The long dry spell is over...

I've been hitting it pretty hard since the fourth Saturday in September, and finally success. I've had some easy shots with my bow early on, but there were always does with fawns, and I don’t like to shoot does when they have fawns with them. Old prejudice I guess.
I've had some cow elk and a young bull walk within bow range of my stand, but can’t shoot them here. First time I've ever experienced that, and it was exciting just to get one of those big things in range. I tell ‘ya I can see now why elk hunting would be the bee’s knees. I doubt I’ll ever live long enough, or get lucky enough to draw a permit here, but it’s neat to see them and know they are around. I’d been seeing them on my cameras all summer, and was hoping I get to see one in the flesh, and I finally got to. I know nothing about hunting elk, and I know it was just dumb luck that I got to see them.

Anyway, I killed this young buck last week. Finally got some meat in the freezer. I've got three weeks left and I’d like to get one more. You can kill a lot of deer here, but two is enough for me, that’s all I kill, that’s all the wife and I need.

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I hope ya'll have a most joyous holiday season, and that the coming year is the best ever for all ya'll!

Joe

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Is TN trying to build an elk herd or are those ones that come down from the Kentucky herd?

I have seriously considered putting in for a Kentucky tag. Have read that the success ratio is the highest in the nation there. 'Course, I'd have to learn how to hunt elk, first!

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Cubrock, I think these are part of the herd that was introduced some time back in the Big South Fork and Royal Blue areas. The mountain I hunt is between the two. One of the elk that showed up on my camera this summer had a collar on it. the last few years here they have a lottery for just five permits, and one of those is sold on ebay or something as a fund raiser. So really only four. You can use a bow, rifle whatever, and each of the lucky five has to hunt in a designated area, separate from the other four permit holders. It doesn't cost me anything to put in for it, and I have every year since it started, but it's akin to winning the powerball, so expectations for success are pretty low, if not non-existent. I figure if I'm lucky enough to get drawn, I'll start learning how then. Next fall I'm going to try hunting 'em with my camera. Seeing them that day several weeks ago, I felt like the first time I went deer hunting as a lad, haven't felt that way in along time. I liked it!

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I really relate to your post and want to take this opportunity to thank you for your ethics as a hunter. THANK YOU!!! And CONGRATULATIONS on a very nice, well earned harvest.

After Mt.Saint Helen blew it's top, the game dept created a "Red Zone" On the map in a big circle around the volcano. It was a no-hunting zone for ten years after that. At first it looked like another world with ash from inches to several feet deep. Trees blown off from two to eight feet off the ground. Downed trees everywhere. Old burned up rusty logging equpment.

Eventually, they rebuilt the Spirit Lake Highway up to the base of the mountain and even built a visitors center there. As the years passed, every time it rained, more ash went into the ground or was washed away as erosion. Plants started to grow. Trees were planted and underbrush sprouted up and it became a young forest again.

The men I knew that were allowed in on the work crews took camera's to work with them and brought back pictures of big herds of elk with massive racks. The wild life flurished. When they opened the area to the public one still could not hunt or camp but I use to go up there to spend the day. The deer grazing on the side of the road paid you no mind. I could walk to within fifteen to twenty feet of small herds of elk before they began to move off. Then it was not the stampeding run you get when hunting. Just mearly an uncomfortable "you're in my space" kind of move. I felt honored to get to experience such a place. It was almost sacred. I'm a hunter, but I think hunters are alot better at conservation than any tree hugger will ever understand. Thank you again for you post it brought back some fond memories.

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:-D

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops

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I've got family in West Tennessee and have toyed with the idea of going back and hunting my late grandfather's farm. Maybe someday.

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Nice one. I had my 7mm crosshairs of one just like that today but had to count coup on him and let him go. It was antlerless only today.

Bob

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Congratulations, my friend! That's a fine looking buck you got. Can't eat horns but they look good anyway! :) Hope you get that second one accounted for as well. It does a feller good to have some venison in the freezer!

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Nice!

You and me both!