Badlands Scouting - 08/01/09

[Buschy]

Well the bigger deer are starting to show up. I saw good numbers of mature bucks and got some decent pictures. I also managed to cut a big pile of wood for the wall tent/stove this fall and make some improvements to my campsite.

Regarding game cameras, I use Cuddebacks and Moultries. The Cuddebacks do everything they are supposed to while the Moultries are continually giving me problems. The Moultries either trigger to slow and I get to see a deer's butt or they trigger non-stop and I am left with hundreds of pics of nothing and dead batteries. Next year I plan on buying two more Cuddebacks, though Upper Deck from the site here tells me he has had great luck with the newer model Moultries. He has an annoying habit of being correct about many things and I may try them first. Has anyone else used the older Moultries and have they worked for you?

This was my last scouting trip to the Badlands. Bow season will be open the next time I get out here! Below are some pics from this last weekend:

 

[Buschy]

The next three pics are of the buck I have been watching all summer. I really want an opportunity at this one. :hump:

 

[upper deck]

All these pics do is make me wish I would have gotten a tag!!!

 

[cornfed]

Looks like your good to go for another great year.Nice pics of you and your dad in the magazine(EHJ).You going to get any elk scouting in before your hunts?

 

[Ridge Runner]

Good luck with the one you have been watching all summer. Hope you get your shot at him. Great scouting pics .

 

[Grady]

That's a nice buck.......I've got my eye on the one on the left.

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice!!! I can definitely see why you'd want an opportunity at that buck! Good luck!

 

[mtmiller]

Best of luck Bush. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

 

[Spitz]

Nice pics. Best of luck chasing the big guys.

 

[elk_hunter]

Man, those are awesome bucks! Good luck with them!

 

[----]

nice pics....
looking forward to seeing which one you end up connecting on.

 

[Buschy]

Cornfed,

On Aug. 20 I am flying down to AZ to spend three days scouting for my Unit 1 archery elk hunt. I am meeting a friend down there who I hunted elk with in CO last year. He will be camping at Big Lake for a week prior to my arrival and looking around the unit for me. He is also meeting me there four days prior to opening day for more scouting and will spend the entire two week season calling for me. Friends like this are priceless!!

Grizzley and I have been gathering lots of information on the NM 16C elk hunt as well. We will not be making a separate scouting trip, as we are feeling more comfortable with four areas we have narrowed down to start looking at. We will be arriving three days before the hunt begins to set up camp and try to find a couple of bulls. It's getting very hard to focus at work!!!


Grady,

I hope you put an arrow in that buck. He looks like a good one. I really get a kick out of watching these bucks develop over the summer. Good luck and post pics when you get him!

 

[Buschy]

In 2007 Upper Deck hunted with me out here and shot this huge antelope. What he might lack in mass he makes up for in tine length. He was 15 and 1/2 inches. The first pic is one of the buck in August and Ryan killed him opening day. Finally a pic of the little fella I got the next day and was very pleased to get him. I snuck up on him and another bigger buck (wouldn't it have to be!!) while bedded and the only good shot I had was at this one at 32 yards. I usually concentrate on the mulies, but there are a few goats around and they are kind of targets of opportunity.

 

[Dinkshooter]

If I send my tag up to ND early can someone just hang it on a antler and reserve him for me?

You gotta be excited about a AZ elk hunt.

 

[MNHunter]

Dang Buschy you got some nice tags this year! Good luck

 

[Buschy]

Dinkshooter,

I believe he is spoken for! Honestly there are good numbers of mature mulies in western ND this year. I know of a couple other bowhunters who have been scouting different areas through the summer and they are seeming some good bucks as well. As far as the AZ hunt is concerned, it's all I can think about. If I get pics of some good bulls during the scouting trip I will certainly post them.

MNHunter,

It was a long wait for AZ, 10 years and 12 bonus points, but I figured this was the year. The NM tag was an unexpected blessing. Did you get your oryx mounted and is it done yet? I would love to see pics.

 

[MNHunter]

MNHunter,

It was a long wait for AZ, 10 years and 12 bonus points, but I figured this was the year. The NM tag was an unexpected blessing. Did you get your oryx mounted and is it done yet? I would love to see pics.

I'm not quite up there with points in AZ (I think I have 7) but someday I hope to get a tag there too. With NM having no points every tag is an unexpected blessing.

Yes, I'm getting my oryx mounted. Jordan at Wild Mountain Taxidermy in NM is doing it. Great work and an even better guy. It isn't done yet but I can't wait. I'll definitely post pics when I get it back.

Good luck with your busy fall. I was shut out expect for a lope tag in WY. Even SD, which I thought was a sure thing, doesn't want my money. Looking for plan B now

 

[smalls]

I don't think I'd sleep a single night uninterrupted if I had your tags this fall Buschy.

That tall, narrow buck you got a pic of through the spotter reminds me of a buck my sister shot a few years ago (probably 2003 or 2004). With a frame that went straight up it didn't look like anything from a face on angle but from the side you could see the exceptional mass and deep forks and to this day is one of the coolest mule deer I've seen.

 

[Bwana]

Looks like you are on the right track once again Buschy, can't wait to see the "after" pictures.

 

[Grady]

Buschy,

Sounds like you'll have a busy fall. I envy you.

Best of luck with the tags.....

G