Well, I can honestly say that I am not happy to be home! … don't get me wrong, home is good, but at 85 freakin degrees, it was a rude awakening! Not to mention, the hunting in Alberta is more fun as it is part of an adventure.
5 trad hunters went to TimberGhost outfitters in Cold Lake Alberta. I can say that we all had a very good time and everyone had opportunities.
My social media guru Austin missed a 140 plus 8 point. Drew.. from tradgang seen a few and can vouch for the importance of being on the stand at lunch time.
Mark killed a pretty 8 point with a perfect 22 yard shot, Nate couldn't find the buck he was after.
Now to me. The first critter to come in .. on the first day was a sweet pair of moose. A huge cow and her bull calf stood in front of me at 12 yards knowing that I couldn't legally send an arrow in their direction, but I was soooo tempted.
Following the moose was wiley coyote. I knew better to wait for a more opportune time to move, but yote's can be so fleeting that I got in a hurry. Of course it spotted me but it was fun anyway.
Then there was a mid 140's + buck at 30 yards that never offered a shooting solution. …. that ends day 1 in the stand.
Day two brought 3 bucks. A cute 6 point, a 130 ish 9 point and a really cool 7 point with about 9" brow tines. All these bucks offered me several shooting solutions from 7 to 12 yards. I just wasn't ready and they weren't the bucks I was there for.
Day three brought in a nice 8 point about 125 or so inches.
I had lots of opportunities, but the buck I was after alluded me. I know that many would have taken most any of those, but when you consider that I wasn't flying the meat back to Georgia (donated to the lodge to feed up coming hunters) I might as well sit it out and see what the good lord had to offer.
Crazy thought about all of the aforementioned bucks, is that it is unlikely that any of them were over 2.5 years old.
A few things to take away from this trip besides it was a resounding success: You will never shoot a 150+ if you keep shooting 125's. But more importantly, if you can't enjoy your self without taking an animal, you will more often be disappointed than you will be happy.
BIgJim
Topic: BigJim Back from Alberta (Read 1757 times)
