my freezer status. Two years ago I had a quality archery elk tag. I passed half a dozen bulls that week. Some pretty good ones too. Never found what I was looking for but my freezer was danger low and I had a good opportunity at a spike on the last day. My options were hunt to the bitter end for a good bull but ultimately have to possibly settle on some of my other tags in order to pad the freezer or I could kill the spike and allow myself the breathing room to be more selective on my other hunts. Meat first always in our house. That's hunting.

Ultimately I stand by my original comment:

Day 1 or day 10 I care not one bit what someone else does with THEIR tag. Shoot what makes you happy and apologize to know one.