Favorite hunting memory

[Deleted member 38069]

Give us a brief summary of your favorite hunt. I’ll go first:

I held a prairie whitetail tag and none were in sight. I was with my best hunting buddy and we decided to sit a river bottom from a ridge. Just after lunch, we nestled in. All of a sudden, I heard a circus in the brush on the nearside bank. It happened so fast that I only had a split second to decide if he’s a good one. He was, I took aim on lung, squeezed, and saw him run. My buddy heard the crash and I did not. My biggest to this day, a 5x4! I loaded it all up in a tank of a Tenzing. I felt every pound the whole mile out. We celebrated with a warm coors light.

Best hunt so far not because of the outcome but because my buddy and I came up with a successful plan C!

 

[geetar]

I had a Boykin Spaniel named Vann ( named after a great great uncle who inspired my interested in waterfowl hunting ). One morning hunting a pond on a private family property I shot the only black duck I’ve taken in over 10 years of waterfowl hunting. It lived up to the reputation they have of being hard to kill and crawled in some brush across the swamp. Me and the dog hopped in the canoe and crossed the pond. We flushed the duck out of the brush and back into the water and I got to watch from as the duck made 3 attempts at flight and the dog attempting and failing twice to grab him. The third time it was almost as if the dog had calculated how far he would go when he attempted flight and he leaped out of the water and grabbed it with his mouth and brought it back to me still alive. This one stands out to me as special and I regret not having that black duck mounted.

 

[RobertD]

I don't have as much under my belt as most guys, but if I had to pick it'd be my first antelope hunt in New Mexico in 2019, just because it required some creativity and perseverance, and even more because it was my first time going unguided, on public land and getting a tag on an animal, and because my brother was there with me. The long version is posted in the antelope forum.

I'm excited about some of the answers that will show up in this thread. Great idea @BoomerUSAF

 

[Nick87]

Where to begin....

 

[Deleted member 38069]

I had a Boykin Spaniel named Vann ( named after a great great uncle who inspired my interested in waterfowl hunting ). One morning hunting a pond on a private family property I shot the only black duck I’ve taken in over 10 years of waterfowl hunting. It lived up to the reputation they have of being hard to kill and crawled in some brush across the swamp. Me and the dog hopped in the canoe and crossed the pond. We flushed the duck out of the brush and back into the water and I got to watch from as the duck made 3 attempts at flight and the dog attempting and failing twice to grab him. The third time it was almost as if the dog had calculated how far he would go when he attempted flight and he leaped out of the water and grabbed it with his mouth and brought it back to me still alive. This one stands out to me as special and I regret not having that black duck mounted.

Very cool. I’ve never seen one in person or heard of their reputation. That sure seems to be a memorable hunt!

P.S. I like that name for your pal!

 

[geetar]

Very cool. I’ve never seen one in person or heard of their reputation. That sure seems to be a memorable hunt!

P.S. I like that name for your pal!

Thanks Boomer and thanks for starting this thread. I’m sure it will be a good one right up there amongst the cheese thread and burning on a fire thread.

 

[brockel]

Nothing significant about a great tag being drawn or traveling 1000 miles to hunt a new area for this particular hunt. I’ve killed as many coyotes as Parvo off this stand. But this time was different because it was the first time I’d ever taken the oldest daughter out with me so I had an added sense of pressure to produce.

We had just got done doing chores and weather was perfect so I asked Sawyer if she wanted to go call in a coyote. It took a little bit of convincing as she said she’d rather just brush them in the garage once I skin them but she finally gave in. We got her all bundled up because it was pretty cold out. Drove us as close as I dared to the stand so she didn’t have to walk through the snow so far. Right off the bat I got a coyote to howl back at us and her eyes got huge. She kept saying “dad get it to do it again”. About 10 minutes later after some coyote whimpers we had this female charging in from up the creek. I peak over at the daughter and she’s shaking like a leaf either from the cold or the excitement. Female comes in and I drop her with the 204. Sawyers got a grin from ear to ear as we walk up on it. She tells me “dad I think we need to split the check on this one”.

That was probably my favorite hunting memory even though I’ve done the same thing 100s of times by myself

 

[Bullshot]

Few fine details but I think of sitting in the snow by some big pines along a deer trail on my first deer hunt with my dad. It was the second day of the season, and we had heard that the day before was insane and 17 bucks were tagged in the area. There were drag trails all over, I couldn’t have been more excited. Ended up going home empty handed but to this day almost 35 years later I still think about it a lot.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Where to begin....

Let’s hear something! There’s no gun to your head so give us one!!

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Nothing significant about a great tag being drawn or traveling 1000 miles to hunt a new area for this particular hunt. I’ve killed as many coyotes as Parvo off this stand. But this time was different because it was the first time I’d ever taken the oldest daughter out with me so I had an added sense of pressure to produce.

We had just got done doing chores and weather was perfect so I asked Sawyer if she wanted to go call in a coyote. It took a little bit of convincing as she said she’d rather just brush them in the garage once I skin them but she finally gave in. We got her all bundled up because it was pretty cold out. Drove us as close as I dared to the stand so she didn’t have to walk through the snow so far. Right off the bat I got a coyote to howl back at us and her eyes got huge. She kept saying “dad get it to do it again”. About 10 minutes later after some coyote whimpers we had this female charging in from up the creek. I peak over at the daughter and she’s shaking like a leaf either from the cold or the excitement. Female comes in and I drop her with the 204. Sawyers got a grin from ear to ear as we walk up on it. She tells me “dad I think we need to split the check on this one”.

That was probably my favorite hunting memory even though I’ve done the same thing 100s of times by myself
View attachment 185140

Great story

 

[Nick87]

Probably taking my step son on his first deer hunt. Bought him a muzzleloader so I could load it light, at the time he was pretty recoil sensitive. Opening morning doe comes by at 60 yards, clean miss over the top. No big deal first time shake it off I figure. On our way back to the truck a spike is feeding out in the open we sneak up and he takes his shot...a miss. Hmmm he is starting to doubt himself now, and I'm wondering what's going on as he was shooting 2 to 3" groups at 40 yards with open sights at home. Later that afternoon doe comes by at 30 yards clean miss over the top. Shit, this one puts him over the edge and hes crying and down on himself bad asking me what hes doing wrong and to just tell him so he can fix it. Not real sure what to tell him as only thing I can figure is the sight is bumped because I've noticed they're all flying high. With minutes left to spare before dark I get him reloaded and calmed down. Literally the last 5 minutes of shooting time a big old doe steps out same spot as the last one. This time I tell him try holding just a little lower like right where the leg makes its first joint below the shoulder. Thinking wth if hes right on it should take out her heart. In my head I'm praying god let him hit this one because hes really getting discouraged and upset with himself. At the shot that doe flipped over dead as a stone! Phewwww! He jumps up with the biggest smile I've ever seen I got her! I got her! Hugs and high fives. I went from the lowest of lows thinking I'd planned this wrong or maybe he wasnt just ready yet or the gun got bumped wanting to throw up to being extremely humbled. I'm sure he felt the same. Side note I took the gun out and shot it the next morning about 10" high at 40 yards. We shot it the day before the opener and put it in the case still to this day I have no idea. I guess the sight got bumped somehow is all I can think of.

Terrible pic buts it's all I have on my phone.

 

[JustinsDad]

My first buck was around 1971. My buddy and I rode way back in on dirt bikes and hiked in further from there. I see my forkee down a steep canyon. I shoot it clean double lung shot. I had buck fever so I panicked and shot it twice more because it was “still moving”. Absolutely ruined both front shoulders. We hauled it to my dirt bike and strapped it on the back of the seat as it was getting dark. Long ride out of there, get back to camp about 10:30 that night dead tired. I discovered the deer had shifted and the hind end was up against the muffler and had burned that hind quarter black. I ended up with maybe 5 or 8 pounds of meat. But it was awesome!

 

[JoltnJoe]

Taking my first, and thus far only 6x6 elk. Being from the east, it’s such a great and foreign adventure. Doing all the mental and physical preparations, and being lucky enough to watch them come to fruition was an indescribable feeling for me. Everyone should get to feel that personal sense joy/pride/accomplishment at least once in their life.

 

[JEL]

Besides my kids getting their first critters there is one hunt I will always remember. Me and a buddy both had bows before everyone and their dog had bows. Since we lived in antelope country we decided we should give antelope a try. We had read about decoying so we built a homemade one out of plywood. Went out and saw several, scared several away. Finally we found one buck all by himself. Snuck in. My bud was the shooter this time so he snuck off to the side 40 yards or so and got out of sight. I popped up the deke. The buck saw the deke, started circling to get the wind and walked straight to my buddy. The next thing I know the buck is taking off on a dead run. I am thinking why the hell didn't he shoot......then the buck went head over heals. It was the first time either of us had shot anything with a bow and it was awesome. We still relive that every time we get together.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Besides my kids getting their first critters there is one hunt I will always remember. Me and a buddy both had bows before everyone and their dog had bows. Since we lived in antelope country we decided we should give antelope a try. We had read about decoying so we build a homemade one out of plywood. Went out and saw several, scared several away. Finally we found one buck all by himself. Snuck in. My bud was the shooter this time so he snuck off to the side 40 yards or so got out of sight. I popped up the deke. The buck saw the deke, started circling to get the wind and walked straight to by buddy. The next thing I know the buck is taking off on a dead run. I am thinking why the hell didn't he shoot......then the buck went head over heals. It was the first time either of us had shot anything with a bow and it was awesome. We still relive that every time we get together.

Love it!

 

[noharleyyet]

First bull during a solo CO hunt a week after losing my big brother was certainly eventful but it is runner up to my son’s first buck when he was 11. We spent the night in my truck on a new lease a couple counties away. He made a fine shot on a 10 point as the sun was setting. We cleaned it by flashlight as the coyotes sang all around us. He talked about it for years. Still does. I asked him if he wanted to drive home and he said we should take it to the nearest processor and come back out so he could help me get a buck the next morning. And we did. Two plus decades later he’s quite the accomplished hunt/fish enthusiast.

 

[Gellar]

I can remember every whitetail buck and turkey I’ve ever killed. The first moose I ever killed was called to about 30 yards and was still coming hot. I can still see the first lab I had and trained retrieving a duck across a beaver pond. My most memorable hunt will hopefully be in the next couple of years when my kids are old enough to hunt!

 

[grizzly63]

Had an any deer muzzle loader tag. Dec 26th. Did not see anything on the morning sunrise sit. Moved two miles away and was glassing from the truck looking back where I had been. Spotted 20-25 mulies headed into a bowl. Wind was blowing pretty hard. I knew they were headed in there to spend the day. Drove back south of them and walked in to the opposite side of the bowl with the wind at my face and sun at my back. Kept creeping up the hill until I spotted one of the does on the north side. Dropped to my knees and advanced until I could just barely see her again, went to prone and kept advancing slowly until I could see a little more. I'm on a ridge looking down. I can see the far deer and maybe half the herd. I spot a decent buck in the middle and he is up eating. Grass is too tall and I really dont want to start the Prairie on fire. I keep edging forward. Trying to get some clearance. I come in eye sight of the near side deer and a doe has taken notice. She is getting nervous and eventually stands. About then, the buck steps up the hill a couple of feet and clears the grass. 100 yards, open sights. Boom! He lunges forward and all hell breaks loose. They cleared out fast. He was the only buck I saw in the group. Went down to the buck and gave thanks and admired him. Climbed back out, went to truck and retrieved pack and returned. When I crested the ridge this time, three younger deer that I had somehow luckily missed on the way in ran off. Sometimes things work out.

 

[Hydrophilic]

I was elk hunting with my dad in the same unit he grew up hunting. We split up at a saddle and I dropped elevation to contour into another saddle, pretty steep area, mostly thick timber with some openings on the saddles. About an hour later I came across a group of elk in the timber and shot a nice 6 pt. I was able to get ahold of my dad and gave him my GPS coords. He asked how big the bull was and I told him it was a spike. He was excited and only a 15-20 minute hike away so he decided to head down and help me. Watching him walk up, find the bull, do a double take, then smile...I’ll never forget that! It was one of the nicest bulls our family has taken out of the unit.

 

[LopeHunter]

2015 late season WY mule deer hunt. Shoshone NF near Yellowstone. Amazing experience. Troy guided me as I needed horses and my wife was not keen on me being solo in grizzly country. Troy is leading a pack string in the picture. Was very cold and plenty of wind but the sun was out from time to time and snow was late that year. We saw mule deer, elk, a grizzly sow that was late going into hibernation which can create issues as hints they may be underweight for some reason and in a bad mood, wolves and bighorn sheep. Never saw another person on several days of riding around the Shoshone. Never saw a bit of discarded trash. This was the hunt I dreamed of as a flatlander growing up in the Midwest. RIP Troy.