2018...Fun fun fun!!
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Looking back on this year.....thats the one word that keeps coming to mind. FUN.
Man, I had some good times. Looking forward to going back through photos and sharing with you guys. I always enjoy seeing the recaps and what everyone has been up to. I'm blessed to live the life I have with the people I'm around. I spent more days in the woods then I ever have, which is my goal every year and I am getting real good and beating it each season. My boys have been out with me since they were 3 but the older two have been able to start being the hunter in the last two years and my 3rd will start up with us next spring. There's nothing better then hunting with your kids and good buddies. Thanks to Bowsite again and Merry Christmas to all. Heres to a great 2019, get out there and make it happen!
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
We had a brutal winter last year in MT. Worst I've seen in awhile. Took awhile to dig out and when it came time to start looking for horns and chasing birds we had cabin fever somethin fierce. One of my favorite spots to hunt turkeys held some bulls this year due to the winter being so hard, they got stuck down on this ranch. We normally won't find any elk sheds here but this year was different. Our turkey hunt got a little distracted...
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Look at the 3rds on this guy! We couldn't get the birds to cooperate over here but had a great trip. Made two more trips over to help brand but never did get a bird killed!
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Our luck changed quick at another spot just west of town and the boys doubled up within 5 mins of the sun coming up
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Never forget this one
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Took most of the season to get the boys their birds, I did get out a couple times after they tagged but couldn't make it happen for myself. Next up...spring bear. A few years back some dude on this site wrecked my springs and now I'm in Idaho for 6 straight weekends every year. Thanks HUNT. The boys love it and so do I. Closely competes for my favorite time of the year, there's only one Sept but damn do I love spring bear!! This year was tough for bears and we had some other baits in our area that made it difficult BUT had a great time and was able to connect on one good boar. Met a couple other bowsiter's that did really well over there and looking forward to teaming up with them this spring. The cool thing is they both have kids and were making it the priority to get the boys bears first, thats what its all about and its fun to meet other like minded guys. After a beer or too we realized we all had a common friend in the middle and I'll be damned if they didn't know HUNT too. Well they must be good dudes then! Jim/Justin......its a small world out there and well see you in the spring! Looking forward to it.
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Took most of the season to get the boys their birds, I did get out a couple times after they tagged but couldn't make it happen for myself. Next up...spring bear. A few years back some dude on this site wrecked my springs and now I'm in Idaho for 6 straight weekends every year. Thanks HUNT. The boys love it and so do I. Closely competes for my favorite time of the year, there's only one Sept but damn do I love spring bear!! This year was tough for bears and we had some other baits in our area that made it difficult BUT had a great time and was able to connect on one good boar. Met a couple other bowsiter's that did really well over there and looking forward to teaming up with them this spring. The cool thing is they both have kids and were making it the priority to get the boys bears first, thats what its all about and its fun to meet other like minded guys. After a beer or too we realized we all had a common friend in the middle and I'll be damned if they didn't know HUNT too. Well they must be good dudes then! Jim/Justin......its a small world out there and well see you in the spring! Looking forward to it.
From: Charlie Rehor
24-Dec-18
Great attitude! Merry Christmas!
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
I had sits will all of my boys this year. Multiple trips down, lots of camping, baiting and hunting. We only put the hurt on one bear but I was proud of the effort they all put in. Good memories for sure. Smitty killed a great bear this year. Mason never had a chance at one but not for lack of trying. Like I said, this time has really become a special time for us as we get lots of one on one time in the truck, its about 4.5 hour drive each way. Along with the work that baiting is and the challenge of sitting in the tree. The boys have really impressed me with their persistence, patience and drive to be out there with me.
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Thats one proud kid! An even prouder Dad! We'll have these memories forever. Great work boys!!
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Thanks Charlie! Hard not to with all the good things going on. Oh and by the way, I'm taking your advice....."take one trip of a lifetime every year".....booked with TSOV for spring bear. First time doing that. I haven't hunted for myself for bear in a few years since the boys joined me so I'm looking forward to that in 2019.
From: SBH
24-Dec-18
Gotta run, Christmas Eve stuff going on. To be continued...
From: ElkNut1
24-Dec-18
Matt, good stuff sir! What an awesome time for the boys, congrats to all!
Merry Christmas!
ElkNut/Paul
From: jdee
24-Dec-18
Congrats . Doesn’t get much better than that. Merry Christmas.
From: yooper89
24-Dec-18
Thanks for this. I'm stuck in the office all day today so I need something to keep me occupied while my three superiors (boss, his boss and owner of company) enjoy their time away from here.
Edit: and yes, I am mad online about it!
From: t-roy
24-Dec-18
Way cool, Matt! Nothing better than to get to share stuff like that with your family. You’re a blessed man and so are your kids. Well done!
From: Bowboy
24-Dec-18
You had great adventures with you kids, and that's what it about!
From: Beav
24-Dec-18
Can’t wait for the rest of this Matt! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Summer was filled with camping, fishing, backpacking and a little work mixed in. But Sept was coming soon
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
First hunt was elk for 3 days then headed to WYO for a week to help my friend with his mule deer tag. Neither of us had bow hunted mule deer yet. We saw some beautiful country, great deer and even called in a few bulls but nothing big enough to wreck the deer hunt.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
My buddy ended up getting an arrow in a great deer on the second to last day, however it wasn't to be and we did not recover the deer. We will be back.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Headed out that evening around 11:00 at night after losing the blood trail and grid searching. No choice other then to leave as we were out of time and water too. Great time with a good friend.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
The next couple weeks were back home in MT chasing elk. I had a longer back pack hunt planned with 3 close friends towards the end of Sept that would prove to be one of our best coming up. I was really hoping to be tagged out before that hunt but as luck with have it we went in with 4 tags
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
We had planned to pack into a spot I've been eyeballing for awhile, about 3 miles in to camp then hunt from there.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
About half way in we bump some elk. Good sign! We cross into the next drainage and there is a bull bugling. Well, what to do?? Lets drop our stuff and go kill him, we've got an hour of light. I send the guys out in front of me, let out a few calls and they are fired up! A few minutes later I hear....... WHACK! I know that sound!
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Sam made good on his opportunity and we have a bull down! Not even to camp yet. We get to work, quarter/hang him and set up camp in an unplanned area.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Next day, we get into another herd closer to where I had originally planned on camping. It's rainy today and cooler. They are down lower in the timber on the private so we just watch a bigger bull with satellites and cows do their thing for awhile. Time for a fire and get dried up... Finally Peter says, hey, why don't you call them up? I'm like, "dude we aren't calling that bull off that private! He says, just give it a shot.......so I hit a cow call, he turns bugles at us, rounds up his cows and LEAVES! HA:)
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Now, I did say I couldn't call up that herd bull...but we never talked about those satelites! They get a little excited and start answering calls. Turns out there were a few bulls we hadn't seen. We aren't picky, lets roll. 10 mins later I'm sitting behind Peter as he sends an arrow into his first archery bull at 15 yards. Priceless.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
2 down, 2 to go! Only problem is we have some work to do now. 2 bulls to get out, one is about 2.5 miles from the truck and the other is pushing 4.5. We load up Petes bull and get it back to camp at dark. 1 day left.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Sam wouldn't mention it so I will......this is one bad ass dude. He lost his leg in an avalanche years back. There were times where we all never thought he would be able to do something like this. I can't tell you how amazing it is to see him, one a fake leg, back pack hunt, carrying just as much weight as anyone else. He goes so hard we forget what he has to deal with until each night at camp when he takes his leg off to clean the stump and its all swollen up. If you want to be inspired, look him up sometime. I'm blessed to call him a close friend and proud to be apart of this hunt in particular. Pete on the left and the one legger on the right. Love this picture.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
I spend the next two weeks of the season working on getting my elk killed in other parts of the woods. It comes together for me in a snow storm in early Oct solo. No good pics in those conditions, just get to work!
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Got one load out that night, came back with help and got the rest the next day.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
A few weeks later and we are headed East for the twins mule deer! (rifle) I grew up hunting out here and haven't been back in awhile. I'm more excited about this trip then any other this year. We have about 5 days and my Dad is going to join us too.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Could tell lots of stories about the next 3 days but at the end of the day, the boys both got it done in memorable fashion. Weather was great, camping was fun, lots of opportunities where had and my dad was there too. Special hunt. Mason shot a nice wide 3 pt
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Smith killed a nice 4 pt two days later
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Takin care of business!
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Boys are tagged out. Time to get back in a tree. This was perfect. I would have almost 4 weeks to get my deer and with the freezer full, I could afford to be picky. Only problem was we didn't have any good bucks on camera! Oh well, I always enjoy sitting in a tree after a long elk season. So I got to it over the next 3 weeks. I was in my tree whenever possible. As can be the case, once the ladies started to pay attention to the bucks, some bigger deer started to show.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
This guy showed up on camera a few days before I was able to get him under my tree. Rattled him in twice. The first time he got by me. The second time, about an hour later, he wasn't so lucky.
From: SBH
25-Dec-18
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and off to 2019!
From: Grunter
25-Dec-18
Wow you had a great year! You're very fortunate to have the friends and family you do! Awesome recap thanks for sharing!
From: Beav
25-Dec-18
Congrats on a great season! Thanks for taking the time to share with us!
From: HUNT MAN
25-Dec-18
Fantastic !! Thanks for letting me a small part of it . See you in the spring. Hammertime
From: goelk
26-Dec-18
Thanks for sharing. Great memories
From: Brotsky
26-Dec-18
That was a fun read, can only imagine how fun it was to live it! Congrats on a great year! Best wishes to you and your family in 2019 Matt!
From: OFFHNTN
26-Dec-18
Congrats on a great year!
From: njbuck
26-Dec-18
Hell of a year, congrats.
From: SBH
26-Dec-18
Thanks guys. Great to be able to go through all the pics and remember the season. A lot to be thankful for.
From: otcWill
26-Dec-18
Enjoyed the recap, Matt! Well done and thanks for posting
From: midwest
29-Dec-18
What a great year with friends and fam....congrats! You're a lucky dad and they are lucky boys.
From: deerslayer
29-Dec-18
Awesome Matt. Congrats a great year! That's a good Montana whitetail two years in a row for you!
From: trkyslr
29-Dec-18
Excellent stuff... especially with the kids! Thanks!
From: T-Hawk
30-Dec-18
Looks like a great year for everyone, very nice.
From: Missouribreaks
30-Dec-18
Nice documentary MBH, thank you for sharing.
From: Scar Finga
30-Dec-18
Again, another spectacular year! Thanks for sharing with us and great job with all those incredible hunts and animals!
God Bless!
