SO, the first KILL
Ahhhh, had you going didn't I?
That's terrible, I'm sorry. But the real story is this.
Photos below are from this weekend. Camp, hunting, and me at camp.
I left the house at about 2:00 on Friday and drove for about three hours because I didn't want to drive on paved roads,...(otherwise it coulda taken about 2.)
I explored, I poked around in the truck seeing many, many ruffed grouse! But I didn't try to shoot any, because I figured, "what would I DO with it?" On coming down the hill (in the truck) from where I wanted to start the next day I thought, "that could be a tasty snack for TONIGHT!" Well, critters don't cooperate when you are out to get them, only when you are not. So, no flame-roasted grouse. (I even had foil!)
So that night I sat and watched the fire. I had forgotten my book, after about two hundred yards of leaving the house...and didn't return! Dumb. ALWAYS go back for stuff to do at night! So, I'm watching the fire. Elk are bugling all over the darn place! It looks open, it looks to be a lot of lodgepole. I'm a happy camper...MY country at last!
I got up early, packed up camp, then went out. TOUGH GOING!! It was STILL thick. I'm not sure what it is, the soil, the water, whatever....but everywhere around here is thick with either brush or deadfall. Every step, no matter how carefull, is cracking. You cannot see more than 40 yards at any given time. So I was already frustrated by 10:00...when I started hiking at 7:00. There is sign! Don't get me wrong. But those elk have a fortresses when it comes to security, so I was done for. Shoot, about three hours later I made it to the road (thankfully) and humped down to the truck...a mere two miles away. (so actually, the photo of "on the way" is me after I got back...it was dark when I left the truck.)
All in all. I found a pseudo-salt lick that I will try again later in the season for deer. I say "pseudo" because it was kinda used by elk, but had a lot of deer tracks in it. (My eye this year is on a fat doe! Screw the bucks, I want some quality meat.) I found a good ridge with a good trail on it, lotsa sign, open...shoot, that's when I figured out I was more destined for high-country than this stuff. Back home, you get into forests and the brush is low, you can see and walk quietly, here, if it is open you can expect chin-high brush. If it's a closed canopy, you can expect waist-high brush. It all sucks.
So I found the place to go for grouse. I had a LOT of fun camping, just because it was quiet and different...but COLD! I had frost on my tent this morning! (Glad I took heavy clothes.) I found elk and deer sign. I found steep freaking hills (where can I go around here to get away from THOSE!?)
I chased a small-antlered bull moose down the road last night. I saw numerous mule deer does...in range..that I cannot shoot because of the law. And overall, I had a good time. So, on the last day today, it wasn't so bad. Halfway through the morning I wanted to quit because, again, I don't know this country, but I did anyways. And it was a good thing....I am always learning, always figuring out things, always learning the country.
I found a good place to snipe from too. So, hopefully my five days of "any weapon" season will pay out with a fat deer if nothing else.
Cheers
That's terrible, I'm sorry. But the real story is this.
Photos below are from this weekend. Camp, hunting, and me at camp.
I left the house at about 2:00 on Friday and drove for about three hours because I didn't want to drive on paved roads,...(otherwise it coulda taken about 2.)
I explored, I poked around in the truck seeing many, many ruffed grouse! But I didn't try to shoot any, because I figured, "what would I DO with it?" On coming down the hill (in the truck) from where I wanted to start the next day I thought, "that could be a tasty snack for TONIGHT!" Well, critters don't cooperate when you are out to get them, only when you are not. So, no flame-roasted grouse. (I even had foil!)
So that night I sat and watched the fire. I had forgotten my book, after about two hundred yards of leaving the house...and didn't return! Dumb. ALWAYS go back for stuff to do at night! So, I'm watching the fire. Elk are bugling all over the darn place! It looks open, it looks to be a lot of lodgepole. I'm a happy camper...MY country at last!
I got up early, packed up camp, then went out. TOUGH GOING!! It was STILL thick. I'm not sure what it is, the soil, the water, whatever....but everywhere around here is thick with either brush or deadfall. Every step, no matter how carefull, is cracking. You cannot see more than 40 yards at any given time. So I was already frustrated by 10:00...when I started hiking at 7:00. There is sign! Don't get me wrong. But those elk have a fortresses when it comes to security, so I was done for. Shoot, about three hours later I made it to the road (thankfully) and humped down to the truck...a mere two miles away. (so actually, the photo of "on the way" is me after I got back...it was dark when I left the truck.)
All in all. I found a pseudo-salt lick that I will try again later in the season for deer. I say "pseudo" because it was kinda used by elk, but had a lot of deer tracks in it. (My eye this year is on a fat doe! Screw the bucks, I want some quality meat.) I found a good ridge with a good trail on it, lotsa sign, open...shoot, that's when I figured out I was more destined for high-country than this stuff. Back home, you get into forests and the brush is low, you can see and walk quietly, here, if it is open you can expect chin-high brush. If it's a closed canopy, you can expect waist-high brush. It all sucks.
So I found the place to go for grouse. I had a LOT of fun camping, just because it was quiet and different...but COLD! I had frost on my tent this morning! (Glad I took heavy clothes.) I found elk and deer sign. I found steep freaking hills (where can I go around here to get away from THOSE!?)
I chased a small-antlered bull moose down the road last night. I saw numerous mule deer does...in range..that I cannot shoot because of the law. And overall, I had a good time. So, on the last day today, it wasn't so bad. Halfway through the morning I wanted to quit because, again, I don't know this country, but I did anyways. And it was a good thing....I am always learning, always figuring out things, always learning the country.
I found a good place to snipe from too. So, hopefully my five days of "any weapon" season will pay out with a fat deer if nothing else.
Cheers
posted by geotracker12 at 5:35 PM
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