Back from my elk hunt

[Bowhunter_619]

Great write up and awesome adventure Bruce. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Hoping I get drawn for NV or AZ next year...I want one bad!

 

[DuckFever]

Great story Bruce. I've never hunted the rosies, but am going for a Rocky Mountain elk this year up here east of the Cascades. Hope you get drawn for NV or AZ.

 

[dustin ray]

Bruce i'm glad you made back ok theres only one way to learn this stuff that is by doing it congrads to you and your effort.
Just wondering before you left on your trip you posted (What would you do?)how would you answer that now?[h=3][/h]

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Bruce i'm glad you made back ok theres only one way to learn this stuff that is by doing it congrads to you and your effort.
Just wondering before you left on your trip you posted (What would you do?)how would you answer that now?

Oh that's an easy question now. Shoot the 1st damn thing you see!!! If I had only sprinted to cut off that darn herd I coulda had a nice big silver bull. But if a cow had been within reach she'd be vac packed by now. LOL

 

[TonyS]

A Katadyn water filter avoids the 'zoa' problem, whatever that is.

 

[I'M DK]

I almost forgot, there’s another fun plant here, I forget what it’s called but after you touch it you get a tingling sensation that turns into a burning sensation.

Most likely Stinging Nettle.
I got hit by it regularly as a kid playing in the creeks.

DK

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Protozoa represent a type of water contamination. These creatures live in soil, water, and in the intestines of humans and other mammals and contaminate water when it comes into contact with sewage and animal waste. Protozoa are neither bacteria nor viruses and have fairly complex life cycles compared to other waterborne pathogens. Although the cycles of different protozoa vary somewhat, the basic cycle consists of these stages:

• Stage One: The protozoan oocysts (eggs) enter the body via food or water that has come in contact with feces.
• Stage Two: Upon ingestion, the cysts break open from contact with stomach acids.
• Stage Three: The organisms move into the intestines and begin to reproduce.
• Stage Four: The new eggs leave the body in fecal material and wait for the opportunity to begin the process again.

This is a very simplified example of the protozoan life cycle, but even a small sample of feces from an infected host may contain millions of protozoan cysts.

 

[jindydiver]

Awesome right up Bruce, you had me rolling LOL

Is the stinging plant stinging nettle? We have it everywhere here and it sucks if you let your hand drag through it as you walk. The tingle followed by a burn sounds very familiar. A mate of mine had to do number 2's one morning and accidentally squatted on one and the poor guy was weeping for most of the day. We have cream for it but you should still not let it touch sensitive areas ever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle

I have been caught in a suck before (earlier this year was a bad one) and our downfall is blackberry. The 3d suits get so hung up in it you end up stripping down to get through them.
The great thing about these types of epics is you get to relive them around the fire in future years and share them with your hunting mates.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Yep...that's it, stinging nettle! Almost as irritating as my mother-in-law. The blackberries were everywhere too but I didn't have a problem with them.

 

[mtnsammy]

WOW!! Now last years hunt does not sound so bad. I can't wait for Octobers hunt now. I know the area but will be goin in alone, kinda. Fortunately there are about 200 hunters within the 3-8 mile area. Every corner there is another hunter and a camp is almost always less than 2 miles away. Best part is the Elk seem to like this area too as 12 were taken within 100 yards of me last year. Heal, rest, and remember getting closer to God is never easy. "That which does not kills us only hurts a whole lot."

 

[CA Karen]

Wow! Thats one hell of a hunting trip. Sorry to hear you didn't get one, but keep at it and you will... every hunt is part of a learning curve.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

^^^ That's funny! ^^^

You know what they say, "No Pain...No Elk."

 

[Sigma]

"That which does not kills us only hurts a whole lot."

I thought it was: "What does not kill us only makes us stronger"

Don't worry Bruce, an Indian knows no pain, only revenge. :archer green:

 

[bsanders8181]

Awesome story, that feeling of inescapability and the thought of not making it back to the truck can be overpowering. It is good to hear you came out in one piece. Thanks

 

[mtnsammy]

After 50 it just hurts. You have been forged by then so it just hurts.

 

[Orygun]

You were hunting in my last backyard. Nasty country under a that green. Happy to hear you (barely) got out alive.

 

[smithstation]

Have you considered going to the eastern side of oregon and hunting that country? If I remember right an archery elk tag is good for all of oregon??.... I think.... We hunt the hells canyon area and its great for archery elk as well as the blue mtns. and the hills just out side of Baker, try near pilcher resevor the eagle cap wilderness if you go to the east. Glad you learned a bit and will be better prepared next time.

 

[sagebrush]

Thanks for sharing. I think I'll stay with the Rocky Mountain elk instead of the Rosies. Bad enough to get beat up by the mountains and elevation without having the rain forest try to kill you as well. You have endured a great experience, not one you will necessarily want to relive, but a great experience none the less. Only those of us that have walked a mile in those boots can truly appreciate your experience. Many hard earned lessons in that tale and, fortunately, you came out wiser having tested the limits and enduring.

 

[Orygun]

Have you considered going to the eastern side of oregon and hunting that country? If I remember right an archery elk tag is good for all of oregon??.

There are a number of controlled bow hunts for elk now. If you draw you can hunt those units and the others open to general archery. But not the other way around. We see continued choking down of where you can go with your bow tag. It may be unit specific in a few years. Used to be a bow tag was either sex everywhere. Now it is only for units with low herd numbers of places with lots of private land. A lot more bowmen and fewer elk.