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After
Dad just got his 2009 elk back from the taxidermist this past week. All 343 inches are now hanging in their final resting place on an upstairs’ wall. It is a good looking mount and I don’t think the smile has left Dad’s face since he shot him.
Before
Today I celebrate my one-year anniversary. I started an archery/bowhunting blog exactly a year ago, which quickly morphed into this website. Since I love quick-hitting recaps, I will give a rundown on the highlights from the past year.
First, and biggest, came from last September when Dad ended a life-long quest to kill a monster elk with his bow. The bull gross scored just over 343” P & Y. With his incredible mass and long, sweeping fronts, this is by far the biggest bull Dad has shot in more than 25 years of elk hunting. (Click here for more details)
Last October, Connie Latronica had one of the most exciting bowhunting encounters she will ever experience. Not only did she take her first archery buck, but it was huge. She made quick work of the big California buck and added another impressive animal to the Latronicas’ wall. (Click here for more details)
Zack Walton with a Northern California Blacktail
This weekend I ended a two-year drought in California by putting down this nice blacktail. The heavy-horned forky has four-inch bases and nearly 15-inch main beams. It looks like he just forgot to grow proportional G-2s, as they are only four or five inches tall.
Regardless, I was ecstatic because it had put an end to a couple long, frustrating California archery seasons without a buck. Last year, I hunted more than 20 days without even drawing my bow and so far this season I have been a little unlucky with arrows missing their mark by mere inches.
In fact, the arrow that killed this buck was easily my worst shot in several years, as I missed where I was aiming by about eight inches. The buck was only 38 yards and the arrow broke through the front of both shoulders, where the spine intersects, and dropped him in his tracks. Even though I did not make a perfect shot, I will gladly take the result.
I have seen great shots go unrewarded and horrible shots kill deer in seconds. As a wise old bowhunter told me many years ago, “There is no justice in bowhunting.” Once the arrow leaves the bow, a hunter has no control of the situation. They are merely bystanders. And I will take good luck every opportunity I get.
Mom with her 2010 B zone Blacktail
Even though A zone has been open to for several weeks, the balance of the California opened its archery season this past weekend. With cooler temps throughout most of Northern California, I’m sure there were a lot of successful archers. One of them was my mom.
Saturday afternoon Mom connected with a picturesque shot on a uniquely antlered blacktail. Because of cool weather Mom was able to catch this buck moving during midday hours and after a very short blood trail, tag her first opening day buck.
Mom had only a couple days to hunt because of an upcoming elk hunt and wasted no time. Even though the buck has short antlers, he has a two-inch eye guard on his right side. It is a very cool looking rack. Congrats to Mom on a perfectly placed arrow and her first buck of the season.
After the first recipe I posted from my wife’s wild game dinner menu, I received some great feedback. As promised, below is another addition to our Wild Eats file. If you have some tasty wild game recipes you’d like to share, please e-mail them to zwalton5@hotmail.com.
Sweet and Savory Burgers
¼ c. almond flour/meal (or oatmeal)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp dried mustard
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
1-1 ½ lbs ground venison
Mix all ingredients and add to meat. Combine, form into patties, and grill to desired doneness.