SDBugler
Very Active Member
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I can't believe the luck my son is having so far this year!!!!
He was fortunate to draw four big game licenses this year, including two premium licenses. In preparation for some great tags, we spent many hours at the range shooting and working up loads. He also ran with me every day to make sure he was in shape (he even joined the high shool cross country team after running all summer).
His season started out with a youth elk hunt in NM. This was his first elk hunt and he harvested a great elk. He shot his elk mid-morning on the second day of the hunt after passing up shots at 12 other bulls. He also did his share of the work packing the bull off the mountain. Even though he weighs less than 100 pounds he packed out both shoulders without one complaint. I would like to thank all of the members on this forum who provided me with information and assistance in planning this hunt.
His second hunt was for whitetail deer in Custer State Park in western SD. his license allowed him to harvest both a buck and a doe. Although the weather was warm and the bucks weren't rutting, he did manage to harvest a nice 5x6 buck on the second morning. This was a very unique hunting opportunity ? from the spot where we sat overlooking a creek bottom, we watched a variety of wildlife including a bald eagle, bull elk, bison, mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, coyotes, and prairie dogs. There aren't too many places in North America where you can experience that variety from one location in a single morning.
He filled his doe tag early afternoon on opening day.
His third hunt was for mule deer in western SD. This hunt was a three generation hunt including his younger brother, my dad and myself. The western part of the state was engulfed in a blizzard for three days prior to opening day of the season closing nearly all roads. Since we couldn't drive out the night before, we woke up at 1 am opening day and drove 5 hours to get to our hunting area before first light. He and grandpa were hunting together when they spotted a herd of deer bedded. They managed to sneak within 100 yards of the herd before my son shot the largest buck in his bed and grandpa harvested the other buck. My younger son had already harvested a nice 4 point buck an hour earlier so we had three nice bucks down, 3 miles from the truck, by 10:30 opening morning!!! (I have another thread about this hunt on the Mule Deer Forum)
These were all DIY public land hunts.
His last hunt is this coming weekend for a whitetail buck in eastern SD. Even though he has already had an incredible season, I am rooting for him to go 4 for 4.
He was fortunate to draw four big game licenses this year, including two premium licenses. In preparation for some great tags, we spent many hours at the range shooting and working up loads. He also ran with me every day to make sure he was in shape (he even joined the high shool cross country team after running all summer).
His season started out with a youth elk hunt in NM. This was his first elk hunt and he harvested a great elk. He shot his elk mid-morning on the second day of the hunt after passing up shots at 12 other bulls. He also did his share of the work packing the bull off the mountain. Even though he weighs less than 100 pounds he packed out both shoulders without one complaint. I would like to thank all of the members on this forum who provided me with information and assistance in planning this hunt.
His second hunt was for whitetail deer in Custer State Park in western SD. his license allowed him to harvest both a buck and a doe. Although the weather was warm and the bucks weren't rutting, he did manage to harvest a nice 5x6 buck on the second morning. This was a very unique hunting opportunity ? from the spot where we sat overlooking a creek bottom, we watched a variety of wildlife including a bald eagle, bull elk, bison, mule deer, whitetail deer, antelope, coyotes, and prairie dogs. There aren't too many places in North America where you can experience that variety from one location in a single morning.
He filled his doe tag early afternoon on opening day.
His third hunt was for mule deer in western SD. This hunt was a three generation hunt including his younger brother, my dad and myself. The western part of the state was engulfed in a blizzard for three days prior to opening day of the season closing nearly all roads. Since we couldn't drive out the night before, we woke up at 1 am opening day and drove 5 hours to get to our hunting area before first light. He and grandpa were hunting together when they spotted a herd of deer bedded. They managed to sneak within 100 yards of the herd before my son shot the largest buck in his bed and grandpa harvested the other buck. My younger son had already harvested a nice 4 point buck an hour earlier so we had three nice bucks down, 3 miles from the truck, by 10:30 opening morning!!! (I have another thread about this hunt on the Mule Deer Forum)
These were all DIY public land hunts.
His last hunt is this coming weekend for a whitetail buck in eastern SD. Even though he has already had an incredible season, I am rooting for him to go 4 for 4.
