The "In Betweens"

[WapitiTalk1]

What do you guys do in between hunting seasons for your main hobbies? Planning for next season is a gimmee. Fish? Woodwork? Chainsaw Art? 3D shooting? Building stick bows from scratch? Just curious. I know I have a new "in between".. it's red and was born in 1968. RJ

[cnelk]

We head to Nebraska in Dec to hunt WT with our muzzleloaders.
Its a great opportunity to top off the freezer and have a great time.
Tags are cheap so why not?

Then comes coyote hunting/calling. We hunt on a big cattle ranch that has lots of target practice running around.
Pelts prices are up so that helps too.

Mix in some ice fishing, snowmobiling, indoor archery league and then turkey season is in sight!

Wow - that ''work thing" sure gets in the way sometimes!

[WapitiTalk1]

We head to Nebraska in Dec to hunt WT with our muzzleloaders.
Its a great opportunity to top off the freezer and have a great time.
Tags are cheap so why not?

Then comes coyote hunting/calling. We hunt on a big cattle ranch that has lots of target practice running around.
Pelts prices are up so that helps too.

Mix in some ice fishing, snowmobiling, indoor archery league and then turkey season is in sight!

Wow - that ''work thing" sure gets in the way sometimes!

Very nice.....

[elkoholic]

I.do a lot of predator calling and 3d shoots. Once snow melts I start shed hunting...

[T/H]

fish for sure

[easeup]

Sitting in a tripod there is plenty of time to contemplate what kind of hunt to do next September.
In between is staying in shape, 3d tourneys, cutting firewood for everyone, fishing, and attending to the horses and stock.
and did I mention fishing?
RJ, do you see the similarity of chasing stripers and hunting elk?

[ElkNut1]

Thinking & planning future Elk & Deer hunts!!I don't fish! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Harmy]

Thinking & planning future Elk & Deer hunts!!I don't fish! (grin)

ElkNut1

Well, I would bet that if you did fish you would be a FishNut too. Of course, I have never seen a 6x7 pike before so maybe its not worth it???

For me, it will mostly be camping with the kids. Maybe a bit of backcountry skiing, mountain biking, road biking, rabbit hunting, rock climbing, wood working, ice climbing, fishing, yoga, p90x, xfit, hiking, hacky sac in the garage, photography, but I suspect the thing I will end up doing the most this off season is reading this addicting forum...

[Vanish]

Fishing of all kinds ... also just got snowshoes so I'm looking to do some backcountry ice fishing.
Boardgames ( new ones are nothing like monopoly )
http://www.thehunter.com/pub/ - Pretty much the only video "game" I play these days

[planebow]

I will be camping when the weather is good. I do some fly fishing and fly model airplanes. also make it to allof the 3d shoots in the area.

[WapitiTalk1]

RJ, do you see the similarity of chasing stripers and hunting elk?

Funny you say that easeup.. I was watching a program the other night where the anglers we're "stalking" stripers in calm waters.. Looked like a blast. I don't have em up here in the cold waters of the pacific NW.

[Swede]

No fishing here either. It has been years since I fished. I can sit all day for weeks in a tree stand, but fishing is just too boring. I am already planning to do some camping and scouting.

[elkmtngear]

I have too many hobbies....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaZGOZOnVMo&feature=youtu.be

[>>>---WW---->]

Very nice Jeff!

[CrazyElkHunter]

I have 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren, and they are in every sport there is, so I spend a lot of time going to watch them or practice with them. My mind is always on the next years elk hunt, and I am a tinker nut, so I am always modifying something. Bow, quad, trailer, you name it. Living in Calif., where I really don't hunt much anymore, I golf a lot since the weather is not near as harsh as the mid and eastern states. My annual 4 to 5 week elk hunt to Colorado is what keeps me going. Been retired for almost 10 years now, and try to spend the entire archery season in elk camp. I promised my self when I was working that I would do that, and so far I have kept that promise

[elk308]

Daydream of falling leaves,cold rain etc... Work way more than one man should. Take my kids fishing.

[WapitiTalk1]

Daydream of falling leaves,cold rain etc... Work way more than one man should. Take my kids fishing.

You're a poet elk308.. Are you getting out in the late archery season at all? RJ

[Wapiti]

Well I love bow hunting and just shooting my bow at the 3D range, but my life time passion has been Fly fishing !! That was until 2 years ago when on a float trip in the mountains of BC on a gentle flowing small river !! I flipped my pontoon boat and came very close to drowning !! Up until that point the river was slow and easy, so we took off our life jackets and we would just stop stand up and fish when and where ever we wanted. That all changed after I went over 3 sets of small water falls !!

I managed to struggle to shore with my waders full of water !! My buddy had got to me as i was crawling to shore on my hands and knees and he helped my to stand up. He said lets go sit down on the river bank, I went to take a step and I couldn't even lift my legs !! Wes (My BEST friend) had to grab each leg and lift with both hands to help me step forward !! The weight was crazy !! We took two steps and we both looked at each other with wide eyes, it was to heavy for Wes to lift !! So I stripped my waders down right there in the river . Wadding belt's don't keep the water out when you have to swim to shore !! You breath in and water flows in as well !! I sat on the bank and looked at Wes and said that was the longest minute of my life, he said dude you were in there for over 5 minutes !!!!

One more swallow of the clear white water and I wouldn't be here today !! As I was struggling under water forever I actually said good bye to the love of my life !! My Wife !!................Fighting back the tears as I type !!! Still hard !!

Enough of that guys !! I now I wear an auto inflate life jacket made for fishing !!

So 2 years later I feel it's time to head to the river's to fly fish again !! I think i'm ready. I have since replaced all my gear because it was all lost in my accident !! So I'll be tying flies all winter and getting ready for my first float in over 2 years !! It's not fear I have, it's just no drive and I do not feel the passion I once had !! I'm sure once I get out there drifting a nymph under an indicator and see the indicator go down as a fish takes my nymph, i'll set the hook on my passion once again !!!

That will be my "In Betweens" !!

[WapitiTalk1]

Besides playing with big red, I'm really gonna try and learn as much as I can about the benefits (and the how to's) of sitting up high in a tree and shooting a wapiti from said tree during the off season. Have never really done much tree stand hunting for elk (or deer for that matter) but am intrigued about the possibilities. I've grabbed John Erickson's Tree Stand Hunting Rocky Mountain Elk book from Elknut's page and am pouring through it. The area I hunted in ID this year was as thick as any I've ever seen. Although I was into multiple bugling bulls most days, not an arrow was loosed... so darn thick. Perhaps, just perhaps, a strategically placed tree stand may be the ticket to depoy every few days to maximize my odds for a nice bull in the Gem state. I have a very hard time sitting still but am willing to evolve a bit to add to my elk kit bag. Oh, and I will be starting my elk woods conditioning a bit earlier next year. So in a nutshell, my in betweens are salmon fishing in the Puget Sound, earlier conditioning, working on big red, and really trying to learn the intricacies of deploying a tree stand for elk.

[critterstalker]

motocross and 3-d shoots keep me busy the rest of the year.

[flystrait]

No need to say anymore!

[Heartwood]

Born to hunt, forced to work. The rest of the time I camp and shoot 3d with my 12 year old daughter and her friends. I have refreshed a love for mountain
biking also. Spending time with family. Turkey hunting and helping kids with archery and hunting related activities.

[romey]

Figured this was as good as any for a first post. I make custom knives and competition shooting off season

[ElkNut1]

romey & Heartwood, welcome! Romey, You have photos of your knives?

ElkNut1

[dotman]

Not quite sure what my off season holds as of yet. Finished remodeling the house, have a custom motorcycle 95% complete I haven't touched since I got married 3 years ago. My brother is just getting into archery so plenty of shooting will be fit in. Of course working out for next fall. I'm sure things will come up as they always do.

Really though I'm still in hunt mode since my WT season isn't over, now if only it would get cold, sucks that weekend hunting temp was around 70 in dec.

[romey]

Thank you for welcome. I have pictures some on my website which greatly needs updating www.highcountryknives.com and newer ones of which I havent put on website.

[T/H]

No need to say anymore!

nice fish! hey Slim, i think you've been fishing with the wrong guy! lol

[WapitiTalk1]

No need to say anymore!

nice fish! hey Slim, i think you've been fishing with the wrong guy! lol

Whatever ... Conlan and I just have a hard time concentrating on our poles when we're practicing our elk sounds at zero dark thirty on Puget Sound. Craig is making that fish look bigger by shoving his arm down his throat.

[T/H]

I knew that would draw the "ire"

[WapitiTalk1]

I knew that would draw the "fire"

Ahhh my friend, you know me too well.

[T/H]

i wonder if he has any pics of elk that he somehow made bigger?

[easeup]

Well I love bow hunting and just shooting my bow at the 3D range, but my life time passion has been Fly fishing !! That was until 2 years ago when on a float trip in the mountains of BC on a gentle flowing small river !! I flipped my pontoon boat and came very close to drowning !! Up until that point the river was slow and easy, so we took off our life jackets and we would just stop stand up and fish when and where ever we wanted. That all changed after I went over 3 sets of small water falls !!

I managed to struggle to shore with my waders full of water !! My buddy had got to me as i was crawling to shore on my hands and knees and he helped my to stand up. He said lets go sit down on the river bank, I went to take a step and I couldn't even lift my legs !! Wes (My BEST friend) had to grab each leg and lift with both hands to help me step forward !! The weight was crazy !! We took two steps and we both looked at each other with wide eyes, it was to heavy for Wes to lift !! So I stripped my waders down right there in the river . Wadding belt's don't keep the water out when you have to swim to shore !! You breath in and water flows in as well !! I sat on the bank and looked at Wes and said that was the longest minute of my life, he said dude you were in there for over 5 minutes !!!!

One more swallow of the clear white water and I wouldn't be here today !! As I was struggling under water forever I actually said good bye to the love of my life !! My Wife !!................Fighting back the tears as I type !!! Still hard !!

Enough of that guys !! I now I wear an auto inflate life jacket made for fishing !!

That will be my "In Betweens" !!

wow!.....I got some tears with you.

[tracker12]

Never a time I can't find something to hunt. But when I need a change I hit the lake or the links.

[ElkNut1]

Travis, WOW!! What a story! I missed it the 1st go around! Glad you made it dude!

ElkNut1

[elkohalic]

I sleep for a few hours between the times that I'm either deer, elk, shed hunting. Being a taxidermist keeps me thinking about hunting every day. Being an "elkohalic' keeps me alive to dream about the next hunt. LOL
Chris

[Vanish]

I know I've replied already, but I thought I would throw up some photos.

I keep buying a small game license, but the only time I seem to use it is incidentally while big game hunting. When I'm not prepping for big game (and Archery elk DOMINATES my season), fishing is a real passion for me. We all talk about how hard we work during hunting season, but I've worked far harder just to catch a damn fish. My toughest days were a 23 mile day trip and a 15 mile pack in with 50lbs, over 8000 vertical feet. They were both worth it I need to find a way to combine the backcountry fishing with elk scouting.

Also been trying to get out ice fishing more this year, but nothing too big yet.











planebow earlier mentioned flying R/C airplanes. This is my "lost hobby" - I haven't been able to get into it since we moved to CO and I had to pack up my workshop. I only fly planes that I designed myself.

[Indian Summer]

After elk it's straight to whitetails in Pa and/or 0hio. Late season runs until the end of January. Then rabbits with the beagles until the end of February. Then I make sausage etc and this winter I may build a longbow. Winter is time to reload ammo too & extend my range.

Turkey at the beginning of May until spring bear opens in New Brunswick. After that it's muskie fishing for a bit. I get L0TS of action and big fish so I'm not bored.... or I'd skip the fishing. After that it's time to ride the Harley... maybe to Sturgis and go scout an elk spot or three. Then in September (this year anyway) it'll be big whiteys in Kansas with a muzzleloader followed by Wyoming mulies if I draw.... then back to elk. Usually September is all elk whether hunting or guiding. Couldn't resist the Kansas offer this year.

I pound a few nails here and there too. lol

Through it all I think of elk every single day. Shoulder mounts and euros in the living room and eating elk for dinner a couple nights each week makes it hard not to.

I also find it very rewarding during the off season to help new elk hunters get started with a good solid game plan.

[Bow4Elk]

Between seasons is the time to get ready for the next season. It seems that each year that passes it takes longer to get ready. As soon as the elk hunt ends the fishing begins for steelhead. Fly fish the Deschutes for steelhead and another smaller river with jigs. Mid October is when I start upland bird hunting and that takes up most of my free time until the end of Jan. Headed out for the final weekend in 2 days. Then I manage to get everything put in its proper place from the last season so I can find it next season in Feb and March. It is also a good time to hunt some coyotes and cougar. April is the start of turkey season which runs till the end of May. Also the smallmouth bass start waking up and they are a blast to catch. About the same time is when the ground squirrels come out and offer up some fun long distance shooting. June is when the big sturgeon get active in the Columbia River and they are tearing up line until the middle of July. They are after shad which has a peak run in mid June. Fun to catch them on a fly too. Mid July is when the steelheading on the Deschutes takes off again and that bring us back to bow season. The cycle starts over then. Any free time that I have is taken up with the grandkids. Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving and babysitting. Love that more than anything. That is the one thing that beats elk hunting.

[WapitiTalk1]

I know I've replied already, but I thought I would throw up some photos.

I keep buying a small game license, but the only time I seem to use it is incidentally while big game hunting. When I'm not prepping for big game (and Archery elk DOMINATES my season), fishing is a real passion for me. We all talk about how hard we work during hunting season, but I've worked far harder just to catch a damn fish. My toughest days were a 23 mile day trip and a 15 mile pack in with 50lbs, over 8000 vertical feet. They were both worth it I need to find a way to combine the backcountry fishing with elk scouting.

Also been trying to get out ice fishing more this year, but nothing too big yet.











planebow earlier mentioned flying R/C airplanes. This is my "lost hobby" - I haven't been able to get into it since we moved to CO and I had to pack up my workshop. I only fly planes that I designed myself.

Beautifull!! MMMM, perch filets .. Dang nice icy rainbow.. Is that a cut you're releasing or a bow?

[BowKill]

After Elk I take up another passion in late October-January, calling coyotes.

[Vanish]

Beautifull!! MMMM, perch filets .. Dang nice icy rainbow.. Is that a cut you're releasing or a bow?

Perch - caught 4 over 12.5" this past weekend!

Yes, that's a cutthroat. Caught at the spot in the photo above it, along with many others, though not as big.

I was looking at a list on another website and I realized just how much fishing I do. Caught something like 32 different species last year