Mike D 2023

[mikedent]

I always like reading about all your hunting experiences in the forums so I thought I should take a turn. Hopefully I can come up with something worth reading about. Had kind of a rough year last year, missed a good buck and bull. Ended up getting a smallish 6 point bull but no deer even though I saw several good bucks. Blamed it on my gun and upgraded. Found out about the Powerbelt bullet problem after I bought a new gun but that's alright, hopefully the upgrade will help, probably wasn't all just a bullet problem (or all a gun problem). I did get the chance to hunt sheep with my mom which was awesome. Had a pretty decent shed season. I have a Utah general muzzle deer tag, general muzzle elk tag and a Wyoming Region H deer tag. Not sure how serious I will be taking the Wyoming tag. We'll see what I find and go from there. My step son also has a general rifle deer tag so he can hunt all the general hunts on the unit. Hope I can find him something, he will be hunting an area hit hard last winter. I made it out on my first scouting trip in Utah last week, did not see as many deer as I was hoping but did find a couple shooters one of which I got some pics of. May be the buck I missed last year. I'll post some pics. Good luck to you all!

 

[mikedent]

Hope the pics show up right. The first pic is of a ram I found dead a couple years ago and finally got back from the taxidermist this past fall. My mom is 70 years old, she was pretty happy with her ram. She has drawn all the Utah once in a lifetime tags except desert sheep. She is still putting in. I found the moose shed set before the shed closure. I did not get to keep the dead bull, someone beat me back to it. I'll post one more pic of the buck.

 

[mikedent]

Made it out again this week, overnight trip. Saw 30 bucks which is about how many I was seeing per trip last year. Basically the same bucks as last trip, few new ones and some elk. They have put on a lot of growth in the last month and some look like they still have growing to do. I don't think I have seen quite as many shooters as last year but I would say I have seen 3 or maybe 4 bucks (out of about 50) that I would shoot so not bad for 2 scouting trips. Need to go shoot my new gun and get in a little better shape, hopefully find a few more shooters before the hunt. It's coming quick.

 

[mikedent]

Made it to the range today. Shot the new Paramount muzzle loader. I’ll need to go one more time but went pretty good, just a little fine tuning next time. This is a long range muzzle loader, I’m not a long range shooter which is why I put a 3x9 scope on it. Might regret that. I have bought some other new gear this year as well, Marsupial bino harness, Sirui tripod, Crispi boots. I like the new stuff for the most part. The gun is a little heavy, the bino harness is a little big and makes me sweat on my chest more than my Kuiu one did. But I think all of it was an upgrade although a bit heavier and expensive. I also got a light weight pack (Granite Gear) for scouting, not heavy duty so it won’t handle meat but it’s nice for scouting. On another note, I found out the biggest buck I’ve seen this year was killed by a bow hunter. Not surprised, he was in a popular spot. Also confirmed he is the same buck I missed last year and that he was bigger last year. I’m more frustrated about last year than this year. Oh well. Hopefully I’ll have some redemption.

 

[mikedent]

Made it to the range today. Shot the new Paramount muzzle loader. I’ll need to go one more time but went pretty good, just a little fine tuning next time. This is a long range muzzle loader, I’m not a long range shooter which is why I put a 3x9 scope on it. Might regret that. I have bought some other new gear this year as well, Marsupial bino harness, Sirui tripod, Crispi boots. I like the new stuff for the most part. The gun is a little heavy, the bino harness is a little big and makes me sweat on my chest more than my Kuiu one did. But I think all of it was an upgrade although a bit heavier and expensive. I also got a light weight pack (Granite Gear) for scouting, not heavy duty so it won’t handle meat but it’s nice for scouting. On another note, I found out the biggest buck I’ve seen this year was killed by a bow hunter. Not surprised, he was in a popular spot. Also confirmed he is the same buck I missed last year and that he was bigger last year. I’m more frustrated about last year than this year. Oh well. Hopefully I’ll have some redemption.

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Been out a few more times scouting. Twice to an area my son has a tag that got hit hard last winter. Have not seen a buck there yet. Seen several where I will be hunting but nothing real big. We are going to Wyoming Friday to give that a try. I am not optimistic about hunting but we’ll have fun camping. I have not scouted there yet but know people who have, I don’t think it’s going to be good.

 

[mikedent]

As is usually the case, nothing goes as planned. Nothing on the Wyoming hunt (not planned but expected I guess). As I was packing up to head out on the utah muzzle hunt I noticed that my muzzle break was cracked in 3 places. Sure glad I wasted three trips to the range to dial it in. Took it off, stopped and shot a couple times on the way out to hunt. Felt like I got it somewhat close. Could not find the good bucks I had seen. Was thinking I would head home, shoot and try again the send half of the hunt. On the way out I walked on to a 4 point bedded at 80 yards. Shot him. Probably should not have. Not what I was looking for. On the bright side, I found my son a 4 point on his unit which was not expected. Just about the same size as the one I shot, great first buck for him. One tag left, general elk.