I know I probably will get no sympathy about the tag drawing process, but this week was probably one of the biggest skunks I have had in a while.
Vermont - no moose for me or my son. Didn't really expect to draw.
North Dakota - No rifle mule deer and no muzzy whitetail. Didn't expect the rifle muley, but thought I had a pretty good chance with the whitetail tag, having some points and all.
Alaska - Evidently I am wasting time on the special moose draws. Probably good that I didn't draw, given my schedule this year, but I really want to go back and hunt moose in that area.
Nevada - Son and I had an average of 5 points for the regular draw announced in May. We put in for our last choice, an archery hunt that last year had 14 tags and 16 applicants. We are in the lucky pool that did not draw. Almost seems statistically impossible, given NV squares your bonus points, and we had way more points than anyone who applied last year.
Not to be deterred, I decided to apply in the pool of leftover archery tags for NV, the results of which were posted yesterday. I mean, come on, if they were left over in the regular draw, how hard can it be to draw one? Well, hard enough such that I didn't draw a tag.
The NV deal creates a dilemma, as Outdoor Channel told me we had to get one more episode for the current season. They recommended more turkey. I decided we would do an archery mule deer hunt, and get it turned around in time to air by September. I was certain we would draw. Oops, who'd a thunk it?
Now I am left with the choice of 1) Not doing a hunt, and seeing if OC notices (Yeah, right); 2) Buying a landowner tag in one of the really good areas, and hunting public land, to show how a hunter could do it in NV, if he lucked out and drew a tag for that unit; or 3) following my buddy, NV Longbow on his archery hunt on the same leftover tag I applied for.
Going to be option #3. Longbow and I applied in the same leftover pool for archery tags, hoping both of us would draw, but thinking that at least one of us would draw. He drew. Whew.
But, he had a complete knee replacement earlier this year. Anyone who has hunted high country muleys in NV, knows that the terrain these bucks are summering in, is not the ideal location to test drive a new titanium knee. But, being the "Get 'er Done" kind of guy he is, Longbow still wants to OYOA cameras in his camp.
As his name implies, he is a longbow shooter (and one recently recovering from shoulder surgery). Guy is a walking medical file, thanks to a stellar football and wrestling career in the Cornhusker state.
Not sure how he plans to get close enough to bedded muleys in the sage, when he tells me what his effective range is. And, doing it with two camera guys shooting film over his shoulder.
So let me think about this. We are going to try find a mature mule deer buck, in a unit so well reputed, that it had leftover tags. We will do so on opening weekend, on public ground, among the masses of fellow hunters. We will try to get within 25 yards, with two camera guys and their bulky equipment following behind us. And, the guy who bears all the pressure of the hunt, is taking some new orthopedic technology on its maiden voyage.
I told the production company that we want to film it like the average guy hunts. They pointed out all the challenges we have added and asked me, "How many guys do you know add all of the obstacles that you are planning to add?"
Hmmmm. I am sure some are as foolish as we are. We leave two weeks from Tuesday, so wish us luck. I am sure we will need it.
Longbow has helped me on so many hunts, that I really look forward to doing what I can to help him. Whether or not we get one, great times are always had. And, Jereep, will hopefully join us, making it even more fun. This pic is our last attempt at NV muleys, in 2006.
I am hoping that when AZ and MT post their results later this week, that I have a little more to show for my efforts. But, at least I have even more points for ND and NV next year.
Vermont - no moose for me or my son. Didn't really expect to draw.
North Dakota - No rifle mule deer and no muzzy whitetail. Didn't expect the rifle muley, but thought I had a pretty good chance with the whitetail tag, having some points and all.
Alaska - Evidently I am wasting time on the special moose draws. Probably good that I didn't draw, given my schedule this year, but I really want to go back and hunt moose in that area.
Nevada - Son and I had an average of 5 points for the regular draw announced in May. We put in for our last choice, an archery hunt that last year had 14 tags and 16 applicants. We are in the lucky pool that did not draw. Almost seems statistically impossible, given NV squares your bonus points, and we had way more points than anyone who applied last year.
Not to be deterred, I decided to apply in the pool of leftover archery tags for NV, the results of which were posted yesterday. I mean, come on, if they were left over in the regular draw, how hard can it be to draw one? Well, hard enough such that I didn't draw a tag.
The NV deal creates a dilemma, as Outdoor Channel told me we had to get one more episode for the current season. They recommended more turkey. I decided we would do an archery mule deer hunt, and get it turned around in time to air by September. I was certain we would draw. Oops, who'd a thunk it?
Now I am left with the choice of 1) Not doing a hunt, and seeing if OC notices (Yeah, right); 2) Buying a landowner tag in one of the really good areas, and hunting public land, to show how a hunter could do it in NV, if he lucked out and drew a tag for that unit; or 3) following my buddy, NV Longbow on his archery hunt on the same leftover tag I applied for.
Going to be option #3. Longbow and I applied in the same leftover pool for archery tags, hoping both of us would draw, but thinking that at least one of us would draw. He drew. Whew.
But, he had a complete knee replacement earlier this year. Anyone who has hunted high country muleys in NV, knows that the terrain these bucks are summering in, is not the ideal location to test drive a new titanium knee. But, being the "Get 'er Done" kind of guy he is, Longbow still wants to OYOA cameras in his camp.
As his name implies, he is a longbow shooter (and one recently recovering from shoulder surgery). Guy is a walking medical file, thanks to a stellar football and wrestling career in the Cornhusker state.
Not sure how he plans to get close enough to bedded muleys in the sage, when he tells me what his effective range is. And, doing it with two camera guys shooting film over his shoulder.
So let me think about this. We are going to try find a mature mule deer buck, in a unit so well reputed, that it had leftover tags. We will do so on opening weekend, on public ground, among the masses of fellow hunters. We will try to get within 25 yards, with two camera guys and their bulky equipment following behind us. And, the guy who bears all the pressure of the hunt, is taking some new orthopedic technology on its maiden voyage.
I told the production company that we want to film it like the average guy hunts. They pointed out all the challenges we have added and asked me, "How many guys do you know add all of the obstacles that you are planning to add?"
Hmmmm. I am sure some are as foolish as we are. We leave two weeks from Tuesday, so wish us luck. I am sure we will need it.
Longbow has helped me on so many hunts, that I really look forward to doing what I can to help him. Whether or not we get one, great times are always had. And, Jereep, will hopefully join us, making it even more fun. This pic is our last attempt at NV muleys, in 2006.
I am hoping that when AZ and MT post their results later this week, that I have a little more to show for my efforts. But, at least I have even more points for ND and NV next year.
