Looking back on the 2011 season

[Tikkamike]

Well the 2011 Big game hunting season is over for me and I am relieved to say the least. It has been a long season, put on a lot of miles and packed a lot of meat. The results of the Big buck contest came out today and my 164 3/8" Whitetail was blown out of the water by some amazing bucks one of which was a double dropper. But overall it was a good season. I killed my Biggest Whitetail to date, and my Biggest Mule deer to date (151") Killed a couple of high 70's Antelope one of which was my longest kill shot to date (1010 yards) and my closest kill shot ever which was 43 yards on a cow elk. I ate a Turkey tag, a bear tag and a Doe deer tag, but other than that I had a fun year. The rest of the family did good too My dad got his biggest bull to date which was a 382" Bull and my mom got her first elk @350 yards with her Christensen Carbon Custom 325 wsm.
Hopefully next year we can draw some decent tags. and maybe I can find out what its like to fill out bear and turkey tags because so far I come dry on those 2 things year after year.

 

[winmag]

Congrats on a banner season Mike! I loved (& hated) getting all those pix msgs everytime you dumped another critter! (I'm sooooo jealous!) I'm pretty sure AT&T loves you for it, but hey I needed to get a better phone plan anyway right. Hehe.
You need to come play with me for a week in August for bears. We don't get to use dogs, or bait, & there ain't no free luch sitting in a box or tree with a feeder, but if you wanna work your *** off & dump one a LOOOOONG way accross a canyon that takes most of a day to climb up, in 112-118* weather, you have my number

 

[Tikkamike]

after the weekend I had that sounds like 0 fun. Let me heal up for about a week then ill probably be ready to go. I really have no excuse not to you not that far away....

 

[matt_3479]

Congrats Mike on the Good season! My 2011 season isn't done yet but so far has be unreal! I am 18 years old so dont have that many stories to share with my first year hunting being two years ago and didn't get anything. Last year i did a moose hunt and come home unsuccessful. This was my third season hunting and has been unreal for me!

It started with my first turkey season and bagged a 18 lbs jake for my first turkey and ended up getting it mounted on the wall. Awesome experience. Followed up by my first long range scope (vortex viper PST) which i instantly began practicing and got pretty good out too 600 yards. Next came a new 12 gauge, Browning Maxus 12 Gauge MOD and did some unreal waterfowl hunts with my 3 closet buddies (2 of them first year hunting ever). Followed up with my first out of state hunt as i headed over to Montana and did a big game combo hunt with my old man and younger brother (13 years old). I almost had an opportunity on a nice 6x6 and 6x5 bull elk but they just wouldn't cross the legal line!

I ended up getting my first big game animal ever though as i shot a nice little 8 point buck at 150 yards running and dropped him in his tracks. Best part about it i got to share it with my little brother as he was there with me. The following morning my little brother got his first deer ever, a nice 6 point at 254 yards and i dialed in for him on my 300. wsm 180 grain accubond and he just hammered him!! An experience i will never forget. 3 days later i bagged a doe at 75 yards with my 243. win.

When i returned home i purchased my first bow, and got it all set up and began practicing with it. I have shot bows before just never owned one. After getting sighted in and all comfortable i got out chasing 2 monster whitetail around my area!! being unsuccessful with the bow i went into the shotgun hunt (third year trying being unsuccessful deer hunting every time) i hunted 20-22 hours in the stand that week, in the rain, the snow, and on the last day -8 with a 15 mph wind, and in the last 10 mins of light i bagged a good 4 point buck at 122 yards with my browning maxus! might not be a big buck but it was a long time coming for a deer at home!!

Still having my bow tag valid i went back out tonight and will continue to try to get my first bow kill ever to complete the season and hopefully on one of the two GIANTS in my area!

So far, unreal season. Hopefully i can top it off with my first bow kill on a monster whitetail for this area, and then just finish it off with some late season duck hunting and coyote hunting!