# Hunting Season



## SkyWarrior (Oct 31, 2012)

So, my house is a complete disaster, but we've got two bucks at the butcher's being processed.  We've seen some simply awesome country.  Now, we're going to go look for elk.

Elk have been the bane of my existence.   I can find animals in a heartbeat, especially deer, but elk seem to elude me.  We also have wolf and turkey tags.  And we have upland bird license.  Maybe, just maybe, we might find something.

So, has your hunting season begun -- and have you gotten anything yet?


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## RemudaOne (Oct 31, 2012)

Ours opens Saturday.... I have to hold down the fort while hubby goes to the lease. I'll be able to go later in the week while he stays here. Hope you get your elk . We don't have anything like that here but deer and turkey do nicely for us and I'll be putting some fish in the freezer as well.

Good luck and be safe!!


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## jodief100 (Oct 31, 2012)

We went out on youth weekend but came back empty handed.  We really don't have the time but I made a deal with an "urban farmer"  that he can hunt at our place in exchange for a hind quarter.  He bow hunts so has until February.  I really hope he gets two or three.


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## brentr (Oct 31, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

> but we've got two bucks at the butcher's being processed.
> 
> So, has your hunting season begun -- and have you gotten anything yet?


Pics??  Love to see hunting success stories.

VA hunting season is on now - archery - and muzzleloader opens Saturday.  General rifle opens Nov 17.  I'm trying muzzleloader for the first time this year.  Seen a couple nice bucks on the place where I hunt.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Oct 31, 2012)

Nice job Skywarrior!  Two bucks and on a search for elk.    I love elk meat.  And caribu for that matter.  Enjoy and I look forward to hearing more about your successful hunting season!


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## RemudaOne (Oct 31, 2012)

Here's a couple of pics of a buck that I scouted last week. 












And just for fun....


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## PendergrassRanch (Oct 31, 2012)

We didn't hunt deer this year because we bought a house last month but we did get our share of the spoils for the dogs  Drew went out duck hunting last weekend, he got one cinnamon teal.

An antelope that our buddy brought back from wyoming for the pups.  We also got about 10 blacktail and elk carcasses this year as well.


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 31, 2012)

Wow, you'd feed your pups an antelope?    That would so be for me!  Antelope is GOOD meat!  Blacktail and elk are tasty too!


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 31, 2012)

brentr said:
			
		

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Ah, we didn't bother with picts.  The two bucks were small -- spiker on one and the other was technically antlerless (nubs) but we hunted them in an area where the tag would be an either/or.  That'll be good eating, all the same.  The boys are yummy when young.


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## SkyWarrior (Oct 31, 2012)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

> Nice job Skywarrior!  Two bucks and on a search for elk.    I love elk meat.  And caribu for that matter.  Enjoy and I look forward to hearing more about your successful hunting season!


Alas, the last caribou were seen in Montana/Idaho were 20 years ago or better.  I suspect the woodland caribou here are extinct.  Don't know the cause, other than the wolves and grizzly.  Hunting caribou out here isn't legal because they're so rare.  We've got tons of forest, so a dwindling habitat isn't likely.  I suspect the caribou originally came from Canada and there wasn't that many of them to begin with.  Too bad.  Caribou is awesome meat.


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## PendergrassRanch (Oct 31, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

> Wow, you'd feed your pups an antelope?    That would so be for me!  Antelope is GOOD meat!  Blacktail and elk are tasty too!


The hunters who got the antelope get them for sport, they say it taste too much like sagebrush.  I wasn't really interested in eating it myself but the dogs definitely enjoy it.  They are prey model raw fed so all the excess we get during deer season helps a ton!   We eat mostly elk, black tail and white tail and a TON of duck ourselves


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## brentr (Oct 31, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

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I hear you.  I ask for other people's pics because I usually don't have any of my own.   I agree with you; I'd rather eat a young deer than a grizzled old buck.  Fun to shoot, and they taste good, but young deer are soooo tender!


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 4, 2012)

This weekend we saw spectacular scenery and a bunch of whitetails who were safe from us because we filled our deer tags.  DH went out to hunt in the morning and came back home and announced he had actually put his scope on an elk but couldn't determine if it were a cow or bull, and if a bull, if it were legal.  So, he passed up the shot.  But he got a consolation prize and shot a rabbit which he brought home for dinner.  (We'll have it tomorrow).

We slaughtered and field dressed two wethers because a rancher at the farmer's market brought me two Saanen does.  (Keeping the numbers down on the herd).  Lot of work, but necessary.  I brought them to the butcher this afternoon.  Then we took the mares out for a quick evening ride to get them used to riding in low light/dark.  

Way too busy!


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## Southern by choice (Nov 6, 2012)

:bun :bun :bun Neighbor called Sunday and had a deer for us, already cleaned!


Neighbor just pulled up grabbed my boys, BIG doe clipped by a car sitting on the side of the road.... Boys are cleaning her now! My daughters wanted to help...  

Thank G-d for great neighbors! We are so blessed!  Can't wait to make some CHILI!!!


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## Royd Wood (Nov 6, 2012)

Drawn a blank here - I blame my hogs down the woods


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## jodief100 (Nov 7, 2012)

The gentleman hunting on our place got a antlerless buck last night.  We will have venison in the freezer this weekend!  

Modern gun season satrts Saturday.


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 7, 2012)

Husband saw elk -- couldn't be sure the one he thought was a bull was legal, so he didn't get a shot.  :/  Saw a rabbit and took that as a consolation prize.    Elk, rabbit, same thing?  

Nah.   We're chasing them this weekend.

Got the venison back from the butcher today.  Made pepper steak with the best round steak I've ever had.  Like sirloin, but the bucks we got were young.


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## brentr (Nov 18, 2012)

General rifle season in VA started Saturday.  You know the old adage "it is better to be lucky than good"?  I got lucky.  

Shot him at 100 yds, he ran less than 40.


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 18, 2012)

brentr said:
			
		

> General rifle season in VA started Saturday.  You know the old adage "it is better to be lucky than good"?  I got lucky.
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> Shot him at 100 yds, he ran less than 40.
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3823_first_buck.jpg


  Congrats~!!   

We looked for elk yesterday and today.  Saw some tracks, that's it. 

Saw whitetails on my land and mule deer on state land, but we filled our deer tags.  

Need to find elk...


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## Bitterroot (Nov 19, 2012)

I agree, those elk are elusive!  You would think an animal so large and plentiful would be a commonplace sight.  Only elk I've ever seen (outside of Yellowstone) have been roadkill.  We did hear some bulls bugling in the mountains behind the house a while back.  One of my favorite sounds in nature.  

Good luck with your hunts, everyone.


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 26, 2012)

Sigh.  

Elk 1
Me 0

Today was the last day of the season.  Despite all our attempts, we were unsuccessful with elk.  The count is 2 bucks.  I am number 1 on the game damage roster, so I'm hoping they call me for deer in the next few months.


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## marlowmanor (Nov 26, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

> Sigh.
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> Elk 1
> Me 0
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You know now that the season is over you'll see plenty of elk. They've just been waiting for the season to be over to come out of hiding so they can go  to all the hunters that couldn't find them during hunting season!  Sorry you didn't get your elk.  Wishing you luck the rest of your hunting season.


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## Alice Acres (Nov 26, 2012)

Sorry you missed your chance at an elk. 

We've just been bird hunting here - duck, goose, pheasant. They all are good eating!


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 26, 2012)

Thanks.  Right now grouse season is until January 1, so we'll go after those, as well as rabbits.  Wolf season is until February 28th or until the quota for the area gets filled.  Wolves have been decimating the elk populations, so getting a wolf or two would be an investment in the elk's future here.

If we get some coyotes in the bargain, we'll help the deer population, plus keep predators away from our critters.


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## marlowmanor (Nov 26, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

> Thanks.  Right now grouse season is until January 1, so we'll go after those, as well as rabbits.  Wolf season is until February 28th or until the quota for the area gets filled.  Wolves have been decimating the elk populations, so getting a wolf or two would be an investment in the elk's future here.
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> If we get some coyotes in the bargain, we'll help the deer population, plus keep predators away from our critters.


What do you do with wolves and coyotes that are killed? Do you eat them or just use the fur? I've never thought of eating wolf or coyote. I've eaten all kinds of different wild game growing up (not now though because DH doesn't hunt or even eat wild game) but never thought of or tried wolf or coyote.


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 27, 2012)

marlowmanor said:
			
		

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Nope, you don't eat wolf or coyote (I suspect it tastes like dog).  I guess if one were hungry enough one might eat them, but I know they've got a lot of parasites that can transfer to humans.  Both you get for the fur, but the whole thing is a dual purpose reason for hunting, that is, keep the predators in check and get some nice pelts.


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## marlowmanor (Nov 27, 2012)

SkyWarrior said:
			
		

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I thought it was likely just a pelt thing and keeping the population down. I wouldn't want to eat one. 

Hoping you get some wolves and coyotes for your fur collection then.


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## bigmike (Nov 27, 2012)

Sorry you didn't get an Elk..Ive eaten Elk and it is sure some good eatin..Plus a good sized is a lot of meat for the freezer..Had moose a couple of times too.It's very good..I don't hunt any more, Ive killed enough in my life (PTSD thing) and it would probably just go to waist.Nobody at home will eat it but me...I will kill and process animals I have raised for meat purposes....If I hunted the white tails are in season right now plus there are plenty of wild pigs that have been labeled as nusiance animals here in Texas meaning you can hunt them anytime......A wild boar that is about 6-8 months old is good eating..Now when the bottom drops out and I need to hunt to eat that is a different thing..


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 27, 2012)

bigmike said:
			
		

> Sorry you didn't get an Elk..Ive eaten Elk and it is sure some good eatin..Plus a good sized is a lot of meat for the freezer..Had moose a couple of times too.It's very good..I don't hunt any more, Ive killed enough in my life (PTSD thing) and it would probably just go to waist.Nobody at home will eat it but me...I will kill and process animals I have raised for meat purposes....If I hunted the white tails are in season right now plus there are plenty of wild pigs that have been labeled as nusiance animals here in Texas meaning you can hunt them anytime......A wild boar that is about 6-8 months old is good eating..Now when the bottom drops out and I need to hunt to eat that is a different thing..


I love elk and moose meat.  We don't have wild boars here yet, but if they do come, I'll be happy to eat that.  My husband and I really eat a lot of game meat, so it's really helpful to get them.

Ah well.  We'll have to butcher that wether soon.


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## Pearce Pastures (Nov 27, 2012)

Hope your hunting season picks up.


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## CocoNUT (Nov 27, 2012)

SkyWarrior - 

sounds like you'll have to make friends in Texas (or other southern states with the wild boar problems) and then go and visit. Offer to help them out with their pest problem! You could call it a 'working vacation' or 'market research'...you know...how 'marketable' is the boar meat - taste testing various recipes/techniques - you know, the works!  (smoked is particularly good!) 

We had elk once...many moons ago. A cousin sent us some....man that was good stuff! 

Good luck!


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## RemudaOne (Nov 27, 2012)

bigmike said:
			
		

> Sorry you didn't get an Elk..Ive eaten Elk and it is sure some good eatin..Plus a good sized is a lot of meat for the freezer..Had moose a couple of times too.It's very good..I don't hunt any more, Ive killed enough in my life (PTSD thing) and it would probably just go to waist.Nobody at home will eat it but me...I will kill and process animals I have raised for meat purposes....If I hunted the white tails are in season right now plus there are plenty of wild pigs that have been labeled as nusiance animals here in Texas meaning you can hunt them anytime......A wild boar that is about 6-8 months old is good eating..Now when the bottom drops out and I need to hunt to eat that is a different thing..


Just caught this pic today. Maybe my husband will get him next weekend . This is in Adamsville, Texas, just south of Evant.


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 28, 2012)

CocoNUT said:
			
		

> SkyWarrior -
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> sounds like you'll have to make friends in Texas (or other southern states with the wild boar problems) and then go and visit. Offer to help them out with their pest problem! You could call it a 'working vacation' or 'market research'...you know...how 'marketable' is the boar meat - taste testing various recipes/techniques - you know, the works!  (smoked is particularly good!)
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I wouldn't be adverse to helping anyone out with a boar problem.  

Elk is awesomely yummy.  Yep.  Dang them for being so difficult to find!


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## SkyWarrior (Nov 28, 2012)

RemudaOne said:
			
		

> Just caught this pic today. Maybe my husband will get him next weekend . This is in Adamsville, Texas, just south of Evant.
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> http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g...2-BA8C-5DAB85BC7977-9022-00000B338E15C4EB.jpg


Awesome buck!  Hope he gets it!


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## bonbean01 (Nov 28, 2012)

Wow!!!!  I won't even show hubby that photo...he and and his son froze their butts off and didn't see one deer!  That buck is looking like the king of the field for sure!!!


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## bigmike (Nov 29, 2012)

Nice buck, I had one run across the road this morning at the back edge of my goat pen.It was less than 100 yards from my back porch..We are in the edge of a small town of about 350 people..Haven't seen any hogs here in town yet but have seen deer a time or two..Can stand on the porch and listen to the coyotes just over the hill, But never seen them in town..See skunks walking down the street all the time LOL..


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## bigmike (Nov 29, 2012)

Remuda, had to look y'all up.Y'all are down around Fort Hood if my google is correct..i am located in Bellevue, 30 miles east of Wichita Falls on 287..just a widw spot in the road.3 churches, a convenience store, post office,feed store and school.LOVE living in such a small town.


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