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Happy New Years you Hoosier hunters you. I hope the new year brings health, happiness and hunting.
Okay, different tact. What are you hunt plans for 2019? I'm doing the Porkapalooza at the end of March. Turkeys in Indiana and Ontario. Possible Wyoming elk if I draw a tag. Indiana whitetails in the fall. AND of course, being a weak man, if somebody wants to go hog hunting, I know a guy! Cheers.
Happy New year Mike! That sounds like a full plate of fun! Best of luck!
So far, outside of Indiana turkey and deer, I have a Nebraska turkey hunt planned on the front end of a trip to Omaha in early April for the P&Y convention. Mid-August, heading back to Alaska...this time for spot and stalk black bear on the salmon streams. Six of us have a boat chartered out of Homer for seven days of bear hunting and fishing. The rest of the year is up to luck of the draw in the Western big game hunt lotteries.
Texas for turkeys. It has been 11 years since I last hunted Texas.
Kansas for turkeys for the 6th year in a row.
Maybe Nebraska for turkeys again if time allows.
Indiana for turkeys, deer, and waterfowl.
DEC, you sound like my kind of guy with all that turkey hunting. PAV, sounds like your plate is pretty full. Is the bear hunting out of Homer for black, brown or both?
Happy New Year! I should have the points to draw an elk tag in CO 76 (I guess you never really know for sure). IN turkeys, deer, and a small trapline with my boys over their Christmas break. We just finished up with this years trapline and we had a blast.
And of course the fingers are always crossed to get drawn for one of the many tags across the West that you never really have a shot at!
Some of you have a very exciting year ahead, good luck!
Hey Mike. The hunt out of Homer is for black bear only. Unfortunately, non-residents require a guide (and some serious coin) to hunt browns. The boat will be "base camp". The crew takes care of everything on the boat and transports the hunters to and from the mainland via skiffs. There is no actual guide service included. Once on the mainland, we're on our own. Honestly, since we're bowhunting, it would not break my heart if I didn't even see a brown. Definitely be packing a sidearm and pepper spray just in case.
Happy New Year to all. You guys have some great hunts lined up.
Will head south of the border this month for another try at Coues Deer. Going to NWT in September for Alaska-Yukon Moose. After that, heading to western Colorado in mid-winter for Mountain Lion. Hoping to draw at least an elk or deer tag in some western state for this fall.
Good luck to everyone this year.
My out of state trip for this year is a New Brunswick spring black bear hunt. All other hunting will be done in Indiana. Happy New Year everyone!
You guys have some exciting plans for the upcoming year! I hope that you each have some amazing adventures!!!
2019 will all be local hunting for me - can't get the time off from my classroom and need to get serious about a new truck so that Grace can inherit my old SUV. Also need to get serious about finding a new urban spot - hard to run an hour away for deer when my teens have so many activities these days! Hopefully get some snow and pound the geese between now and Feb when that season ends. Wrap up my wishlist with calling in my wife's first turkey and a couple whitetails for me this fall. Pete
Hey Pete, been there my friend. Darn administrators have never understood why I need 2 weeks off to go to Alaska. Other good news, the teens grow up!
And now I can add Wyoming elk to the season!
Congrats Mike! I absolutely love Wyoming!
Congrats on your elk tag Mike!
Congrats. No love for me in the random. I tried for a Bighorns unit. Next up Arizona to post Friday. Then I can decide on Utah picks. I should end up with Oregon elk if nothing in AZ/UT.
Thanks guys. I'm hoping this hunt breaks my Wyoming curse. Did okay with mulies and antelope back in the 90's but 2010's have been bleak. No moose shots or sheep shots. Not to mention a torn left hammie thanks to a nervous horse. This is a redemption hunt.
You got this Mike! That's a great elk tag. The Bighorns won't disappoint. Wish I had some intel to share, but my Bighorns hunt was one unit west of yours.
Don't be surprised if you have some close encounters with Bullwinkle up there too!
Porkapalooza 13
Porkapalooza 13
Toughest hog hunt I've been on. No action at the feeders so we stalked, ambushed and finally I had a quick shot at stand 7. Windy, cold and 9 guys out in the woods chasing pigs. 7 hogs killed, 2 MIA and everybody got a shot.
Knockin' down the bacon as usual....congrats!
Pigman ain't got nuthin' on Mike!
First evening hunt. Four birds came in, three left.
First evening hunt. Four birds came in, three left.
First morning hunt. Five birds came in, four left.
First morning hunt. Five birds came in, four left.
Last morning hunt. Moved about an hour west in hopes of connecting on a white tipped bird. Had to pass on a few shot opportunities, but it paid off.
Last morning hunt. Moved about an hour west in hopes of connecting on a white tipped bird. Had to pass on a few shot opportunities, but it paid off.
Managed to squeeze three days of turkey hunting in north central Nebraska prior to the P&Y Convention in Omaha. Timing was great as the birds were super responsive. Had a total of fifteen longbeards in easy bow range over three days. Got out of there just before the blizzard hit on Wednesday.
Congratulations everyone. Chris was able to get this one in Kansas this morning and I was lucky enough to film the whole hunt.
You guys did great....congrats!
Chris is tagged out in Kansas
Chris is tagged out in Kansas
Filled my first Kansas tag Monday morning and Chris filled his second tag this morning
Great shooting guys! Congrats!
Great shooting! Way to go guys. 1 week till the opener.
Finished up in Kansas. Great year out there.
Paul, I found out about a week too late to do Omaha Convention, but our Omaha inspector retired, and my HQ shifted my work area to include virtually all of Iowa & Minnesota. So I could have had my P&Y Convention expenses covered second year in a row. Oh well. Due to this shift I am exploring various other ways to take advantage, like Iowa scouting or that Kansas turkey. Given the high pub for Iowa zone 5 pushing points to 5/6, I am thinking of trying the Loess Hills of far western Iowa. I will definitely be scouting my first trip out to that area to see what it's like.
Did Big Dan put together another table at the convention? Any good speakers/seminars?
Once again the weak man syndrome hits and my Indiana turkey season is over. Gun kill so I won't post the picture but one of these days, I'll join the ranks of you guys taking your bird with archery equipment. Good luck to all!
Hey Ken. Keynote speaker at Friday night's banquet was Donald Trump Jr.
There were several great seminars....including South Cox on spot and stalk mule deer and Frank Noska Jr & Bob Ameen on bowhunting Alaska. The Bowsite Meet & Greet was well attended....biggest crowd I've seen so far. Fun convention for sure.
Congrats on a short season Mike!
I called in this 2 year old tom for Dad first thing Saturday morning (gun kill). I have to admit, I have been very emotional since that morning! Dad had a bowel resection for colon cancer back in January and then a spot of melanoma removed from his left cheek (looks like a big dimple on his smile now) 2 weeks ago. He wasn't sure he was even going to hunt this Spring.
I bet I looked like a pack mule carrying our blind, both chairs, the decoys, my pack and Dad's turkey back to the truck... but I was smiling the whole way! Dad was also smiling the whole time as I coaxed that bird in! Hope you all have a hunt as good as this one was for me!!! Pete
Great pic & congrats to your Dad...on all fronts!
Way to go Pete! Glad you were able to coax your Dad into the turkey woods. What a great day! Congrats to you both!
Thanks guys! Dad has received excellent care at the VA hospitals in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. He has been fortunate to have early detection every time he has battled cancer. I am super thankful that he is cancer free yet again and that he is still able to go out in the woods with me!!!
Hmmm, at least a couple guys I know are holding back on sharing their great fortune?
Mine isn't on the same level as a couple others I'm aware of, but I did learn over the weekend that I'm now headed for Utah at the tail end of the Alaska hunt.
The best non-resident archery mule deer tag in Utah is the Henry Mountains any buck tag. We're talking lottery odds (>1%) for that tag and since they only issue one, it is a random tag...not a preference tag. To be clear....I did NOT draw that tag.
Utah also issues one random non-resident archery Henry Mountains management buck tag. This tag is good for a mule deer buck with no more than three points (not including the eye guard) on one antler. Draw odds are much better, but still slim (>5%), for the management tag. This is the tag I drew. Basically, I get to bowhunt one of the top mule deer areas in the country...and cannot pursue the best bucks on the mountain. That said, there are some great management bucks up there dying of old age. Hope to find a good one and put him out of his misery.....LOL!
Very excited about this tag. Never thought I would have the opportunity to bowhunt mule deer in the famed Henry Mountains.
Congrats again Paul...you certainly have a great (busy) fall lined up now! That Utah hunt should be fantastic.
I mentioned in the January post above that my hope was to at least draw an elk or deer tag in the western lotteries. Instead, something crazier happened.....I won the raffle drawing for the Colorado Statewide Bighorn Sheep license last week. If I could've picked any life-long dream sheep hunt in the world, that one ranks near the top of the list. The holder of this license can hunt any/every open Bighorn unit in the state, with extended season dates that run through Dec 31st. Lots of planning to do now!
Could not be more excited for you Greg! I know how much sheep hunting means to you. They could not have selected anyone with greater sheep hunting drive for that tag! Incredible tag and I'm confident you will make the most of the opportunity.
Just got back from a turkey hunt in Ontario. Yeah I know, what are the Canuks doing with turkeys up there. Raising a ton of them. Gun hunt so I won't post the pictures. First bird was a bearded hen with an 8 inch beard. The second day a 23.5 pounder. Great time. Tons of birds, different style of hunting. Could be doable with bow.
Congrats guys!! Awesome hunts for sure
Paul & Greg - I am super excited for your adventures! Will be looking forward to hearing of your success and some of the details.
Having read through most of BB's old threads from the Henry's, that is truly a dream mule deer destination! I hope that you find a heavy old 3x5 warrior, Paul!
Statewide sheep tag - I bet you turn up a good one after all the research, Greg! How much time on the ground will you be able to devote to the hunt? Pete
Pete- I'm going to devote a lot of time to it. The only real limits are the season dates....early August to Dec 31. Hoping to hunt during the sheep rut in November. But if I was to find a gagger ram earlier and he's staying put, I'm open to killing one in August. I've already cancelled my Iowa deer hunt to free up more sheep time ;-)
Early August to December 31st hunting any sheep unit in Colorado. Decisions to be made there for sure....but what an opportunity! I would cancel my Iowa deer hunts for life to receive such an opportunity! LOL
My schedule is more crowded than I would prefer. Utah archery deer season opens August 24th and runs through September 13th. Would love to be scouting the Henry's for about a week prior to the opener, but that is not going to happen. Actually going to miss most of the first week of deer season there. Won't be home from Alaska until the evening of August 25th. Probably take a couple days to regroup and rest prior to driving out to Utah. Still leaves 2+ weeks to hunt, but missing opening weekend on this tag stings a bit. That said, I'm still very grateful for the opportunity!
PAV, sounds like a problem to have. Lots of great hunts by Hoosier Hunters this year,
You are absolutely right Mike!
So, Greg was one of the very fortunate individuals I mentioned earlier. The other does not tend to frequent Bowsite alot....so I'm going to spill the beans for him...as several of you know this guy.
Herb Higgins, Treasurer for the Indiana Bowhunter Association, finally drew his dream tag. Herb will be bowhunting mountain goat in Colorado this September. Go get 'em Herb!
On my way back from the New Brunswick bear hunt now. Shot a bear on the last day of the hunt and tracked for 250 yards before losing blood. After reviewing the video of the shot, the bear was apparently quartering away more than I thought. My shot entered behind the right front leg and exited in front of the left leg. The blood on the arrow had plenty of bubbles but it was apparently a one lung, front of the lung hit. Disappointing but otherwise a great and fun hunt! Excellent meals of grouse, moose stew, moose spaghetti, and fresh lobster, scallops, shrimp, and fish. My dad used a 12 gauge shotgun and was successfull getting a bear with a big white V on the chest. 3 of our 6 hunter group tagged out and I should have. Great times had by all with PR Guides out of the Bathurst area of New Brunswick Canada.
Also, congrats on all the successful tag draws! Can't wait to hear all about your adventures.
Congrats on the awesome tag draws Paul, Greg and Herb. Brent hate to hear about your misfortune. Did you see many bears?
Saw plenty of bears and a lot of moose.
5/29 pine acres bear camp Great place
After my last two, Wyoming & Oregon, draw results posted Thursday I thought I was staying home this fall. But then on Friday pulled a rabbit out of my hat! Waited 21 years for this tag. Since it’s my only tag I’ll be able to devote the full 4 weeks to this hunt.
Congrats on the great tag.
Congrats Ken! What a roller coaster ride. After 21 years, you go from yet another rejection to complete elation in a 24 hour period! Best of luck!
Paul, Will be a long drive. Just hope I can get in decent physical shape by hunt time. We bought a home in LaPorte last March and I have been working on home projects 24/7 since then. Now I'll need to shift gears, return to daily workouts and shooting my bow regularly in preparation. Will be nice just to have an elk tag somewhere. I got to view some great bulls while on a Wyoming deer hunt last season, but had no elk tag. Had a 340" in easy bow range.
Congrats on drawing a tag. Glad they got it right.
