- Thread starter Shay Mann
- Start date
Day 5
Day 5 started off good. Went mule deer hunting along the ridges.
Got to 40 yards of 3 four by four bucks. But I was winded.
Speaking of wind. The storm came, rained hard, the fogged rolled in. The mule deer hunting was all but useless.
There is a fine line between mule deer hunting, and walking around in the rain and looking stupid. We were performing the latter. Pretty usesless.
We were about 3 miles from base camp, decided to head back to dry out. Couldn't see 30 yards in front of us anyways.
Day 5 started off good. Went mule deer hunting along the ridges.
Got to 40 yards of 3 four by four bucks. But I was winded.
Speaking of wind. The storm came, rained hard, the fogged rolled in. The mule deer hunting was all but useless.
There is a fine line between mule deer hunting, and walking around in the rain and looking stupid. We were performing the latter. Pretty usesless.
We were about 3 miles from base camp, decided to head back to dry out. Couldn't see 30 yards in front of us anyways.
And it Rained...
The rain pounded for hours. I was cozy in my bag, and read about 100 pages of my Claude Dallas book. Claude was basically the last true western outlaw. Anyways......
I fell asleep, and an hour or two woke up with not rain, but about 3 inches of snow. The temps dropped, and now we were dealing with snow.
The snow is much easier and nicer to be stuck in, then the pouring rain.
After about 5 or 6 hours hunkered in the tent, Cabin Fever set in, and it was time to string up a tarp lean-to, and setup a dry line to get all our wet clothes dried for the days to come.
The rain pounded for hours. I was cozy in my bag, and read about 100 pages of my Claude Dallas book. Claude was basically the last true western outlaw. Anyways......
I fell asleep, and an hour or two woke up with not rain, but about 3 inches of snow. The temps dropped, and now we were dealing with snow.
The snow is much easier and nicer to be stuck in, then the pouring rain.
After about 5 or 6 hours hunkered in the tent, Cabin Fever set in, and it was time to string up a tarp lean-to, and setup a dry line to get all our wet clothes dried for the days to come.
Exploring for a couple of days.
We did manage to hike around for awhile just to cover some country, but the conditions were pretty bad for spotting any critters.
The fog and rain pretty much made glassing impossible. We would pretty much have to walk right up on a bear or deer to see them.
We did manage to hike around for awhile just to cover some country, but the conditions were pretty bad for spotting any critters.
The fog and rain pretty much made glassing impossible. We would pretty much have to walk right up on a bear or deer to see them.
Attachments
Here comes the TAXI !!
Well on Friday, exactly 1 week from when I shot my bull, the bus came in to pack our gear and bulls out of the wilderness and back to civilization.
This was not a short day. It took 12 hours to get our camp and bulls out.
Kevin's bull and the camp were a really easy pack. But my bull was in a bad spot, and it took some figuring to get it out.
Well on Friday, exactly 1 week from when I shot my bull, the bus came in to pack our gear and bulls out of the wilderness and back to civilization.
This was not a short day. It took 12 hours to get our camp and bulls out.
Kevin's bull and the camp were a really easy pack. But my bull was in a bad spot, and it took some figuring to get it out.
Loading up my bull
It took Kevin and I about 30 minutes to get down to my bull from the top.
We spent about an hour boning the meat, and loading it up in packs on our back. Attempting to get a bull elk out, including the horns and skinned out head in one trip, was lets just say......
STUPID
I had never felt pain from packing like this in my life. My toes are still bruised from the rocky side-hill and 100 lb + packs.
But we wanted to get the meat as close to the trail as possible.
It took Kevin and I about 30 minutes to get down to my bull from the top.
We spent about an hour boning the meat, and loading it up in packs on our back. Attempting to get a bull elk out, including the horns and skinned out head in one trip, was lets just say......
STUPID
I had never felt pain from packing like this in my life. My toes are still bruised from the rocky side-hill and 100 lb + packs.
But we wanted to get the meat as close to the trail as possible.
White hat floating above the brush
We worked the ridge down close to the trail, and after about an hour of struggling for every step, I see this white cowboy hat above the 8 foot brush coming our way.
Barry had seen us struggling down the ridge, and like the great cowboy he is, and knowing his animals. He cross countried his horses across a creek, and up the spine of the ridge to meet us. I was never so happy to see a horse in my life.
I will never complain about being saddle sore, or my knees hurting from riding a horse in my life.
Barry led a pack horse, and 2 riding horses to Kevin and I. What a man.
We worked the ridge down close to the trail, and after about an hour of struggling for every step, I see this white cowboy hat above the 8 foot brush coming our way.
Barry had seen us struggling down the ridge, and like the great cowboy he is, and knowing his animals. He cross countried his horses across a creek, and up the spine of the ridge to meet us. I was never so happy to see a horse in my life.
I will never complain about being saddle sore, or my knees hurting from riding a horse in my life.
Barry led a pack horse, and 2 riding horses to Kevin and I. What a man.
Double Diamond Hitch Clover Granny Knot
These cowboys know more knots than anyone. When you think you've got them figured out they show you a new one. I think sometimes they make them up as they go.
But with Barry, we have never lost a load. So I guess his knots work good enough.
I think this one in the photo was called "The super triple half hitch, double diamond, cloverleaf special with a double bow tie finish, tied off with a rabbit around the tree and head first into a hole" knot.
I personally didn't know that one, didn't have time to learn it on the trail. I'll read a knot book for that one.
These cowboys know more knots than anyone. When you think you've got them figured out they show you a new one. I think sometimes they make them up as they go.
But with Barry, we have never lost a load. So I guess his knots work good enough.
I think this one in the photo was called "The super triple half hitch, double diamond, cloverleaf special with a double bow tie finish, tied off with a rabbit around the tree and head first into a hole" knot.
I personally didn't know that one, didn't have time to learn it on the trail. I'll read a knot book for that one.
Attachments
Saddles never felt so good
Hopping on our riding horses was an awesome feeling. My feet were killing me, and my lower back was aching.
We still had about 3 hours of riding to go, but I could have sat in the saddle for 10 hours. I didn't care. Letting the horse do the climbing, was, well...... Better than me doing it.
Coming off that ridge, I dubbed myself "The Man from Snowy River"
It was awesome.
Here I took a few shots of Kevin coming down.
Hopping on our riding horses was an awesome feeling. My feet were killing me, and my lower back was aching.
We still had about 3 hours of riding to go, but I could have sat in the saddle for 10 hours. I didn't care. Letting the horse do the climbing, was, well...... Better than me doing it.
Coming off that ridge, I dubbed myself "The Man from Snowy River"
It was awesome.
Here I took a few shots of Kevin coming down.
Attachments
The END !
Well with these photos boys and girls. We wrap up the adventures of Shay and Kevin.
Thanks to Barry and Marshall for getting us in and out safely and packing our bulls out.
What a great experience, and I will be back in there next year. I think I may have found myself an elk hunting home for years to come.
Thanks for watching !!!
Well with these photos boys and girls. We wrap up the adventures of Shay and Kevin.
Thanks to Barry and Marshall for getting us in and out safely and packing our bulls out.
What a great experience, and I will be back in there next year. I think I may have found myself an elk hunting home for years to come.
Thanks for watching !!!
Attachments
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kentuck @ Dec 14 2006, 04:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
There was some pain in moving that dude to a place to hang. No doubt about it !
Yeah, we skinned and quartered them, left the hocks, so we could hang them easier. Then when we had to make our big pack down to the creek. We boned them right from the tree into the game bag inside our packs.
There was some pain in moving that dude to a place to hang. No doubt about it !
Yeah, we skinned and quartered them, left the hocks, so we could hang them easier. Then when we had to make our big pack down to the creek. We boned them right from the tree into the game bag inside our packs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrowslinger @ Dec 14 2006, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
I'm sure he made it through the winter. Barry and Jordan does not know of him getting killed. Only 1 of their rifle hutners killed a bull. And it wasn't this guy. On another note. That cat that we saw was killed by one of the rifle elk hunters. Nearly 200 lbs, and 9 feet head to tail. Jordan is getting it mounted.
I'm sure he made it through the winter. Barry and Jordan does not know of him getting killed. Only 1 of their rifle hutners killed a bull. And it wasn't this guy. On another note. That cat that we saw was killed by one of the rifle elk hunters. Nearly 200 lbs, and 9 feet head to tail. Jordan is getting it mounted.
