"The Season"

[les welch]

The Season. What is it? Why is it here?

After a lot of back and forth with Robby we decided to put this in the General Discussion. This is one of those “do as we say, not as we do” things. This thread will actually start a couple of days ago and it will continue into December. It will encompass some of our training, packing, gear selection, shooting, and all of our hunts. There will be times with no service where I can’t post for a few days at a time. Otherwise I’ll try and post daily. It will include hunts for Elk, deer, and bear. Mostly archery, some rifle.

The who. It will be my 13 year old son Hunter, an elk hunting buddy aka Mike the Cheesehead, and myself. I’ll do most of the posting maybe I’ll get Hunter (my son) to set up an account and give his version (there might be a little storytelling there though J )

We live in Wisconsin, but love the Western hunting. I pretty much dream it year around. This thread will let you follow along as we prepare and follow through from start to finish how we approach our seasons.

Again, as per the rules this isn’t really where this belongs. Being that it doesn’t really fit into a specific category it’s here. Feel free to ask questions or comment.

Enjoy and good luck this fall.

Les

 

[twall13]

I look forward to tagging along on your journey

 

[gelton]

subscribed...looking forward to it.

 

[robby denning]

this will be cool Les.

for those of you who don't know, Les was one of the founding staff of Rokslide- he's been with us since the beginning.

Brings a totally new angle to Western hunting because he lives in the East but get's it done out here. Here are some of his articles you may not have seen:

The Bulls of Horseshoe Mountain, Part II: http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?27170-The-Bulls-of-Horseshoe-Mountain-Part-II

Big Whitetails, Rokslide Style

OTC Scouting with Sitka Gear

 

[elkyinzer]

Good luck, Les! I really hope your boy can knock one down, it's awesome he's joining along! I've enjoyed reading about your hunts for years. Can't believe how fast the season is approaching.

Just curious...OTC or draw hunts?

 

[les welch]

Good luck, Les! I really hope your boy can knock one down, it's awesome he's joining along! I've enjoyed reading about your hunts for years. Can't believe how fast the season is approaching.

Just curious...OTC or draw hunts?

Thank You! With 10% ish odds we know it's a long shot. I didn't start Western Hunting until I was in my early 30's. That's one of my biggest regrets in life. That said I'm making sure he gets started early. I took him along on an elk hunt in Colorado when he was 10. This will be his first hunt. Right to Elk

CO is OTC. WY is General hunt, haven't even boots on the ground scouted there yet. WI bear is a draw hunt. Deer in WI is just basic. ID archery is OTC. Rifle Elk is OTC. All are public land. All are unguided.

 

[Elkfitness]

Best of luck!

 

[Ross]

Good luck to you and your son Les! Sounds like some great hunts and lifelong memories will be made in the next few months.

 

[les welch]

Three shot group at 30 yards last night. I also did some shopping for a few last minute items. The little Vaseline containers work great for lips, nose, fingers, and blisters.


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[les welch]

I feel like one of the most critical things to elk hunting success is adaptation.....well it's time to adapt again. I was just able to purchase a ML Leftover tag in Colorado! I've never rifle hunted or ml hunted elk, so this should be interesting. It will take the first week out of the Wymoing archery hunt, but what the heck. We only live once!!!

 

[les welch]

I was able to buy a turn back Colorado ML tag today. I've never firearms elk hunted, so I picked up a few items tonight.


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[les welch]

We got Hunter's Kifaru Tahr all set up tonight.


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[dreamingbig]

Can't beat that pack choice! What size frame dos you put him in?


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[les welch]

Can't beat that pack choice! What size frame dos you put him in?


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Originally we were going to go with the 22", but when we tried the 24" on it would work great and allow him room to grow into it. It's got an XS waist belt which we'll just swap out as needed.

 

[5MilesBack]

I was just able to purchase a ML Leftover tag in Colorado!

I assume that your ML tag is still an OTC archery unit for your son? If you want to post up the unit or PM, might be able to help you guys out without your boots on the ground.

ML hunting elk is just like archery hunting them, except you only have one week. I've never ML hunted before, but I have called in some nice bulls for ML hunters.

 

[les welch]

I assume that your ML tag is still an OTC archery unit for your son? If you want to post up the unit or PM, might be able to help you guys out without your boots on the ground.

ML hunting elk is just like archery hunting them, except you only have one week. I've never ML hunted before, but I have called in some nice bulls for ML hunters.

Thanks for the offer! The ML tag is a unit I'm familiar with. I hadn't planned on hunting CO this year because of the WY and ID tags. That said I'll try and squeeze this in quick. As of right now Hunter will still be doing OTC archery first week, so that won't affect the muzzy tag.

 

[les welch]

I put together 28 days of food last night.


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[les welch]

I put a 3/4" piece of oak plywood in to help add some room.


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[5MilesBack]

I put a 3/4" piece of oak plywood in to help add some room.

How does bisecting the available space "add" room?

 

[Greg Beck]

How does bisecting the available space "add" room?

I'm guessing it makes packing a whole easier. Don't have to pile so much on top of each other so it makes more room. Kind of like how adding shelves to a storage shed or something similar makes more room.