fstop
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LAST EDITED ON Jan-27-16 AT 07:44PM (MST)[p]I probably should have put together a 2015 Hunt Adventure Challenge thread (Sorry Brian), but I had no idea of what a great year 2015 would be. It started with me guiding Rich Brooks on his Utah CWMU archery elk hunt. A great guy who had his wife along for the hunt and he hammered this nice bull at 15 yards on the very first day. His wife was watching right behind him.
I then had a rare opportunity to help a fine young lady get her bull.
I had never met Eva Shockey. Didn't know what to expect. Boy was I surprised. Eva is down to Earth, fun to be around and of course a very beautiful young lady. We hunted hard for five days with a bow. We had quite of few bulls in her range, but they never gave her a clean shot. AND..She didn't take a bad shot. She picked up a rifle on the last day and shot this heavy, old bull. Her first Utah elk.
This year I cashed in my Colorado points and got to hunt with an old friend Steve Smith. Steve was with me on my first big bull hunt in 2002.
I've always considered him to be a great mentor and he was right there when I shot this respectable four by four.
I had lost my dad about three weeks before this hunt, so it meant a lot to have Steve there to fill the void.
A week later found my son and I in Wyoming for my first rifle whitetail hunt. I've hunted them with a bow in Wisconsin, but never connected. With my son by my side, I took this three by three with eye guards. An 8 pointer for you Eastern folks. His first successful hunt with dad. Good times.
But I could hardly wait for Christmas to come and go. On January 2nd, I took off for my third attempt at a monster muley down in Mexico. My good friends at Kings Camo invited me again and we had a great time. On the second day, we spotted this huge typical at about a 1000 yards. He looked giant when he hit the skyline.
My buddy Kevin had the option to kill this buck but gave me the opportunity to go after it. We made a great spot and stalk and found the buck again at 100 yards and I dumped him.
It was quite the experience to walk up and see a 30 inch wide typical rack sticking WAY OFF the ground. I have taken other great bucks, one with "Founder" in Colorado, but this thing is a giant. Even without eye guards he scores better than my other three bucks that I have mounted in the house. A great trip, with great friends, I hope to one day be back.
I got a chance to reflect a lot about life and hunting this year with the passing of my dad. I hope to pass the knowledge he taught me to my kids. My dad wasn't much of a big buck hunter. We killed for the meat and the opportunity to just be together. I think I've finally realized what is most important to me. It's the chase and who I get to share it with. Size does matter, but it is only icing on the cake. I hope you enjoyed my 2015, early 2016 hunts. Here's a few more pictures to enjoy. Cheers! Adam (aka FSTOP)
I then had a rare opportunity to help a fine young lady get her bull.
I had never met Eva Shockey. Didn't know what to expect. Boy was I surprised. Eva is down to Earth, fun to be around and of course a very beautiful young lady. We hunted hard for five days with a bow. We had quite of few bulls in her range, but they never gave her a clean shot. AND..She didn't take a bad shot. She picked up a rifle on the last day and shot this heavy, old bull. Her first Utah elk.
This year I cashed in my Colorado points and got to hunt with an old friend Steve Smith. Steve was with me on my first big bull hunt in 2002.
I've always considered him to be a great mentor and he was right there when I shot this respectable four by four.
I had lost my dad about three weeks before this hunt, so it meant a lot to have Steve there to fill the void.
A week later found my son and I in Wyoming for my first rifle whitetail hunt. I've hunted them with a bow in Wisconsin, but never connected. With my son by my side, I took this three by three with eye guards. An 8 pointer for you Eastern folks. His first successful hunt with dad. Good times.
But I could hardly wait for Christmas to come and go. On January 2nd, I took off for my third attempt at a monster muley down in Mexico. My good friends at Kings Camo invited me again and we had a great time. On the second day, we spotted this huge typical at about a 1000 yards. He looked giant when he hit the skyline.
My buddy Kevin had the option to kill this buck but gave me the opportunity to go after it. We made a great spot and stalk and found the buck again at 100 yards and I dumped him.
It was quite the experience to walk up and see a 30 inch wide typical rack sticking WAY OFF the ground. I have taken other great bucks, one with "Founder" in Colorado, but this thing is a giant. Even without eye guards he scores better than my other three bucks that I have mounted in the house. A great trip, with great friends, I hope to one day be back.
I got a chance to reflect a lot about life and hunting this year with the passing of my dad. I hope to pass the knowledge he taught me to my kids. My dad wasn't much of a big buck hunter. We killed for the meat and the opportunity to just be together. I think I've finally realized what is most important to me. It's the chase and who I get to share it with. Size does matter, but it is only icing on the cake. I hope you enjoyed my 2015, early 2016 hunts. Here's a few more pictures to enjoy. Cheers! Adam (aka FSTOP)