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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148004
01/29/21 02:59 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,671
DStroud
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,671 |
Had a pretty tough one just this past November hunting elk in Colorado between dodging forest fires then 20 inches of snow and hunting in temperature zero to -18 degrees. Cleaned cow elk when temps were around -10
But I guess mine would be the do it yourself bowhunt for Caribou in 1990. Just hired a Bush pilot to drop me another buddy off in the middle of the no where for 10 days. At two points had to strip to waist to cross rapids using my recurve bow to keep my balance in the fast water that was 40 degree snow melt off the mountain. BUT got a book bull probably walked 10-15 miles a day lost 20 lbs had to dodge sow grizzly with two cubs on couple occasions but it was certainly an adventure.
Last edited by DStroud; 01/29/21 03:00 PM.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148634
01/30/21 12:38 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,666
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,666 |
After reading these accounts, I realize my hardest hunt was little more than an inconvenience. I think most Texas hunters have similar stories. All the guys I grew up hunting with, their worst hardship involved being stuck in the mud, being cold for a few hours or a little wet.
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: txtrophy85]
#8148712
01/30/21 01:52 AM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 6,266
Jgraider
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 6,266 |
After reading these accounts, I realize my hardest hunt was little more than an inconvenience. I think most Texas hunters have similar stories. All the guys I grew up hunting with, their worst hardship involved being stuck in the mud, being cold for a few hours or a little wet. Or the coons at all the corn before the deer could get there.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Jgraider]
#8148809
01/30/21 03:04 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,666
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,666 |
After reading these accounts, I realize my hardest hunt was little more than an inconvenience. I think most Texas hunters have similar stories. All the guys I grew up hunting with, their worst hardship involved being stuck in the mud, being cold for a few hours or a little wet. Or the coons at all the corn before the deer could get there. That’s why I always mentally question when someone says they “hunted hard”. What does that mean? Does it mean they spent a lot of time in a stand? Or does it mean they wore off a lot of boot leather getting their quarry, or some other combination of patience, tenacity and physical hardship? I posted a thread awhile ago about fixing the trigger guard on one of my rifles that had a mystery dent in it. Pretty unnoticeable except to me One person commented back that I should leave it and “ he would be proud that he hunted hard enough to cause the dent”. Which made me wonder again “ what is hard hunting ?” As the dent was most likely caused by riding in/on a vehicle No doubt there are hunts like dall sheep hunts and mountain goat hunts that are hard by any persons standards, no questions on those.
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: txtrophy85]
#8148812
01/30/21 03:08 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 61,554
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 61,554 |
After reading these accounts, I realize my hardest hunt was little more than an inconvenience. I think most Texas hunters have similar stories. All the guys I grew up hunting with, their worst hardship involved being stuck in the mud, being cold for a few hours or a little wet. Or the coons at all the corn before the deer could get there. That’s why I always mentally question when someone says they “hunted hard”. What does that mean? Does it mean they spent a lot of time in a stand? Or does it mean they wore off a lot of boot leather getting their quarry, or some other combination of patience, tenacity and physical hardship? I posted a thread awhile ago about fixing the trigger guard on one of my rifles that had a mystery dent in it. Pretty unnoticeable except to me One person commented back that I should leave it and “ he would be proud that he hunted hard enough to cause the dent”. Which made me wonder again “ what is hard hunting ?” As the dent was most likely caused by riding in/on a vehicle I don’t know Oct 1st in Laredo 102 inside a pup up sucksss a lot worse then standing in a tree while it’s 10 degrees and blowing snow in Northern Oklahoma.. IMO
Bottom line, never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.-Sen Joni Ernst
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148820
01/30/21 03:18 AM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,189
TCM3
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 19,189 |
i had to drag a deer 75 yards to the truck one time.... ![roflmao roflmao](/forum/images/graemlins/default/roflmao.gif) thats all.
(R-TX)
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148834
01/30/21 03:30 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,385
scalebuster
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,385 |
My most difficult hunt was when I was a boy hunting near Sterling City. It rained all week. The dry creek rose up and knocked down our tent. I had a pair of cheap boots, Kmart with ATeam on the side, that were soaked. My dad put them next to the fire to dry out. The next morning they were burned up and only the soles were sitting there smoking. I spent the next two days watching my dad and his buddy’s drinking whiskey under a tarp barefooted in the cold. We finally killed a small buck out the truck window in the driving rain and I got to help gut it. I’ll never forget that trip and how glad I was to get back home and get warm. I think I was 6 or 7. I always think about that trip when people post questions about the best way to introduce their kids to hunting. I still love it.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148854
01/30/21 03:57 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,393
unclebubba
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,393 |
My hardest wasn't as hard as most of your's, but here goes...I used to go own long eat what you kill trips to our property in OK (we would bring a few sides too). back then, we did not have any buildings on the property, so we just camped in a tent. We had a fire ring, and metal grate, and a picnic table. I had gone up for a solo 7 day trip. My family was to meet me on day 7 for another few days of hunting. The first night, a brutal cold front came in and dropped the temp to 13 degrees. I was in a 3 man tent, but I had planned for the cold. I slept warm, but it was tough getting up! It never got above freezing for the next 5 days. I had a big ole pot of red beans and rice that I would heat up for lunch. I would leave the pot on the stove and go hunt. When I got back, it would be frozen solid again. Shot 2 deer and caught 4 or 5 big ole channel cats that week. Ate like a king and froze my arse off.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8148955
01/30/21 10:57 AM
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,948
Davis300
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,948 |
Most difficult hunt = running out of whiskey that one time. I’ll never again make that rookie mistake.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8151110
02/01/21 03:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 662
rob valle
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 662 |
Two years ago in Colorado I took this 6x6 bull. We spotted him at the top of a mountain as we were driving. We had to climb about 1000 feet to get in position for the shot which was on a neighboring ridge. I was out of breath when I got up there and the temp was 0 degrees. I missed the first time but hit him with the second shot which we ranged at 520 yards. He ran and we had to hike over to where he had been standing which was another 30 minutes through the snow. Anyhow, he only went 20 yards. It took three of us 6.5 hours to get him quartered and off that mountain. Each hindquarter was about 90 lbs. Traversing snow covered deadfall while carrying that much weight is a recipe for a broken leg. How we made out I still don't know. But it was worth it! ![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2021/02/full-31785-278703-big_elk.jpg)
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8181547
02/23/21 09:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,507
BDB
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,507 |
Mine was not necessarily the hunt but the hike out. I did a very stupid thing that I'm paying for to this day and the rest of my life. Back country elk bow hunt. I put in at Rio Grande reservoir Co. Went south past the CD. Hunted for about 6 days and finally had enough as I was seeing more outfitters than elk. I figured I get out and go to another area. I had found 2 bull racks while hunting. 5x5 still almost perfect shape and a 6x6 with some damage. No way I leaving them! So there I go with all my gear, still half my food as I ditched half of it when I got back in there and those 2 racks. 10 miles back to the trail head. The hunt itself was typical elk hunt but I felt good heading out. I still don't know why I did this but for a stupid reason I never got off my feet on the way out. When I needed a break I would just bend over to relieve my back, rest a few minutes then away I would go again. When I got back to my truck and dropped my pack....which I figured to be 70-80 pounds with those racks, I felt like I was walking in space, no gravity. I made to South Fork and wanted a beer S000000 BAD. Pulled into a 7-11 to get my beer and when I stepped out of the truck my feet were not working. I fell straight on my stomach. People were looking at me like I was already drunk. I ducked walked into the store and got my beer!
Long story short 6 months go by and I still have issues. I went to a foot specialist and they told me I collapsed my arches. I have to wear orthotics now.
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Mr. T.]
#8183680
02/25/21 04:25 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,248
tlk
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,248 |
40 years ago in British Columbia, mountain goat hunting. Flew by jet, then float plane, then full day on horse back to a tent camp. Five days of hunting and climbing mountains above the tree line before I got him. Would love to do it again, but there is no way I could physically handle it. A great hunt and great memories. So glad I did it when I was 30. This. I did the same thing - British Columbia goat hunting was some tough work. Severe climbing both up and down. Much of the mountains were loose shale which caused you to slide. Got caught on the top of a mountain miles from camp in a sudden blizzard - guide said "just lay down and curl up and we will wait this out" - couple hours later it let up and we hauled butt off that mountain. Was a great adventure that I would do again but you had to be prepared for it physically and mentally
You can't fix stupid
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8183728
02/25/21 05:09 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 61,554
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 61,554 |
Worst wasn’t a hunt but a climb, go stuck in a bad storm 13.5k ft. I thought I was going to get lit with lighting that night.
Worst hunt was having to push a 400lb motorcycle up and down a NF trail for 8.5 miles and over 2k in elevation change, in 10” of snow and I had 55lbs on my back already. That hurt worse than any pack out I’ve ever done.
Bottom line, never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.-Sen Joni Ernst
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Re: Your most diffcult hunt
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8183740
02/25/21 05:16 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 712
Capt.JVH
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 712 |
Mine was a DIY black bear hunt just north or POW island in SE Alaska. My old Coast Guard shipmate was stationed in Ketchikan and became good friends with a local guy our age. (Since this hunt me and him have become damn near best friends). The trip up was fun but the work began on the way to the forestry cabin. We spent a week in the back country hunting off a 21 foot closed cabin boat while running crab and shrimp pots to provide our dinners. Also ate my weight in rockfish. I connected on a great boar on day 2. Double lunged him right on the beach at low tide. But...... when I was tracking him I bumped him and he went straight up. I tracked him down and finished the job but the work began from there. It took 4 of us about 3 hours to get him back to the beach. No clue on weight but he missed boone and crocket by a quarter inch. Then days later on the way home we bent a rod in the outboard. We had to limp home on a Honda 9.9 hp kicker. making about 2 knots. It took almost 19 hours and a bottle of tin cup to get back to ketch. It was the best and hardest trip of my life. We are already making plans for a brown bear trip within the next few years. John ![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2021/02/full-31405-282962-bear_2.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2021/02/full-31405-282963-alaska_bear.jpg)
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