So after being "chastised" a bit to do so, I will share a little photo essay of our season here in Montana with you guys once again.
I will be a little vague on the story telling and let the pics talk. Suffice to say, we had another great year hunting (when is it never a great year?) with our selfbows. My son Kory, his buddy "Cheese", and myself took to the woods quite often after elk and antelope early on...and then whitetails. No luck on the elk or antelope...my knees wouldn't let me tag along with them as much this year...but we had a great time along the Yellowstone River after whitetails and even a bear. So enjoy.....
Here they are, somewhat in chronological order.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/FullSizeRender_zpsptzpswkh.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/FullSizeRender_zpsptzpswkh.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory_zpsmsmraogz.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory_zpsmsmraogz.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/IMG_1511_zpsgnmn1lfs.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/IMG_1511_zpsgnmn1lfs.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/bad%20moon%20rising%201_zpst15c7b8v.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/bad%20moon%20rising%201_zpst15c7b8v.jpg.html)
That is some beautiful country!!! Nice picture's :thumbsup:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0380%202_zpscsl2pazf.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0380%202_zpscsl2pazf.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Bear%20shot_zpsygycocp9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Bear%20shot_zpsygycocp9.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%201_zpszlb5x3nt.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%201_zpszlb5x3nt.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%206_zpsfcdlatm0.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%206_zpsfcdlatm0.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%2010_zpse7hiuta1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Kory%20bear%2010_zpse7hiuta1.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0472%202_zpskzxuhduj.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0472%202_zpskzxuhduj.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0727%202_zpst9qqyw6y.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0727%202_zpst9qqyw6y.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/kory%20double%201_zpsavd3ikki.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/kory%20double%201_zpsavd3ikki.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/early%20snow_zpstdaki6mv.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/early%20snow_zpstdaki6mv.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0572%202_zpsu8jbrp9s.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0572%202_zpsu8jbrp9s.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuck3_zpsgbkg7hst.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuck3_zpsgbkg7hst.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuck5_zpsrk4eibn8.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuck5_zpsrk4eibn8.jpg.html)
Awesome pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Very nice. Thanks for the pictorial.
Very nice, thanks for sharing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuckA%202_zpsldcgb660.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/mbuckA%202_zpsldcgb660.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/selfie_zpswifx1dax.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/selfie_zpswifx1dax.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0710%202_zpszyco39yh.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0710%202_zpszyco39yh.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/IMG_1611_zpsmlwitjeo.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/IMG_1611_zpsmlwitjeo.jpg.html)
Great pictures... Thanks... neil
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/scenic_zpskanwqynw.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/scenic_zpskanwqynw.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0668%202_zpsft4uua6g.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0668%202_zpsft4uua6g.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/Korytreestand%202_zpsablst9zl.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/Korytreestand%202_zpsablst9zl.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/moonset1_zpspwj5lpb1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/moonset1_zpspwj5lpb1.jpg.html)
thank you.
Very nice!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/moonset2%202_zpsb0plx1wi.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/moonset2%202_zpsb0plx1wi.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/eyerub%202_zpsnx7uh0br.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/eyerub%202_zpsnx7uh0br.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/apair%202_zpsthwmrse3.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/apair%202_zpsthwmrse3.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/across%202_zpsl2f5rwyk.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/across%202_zpsl2f5rwyk.jpg.html)
Nice!!!! Congrats, and thanks for sharing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/mdoe1_zpswzxkvskr.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/mdoe1_zpswzxkvskr.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/1horn2_zpsef3c0ylb.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/1horn2_zpsef3c0ylb.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/thinktuff%202_zpsjhifsdvz.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/thinktuff%202_zpsjhifsdvz.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/denied%202_zpsevbdflgt.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/denied%202_zpsevbdflgt.jpg.html)
WOW!!Thanks for sharing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/foolish%202_zpslojvbfx7.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/foolish%202_zpslojvbfx7.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0794%202_zpswrzkcaki.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0794%202_zpswrzkcaki.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0795%202_zpssfqgiqrv.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0795%202_zpssfqgiqrv.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/kbuck3_zpsnb6solln.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/kbuck3_zpsnb6solln.jpg.html)
Wow; excellent photography work. Congratulations on some great success also. Thanks for sharing those.
Flat out.......WOW :thumbsup:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/kbuck5_zpsx7mpiqmf.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/kbuck5_zpsx7mpiqmf.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/handson%202_zpspgeg2cfv.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/handson%202_zpspgeg2cfv.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0827%202_zpshfr9qcxg.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0827%202_zpshfr9qcxg.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0826%202_zpsdrhav4ft.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0826%202_zpsdrhav4ft.jpg.html)
That's quite the season. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Mark
homebru
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/on%20the%20riverbank2%202_zpsqfgyia8h.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/on%20the%20riverbank2%202_zpsqfgyia8h.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/cbuck5_zpslglztqmw.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/cbuck5_zpslglztqmw.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2016%20hunt%20pics/cbuck4_zpsbnoj9lka.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2016%20hunt%20pics/cbuck4_zpsbnoj9lka.jpg.html)
And that's about it so far!
Thanks for taking the time to take these pictures and for taking the time to share them!!!!
Very nice , thanks for sharing .
Mark, Thank-You so much for the great photos!!!
Fantastic!!!!
Outstanding...thank you for sharing
Wry well done Mark!
Thank you mark. You're blessed but by choice. Great photos.
Thxs for sharing that's some Beautiful country you live in!!
Good stuff Mark! :thumbsup:
Like always.......outstanding. :notworthy:
Thank you. I always look forward to seeing your hunt in photos. You live and hunt in a beautiful place.
Beautiful..
Beautiful country, congratulations to the hunters!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Really nice photos.
Thanks for sharing .
Spectacular as always Mark! Thanks for sharing!
A picture is worth... well, a lot of words!
Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.
awesome , thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing,Really enjoy seeing mountain hunting photos. And beautiful animal pictures...
Wow, just wow! So jealous of you guys that get to live and hunt in such a beautiful place. Great photos. Thanks for sharing
Very Nice !! :clapper:
Fantastic journal..... thanks my friend....
Best thread of the year! Beautiful photography and wonderful memories, thanks for sharing.
Beautiful! You truly live in the Glory of the Lord, he has blessed us with such Majesty of his creations!
Simply outstanding!
What a treat to view this thread. Beautiful land and photography.
Outstanding Mark. I very much enjoyed the photos.
Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing and taking the time to capture these images along the way. I dream of Montana.......
Well done!
awesome season sure makes a man want to move....congratulations everyone,,,,awesome animals...Merry Christmas
Another great year in Montana for the Bakers! Fantastic pictures Mark, thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!
Awesome pics of some beautiful country! And congrats on all the kills too!
Bisch
Just Beautiful! Merry Christmas to you all!
Amazing stuff! You guys are truly "next level!" That color phase bear is gorgeous!!!!! Congrats on another fine season with family and friends in the outdoors!
Very nice, thank you for sharing !!!
What brand of quivers are you using ? They are exactly what I have been looking for
Great pictures Mark! Thanks for sharing. Always look forward to seeing the Baker's/friends successes...
Thanks everyone...and "Merry Christmas", by the way! I took a lot of video this year, so I'm glad to have some good pics to share. We are blessed to have some great places to hunt and "hang" in.
The quivers we use and have used for decades now are Kwikee's using the Quiver Caddy bracket (the boys still like the kwikees), and I am using the newest version in the Absorkee line from Farr West by Tim Roberts...it also used the Quiver Caddy bracket. Awesome way to hunt. Shooting selfbows, we don't like bow quivers, and would put this way of carrying arrows up against any other...it's that good IMO. But quivers are like "you know what"...everyones got their preferences.
Awesome pictures! And congrats on a wonderful season!
Enjoyed the pictures, thanks.
That's really neat, Mark!
If you ever decide to write a book I will surely buy it!
Great pics Mark!
Looks like a fine season. Really like the moon shot.
Ted,
Mark did write a book... It's his avatar... Read it couple years back... time to read it again...
Jonathan
Awesome pics Mark! Kory looks well and has become so consistent each year. Amazing how quickly our kids have grown. Take care buddy and Happy New Year!
Mark,amazing pictures,as always. Family, friends, selfbows and the Yellowstone riverbottom. Life doesn't get any better than that. Congratulations to all of you on another fine season in Paradise. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thanks again.
Well done! Thanks for sharing
There are places with bigger bucks, there are no places more beautiful. There is something special about those river bottoms. Beautiful pics, thanks for sharing.
Beautiful country, outstanding photos!!!!
Really nice, great year.Thanks for the pics.You guys are great
Really nice, great year.Thanks for the pics.You guys are great
Very nice.
Awesome pictures and some nice animals harvested! You guys are doing it the hard way with those self bows! :thumbsup:
Congrats to all , on some fine animals taken.
Great pictures,thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing Mark. A coffee table book of your photos would be awesome... just putting it out there!
Awesome pictures really enjoyed them, congratulations and Happy New Years to all.
Thanks all for the great words....it means a lot that you like the pics. I know I live in a pretty picturesque place, and am lucky to be able to hunt here. Like a lot of folks' places, "progress" is gobbling up a lot of great wildlife real-estate, so enjoy it while you can!
A couple backstories on the pics that I didn't have time to type up while posting and fighting with photobucket....
The "shot" photo is taken from a video, and is the actual shot of Kory killing the bear...and is about one hour after the previous pic with him in the stand and the buck below....
The moon was pretty spectacular this year...the first moon pic is from September's "super moon" rising in the Absorkee's, and the latter two including the one with the juniper branch, is of the moon setting in October - which I don't think was a "super" moon, but pretty cool nonetheless. I have taken many pics of moon rises and sets, and this year I finally got a couple lucky, good ones.
The buck I killed was mid-October....first real mid-October buck I think I ever have taken. I usually get one early or during the rut. Kory and Cheese both killed their bucks the last weekend of "general" (gun) season after hunting very hard all year. That's the way we all like to do it, isn't it??? Hunt hard all season and finally fill a tag at the last opportunity. Of course their were a few lost and blown opportunities along the way, but "hey" that's hunting!
Thanks again all.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!!!
Great photos. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome Mark... This is my favorite thread of the year! Thank you for posting.
Absolutely awesome , thanks for sharing !
how is the elk numbers in Montana theese years ?
Statewide, elk numbers are doing fine, perhaps even exceeding capacity levels in certain areas. This is due to a great increase in large ranches being bought out by out-of-state parties that "harbor" elk herds during the hunting seasons. Conversely, elk numbers in areas where wolves have been re-introduced took a big hit as a result, but seem to have stabilized some. While some of these herds could have used some "thinning" IMO, the resulting "crash" from wolf reintroduction is pretty catastrophic to folks that depended on the economic benefits of being able to hunt these large migratory herds. To be fair, I think wolves were just the straw that broke the camels back...there are lots of predators these days, and the stress on these elk herds has contributed to low calf-recruitment. Again...my opinion. While it may be "neat" to see wolves back in the ecosystem...it's also sad to see these great herds - the same ones that repopulated North American herds everywhere - be so greatly reduced. It's not the same elk hunting I grew up with, around my home anyway. But still, a lot of elk here.
You did indeed have a good season Mark. Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing and best of luck this year.
Great pictures! Both the landscapes and the animal pics are really nice. Yep, looks like you had a good year. Thanks for sharing.
Mark,
Those feathers are outstanding! Are they Swift cut or something else's?
Fantastic pictures...
They are full length feathers that we burn to our own shape. About 5 1/4" long, fletched, and the burn is a bit higher profile than most. I've been using this same profile for many, many years now.
Very nice pictures and it was a good year.