I will start off this little story with full disclosure...I am spoiled to live and hunt where I do. I know this. There, I said it. I moved here because my wife was from here and thought "please don't throw me into the briarpatch" when she suggested we move back to her home county.
I train every summer for the chance to jump start my season with a hunt for mulies or elk out west. I run, bike and swim, train for a couple of sprint triathlons, and use my mountain bike for summer scouting. I cover about 10 miles a week on my fat tires and another 50 or so on my skinny ones. Here's the machines:
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/rig.jpg)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/normalrides.jpg)
The great thing about traveling roads like these on my fat tires is that deer don't hear you coming. I can park my truck near an area I want to glass, ride my mountain bike in and get pretty ok pics and never really spook the deer.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/dustyroads.jpg)
I try to end up near my truck or home as darkness nears and more than once I have ended up with a eye or mouth full of bugs while trying to pedal back home with my headlamp on.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/hiddengiant.jpg)
Sometimes this is all I get of a good buck. Ears, horns, etc but enough to know that a good one is there in July. What I have found is that if food is around in October (our opener is the 1st) then the bucks I glassed in July will be within a half mile of where they were. If food is not there I look for the nearest late green soybeans or fresh cut alfalfa or clover.
I sprinted my last half mile buddy to get to this computer!! I know you got more.
This year started out good! I had a little bear hunt planned with Stickflingers in Manitoba and that went ok :) I started my training late a bit portly from all the celebrating after my bear hunt. The first of July I started my riding and thinking about big mulies in WY. I also started thinking about training for my triathlon. The one I did with my wife 'bout whooped me last year.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/tripick.jpg)
Then 2 weeks ago I managed to glass what will become my goal for the year. The first pics are grainy and not good due to my camera fogging up in this 100 degree heat. A long ride, a fat triathlete, and a camera crammed in a camelback are not the best combo for good pics!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_1669.jpg)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_1676.jpg)
I spent alot more time riding the last 2 weeks and couldn't catch a break for the pics of "the one". Then coming home I nearly hit one of his buddies on the gravel road near my home. This would have been a cool pic if I had not been shaking.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_1709.jpg)
I am an avid cyclist too and love riding roads and trails and sometimes seeing animals along the way. It looks like you live in a great place to bike. Thanks for the pictures. You and your wife are a very nice looking couple. Glad you are staying fit.
Allan
So tonight, as I am prepping for a triathlon in 3 weeks,a elk/mulie adventure for 5 days with other Tradgangers in camp, and a move from my home near where this buck sleeps to another as good piece of heaven on the other side of the county, I decide to ride. Not a long one, just a couple of miles to clear my head near where I think a good one is. It's hot, I am soaking wet, but I bail into the property I have permission to hunt with a bottle of water, a power bar, and some fruit. Thermacell going and not a care in the world exept all the things mentioned above and the fact I am a spoiled man to live and hunt here.
The does arrive and begin to feed and my eyelids feel heavy. Just as the sandman comes I see a doe looking into the woods and it dawns on me to get my glasses up.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_0914.jpg)
What you are about to see will startle you. Be afraid. The boogy man lives near me. Honest to God...now I am sworn to secrecy with my own inner self as to where the boogy man lives. But he is near and to keep the women and children safe I will be hunting him with a very sharp broadhead and a bow with much mojo in 64 days.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_1731.jpg)
So, as I laid in the blackberry bush and contemplated the universe and yes again thanked the Lord for my station in life, I thought how cool it would be to kill him with a bow that is being passed around in honor of one of our fallen brothers. I get the Chris Surtees pass around bow being offered by Bel007 in October. Here's the link for it. http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=106205;p=1
I will be riding more and shooting more with that buck on my mind, hoping for this look with a mojo-laden bow in my hand.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/Bike%20Scout/IMG_1732.jpg)
Wish me luck but I don't need it. I got mojo...and that's better :campfire:
Mike , Tracy emailed me those pics. WOW!!!! :eek: :scared:
If you want, push him over to KS early Nov and I'll help you out. I can definitley scare him anyways.
Good Luck!!!
Great pics and a great mindset in life!!!! Good luck on this big boy, he's a stud for sure! To get this deer with a bow honoring Chris Surtees sure would keep a flame burning in a man's heart right!!! Good luck again.
Shazaum! :eek: that thing is a beast. I'll stick a pig in January with that bow- want to trade venison for pork? :D
L.R.
Shuweee he's a dandy. Good luck with him.
Mike, Now that is an awesome buck ( Of a lifetime ). Sounds like you have a good plan. Hunt hard and shoot straight. The best of luck. Don
Wow! Hope you get him.
Thanks gents! This fall is going to be fun :goldtooth:
Looks like you know what you will be after come season. Nice pictures.
Awesome! Better pic than the one you sent me. Hes awesome!
WOW :eek:
Mike, this is your year! :campfire:
Woah...that thing has a big enough spread to be a western Muley! Hunt hard and shoot straight on that bad boy.
Greath thread....thanks for this and good luck!
Neat thread Mike. That buck is just incredible!!! Hope you get him this fall.
That's a super stud! Good luck with him!
That is one wide buck! Good luck this fall.
Really enjoyed meeting you Sunday bud and I knew he was big by the way you desribed him but dang!!
He's a stud :bigsmyl: Sure hope you get a chance at him this October. :archer2:
Good luck with the triathlon, I'm jelous!!
Tracy
Tracy likewise buddy! If I can put a gameplan together like you have in the past this is gonna be great :) You just keep getting better and we will do a race next summer :thumbsup:
Man what a buck, best of luck with your season.
I live in tn, and do some scouting here from my mtn. Bike also. We don't grow deer like that here in east tn. It's nice to see a fellow trad guy have a chance at one like that.
I compete, or rather complete, triathlons also. I don't call it compete because I am not fast enough to call it that. I race the xterra triathlons, if you havent done them, you need to check it out. They are all off road. Open water swim, mountain bike and trail run. They are usually sprint or Olympic distance, and since you have the love for the woods, they are perfect for outdoorsman who what to stay fit.
gotta be fake :readit: :thumbsup: :campfire:
That is a HOSS!! Hope you get him!
Another little ride tonight...this time about 6 miles away from the boogy man. Fellers was it hot :deadhorse:
I did find out what's behind door number 2. This time there are 7 bucks in a group, the biggest shown here. Sorry about the pics...did I mention it was hot and I am a bit winded. Man season needs to get here.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1744.jpg)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1749.jpg)
Holy Cow MAN! Thats a freak for sure!
He needs to get away from the road! What is the traffic like where you are riding.
I'm wonder how many other guys know about him and his buddies.
Great thread brother. Good stuff.
:eek: :eek: Go get 'em!
Gatekeeper both bach groups are off the main road a piece. It does make a guy nervous with all the road hunters about. The second group of bucks are a lot more hidden with only an oil well access road to worry about. Lucky for me that I have access to both groups of bucks. Coarse by the time Oct 1 gets here they will be eating in another location that I can't go. We'll see! Having 2 different Booner bucks to dream about and plan for is a blessing all its own :)
Nice bucks.. good luck!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1772.jpg)
How many bucks can you spot?
Another good ride tonight...I'll quit posting pics soon but I keep finding good deer. Enjoy!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1767.jpg)
*A monster with a dropper in the beans
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1765.jpg)
*Next years Booner
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1770.jpg)
*A new group to spy on as the straw beans grow.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1791.jpg)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1790.jpg)
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/IMG_1783.jpg)
Wow! :eek: Those are some dandy bucks for sure. Good luck!