Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

TheMadCatter’s 2022 Adventure Thread

TheMadCatter

Well-Known Member
After ending the year on a high note, I’m starting it off good! I decided to go back to Illinois and work as the Lead Deer Technician. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with two new technicians. I want to focus on getting the Albino Doe from last season. She has a broken collar on her (again) and we need to get a new one on her.

I’m in the process of applying and looking at work options for the summer.

This fall I’ll be focusing on my hunting outfit and guiding hunters here in Iowa. My plans include applying for every Big Game draw and most species (besides Pronghorn) again. I’m hoping I draw a Wyoming Mule Deer tag and a Oregon Roosevelt Elk and Antlerless Colombian Blacktail Deer tag for this fall.

My tentative plan is If I don’t draw those tags I’m still planning to go to Oregon solo for most of the end of September to hunt Roosevelt with the bow and then hunt Deer with the Rifle until I’m successful on a mature buck.

My Greenland Muskox and Caribou trip was cancelled due to the Outfitter going belly up.

I’m not sure how much Western shed hunting I’ll be able to go on or turkey hunting due to the possibility of accepting a position back east.

It’s going to be an exciting year yet again and I’m sure plans will change and I’ll end up doing more hunting than I’m tentatively planning. But, that’s the current plan!

Got a couple mounts hung up before leaving Iowa too.
15A17DCC-7305-41E1-9594-D45116340757.jpeg
2ECE4E4F-5948-4D07-87EC-6A514FA0CC52.jpeg
 
  • Deleted by Ishi
Show…
We had two deer go in the traps this morning, but, they didn’t go in far enough to trigger the door! They got super lucky and I’m sure they’ll make a mistake soon. We’re putting out another trap tomorrow and will be darting tonight now that it’s warmed up a touch. We’ve been having a bunch of Does come into one of our dart locations...crossing our fingers!


7D68E21F-F480-4DDB-ACD5-52C0E15193CD.jpeg

496E389F-3B64-4869-A994-C293CAF579A4.jpegC88097F3-6AB2-4DEC-8F9B-4567B1659A94.jpeg
 
We ended up catching the first deer of the season! We caught a young Doe and gave her some new bling.

We caught a buck this morning! Unfortunately, he escaped! He broke all the rings off of the trap and got out... It happens! One of my technicians missed another doe last night while darting too.

D07C2820-42CE-4E05-825E-4AD80FFEEDF8.jpegD7688E1B-BBE8-4642-8478-9205134D46C8.jpegE4382D6A-CAA8-412B-968D-664CEC954190.jpeg
 
Busy day! We’ve caught/darted three deer in the last 12 hours now. I had a Doe come into 12 yards and I made a great dart shot on her. She ran about 150 yards and went down. We worked her up in 8 minutes, record pace with just two people. We caught two more in traps and have one in the trap right now we’re gearing up to go to. It’s been an eventful day/night! Normally we wouldn’t take pictures without a “hood” on the deer because it stresses them out but, she was already wide awake and got up within seconds of the picture and we didn’t want her to take off with the hood.

F542450B-5A7A-4C0D-A81B-BCD434AAE3A8.jpg115569E7-46CE-462C-9E6A-7FA914A6CC83.jpgB8CE82A7-3EC2-4E25-AB59-F2E2C6D50139.jpgD83F3FE4-C299-4A61-BDA6-4E9AC740BF84.jpeg82A9E689-BAEB-4FB7-B4D6-BC586E7A57A9.jpeg8FFD02EA-7521-4261-944F-A16EB7979225.jpeg2BF45512-5D05-4E35-8D02-7E4B88185FA9.jpeg
 
After nine months of not running and two years of not swimming I’ve decided to hit the track, pool, and treadmill again. This is week three progress, hoping to improve a lot more than this. But, I’m feeling more energized and ready to go every day! Guiding hunters you really add on the pounds sitting in the stand, truck, and mountain ridges all day long with great chefs serving food every day!

I’ve got my name in the hat for a bunch of hunts for this fall and I’m hoping to draw at least one tag and crossing my fingers HARD. I have a decent at drawing at least one great hunt this fall!

D6877C86-69DC-4507-88F2-1D5C3D756217.pngCAED818B-AA92-4167-B1DF-31AE0296DAB3.png
 
65F17DE3-6670-4CF8-9A9F-55C6474530AC.jpegAfter a couple unsuccessful days of trapping we had luck! We had to leave the traps tied open due to the snow and bad weather here in Illinois, but, we were able to open one of them last night and caught a buck that had been in the trap every day for the last three days. Beautiful weather today and lots of snow are driving the deer to food after the storm.

We’re 3 weeks into season and 30% of our goal. Which keep in mind the first week is the least productive. I have a great team and believe together we’re going to meet the quota for the first time at this location. They’ve done a great job and kept great attitudes.

8ECA78DD-E44B-4879-9846-DA58C9C281B3.jpeg
 
It was a little chilly tonight! We got it done again on another Button Buck! He was mid wake up in this picture and we were just getting out of the way.
B6AAC957-C954-440B-A25B-304DF576B277.jpeg
 
Hoping to break into the 20 minute 5k mark in the next two months. I’m inching closer to 21:59 every day and just about touched it today. Long run tomorrow after trying to catch some more deer.9AE6D277-E825-4640-ADFD-D33B0F6A124B.png
 
How big is that pike and where did you catch it? Looks long.
I caught it in the water Joking! I didn’t catch it, I just boated it for my buddy and he let me take trophy shots too. My biggest is only 34”, but, have lost MANY of them because we were targeting walleye and didn’t have leaders or anything on. Caught in Wyoming.

2164B410-0BF3-4B44-8030-357AD8771C7B.jpeg
 
Top Bottom