# My Year.. A far sight better than the last!



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

After turkey season in the spring of 2011 my miss-shaped, over-sized heart went into full on heart failure. Meds, diet and exercise were no longer doing the job. I needed to go under the knife to correct the problem. Needless to say, I didn't hunt much, and when I did it was short hunts close to home and VERY close to the roads. Basically, it sucked to be me in 2011!

Went in for Open heart surgery on 11/11/11. Spent most the rest of the year laying on my back getting better and recovering. Spent most of the spring and summer getting back to work and getting fit for the upcoming hunting season. As many of you know, my brother brucifer and I both drew LE archery elk tags for the Wasatch unit. This hunt would kick off what would be a banner come-back year for me.

Opening morning of my elk hunt. Game face on watching a prime wallow.









My brother struck the first killing arrow and tagged this impressive 340 bull.









We cut the bull up and packed him out to the truck. I got to carry the head. He carried all the meat in four separate trips. (he's in WAY better shape than me.) Heeyaa Mule!









I hunted hard almost every day of the hunt and arrowed this bull on the last night of the hunt with about an hour of daylight left. Talk about taking it to the wire! Wheeew!









The scene of the crash. Yes, he stood there and let me shoot him twice! You can get away with that when you shoot a quiet bow.  









Had my deer tag in my pocket too. But, I wasn't hunting in the right zone... :? 









Then it was off to the Mid West to hunt whitetails. We were a little early for the rut and warm weather had the bucks on a very nocturnal schedule. But, the doe tags were unlimited so we decided to stack up the propeller heads and put some venison in the freezer. I don't care who you are, whacking 5 does in 6 days with a recurve and wood arrows is a blast! 

Some of the victims...



























Oooooowch! :twisted: 









My brother and I also drew Deseret Land and Livestock CWMU doe antelope tags. I whacked this one with my .204 Ruger. One piece of lead going about 4200 fps behind the ear. Lights out!









OK, enough of this big game crap, time to go kill some birds! North Dakota, here we come!
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/tex-o-bob/ND****s2_zps2475e0f0.jpg



















http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/tex-o-bob/clintNE****_zps37879db1.jpg



















http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u263/tex-o-bob/****closeup_zps837656c4.jpg

On 11/11/12 exactly one year after my surgery found me hiking through four feet of snow to try and fill my deer tag on Wasatch Extended unit. As I hiked I thought to myself... _*"at this very moment last year I was laying on a hospital bed getting my junk shaved by a male nurse..."*_ Needless to say, I'd rather hike through 4 feet of snow...

Took me two and a half hours to get to my tree stand but just after I sat down a nice little four point came by pushing some does. I hit him a little high and a little back so I let him go over night. This is what I found the next morning...


















One bird trip a year is NEVER enough, Time to switch things up and add some quail to the rooster take.









Chukars on horseback? Oh Hell yes! You don't kill as many, but it's sure is fun to watch a dog role out ahead of you while riding in beautiful country. 









Closed out 2012 on a chukar hunt with a good friend. On foot this time... GOOD GAWD I'm out of shape! -)O(- 









OK, back to work! Those birds aren't going to mount themselves! :evil:


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

Excellent! :O||:


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

You know TEX, for an old fart with awesome camo wear, you sure put the hurt on critters, even with a worked over pump! Thanks for the walk down your memory lane buddy!


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## Califbowmen (Jul 1, 2008)

Tex, I'm really happy to see that your health has returned and your aim is still true. You are a lucky man to be able to do what you really enjoy. My buddy Jerry had a heart attack while we were setting up camp in Utah a day before the archery season opened. He had by-pass surgery on 11-7-12 and is doing very well, although I doubt he will be hunting with us this year. Lets hope that 2013 is as good to you as was 2012. By the way, nice arrows!!!!!! Thanks for sharing your story and photos.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Yes sir, you did well!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Great post, great year. Thanks for sharing.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks like you had a Awesome year thanks for posting the great photos. 8)


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Did you say .204 Ruger? You are my hero....


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Nambaster said:


> Did you say .204 Ruger? You are my hero....


Yes, yes I did! 8) That little gun has whacked two deer and an antelope now and not one of them has even twitched after I pulled the trigger. I cant wait to see what it does to a fox or a yote... :twisted:


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

**** nice...no turkey pic's?


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Yeah but, where's the fish?


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

That's a lot of meat! Nice job!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> **** nice...no turkey pic's?


Got skunked! First time EVER! :shock: :evil:


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

If getting my junk shaved will help me have a year like yours, I'm almost up for it. :lol: 
Aside from the usual mental illness, I'm healthy as a rutting buck but couldn't kill anything this year. But thanks for the contact high.

Glad you're still around telling stories. Look forward to the next chapter!


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Awesome year! Let's me know I work way too much, and need to hunt a lot more. :shock: 

What is your secret. Rich wife? Inheritance? Taxidermy? All of those things combined?

What you did in one year I would be lucky to get done in ten. I might be able to afford it but that **** responsibility stuff keeps getting in the way.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

JERRY said:


> Awesome year! Let's me know I work way too much, and need to hunt a lot more. :shock:
> 
> What is your secret. Rich wife? Inheritance? Taxidermy? All of those things combined?
> 
> What you did in one year I would be lucky to get done in ten. I might be able to afford it but that **** responsibility stuff keeps getting in the way.


No kids, wife that works AND lets me hunt, and being SELF employed never hurts! I work hard AND I play hard. I need to work a little harder now and get caught up!


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

very impressive...lots of good memories to carry through the not so impressive years...if and when they come!


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Looks like you had a great year. Congtats!
Glad your feeling better too.


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## soules2007 (Oct 29, 2007)

Wow that was a great post! very cool pics!


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## c3hammer (Nov 1, 2009)

Awesome !!!

Cheers,
Pete


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

You the man this year. Way ta go


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## brucifr (Sep 18, 2012)

So how did Peyton Manning win comeback of the year...he's got nothing on you Bro. I'm just glad you didn't keel over up in the Uinta's climbing into a tree stand weeks before your surgery.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

brucifr said:


> So how did Peyton Manning win comeback of the year...he's got nothing on you Bro. I'm just glad you didn't keel over up in the Uinta's climbing into a tree stand weeks before your surgery.


Ya, it was kinda stupid of me to be up there all alone those couple times... Plus, I missed one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen that trip... :evil:


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

I have no idea how you see bucks like that on the wasatch. I last saw a buck, a little two point, three years ago.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

GREAT year Tex. Love the report to summarize it all. Thanks for sharing it!


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## brucifr (Sep 18, 2012)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> brucifr said:
> 
> 
> > So how did Peyton Manning win comeback of the year...he's got nothing on you Bro. I'm just glad you didn't keel over up in the Uinta's climbing into a tree stand weeks before your surgery.
> ...


God or Jesus or Alla or Zeus...one of those guys made you miss so you wouldn't croak dragging a deer out of the woods.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Bastards! I would have just jerked the guts out of it and called you... I missed because I'm a retard. I wish I could blame it on Jesus...


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Tex,
Its fun to read your post. My Dad had the same surgery 8 months prior to yours, he had to have a valve replaced at 54 years old. I can relate very well to some of the things that you said here as I watched my Dad go through it all. He has said though, nearly three years later that he feels better now than he has for as long as he can recall. I hope that come next season you can say the same thing.

Thats a traumatic surgery all the way around. Nothing about that experience is pleasant....especially the sneezes and coughs that follow the procedure. We still tease my Dad about the funny grimace and sounds he would make following a sneeze or cough.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Nothing about that experience is pleasant....especially the sneezes and coughs that follow the procedure.


You aught ta try puking... -)O(- :O>>:  :-|


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

That is a pretty good year Tex. It's gonna be hard to top. :mrgreen:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Very nice Tex! Sounds like quite a year despite all of the challenges!


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## soules2007 (Oct 29, 2007)

Showing my ignorance, what is the laundry detergent for on the horse?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

soules2007 said:


> Showing my ignorance, what is the laundry detergent for on the horse?


That's actually water for the dog... When it's hot I carry two of em...


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

We've chatted a few times about this little ordeal, both before and after the procedure but i have to reply in your thread. 

GOOD to have you still around bud. Hell of a comeback! 8)


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Thanks John! It's good to be seen, by ALL of you great guys! I know my sarcastic wit gets under some peoples skin, but if I'm being more salty it's just because I feel better. I mean NO harm, just edgy fun... If I felt any better I couldn't stand myself!


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

very nice my little buddy and im glad you are still here with us today. Now you got big shoes o fill for 2013


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