Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: BigJim on October 31, 2019, 11:17:32 PM
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Well, I can honestly say that I am not happy to be home! … don't get me wrong, home is good, but at 85 freakin degrees, it was a rude awakening! Not to mention, the hunting in Alberta is more fun as it is part of an adventure.
5 trad hunters went to TimberGhost outfitters in Cold Lake Alberta. I can say that we all had a very good time and everyone had opportunities.
My social media guru Austin missed a 140 plus 8 point. Drew.. from tradgang seen a few and can vouch for the importance of being on the stand at lunch time.
Mark killed a pretty 8 point with a perfect 22 yard shot, Nate couldn't find the buck he was after.
Now to me. The first critter to come in .. on the first day was a sweet pair of moose. A huge cow and her bull calf stood in front of me at 12 yards knowing that I couldn't legally send an arrow in their direction, but I was soooo tempted.
Following the moose was wiley coyote. I knew better to wait for a more opportune time to move, but yote's can be so fleeting that I got in a hurry. Of course it spotted me but it was fun anyway.
Then there was a mid 140's + buck at 30 yards that never offered a shooting solution. …. that ends day 1 in the stand.
Day two brought 3 bucks. A cute 6 point, a 130 ish 9 point and a really cool 7 point with about 9" brow tines. All these bucks offered me several shooting solutions from 7 to 12 yards. I just wasn't ready and they weren't the bucks I was there for.
Day three brought in a nice 8 point about 125 or so inches.
I had lots of opportunities, but the buck I was after alluded me. I know that many would have taken most any of those, but when you consider that I wasn't flying the meat back to Georgia (donated to the lodge to feed up coming hunters) I might as well sit it out and see what the good lord had to offer.
Crazy thought about all of the aforementioned bucks, is that it is unlikely that any of them were over 2.5 years old.
A few things to take away from this trip besides it was a resounding success: You will never shoot a 150+ if you keep shooting 125's. But more importantly, if you can't enjoy your self without taking an animal, you will more often be disappointed than you will be happy.
BIgJim
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Look at this beautiful 7 point with 9" brows... give or take.
BigJim
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You want to talk about a fattie?, this 9 point might even rival my body fat composition!... but then, all of the deer I encountered in Alberta were similar in size.
The two bucks in the pictures tested my patience with multiple up close and personal shooting solutions.
BigJim
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Ha! that last buck pictured even has butt rinkles!!! fattie!
BigJim
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So fat I smell bacon!!!!
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The much anticipated hunt did not disappoint. You and your team harvested and brought home the best of experiences and shared camaraderie. Would expect the team is already envisioning a return.
Thank you for sharing.
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" You will never shoot a 150+ if you keep shooting 125's. But more importantly, if you can't enjoy yourself without taking an animal, you will more often be disappointed than you will be happy".
EXACTLY RIGHT!!! :thumbsup:
Thanks a bunch for the report Big Jim!!
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As my old friend used to say, "That one is an axe-handle-and-a-half wide."
Which to me seems pretty wide.
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Looks like a good time!!
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Great pics! That one needs that great cardio program that we refer to as “the rut” to work a few pounds off! :biglaugh:
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I was rooting for you guys. Who saw the lynx I heard about?
Dem some big bodied deer!
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They were purdy! and an ax handle and a half wide.. all of them. Even the doe's were struttin some extra fat.
I have seen these type of deer before, but I don't think I ever had seen any so fat.
3 more weeks and I will be in Kansas with my crew.. the guys from the shop. Maybe my patience will pay off there, I can only hope. At any rate, I will have a good time and it will help to recharge my batteries sort of. We hunt hard, party hard, and sleep little. As often said, I have to go back to work to get some rest!
Thanks, BigJIm
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Great stuff.