2015 Virginia Hunting Stories

[Nook]

I know there already some stories out there.  Let's get this thread up and running.  Mr. Denbow has had some success.  How bout a post Jack?

Jeff

[Jack Denbow]

Last week 6 of us headed to Wyoming to hunt antelope. Four of us drove, one flew out and one flew in from Alaska. We were expecting poor conditions due to a lot of rain this year, but we had no idea. When you get an inch at a time it adds up to a lot of water everywhere.
 The blind I drew would give me a 6-12 yard shot, I like that. The only problem was the antelope had other places to water, I saw lots of big bucks but nothing came to water where I was.
On the 4th day I switched to another blind and saw some really good bucks on the way in, I was pumped. Then I watched as the antelope watered 50 yds. away. Then this buck who had been bedded up on the hill to my right came down to a group of does at the water 50 yds. away and herded them toward me. I don't know why he didn't drink at the other other water but he didn't. When he got to the water hole I was at he decided to drink. He was nervous but finally committed to drink. After drinking he turned slightly quartering away at about 10-12 yds. and I put a 145 grain Eclipse on a 549 grain fir shaft mid ribcage into off side shoulder. He ran hard for 80-100 yds. before flipping over. If I had seen him earlier in the week after seeing all the big bucks I saw I would have passed on him, but he was the first chance I had so I took it.
 Later that day the guides went out and pumped the water out of 6 wash holes below the blind, they figured they pumped about 3000 gallons of water out of those holes.
 After a lot of medical problems in 2014 I am up to shooting 40-41lbs. at my draw. I used a Black Widow longbow, I really like that bow, I don't know if it is all the medical fixes last year or the bow, but I am happier with my shooting than I have been in a long time.
Jack

     

[Mac Hicks]

Congrats Jack!  Always wanted to hunt those speed goats with the bow, but have not done it yet.  Who were you hunting with?

 BTW, I still have about 8 of those larch arrows of yours from the St. Jude auction a few years ago. They are all crested and fletched differently and shoot great!  

Good luck during the rest of the season!

[A.S.]

Congrats Jack!  I just love hunting Pronghorns. You did good.

Now if that whopper buck that I have trail Cam pics of will walk by me at 10 yards in a few weeks!        

[Jack Denbow]

Mac we hunted the Werner Ranch near Douglas. We go every other year and have been since 1999. I am glad you like the arrows, go put some deer meat on the end of them.

Allen I know what you mean I got pix of a bear and have bear scat in the yard. I also have been seeing about 2 doz. turkeys every day.
I will probably never see them when the season comes in.
Jack

[Nook]

Congrates again Jack.  A pronghorn is on my Bucket list.  Beautiful animal.  What kind of blind were you in?  Would like to get my hands on a Black Widow longbow also.  Did you have the meat processed or bring it home in a cooler?  Jeff

[Jack Denbow]

Jeff they mostly use wooden blinds with about 10 foot sides so you can usually find some shade. Sometime pop up blinds are used.
I was going to have the meat processed but the jerk butcher wouldn't get it done in time. So I brought it home and did it myself. You will get more meat that way but it is a pain after you have been driving for 2 1/2 days. It would be good if you can find an honest butcher. There use to be a good one there but he went out of business.
Jack

[Tom]

Congrats on the nice prairie goat Sir. Big or small buck, after overcoming your medical issues, you did a fine job and would venture that the BW suits you well.

[A.S.]

Come on Oct!!

 

[Jack Denbow]

Oh wow Allen that thing is a hog. Good luck.
Jack

[A.S.]

Thanks Jack, my 11 year old son has already called "Dibbs" on it!  

I hope we at least get to see him this fall.

[RedStag5728]

Congrats Jack! Way to get the 2015 season started!

Alan, looks like you've got a dandy there! Good luck getting him this fall, hopefully someone does!

As for me I am hoping and praying I get a chance this year. Last year was a dud for me, nothing even came close enough. I scouted my stand this year for fresh sign and there's scat and tracks everywhere!    

Can't wait to get my first! But you know the more you try the more likely you are to succeed. Good luck to everyone this season! Give 'em the shaft!

[Elkstabber]

Here is a Western hunting story.  I live in Virginia but have become obsessed with bowhunting elk. I got lucky and drew a really good tag in southern New Mexico for the first archery elk season. I won't go into the details of the whole trip but here is day nine of the hunt:
I had blown a really great chance at a huge 6x6 bull at about sunrise. It wasn't really my fault that the swirling winds stopped him from taking two more steps that would have given me a clear shot at 20 yards. Swirling winds are just one of the challenges of hunting at high elevation. So I pursued this big bull for the next 7 hours. I tried to stay downwind of him and his cows by keeping about 200 yards from them. This wasn't hard to do because his bugle was distinctive and he didn’t shut up.
Another big bull had an even meaner bugle and the two of them were going back and forth for most of the 7 hours. Cows were everywhere, and that was the problem. If I spooked the cows the bulls would leave. Of course I would follow but I tried to keep from letting them know that I was there. As the bulls and cows traveled over ridges, down canyons, and back up ridges I followed relentlessly. I had a simple strategy: follow them until I saw an opportunity to strike.
At two in the afternoon I watched the opportunity develop as the first big bull and the big mean bull seemed to be on opposite ridges with about 1/4 mile separating them. A saddle (between two canyons) separated them and I saw my opportunity. I ran down to the bottom of the head of the canyon and scrambled up the steepest part of the saddle. It was covered in sage and cactus but I didn't spook any cows. When I almost reached the top of the saddle I caught my breath and waited. Then both bulls bugled, which gave me their positions. I scrambled over the top of the saddle and blew out a couple of cows. But that didn’t matter anymore because I was in their inner circle. I shouted out a bugle to both bulls and didn’t have to wait. (What I had done was get between two big bulls fighting over cows and challenged them both) The big mean bull was so furious that he stuttered as he screamed back at me.
I quickly advanced 30 yards so that he couldn’t pin my location down and as soon as I put an arrow on the string I saw the antlers towering over the brush. He’s coming and he’s not stopping. It all happened so fast that I saw his big left side and knew he was a shooter.
He watched me draw and stopped at 20 yards.  I temporarily came unglued and aimed for the whole elk. My arrow went right between his legs and he just stood there. (I’ve fired “warning shots” at elk before) Getting myself back together I quickly nocked another arrow and focused. Earning another shot opportunity would take a lot more work if I messed up again. The arrow went right where I wanted and penetrated nearly to the fletch. He ran down the canyon and there was no doubt that he wouldn’t go far. He had gone less than 150 yards – all downhill.

Now, I need to figure out how to post a picture.

[David Bartholomew]

For Elkstabber:

Image

   

[A.S.]

Congrats Curt!!      

[Jack Denbow]

Wow! That sure is a nice bull Curtis. Congratulations.
Jack

[Nook]

Great elk Curtis.  Congratulations.  What a trophy.    

[Cool Springer]

Beautiful bull Curt.  Congratulations

[Tom]

Nice bull curt, where in So. NM? Lived in Albuquerque for 5 years and hunted near Taos and Jemez mtns. Some fine bulls out there for sure.

[Elkstabber]

Thanks guys!  Not bad for a middle aged bald guy who shoots left-handed  

Jack, I'm very interested in hunting antelope in Wyoming and have a couple of preference points too.  I'm sending you a PM.

Tom, I've hunted around Taos also.  I was in the Gila area near Arizona and it exceeded all of my expectations.  Draw odds are steep for non-residents of New Mexico but you'll never draw a tag if you don't try.