The 2023 searching season was stuffed with plenty of highs and some, I wouldn’t name them lows, however disappointments. I don’t must kill an animal to name a hunt profitable or pleasing, however generally you’re simply bummed with a scarcity of alternative, particularly with a tag that isn’t over-the-counter and you’ll’t get yearly.
I began the 12 months early with a late-season Iowa muzzleloader tag for whitetails. We had one good day of climate after which it modified, getting heat and I by no means had a chance at a buck. In reality, I solely noticed one buck that was mature and he stayed out at about 300 yards on the second to final night. Our annual wall tent turkey camp was one other nice time. It was a smaller group than the previous few years, by design, and was stuffed with nice friendship and camaraderie. I used to be profitable, searching solo with out a cameraman and the remainder of the camp had success as properly. It’s all the time been a particular time of 12 months and an awesome hunt with good associates.
The beginning of the autumn season was a bit disappointing. I helped Chris Nowak in NM, who drew a unit 30 tag. I used to be solely in a position to go down for the final 4 days of his hunt and the climate was too good for the primary two. Once we lastly had a change within the climate, it was good motion. I known as a pair bulls in for him and when he lastly launched an arrow, the bull moved because the arrow was in flight and he hit him poorly. No fault of his personal, I used to be over his shoulder and noticed the entire thing, however we didn’t get better the bull and he burned his tag. I hunted on the identical place in NM because the earlier 3 years. Since Chris hunted unit 30, I invited Jason Matzinger to take Chris’ spot and it was a difficult hunt with the elk not being vocal in any respect for 3 full days. We have been seeing elk, seeing recent signal, however there was ZERO bugling, even distant bugles. I lastly had an encounter on our final morning however the bull stayed simply over an increase and I by no means had a shot. That night, our final and the final of the season, I known as a bull in for Jason and he killed it. The true backside of the ninth success story.
I didn’t hunt some other species apart from whitetail after the elk season and it was a fairly good one. I hunted on an outfitted hunt in Kansas, a lease in Ohio, my whitetail lease in my house state of Montana and wrapped up with an invite in Oklahoma.
I used to be profitable taking good bucks in Ohio with archery gear and in Montana and Oklahoma with a rifle. I missed a real Kansas large with my bow. The jury remains to be out on what occurred however after speaking to lots of people about it, it was seemingly an improperly seated nock on my string. I shot proper beneath him and I’m nonetheless reliving that shot right this moment. I used to be self filming that hunt and captured all of it. I filmed every of the opposite hunts as properly and all will likely be quick movies popping out on the web site within the coming months, together with Jason’s kill in NM.
I don’t know what the 2024 fall season has in retailer, however the spring goes to be enjoyable. Jason and I are heading to Patagonia in March to hunt Crimson Stag collectively and I drew an Iowa turkey tag and will likely be searching with Tom Petry in early April. I’m hoping the summer season is stuffed with tenting, fishing and golf earlier than chasing elk in Montana for the month of September.
