Utah Rifle Deer

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
3,839
Location
Thornton, CO
I wonder how many RokSliders have wives who hunt with them?

No, she grew up eating venison and dad/mom both hunt to this day, she took hunters ED as a kid but says she will leave the shooting to me. I keep letting her know if she ever thinks she MIGHT want to go let me know because I'll start acquiring points for her now. As it stands she currently says no chance so I haven't bothered.

I do have 3 little ones that all are interested in going with dad but we'll see what pans out as they get towards legal age. I took my oldest out for a day of antelope last year when he was 6 but nothing on public. I have some WY tags again and will likely try to take him (7) out again and his 6yr old brother. Their sister wants to go as well (4) but her age still has a bit too much emotional pendulum to it still and I'd rather she be a year or two older for big game. I might take her walking around for rabbits or something depending on how the year goes. Long story short I'm hoping they have interest in getting out there with dad in the future. :)
 
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
42
Location
Montana
Hey y’all. Just to give my perspective....
My boyfriend is a big backpack hunter. In the beginning I told him I’d never go hunting. No one I knew hunted. Fast forward to last year. I wanted to try hunting with them. They do 2 week long backpack trips, and I was all about the adventure but unsure of the hunting part, you know, killing an animal.
Before we set off for the hunt I practiced with the rifle I was taking to Montana, tikka t3 superlite 223. I had never really shot before either. The 223 didn’t slam my shoulder so I enjoyed shooting it and practicing. This year I’m taking my howa 6.5 creedmor bc I’m way more comfortable shooting a larger caliber. I shot standing, sitting unsupported, sitting supported on the pack, and prone off the pack. We ran drills every time we went to the range. But they were fun because they were timed and scored, like playing a game. I even practiced identifying where a kill shot would be placed depending on how the animal was standing-broadside/quartered away etc. I also learned a lot about gear and what was appropriate for the weather. Some lessons I learned the hard way-like start off the hike a bit cold, (I hate being cold!)huffing it through the mountains will definitely warm you up!

As far as the killing an animal part. We had a really good conversation about how the deer I killed was mine. I was going to take care of him, clean him, and be grateful for the meat it provided and to not let anyone make me feel bad about it. With that said, after I shot my first doe with the 223(one shot kill), I did NOT want to touch it! In fact when I saw it laying there I was a bit stunned bc it did remind me of my dog laying on its side. I was sad, but TC reminded me that it was ok to be a bit sad. Then he reminded me about the jerky I love! I wish I could show y’all the video. I refused to get near it for a bit and begged TC to touch it to make sure it was dead. I finally got over it, thank god for TC’s patience, and he presented me with my very own knife so I could learn how to dress it. I shot it. I quartered it. And I helped carry it out. I was proud bc I took care of my doe from stalk to game bag. In fact, I have her skull europeaned in our living room.
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
Tomorrow is the Utah opener for rifle deer. The wife is packed up and ready to go. I went scouting today and found 23 elk, 4 bulls and 4 bucks. I have a cow tag in 2 weeks so I was multi tasking. LOL
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
We went out this AM for about 5 hrs. She said it was exciting and she enjoyed herself.
We had a nice 3 pointer coming up the draw into our vicinity. Some body drove by , saw it, shot it from the trail, took pictures for an hour, laughed, hooted and hollered, and pretty much emptied that canyon we were set up on.

I watched the whole thing unfold thru my spotter.
I told her it appeared to be a young girl, and it was probably her first deer.

We then drove to another area I always see deer. But got there a bit late, plus, it is Utah, and 70,000 people pour into the woods for the road hunting family reunion once a year rifle swinging orange styling party.

She wants to go out again Monday morning.
I told her half the folks will be gone, and that leaves us around 35,000.
But we had fun
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
Been scouting each night ( wife doesn't want to hunt at night and leave grand daughter home alone). So I get to just go out in new areas and discover the awesome area we live in even more.
Tomorrow morning we are going into my old faithful spot where I have harvested 3 deer.
e26429b6f1f2b82d048401a1c6c5dc45.jpg
d43dc3f1a4f7053e00df62cb794e63a0.jpg
264327fd707f7c43dda19090f590d88f.jpg
d7e103ec0338b794c1f8a72967e850b7.jpg
593182af5b966b3610e29e7254fc797b.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
1,661
Awesome. Good luck to her! And you to I guess. :)
I'm headed out for my opener tomorrow for the next couple days.
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
We hunted for 4 hrs this AM- nothing, the deer never came out where we were set up. She says, "maybe they never came through" to which I agreed. So I took her home, and headed back out solo and found out we were correct. The bucks stayed in the cedars. I jumped the big guy 3x4, . He is now located and hope to keep tabs on his secret little routine change.
lol
 

UtahJimmy

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
884
Location
SLC, UT
I'll be doing a separate write up, but wanted to follow up on my story above... My wife was able to put her first buck down with a single shot that destroyed the heart with her new 243!
cef1eddd51da60243f9fe49428af59d2.jpg
9a7773c3cac8d005963522bd1a45b906.jpg


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

UtahJimmy

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
884
Location
SLC, UT
Crazy that buck is still in velvet

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Very, he had unusually small nuts. And we stopped at a check in on our way home, they said that was the 6th one they'd seen from the weekend still in velvet.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
We got it done tonight
She had enough, said let's get this over
She did great, hunted 4 days, nights, never complained

But in the end she cried
Pretty sure no more for her, and I'm fine with that.

3 tags down, 2 more to go and I'm done.
9169306f1352dbaa1bc304134a1c0b69.jpg
bf2c3e55d794c83ef3da912548bfa34e.jpg


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
OP
mfllood3800
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
3,721
Location
Utah
She is doing much better. She is very emotional, but also very stable and balanced. It hit hard, but she helped me with the processing at the end. Proud of her for sure.
133 yard shot, walking slow, perfect shot thru the chest/heart.
Fell in its tracks, walked up to it, already deceased, which was a good thing.
 
Top