Team 8 "Heavy Hitters"
 

camokenny checking in.

Team 8
Iayotehunter x
Camokenny x
hatchet jack x
Pilsner hunter x
Rackluster x
mike1997
fingerz42
Crokit x
ArtyJoe x
Talondale x

I'm here.. Will type more tomorrow

Hatchet Jack checking in. I like what I see so far. 2 heavy Hitters from the BIG BUCK state of Iowa. Lets have some fun!


Hatchet Jack

Checking in. Hunting in VA. Season starts Oct 4th.

Hi guys, my name is Curtis. I am a born and raised Iowan and will be hunting there this fall. Last year I shot my first buck. He scored 156.5" and boy did that make it that much greater. This year I have high hopes again. Have been seeing big bucks all summer but have yet to get any on camera. I leave Sept. 12th for an elk hunt in Colorado and will get back the 21st. I will try to keep every one post on how that goes. Season starts in Iowa on Oct 1st. I hunted 60 out of the 69 days during the early split archery season last year. Hoping to hunt the same if not more this year.

Last years buck

Artyjoe checking in. I hunt in Missouri. I scored 103 last year and hoping to improve this year. We open on September 15th. Food plots are getting planted this week.
" />

Hi there, I live in norther British Columbia and bow season started on Monday, I'm new to bow hunting and will be flinging arrows at the first leagel buck.

hi. checking in. looking forward to the season and following all your seasons too.

Anybody have anything on trailcams?

These 2 bucks are the largest so far caught on camera. Note the right side of the closer buck. Not sure why his right side is like that.

The buck in the back is the one we call Willow. He has sweeping G1's.

" />

The close buck could have had an injury that caused the antler to grow like that. Could grow out of it next year if it was an injury.

I like the looks of the back buck.

Here is a buck we call wide load. Not a shooter this year for me but going to try to put another kid on him.




Few other up and comers:





Possible Shooter:

Checking in. I'll be hunting two states. Should be an interesting year.

Fingerz, what states?

Yes, usually an injury to the offside (left) causes the antler to be malformed. Could have been hit by car, shot and lived, sparring injury. In some cases it is genetic. Sometimes its the antler bud that is injured but you usually get real freaky looking changes when that's the case. If the injury is permanent the antler will continue to be odd next year and thereafter.

PA and NY....

Team 8
Iayotehunter X
Camokenny x
hatchet jack X
Pilsner hunter X
Rackluster X
mike1997
fingerz42 X
Crokit
ArtyJoe X
Talondale X


Hopefully Mike1997 and Crokit will be along soon and we will have a full team. (EDIT: I went ahead and sent them a PM letting them know they are on our team)

Anyone got Team name suggestions?

Cutting Edge
Vane Glory
Buckshot
Silent Kill
Close Encounters

Bloody Vanes
String Stalkers


Also I'd be willing to be team captain. I was for my team last year.

Curtis, you got my vote for team captain.

Heavy Hitters?

Our team is looking good.
Been busy with work so I have not been out checking or scouting but they are there. Can start hunting oct 1 but it really gets good come nov.

iayotehunter gets my vote for captain.

Boneheads ?

X2 on Captain. I like Heavy Hitters. Anybody that hunts the Midwest is a Heavy Hitter. Hatchet Jack checking back. I hunt 3 states this year, PA, OH and NJ. I will be in a tree next week over in NJ. You must shoot a Doe first before you can take a Buck in NJ. I hunt Ohio with a outfitter on Nov,10th till Nov,14th in SE Ohio. Be hunting all my normal PA haunts all season. I always try to hold off for a 8pt or better . Its that time of the year again Boy's! Archery season and Football Season. Life's Good!!! Be Safe.

Hatchet Jack

Oh I love September The time of year when bucks shed their velvet and home ranges expand. After a long slow summer the pulls started getting interesting this week. This was the first pull I got off this property because the owner was impossible to get ahold of until last week: Then the property that always produces nice bucks. What's everyone's thought on this buck? Other bucks off the property:

Cutting Edge
Vane Glory
Buckshot
Silent Kill
Close Encounters
Bloody Vanes
String Stalkers
Heavy Hitters
Boneheads

The preceding names were the names we suggested.. I think we should go ahead and vote on them.
If every one agrees I will go ahead and be captain.


I leave for Colorado in 4 days so I may not post much next week.

Your our Captain. I like Heaver Hitters . Nice Trailcam pics. Thanks. I can't wait for Saturday to get here. I must shoot a Doe first to be able to shoot a Buck in NJ for the first 2 weeks of the season Sept 13th.

Hatchet Jack

Good Luck!!! Be Safe!!!! have a GREAT time!!!!!

Hatchet Jack

Good luck this weekend. Hopefully you can put 25 PTs on the board with a doe for us

Heavy Hitters sounds good to me.
Good luck this weekend and next week guys.

iayotehunter, what are you hunting elk with, black powder or bow? Which unit? I BP hunted 56 3 years ago. It was fun and look to get back there someday.

Deep Shafts! lol
Death from Above
Robin Killyenz (too soon?) haha
Nocked and Loaded
Go Buck Yourself

Bow. Unit 214

Thanks! I feel good that I will put us on the board this Saturday or Sunday. I can taste the STRAPS on the open fire already! LOL!

Hatchet Jack

Thanks.

Hatchet Jack

Cool, I looked at the Steamboat area as well. Have a great time. First trip?

Yes, first trip. Going to be completely different than here in Iowa. Never seen the mountains before so no matter what the trip will be a success in my books. Hoping to do a little bit of filming also.

You LUCKY BUCK!!!! Have a Great time. Some day i WILL get out to see them Big Hill's . I want to do a Elk Hunt before I get to Old . I am 54 but I keep myself in decent shape still. But the window is closing . Be Safe and suck it all in.

Hatchet Jack

iayotehunter I hope you're getting conditioned and remember to hydrate BEFORE you get there. It helps with altitude sickness. I was force drinking water the whole drive there and had no problems other than not being able to breathe. LOL. The other advice I'd give is take your time. These aren't whitetails and it's a game of days not one shot opportunities like with a roaming buck. If you spot a elk worth shooting don't force the situation. Only go for it if the circumstances are just right. If not back out and he'll most likely be in the same area tomorrow. If you blow it he WILL run out of your zone and then you won't get another shot. Most of the hunt is just finding them. Once you find them take your time and make the situation right. Ask me how I know. :(

Hatchet Jack, when I went I went with my Dad. He was 73 at the time. We had to go slow and couldn't go in deep. But we saw elk and even got close on a nice bull. (see above) Going slow in the mountains with elk is not a bad thing. So I'd say you have plenty of time. But go sooner because you'll likely want to go back again and again.

Thanks Talondale thats nice to know. The main thing for me is just to see that part of the country and hear and see Elk or whatever game. If I get a chance , and thats all you can ask for then that's a bonus. I try to hunt the Midwest each year and I love the Midwest! I seen some GREAT Bucks in KS,IL,KY and Ohio. My best Buck to date is a 124/5/8th inch 10pt I shot in IL. I had great chances on two other Big Bucks in KS and IL and well, thats two sad stories for another time. The people out there are nice and friendly and its clean and wide open. If I could I would move out there to live today.I am thinking of giving up a few trips and start saving for a Elk trip in two years. I hunt Ohio this year and it all depends on how that trip is this year. Its a low budget semi guided hunt for 5 days Nov 10th til Nov14. It with Working Man's Outfitters. Hey I will be sitting in a treestand from flashlight to flashlight near the Rut I hope in Se Ohio. I am hoping for COLD weather, just wish I had a better Moon. Be safe.

Hatchet Jack

You can do the CO hunt on the cheap if you realize that success is based on the experience. The biggest expense will be your tag and gas. Other than that it's just basically a camping trip in the national forest. If you are going to be bowhunting then that is early in the season, usually, and the elk will be high up, above the timberline. Most of the time you will just be doing long range scouting and then you try to get in position with the wind for the shot. You may have to wait a day to try. It only has to be as extreme as you want to make it. We never hiked more than a mile and I saw a 300"+ bull. Granted, if you want to pack in farther you'll have a better chance but it increases logistics. It can be done easier. We drove up pre-dawn to the timberline and then sat in the truck and spotted for elk. When we spotted one we tried to move into position. If you chose to pack in you could just hike in and have prearranged deal with someone with horses willing to pack out the elk if you are successful. Another alternative is to have a base camp which you can setup out of your truck and then spike camp a night or two up high.