Place your bets folks

[Deleted member 33033]

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Wind, rain, thunder, lightning and hail made climbing akin to walking on a Vaseline coated tile floor with a 50 degree slant. Even with trekking poles I took a pounding and fully utilized my posterior cushions. At times the thunder seemed to last forever, like a Shock & Awe bomb run in Baghdad...you didn't just hear it, you felt it. We knew driving out might be impossible given the road we came in on. i parked my butt in a lower zone than Gary who traveled twice the distance to his spot. I settled in under a tree and glassed.

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I had not sat long before the wind changed direction and the temp dropped. I began layering and relayering until I was wearing every stitch of clothing I had on. Merino longjohns, Timberline pants with Gary's North Face rain pants over em, (thanks Gary) my Kelvin vest, a Contrail windshirt and rain jacket. Put on two pairs of gloves, a bandit and with everything button and zipped up, was still shivering as the temp continued to drop. Then came a few drops followed almost instantly by a clap of thunder and hail was bouncing off everything. I can't believe I accidentally grabbed the unhooded windshirt instead of my Jetstream jacket! STUPID!!! This is what happens when you rush to pack for a last minute trip.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

I heard what sounded like a shot in the distance but could not be certain as the wind was now at 12MPH and the sound of my chattering teeth was a distraction. I am motionless, a thing that has taken me years to master and now comes as second nature. In front of me is a wide open field filled with ideal places to root around. This is a pic Gary took just before leaving me (and before the temps took a plunge).

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[cjack]

hmmmmm......did I win? A tie?

 

[Deleted member 33033]

More to follow...

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[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Damn, the story line is going to be longer than your hunting trip was......tra

 

[Bubblehide]

I left Bruce, well, in his spot. The last time we were there, there was fresh rooting, out in-front of him. This time, nothing but open space, a few oaks, and then nothing but scrub brush knitted together like a 500 layer afghan. I pushed on, first up a bit higher than Bruce. I took one look back at the meadow area Bruce was in, and the surrounding open oaks canyons to his side and in front of him. Nothing but a few rocks that looked a bit like pigs at the distance I was at. I then began my decent, down a ridge, and then across a saddle. Instead of my usual route, I took a new route into my intended canyon. I was beginning to rain, then the wave hit me. I never saw the lightning strike, I must have been looking down at my sketchy footing as I descended this narrow brush choked steep trail. The sound wave from the thunder, traveled through me, almost taking me off my feet. I picked up my pace, heading for a thick canopy of oaks, deep in this canyon, where I knew I would have some protection from the wind and rain. Lightning might be a different situation, so on my way down, I was no paying close attention to the lightning strikes.

I finally reached the protection of the canopy, but the wind was heading up canyon now. So I changed my plans and headed into the wind. I wound my way through the thick brush, over a few fingers, and deeper down this steep, but now soft soiled canyon. I picked a spot where i could watch an opening on the other side of the canyon, a little bit of the bottom of the canyon, and a train on my side, but just up from the bottom. The trail went through thick brush, taller than me. I couldn't see much of the trail, but it was a shot opportunity, if any pigs came through. Evening was coming, but I opted to stay until last shooting light.

No longer having enough light to shoot, I opened my pack and pulled out my head lamp, put it on, and turned it on. I flipped my pack on it's back, and laid down into it, affixing the upper strap. I stood and buckled the belt strap. I then unloaded my rifle and secured it to my Kifaru Gun Bearer, and began my steep uphill trek, in the dark. I headed toward my regular route out, one that I had previously marked. Only this time, someone had apparently removed most of my markings. I had my GPS with me, an on, with tracks mode enabled as I normally do. I could have pulled it out, and pulled up a previous trips tracks record of this route. But I enjoy a challenge. I managed to work my way up through the brush and oaks, not always sure, but managing to find a marking just before turning to my GPS. Finally, I found where the trail enters the thick tall brush, and I knew I could no longer get lost. Now the really steep climb began, out of breath, I sat down, and turned out my light, like I usually do, taking in my surroundings. It's at these times that I am fully aware that I am not the only predator in the woods, and despite being an apex predator, I could be taken out. Now I don't have an HK axe, an HK sword or the like, just my unloaded rifle, and a Cold Steel knife locked away in my pack. Perhaps I should have invited him, if just for a little protection, but I doubt I could drag him away from his computer. It's now raining on an off, and I am at the base of what I call the slide. This section is steep enough that when it's dry, you can easily slide down it, thus the name. But when it's wet, as it is now, it's more like a ski slope, a snotty one. I manage to get about 1/3rd the way up it, before almost falling flat on my face, but I manage to get my hands under me, as I continue to slide down to where I began. I fell tow more times before making it to the top of the slide, and then took a well deserved rest. I knew Bruce was waiting for me, at the gathering spot (as we call it); so I kept the break short. I downed a shot block, some water, and pushed on. Everything went great, until I came to the drop off. The trail here goes along the edge of an exceptionally steep slope, right along the edge. I drop down, and then begin to climb up the trail along the drop off, and down I go. I try to get to my feet, but it's impossible without sliding off the drop off. I dig the fronts of my boots in, and grab hand fulls of grass at the sides of the trail, and manage to pull myself up the trail, on all fours, until I can reach the small trunk of a young short tree. Finally back on my feet, I start to carefully head down hill, and I begin to ski down the trail. Somehow I manage to stay on my feet, but the trail ahead of curves to the right, and I am now running, trying desperately to stay away from the drop off. I made it past the drop off, at what felt like a jet propelled 2000 MPH, and started to gently apply the breaks. But guys, in this slop, it's like trying to stop a train. It takes some time, unless you want to end up on your backside.

I am finally past the steep krap, for a little while. I take another well deserved break before making the crest; again in the dark. I again sit there, and the thought of not being the only apex predator comes to mind. Damn, did I screw up by not sending out an invite to HK, (for protection of course). Back on my feet again. I make the crest, and instantly spot Bruce's light, I jet through the jungle of brush, knowing well that it's so thick, that from Bruce's perspective, even with my headlamp on, I literally disappear. I emerge in the open, make the corner, and again, see Bruce, now packing his pack. Okay, I could be sure it was Bruce, since it was so darn dark with only that little sliver of a moon, but the silhouette looked a lot like Bruce, another bi-ped apex predator. It was all down hill from there to the truck, some of steep and sloppy, and I didn't have any walking sticks. Bruce was quick to tell me slow down. I told him I had some excellent Tequila waiting for us, so a compromise was struck.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Good write up so far Bubblehide, definitely some tuff weather conditions and terrain to endure and hunt in.
And i give u props sticking it out to last light and having to find your way back in the dark under those conditions hard core brother and taking a beating with the terrain and weather, I have been in those situations after dark a couple of miles from my vehicle and it's amazing how quick the pace gets just thinking about cats or a coyote pack getting your azz. It's not hard to loose your sense of direction in the pitch black either if u start panicking. But those kind of hunting trips make great writ ups successful or not.
i have a super bright high lum head lamp with wide angle to see the terrain and trails real well and up ahead.
I remember years ago I would say to myself u wouldn't catch my azz on the trails in the dark but I finally got over that and realized u can't limit your opportunities and sometimes u have to walk an 1 hr. or 1 1/2 in the morning before sunrise to get to your spot or honey hole, now I say cats smaats. ....tra
I hope there's more to your story it's just getting good....tra

 

[Wild1]

Is there more to this story….? Did something get killed…?

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Buried at work...sorry.

 

[MGDeer]

Bruce & BH, been there done that sort of stuff. A few years back I was out pigging with Thewolfman (TWM) & his brother and cutting through the chase: it was an early spring hunt in high elevation- an all dayer and TWM nailed a pig waaaay down a certain drainage and I was breaking off 1/2 way there; By the time we got the meat back to the truck, dark, low wind chill temps and dehydrated, I felt very fortunate to have hobbled my way back without being assisted. I can feel ya. Good read- thanks guys.

 

[Bubblehide]

Thanks Tra, and MGDeer. Tra, actually, I have no fear of the dark, don't get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for the large cats, and bears, but I don't fear them. Now if I'm being charged, sure there is gonna be some fear. But I have some pretty fond memories from being out in the dark because of a hunt. I can't begin to tell you about the animals I have heard and seen, at night. But I also value my sleep, so those night forays are limited to heading out, or coming back to camp, the truck... I am fortunate to have never been lost. Don't get me wrong, I have had to take a moment to take everything in, and re-orient myself, but other than being off trail, and trying to find the trail again, I have never needed the electronic advantages of today. However, there is one time I wish I did have a GPS, it was when the fog rolled in so thick, that it was difficult to see the ground 3 feet in front of my feet. What should have been an enjoyable all day hunt, came close to turning into an all niter, in the damp cold. That hunt is why I bought a GPS, originally.

Yep, I have a few headlamps; several similar to yours. There is just no substitute for brightly lighting you way. The big wide well worn trails, the kind you can follow by brail, can be done without any light. But, when you hunt trails that are often difficult to follow during the day, a super bright light is almost a necessity; and why not carry one, or two.

 

[Bubblehide]

The tease

Okay, by request, here are a few more pictures:




Despite the weather, we managed to find this guy, lurking on the trail; okay, it wasn't exactly wet and sloppy, yet.

Perspective:

The grounds:

Can you say, lush!

 

[g791]

Kill shots please... been a week and It was said before this never happened.

Sent from my Torque

 

[Bossbrott]

Beautiful country guys, thanks for sharing the adventure.

 

[signguy]

So it was a tie cause nothing was shot?

 

[cjack]

So it was a tie cause nothing was shot?

Right!! What do I win?

 

[Bubblehide]

Kill shots please... been a week and It was said before this never happened.

Sent from my Torque

And here was my response to that: "I am all good with that; after all, I have a reputation to maintain."

Frankly, IMNSHO, hunting is so much more than kill pictures. It's about the experience, sharing it with a good friend or friends, what you learn, the comradery, and the camaraderie like here on this site, and the list goes on and on. That kill picture you want so badly, really means very little; while the story and information within the story passes so much more along than any kill picture possibly can. So, if it never happened, I for one am completely good with that.

 

[Bubblehide]

Beautiful country guys, thanks for sharing the adventure.

Bossbrott, you are more than welcome.

 

[Bubblehide]

So it was a tie cause nothing was shot?

Whatever!

 

[Bubblehide]

Right!! What do I win?

I have no idea, did you win?
If so, then please contact the contest executive director of prize distribution; I am sure he could help.