Average Joe Hunting Adventures with Dan and CJ

Great photo's of the kids and the daughters first fish! You had me 'hooked' early on with your daughter in the snow during the winter. Miss those years very much as my youngest is now 24.

You guys staking out a place to watch the eclipse. Mrs and I are probably going to be up in the Monument area doing so, and get a little preseason scouting done at the same time (I drew spike in 48). Cannot draw a branch tag to save my tail lately it seems. Been working at getting the numbers up though.

Thank you for your service to this nation, your passion for the outdoors and sharing a little of your family with us!

Les
USMC 1975-1983

Mrs Igor was USN for six years as well.

Awesome lil creek crossing spot with some really nice bucks using it too!!! I also like seeing the kids fishing pics! They will remember that all of their life

So awesome to see you sharing the outdoors with your kids (and us too!)

Thanks for this post but more importantly for your service.

vanish said:

Still love that creek crossing spot. Looks like a winner.

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Yes sir, I believe it's going to be too.
I just need to make sure I hunt it right!!!!

I've got a spot out there I need to get cameras out in. I'm super excited about it because I have to canoe to it first, then hike in about 3 miles on top of that!!!!!

I also just wanted to say thank you all for your support (military) and for following along to the thread!
It means a lot to CJ and me when you guys take the time from your day to pop in and say hello!

Igor said:

Great photo's of the kids and the daughters first fish! You had me 'hooked' early on with your daughter in the snow during the winter. Miss those years very much as my youngest is now 24.

You guys staking out a place to watch the eclipse. Mrs and I are probably going to be up in the Monument area doing so, and get a little preseason scouting done at the same time (I drew spike in 48). Cannot draw a branch tag to save my tail lately it seems. Been working at getting the numbers up though.

Thank you for your service to this nation, your passion for the outdoors and sharing a little of your family with us!

Les
USMC 1975-1983

Mrs Igor was USN for six years as well.

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I'm hoping CJ can find a nice place to watch it!
I'll be on the road in England for a work trip when it happens.....

I hope your luck changes here soon on your draws and you are able to get some great tags!
Thank you again for your support and for both you and your wife's service!

I'm sitting at an airport excited as can be to get home.
This year has been a whole new experience for me because my wife and I just had our first baby in January. So every time I leave for work it becomes more and more difficult because of how much I miss! I left on Monday and after my daughter figured out I was gone she started saying "babababababababa " trying to say "dadadadadada" because that's what we worked on every morning when we wake up
I grab my cut of coffee, turn on some music or a podcast, and just talk with my daughter. It's our morning routine.

I can only imagine how interesting it's going to be when I start my big hunts!


I'm about 2 hours away from my little peanut and I cannot wait to get home!









It's crazy to think it's been 6 months already!

First of all, thank you all for following along and sharing your support.

Second, I'm sorry for not posting much this week, but I will catch everyone up on my vacation once I get home. Tomorrow morning I'll be hitting the lake early with my stepdad. Hopefully we'll get into some good walleye and perch.

Lastly, and the primary reason I'm posting. Yesterday, I got the call I was waiting for... Paul Gallegos from Imperial Taxidermy in NM gave me the news I had dreamt about since last November. My muley mount is done, and I couldn't be more excited. My elk was done a few weeks ago, and even though I'm excited for my bull, the deer is what I'm most excited about.

Paul posted these pics on his FB and it is killing me to have to wait a few days to go pick him up.





He's an amazing buck and the hunt was just as awesome. I'm sure I'll spend thousands of hours just staring at the buck. I can't wait to see him again!

The story of the hunt is here... https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?272974-Eastern-NM-Muley-w-MASS

Yesterday morning I was able to get out on the lake with my stepdad for the first time since he and my mom met. I'll post the story and more pics once I get home. I guess you could say we had a pretty good morning.

Lost.............,
I am glad that you are able to find balance in your life allowing Service, Family & Hunting.
Thank you for your service to our great nation.
Teaching the children in the ways of the outdoors really cranks my tractor.

10Dogs said:

Lost.............,
I am glad that you are able to find balance in your life allowing Service, Family & Hunting.
Thank you for your service to our great nation.
Teaching the children in the ways of the outdoors really cranks my tractor.

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10Dogs,

Thank you for your support and a big thank you for following along to the thread.
We really appreciate you guys taking the time to pop in and say "hello".

I just wanted to let everyone know how dang fired up I am right now!
I'm 32 days away from my New Mexico Elk hunt and Oklahoma doe antelope tag (with possible OTC Barbary sheep thrown in )

After my workout today I checked the winds and decided to blitz to my honey hole here in Florida to check a camera.
I got within about 35 yards of my tree and saw something behind it..... two large, massy, very familiar horns......
The buck that I spent all last season chasing was bedded 25 yards behind my tree and camera......
I didn't want to spook him so I backed out quick and ran out of the area. AHHHHHH
Man that really turned me up about 100000%! I'm ready to get this season rolling!!!!!

This is going to torture me for the next week. I leave early tomorrow morning work a work trip in Georgia and I won't be able to check the camera until I get back. Pending the conditions are right of course..... I just want to see how this buck is looking going into this year.


Here are a few snap shots from him last year.







Needless to say I won't be sleeping the next month.... I need some hunting in my life... FAST!

That's a beautiful Muley Buck!!!! looks like an amazing mount!!!

sn.outdoors said:

First of all, thank you all for following along and sharing your support.

Second, I'm sorry for not posting much this week, but I will catch everyone up on my vacation once I get home. Tomorrow morning I'll be hitting the lake early with my stepdad. Hopefully we'll get into some good walleye and perch.

Lastly, and the primary reason I'm posting. Yesterday, I got the call I was waiting for... Paul Gallegos from Imperial Taxidermy in NM gave me the news I had dreamt about since last November. My muley mount is done, and I couldn't be more excited. My elk was done a few weeks ago, and even though I'm excited for my bull, the deer is what I'm most excited about.

Paul posted these pics on his FB and it is killing me to have to wait a few days to go pick him up.

He's an amazing buck and the hunt was just as awesome. I'm sure I'll spend thousands of hours just staring at the buck. I can't wait to see him again!

The story of the hunt is here... https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?272974-Eastern-NM-Muley-w-MASS

Click to expand...

Igor said:

Great photo's of the kids and the daughters first fish! You had me 'hooked' early on with your daughter in the snow during the winter. Miss those years very much as my youngest is now 24.

You guys staking out a place to watch the eclipse. Mrs and I are probably going to be up in the Monument area doing so, and get a little preseason scouting done at the same time (I drew spike in 48). Cannot draw a branch tag to save my tail lately it seems. Been working at getting the numbers up though.

Thank you for your service to this nation, your passion for the outdoors and sharing a little of your family with us!

Les
USMC 1975-1983

Mrs Igor was USN for six years as well.

Click to expand...

Thank you for following along, and thank you and your wife for your service to this country as well. I haven't staked out an area for the eclipse yet, but we won't have to go far to see it. I'll also need to take a day off work, which shouldn't be a problem. Why couldn't the sun and moon get on board, and reschedule the eclipse for a Saturday or Sunday?

The hardest thing for me this year, and the next few years will be figuring out how to incorporate family into my hunting passion. I used to stress more than necessary about trying to instill in my children the same passion for the outdoors that I have, but over the last year I've tried to not worrying about it all. If they fall in love with the outdoors and hunting I will make sure to provide enough fuel to keep the passion lit. If it is not something they want to do, I will be sure to support whatever other passions they develop. That said, the way I will try to get them excited about hunting is simply making it a part of their lives, taking them along with me, letting them help process the animals, scouting with them, and allowing them to explore things on their own. Last week while I was at our cabin, I took my daughter berry picking and she hated following me around. She cried, stomped, yelled, and went on a full tantrum at first (like most 3-teen yr olds do), but after a little while I let her take the lead and her attitude completely changed. She wanted to be out front, showing me the way, and finding everything first. (Of course I gave a lot of hints and guidance on better route selection) For the first time, she admitted to having fun. She's a very precocious speaker, and is normally not willing to admit she is enjoying things. But after she dug up some lily pads, found a few fresh water clams, and a handful of blue berries she said, "You know... this is actually kind of fun. Not a super fun, but a little fun. Are we going to stay for a while?" Maybe she'll get the point of it all soon.

As far as Oregon goes, it's an interesting state when it comes to hunting regs. Luckily, active military are considered residents as far as fees are concerned. I didn't know that until last fall, so I missed out on 8 years worth of preference points I could have had. Oh well. I'll have at least 12 by the time I retire... So it'll only be another 10yrs before I get one of those Mt. Emily or Wenaha tags If my schedule opens up more next fall I am really hoping to do an archery elk hunt in OR, just to see what all the hubbub is about. Good luck on your scouting trip, and I hope your hunt this fall goes well too.

Crossbowguy said:

That's a beautiful Muley Buck!!!! looks like an amazing mount!!!

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Thanks. He's a stud for sure. I don't think I can fully express how excited I am to pick him up. I can't wait to post up more pics. I'll have to bring a blanket to cover him up while I drive back; could be dangerous having him in the rearview mirror.

Can't wait to even see my first Muley in the wild let alone actually taking one for meat and trophy. I might need the paramedics to get me and the deer back home!!! lol

The last week and a half has been a blast! As I mentioned, my trip home to WI was the first time I'd been home in the summer since before I moved away 8 years ago, and it was a LONG overdue trip. I'd forgotten how nice the summers are up there, especially compared to NM and SW ID. Its tough to complain about high temps in the low 80's after spending almost 6 years in the desert. The timing also worked out very well to visit with the majority of my family without any scheduling conflicts, which is always the most difficult part of going back home. I haven't posted anything too in depth because I've really been thinking over how I want to say it. Yes catching fish and killing animals is exciting and fun, but I'm a more of a why type person. I want to convey why things were important enough for me and Dan to have this thread going. It's a lot more than us just posting pics of things we do.



I don't think my daughter realized the magnitude of this event for me. In that moment, as I watched her bring her first fish up out of the water, I couldn't help but think of how my father felt when he helped me catch my first fish, and how my grandfather felt helping my father. I've since reflected on my mental picture of this moment quite a lot, and I can't help but think of all of our ancestors who needed to pass on their hunting and fishing knowledge and skills to each generation in order to ensure the survival of our species. I wonder what our ancestors thoughts were when their children successfully harvested their first meal? Did they jump up and down, high five, and count the points? Did they sit in a somber silence and give thanks to the animal? I'm sure they felt the same or similar emotions that we feel today.

Today we hunt and fish for many reasons; the thrill, excitement, and challenge to name a few. But hunting isn't necessarily a requirement to survive anymore. Thanks to modern ag and farming practices, the majority of people in this country are so far removed from where their food comes from they couldn't even tell you where a loin is on a pig. Heck, 7% of people actually think chocolate milk comes from brown cows... It's bad out there folks.

After thinking on it, I've concluded that if nothing else, I want to teach my children where stuff comes from. They don't have to hunt and fish (once they move out of my house of course. ) I can't force them to have the same passions as me, and that's fine.

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"What are you doing?" "Stopping to take roses to smell the time." It's crazy to think how much these two little people have helped me gain a better understanding on life. They are not concerned about the stock market, the political situation, or whether or not the bills are paid. They notice things that I'm often too busy or preoccupied to recognize. And they learn a lot faster than I do.



My son is very different from my daughter, he's more patient, quiet, and is very observant... He gets all of those traits from his mother. One trait he gets from me though, is knowing how things work. It didn't take him long to figure out when the bobber bounced or went down there was a fish on it. There were a few times where I was distracted by something else, and he made sure to let me know a fish was biting. We sat like this and fished for around an hour, and any time I'd get a fish on the hook he'd giggle, laugh, oooh and aaaah. Though I got eaten alive by mosquitos, I wouldn't trade this moment for anything.



Just before we called it quits fishing, a flock of turkeys roosted not far from us. When I was young there weren't any turkeys in this part of the state, but now they're very common, almost nuisances in some places.



We picked a lot of berries, and they were all delicious. I made the mistake of letting my daughter carry the container back... She claimed she left plenty for everyone else.





I'm slowly beginning to understand the joys of parenting. Its something that cannot be adequately described, it must be experienced to be understood; much like hunting...

You've got your head on right sir. Others could definitely learn from you.

As a father whose children are rapidly reaching the point where they will be moving away, you are correct to cherish these moments.

Again thanks for sharing your adventures and even more so for being a good dad.

Totally agree with the above post.

Doing it right. Great for you. Great for the family and great for the kids!

Bwana said:

You've got your head on right sir. Others could definitely learn from you.

As a father whose children are rapidly reaching the point where they will be moving away, you are correct to cherish these moments.

Again thanks for sharing your adventures and even more so for being a good dad.

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bobbydean
Totally agree with the above post.

Doing it right. Great for you. Great for the family and great for the kids!

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Thank you for the kind and encouraging words guys. I'm continually amazed by how quickly time can slip by. Don't think thread is in a way encouraging me to take advantage of the time I have and to get out and do something every opportunity I can.