Hunting Season - Hurry and Get Here!

[Big Fin]

Am I the only one going stir crazy, waiting for season to get here?

I have shot my bow to the point that I see my sight pins when I close my eyes. I have memorized my maps of my out of state tag units. Put enough waypoints on my Google Earth maps, such that I can't sort through them all. I have been working out, training my dog, have cleaned my rifles to within an inch of their lives, bought a few "can't live without" hunting doodads, driven my wife to near divorce, and many other irrelevant things unrelated to hunting.

Wife claims I need mental help. Hell, I knew that before she said so (for the sixth time this week). I tell her that help comes in the form of hunting. Not sure she agrees, but when I am gone, at least she doesn't have to deal with me.

Tomorrow I am going to the range, as I think I have corrected one little tweak to my .270WSM. That should take three hours. But what about the rest of the day?

Guess I will have to keep dropping in over at MM and pissing off whitetail baiters, high fence shooters, and others who seem to have really thin skin. Not sure how a good guy like Browtine puts up with the soft psyches over there. The mods there must have their hands full.

Anyhow, am I the only one with this "season can't get here soon enough" problem?

What do you guys do to pass the doldrums of summer?

Too hot to fish. I don't golf. Doc says I can't drink beer anymore. Doesn't leave much else, does it?

I must be friggin' bored, or nuts. Yup, nuts. Wife just confirmed again. Officially declared, I am nuts.

 

[AZ402]

Am I the only one going stir crazy, waiting for season to get here?

No, you are not the only one. It's getting close for me but not close enough!

 

[ERSS]

I hear ya Big Fin
I got it bad. I have watched every online hunting show I can find. Spent way too much money on gear, that I won't see for about 3 months. Just ordered $100 worth of USGS maps. Not able to work up new loads, shoot my hunting rifle, or scout is driving me insane.

Nice to hear from you guys and share the anticipation and stories from previous hunts.

Once I found out I drew the hunt I have been trying to draw for years......
I got a big calander and I am crossing off the day every morning.

As for me...I wish I could wake up tomorrow and have it be November

 

[1_pointer]

I hear ya. However, I'm keeping pretty busy with my honey-do list trying to 'bank' some for this fall...

Maybe you need a hobby...

 

[Trent]

shoot the bow so much I' going out in 25 minutes to get a new target. so worn out the arrows are going threw it. Playing with the pellet gun on squirrels and bee's that land on the porch of my camp. Trying out a moultrie I got from a guy to see if it is something I want. So far i'm not inpress.Just waiting as calm as I can til my three week vac come. So I can head for my home town and drink alittle and hunt alot.

 

[noharleyyet]

Wife & I are taking two of our grandsons to Colorado this Wednesday for about 9 days...the cool mts., fishing, hiking, pass jeeping, and watching the velvet mulies & elk around Lake City will be a much anticipated break from this oppressive heat we've been having. Rifles are dialed, knives are sharp, and some new optics (thanks to Fin & MNhunter) are ready to be used...October 11 is getting closer.

 

[mtmiller]

'Fin,

Never too early to scout out some critters...

...or hike into the mountains and let the pup start thinking about chasing birds...

...or just climb a mountain and try to find a goat.

BTW, thanks for the book. Just got through a few chapters this morning, great read so far. Ted also included a personal note...very cool.

Next weekend, set up the lope blind and hope I get a tag before the season starts.

No worries, we are almost there and you have a pocket full of tags.

 

[1_pointer]

Nice pics!!! Who'd the old dude with Axl in the last picture?

 

[T Bone]

Miller, The second to last pic looks like Ax's tale was bobbed.

Hmmm...Yea. Going a bit stir crazy. Luckily work has me working A LOT lately due to a merger. Leaving little time for anything else.

However, my hunting starts in 12 days. Ha! My hopes are for an old loopy droopy ram. What the heck, while I'm wishing, I'd like a silver tip grizz and a 120 pound blocky headed wolf. Bags are 90% packed and almost ready to go. The body is ready. Optics are clean. Rifle is consistenly punching phone books out to 400 yards from field positions. Just need the calendar to work and some good weather.

Antelope archery is only 3.5 weeks away. I havn't shot the bow enough.

 

[Moosie]

Your not going after the ram with a bow ? Puss.....

 

[sreekers]

August 15th is when my bow season starts for lope, I am ready

 

[shoots-straight]

Ours starts the 15th also, although they FW&Ps drawing hasn't taken place yet. Maybe tomorrow. I'm just going through preseason rituals. At 47 years old, season's start coming a bit to soon. I'm always running behind anymore.

 

[Whiskers]

Aug 23rd Maine for a bear hunt, can't wait, then Sept 13 for archery opener here in New Jersey. Just around the corner.

 

[Tom]

Sounds like you're ready.

 

[BigHornRam]

The summer sure seems to be flying by for me, this year. Spraying weeds, cutting firewood, building a honey hut, and cleaning up slash on my property has been keeping me busy this summer. Scouting, huckleberry picking, and squeezing in a few paying jobs, as well. Supposed to meet up with my wife's sister and family from the midwest, in Red Lodge, in a couple weeks also.

Would like to get out and do some grouse hunting with my 11 year old chocolate lab this fall which opens 9/1. It could be the last year she's up to it.

 

[TLC]

idaho fall bear hunt starts sept 8th, then stopping in wyoming for a bow hunt for lope on the way back. then oct 1st for deer here in illinois. then 3.5 months of hunting for deer.

 

[Oak]

Miller, that cow in the middle looks pretty skinny.

Sept. 6 is the first start date for tags I have in hand: Utah pronghorn.

Fin, are you planning on doing any pre-season scouting for your 'lope tags?

 

[mtmiller]

Miller, that cow in the middle looks pretty skinny.

Yep, she was pretty skinny. Must be all the calves see was taking care of.

Alright, maybe not all them were hers.

Must have been due to all the wolves harassing her. They appear to be on the lookout for them in this shot.

 

[Big Fin]

Fin, are you planning on doing any pre-season scouting for your 'lope tags?

Oak:

I surely planned on it, then life got in the way. Gotta go to NY for a week in the middle of August to dump Jr. off at college. Get back from there, and will be coming down a few days before my tag starts to do some scouting, then right into the hunting. I will give it five days of hunting, then have to burn up to WY for Matthew's WY pronghorn tag, then back to CO, if necessary.

Given that I have nine-out-of state tags this year, my 19 years of husband experience leads me to the conclusion that I better follow wife's instructions during summer, if I want an open kitchen pass come late August. Unfortunately, her instructions/plans don't include a pronghorn scouting trip to CO/WY/NM in the next two weeks before heading off to NY. Go figure.

I know, I'm a puss for letting the wife run the schedule, but such it how summer works at my house. Come fall, I call the shots. Well, most of the shots. Or some of the shots. Or, when she lets me call the shots.

I will let you know what days I am coming down, in the event you have time to break from the grind of work. Most of my time will be north and northeast of you.

 

[Oak]

Oak:
I know, I'm a puss for letting the wife run the schedule, but such it how summer works at my house. Come fall, I call the shots. Well, most of the shots. Or some of the shots. Or, when she lets me call the shots.

Not at all. I'm about to "discuss" with my wife the possibility of jumping on the smoking hot deal on a mountain goat hunt I was just offered an hour ago.

Let me know when you plan to get down here and I will be sure to go out and look at the herd I mentioned earlier before you get here. If you're in this area at any time, you know you have a place to stay as well.