Yeti GOBOX Collection

New to Elk & Forum

SPDSpappy

SPDSpappy

Active member
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
395
Location
O'Fallon IL
I've been interested in elk hunting, but didn't know about the opportunities through DIY public land hunting until some friends in a hunting FB group pointed me to Randy Newberg. I just started hunting 5 years ago after my son took an interest (see attached article from a magazine about our story and my son's first turkey). I live near St. Louis & currently hunt whitetail deer, turkey, upland birds, waterfowl, and went to Scotland to hunt red stag this past September (it was cheaper including the plane tickets than hunting IL whitetail through an outfitter believe it or not!). I've finished going through all Randy's videos in his elk hunting YouTube video list and am making my way through all the rest of the Fresh Tracks & OYOA videos. I'm hoping to go on a CO elk hunt in 2018 and joined this forum to get more educated on the subject.

A little more about me, I'm a computer engineer and work for the Department of Defense. My wife wears an Air Force uniform and is the reason we ended up in the St. Louis area. We have 2 children, a 12 y/o son and a 9 y/o daughter. I'm big into scouting and am the local Boy Scout district membership chair and an assistant scoutmaster for a troop. My son went to Jamboree 2017 this past summer.

View attachment First Youth Turkey Season.pdfHeartland Outdoors Jacob's turkey.jpg
 
Welcome from Wyoming! Addicting & Cushman, I was waiting to see what you two had planned, I thought for sure you guys were going to unleash some Air Force jokes!
 
I’ve stayed on 2 Air Force bases. The accommodations, food, and equipment is top notch. I am generally jealous of how you all get treated. Then I remember how many lower back injuries are claimed each year at the VA from constantly sitting in cushy chairs and I snap back to reality.

But the OP married one of those hot Air Force chicks so he is cool in my book!
 
I remember when I was in Camp Buering in Kuwait before we went up into Iraq and we would damned near fist fight to get to co to Camp Arifjan which was an Air Force base...awesome chow, px, gym, and barracks and facilities in general. The Chair Force has it made...plus they were getting paid extra for substandard housing while we were living in glorified circus tents.

I was going to talk about the Air Force having the hot chicks, but didn't want to go there with the OP :W:
 
Cushy chairs prevent back injuries, it's the "roll away chair jousting with softball bats" contests that hurt our backs...but in order to not hijack the thread, I'll stop now.
 
Yeah, most Air Force folks don't have the deal w/ the crap Army & Marines deal with. I will have to say though, how many of you would be able to sit in a rigid position while flying a fighter across the Atlantic? I've sat in a F-16 before and couldn't imagine having to sit like that for 8 hours and using a piddle pack.

As for base comparisons, when my wife and some other buddies were at the Died, they said the Army post out there always had the best food. I seem to remember her saying you guys had surf and turf all the time... ;)

Yes, I married a fine Air Force woman and we have two beautiful kids. Not bad for a nerd turned outdoorsman, huh? ;)
 
SPDSpappy said:
Yeah, most Air Force folks don't have the deal w/ the crap Army & Marines deal with. I will have to say though, how many of you would be able to sit in a rigid position while flying a fighter across the Atlantic? I've sat in a F-16 before and couldn't imagine having to sit like that for 8 hours and using a piddle pack.

As for base comparisons, when my wife and some other buddies were at the Died, they said the Army post out there always had the best food. I seem to remember her saying you guys had surf and turf all the time... ;)

Yes, I married a fine Air Force woman and we have two beautiful kids. Not bad for a nerd turned outdoorsman, huh? ;)
Click to expand...

You're living the life! Any time to become an outdoorsman is a good time!
 
You guys are hilarious!

OP, watch Randy's series on hunting elk every year if you've not already and figure out all of your options for putting in for tags as well as over-the-counter opportunities. Then, brace yourself for the obsession.
-Arch
 
archer wapiti said:
OP, watch Randy's series on hunting elk every year if you've not already and figure out all of your options for putting in for tags as well as over-the-counter opportunities. Then, brace yourself for the obsession.
-Arch
Click to expand...

I haven't watched that one yet, but I have watched all his elk list videos, seasons 1-3 Fresh Tracks, & seasons 3-4 OYOA. I've already started becoming obsessed just after watching the videos. I have since purchased a Leupold 12-40x60mm spotting scope & BX-4 Pro Guide HD binos (gotta love eBay) & have hiking sticks as well as a high elevation training mask on my Christmas list. I'm going to need to build a shed to hold all my hunting gear between deer (archery & shotgun (I live in IL...), turkey, upland birds, waterfowl, and now elk...
 
Thanks! The photo is from when I won an annual award for my work at the Air Force major command (MAJCOM) level.
 
Just applied for my very first elk tag (wow, that was pricey!). Following Randy's recommendation, I applied for WY in an area w/ a good bull:cow ratio, is mostly public, and has a decent harvest percentage. I have a 15% chance w/ 0 points, but I'm happy I'll get most of my money back when I'm not selected the first time out (unlike AZ).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

FLGAcracker
Hey ya'll. New guy from south Georgia, soon to be DIY hunting out of Ennis, MT.
2 3
Replies
41
Views
1K
SCliving Outdoors
SCliving Outdoors
elkhuntinfool78
New here from MT
Replies
18
Views
652
zigmos
Z
G
Louisiana Man
Replies
12
Views
417
rebjfan
R
FLGAcracker
Starting my journey to hunt Southwest Montana... Interested?
Replies
13
Views
687
FLGAcracker
FLGAcracker
Kiwi
New Mexico Youth Elk Draw
Replies
6
Views
653
CMF
CMF

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
111,040
Messages
1,944,610
Members
34,978
Latest member
jerrod12

Share this page

Back
Top