Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: James Young on September 05, 2006, 06:06:00 PM
-
Less than a week till we leave for Idaho for about three weeks of chasing elk. Man Am I pumped. Bags are packed, repacked, lists checked, lists reworked, arrows made all up with wensel woodsman heads, arrows shot, new arrows made after shooting too many into a group and cutting a few up oohh the agony.
Like a kid on Christmas eve.. dreaming of elk and counting the days.
98 % ready to go.. so now what do I do the next few days. The posts by Missouri Sherpa with the views and harvest and by Kindred Mark sure arent helping calm the nerves.
James Young
-
Dang James is it only a week to go? Hmmm I'd better figure if I have a bow and what about arrows? Well we just blew in from AZ and have 5 days to turn around to ID. Going to be busy.
LOL
Mike
BTW have you heard from that Ol' coot?
-
Hi James....Good luck...I have to wait untill the 22nd for my cow hunt to start. What you do now is try and sleep as much as possible. This lets you dream lots about elk/deer etc... and gets you ready for a steep packing job! :D
You boys have a great adventure!
-
I've got an ol beater bow from TX if you can't find anything to shoot Mike ;) y'all have fun now.
-
Wingnut, not yet..
Does day dreaming count Bobby? LOL..
James Young
-
Good luck boys.
Friend from MT called yeaterday and said the bulls are starting to gather the ladies for the grand show.
Mike, Rusty told me stories about your choice of kill sites... shoot one close to camp this time. :)
-
Ok James, take a few deep breaths and count backwards from ten. You realy need to calm them nerves a little, dont want you passing out when you actualy see an elk. lol. Hey atleast you have your stuff kicked in a pile, we still havent unloaded our trailer from show season. We have a lot to do in the next couple of days. Cant wait to get in those mountains.
Jason
-
Good luck to you guys. And Jason, take it easy on the old men. Be waiting to read the stories. :thumbsup:
-
Best of luck guys!!!
-
If you get into northern Idaho call me and I'll buy the coffee.
-
OK, we've heard from the youngest coot. Now where is that Old Coot? :saywhat:
Dang, I can't wait for the pics and stories :thumbsup: What a mix of archers :notworthy: Can't get no better than that :) ...Van
Give'em heck guys
-
The quest for cervids with 2 tons of gear and a hotel-like camp continues!
-
man, I'm a little more like wing-nut and jason, the morning I'm leaving(3am) odds are I am stompping around the house/shop looking for something important, you can bet on that.
(I guess I just like the trill of the hunt even though it might be my bow)
GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
-
Good luck boys,have a safe trip!!! I leave for MT sat. morn'n!!!
-
Ok, up and at em! We have work to do today. Got a couple of orders to ship and then unpack and repack the trailer. Don't think I need the show stuff on this trip. I found a couple of bows that I think will do the trick.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/mwestvang/elk%20hunt%202006/IMG_1810.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/mwestvang/elk%20hunt%202006/IMG_1811.jpg)
The Cocobolo riser is Jason's and the Pau Ferro and Osage is mine. Both bows scale at 56 #s and handle the same 61-65 arrows.
Mike
BTW I just talked with Rusty and his DSL is down, he should be by in a day or so to add his two bits.
-
Good luck guys!!!!!
I've got a three day hunt in West Texas over this weekend. I'll be back home for four days and then I head to Oregon to chase Elk myself. I'll yell at you guys across the big canyon! You'll just be across the river from us. Hope you guys do well! CK
-
You all have a great time out there. The aspens are starting to color up around here and you know what that means. :)
Going elk chasin with Roughcountry and Littlefeather in a couple of weeks. Until then I'll just practice my elk huntin by elk huntin. :D
All the best my friends. :thumbsup:
-
Just want to make it official, "I don't like you Charlie"....... :D Don't get too honed,ok? CK
-
Yes, have fun and be safe. Don't anybody pull up lame and kill one as it heads for camp.
-
:p
-
Good luck boys!!!
That sounds like a great time just waiting to be had. We'll expect stories and pictures upon your return, so take yer cameras, a pen and some paper.
PS
Wingnut, those bows look drop dead gorgeous. Let me guess, you just have to show them to the elk and they fall over? ;)
-
Good luck!!
-
Hope it cools off by the time you get there. It was upper 90's here in NW Montana yesterday and the smoke is thick from fires in Idaho and Montana. Be sure to check the fire situation in the area you are headed to.
Have a grand adventure.
Chad
-
Guys, cant wait to read about your adventures and see pics of your elk. Chad is right, though, about the fires. There are fires burning in the general area that you are heading to and some roads and campgrounds are still closed. Be prepared to adjust your plans, but it is a big area, and there are still plenty of places to hunt that aren't on fire. Be prepared for fire restrictions. I know that open fires are limited to established fire rings, there is no smoking in the woods, and chain saws are banned.
The temperatures are headed down by the end of this week, so it should be great for hunting. Up in the mountains you will have cool nights, crisp mornings and comfortable days in the 80s or lower.
Anyway, have a great time. And Mike, if the airlines give you any trouble checking those bows in on your way home, you can leave them at my house. I'll take good care of them. Honest :)
-Fritz
-
No fires in AZ this year..... :readit: :D Have a good hunt guys.. It was good seeing ya on Saturday,.... Those lil Bushwackers are sweet shooting bows....... Terry
-
Good Luck guys & have a safe hunt.
-
Good luck! Can't wait to see the pics and hear the stories!!!
-
Chad and Friz are right, there's a big fire (1500 + acres) close to my house burning ID/MT, lots of fire restrictions, and closed roads. Good luck, and have fun!
-
I just got off the phone with James. Man is he wired up about the trip. Hope he doesn't forget about shipping those Blow Out Special arrows to me before he heads out to Wingnut's place.
:bigsmyl:
Ya'll have a safe and successful trip now, Ya' hear?
Danny
-
I spent most of the morning on the phone with the USFS and our spot in the wilds is open and safe. . .for now. We hope to hide under the cover of smoke and get a big one. LOL
Mike
-
Danny, you'd better start learnin' how to make them arrows your ownself :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl: ...Van
-
wwwhhhhaaaatttt ya mean ya ain't going till monday and ya'as done packed??????? holy moly!!! i figure if i'm pack that early i'd forget sumpin. 'bout an hour before i'm ready to hit the road, i throw it all in da jeep. only thing i take care of before hand is i make sure i got my oil change...and the jeeps oil changed to, both of us gassed up. half way to Idaho I stop and take inventory. jot down everything I forget and go shopping :)
rusty
-
Good luck to everyone. Those fires must be gnarly, I'm in central Washington and the air is HAZY!
-
Fritz,
No problem with the airlines on this trip. . we are driving. . LOL.
Going to be a low flying diesel coming though Boise some time on Wednesday am.
We have actually been shooting the bows for a couple of weeks now and have begun to really stack em in. After shooting the 3D course at home yesterday, Jason said "I pity the poor elk. . .well not really" LOL
Mike
-
" I pity the poor elk..."
I just hope the "poor elk" don't hurt themselves laughing when they see this crew come rolling up.
:bigsmyl:
Danny
-
Rusty you crack me up. Actually like my granddad said to once :" If you dont have it. Santa Clause aint gonna bring it" I have to make sure I can pack as much stuff as I can it the alloted bags/boxes etc....
Ok I confess I have unpacked and repacked several times and still cant find anythign I forgot.. ooo that reminds me.. I gotta find my shootin glove and pack it too..
Gotta go dig through tuff again to make sure I have it.
James Young
-
Danny its gonna be alright.. I'm sure we can tackle one if its on the ground laughing to hard. See Thats part of our hunt strategy.. We act like we are bowhunting but in fact we are gonna cramp em up from laughing so hard and then we can pick and choose which ones want.. LOL..
James Young
-
Ah yes, The one "unseen item" that if forgotten will certainly end the trip or make it unbearably miserable. I look for that one item before every trip, I rip appart baggage, look under the bed, under the workbench, and in the arrow box. I look and look for days upon end vowing to never pack for a trip without a 6 month checklist. I always know I will travel far and wide to arrive at some primitive location where I know I will not survive without the one "enseen item"......... Somehow I've survived many trips and have emerged from the jungle of stress having found I made the trip and never needed that one "unseen item". Never the less I find myself deep within the confines of stress before each trip in search of the item plagueing my every thought. Good luck on that trip fella's! If you do find that missing, unpacked item, please let me know what it was so I don't forget it myself on the next major journey into hunting lands afar. CK
-
Curtis you're killin me.. oh the agony.. what did I forget.. :banghead: :banghead:
James Young
-
Yep, I just had to replace the zipper on my duffle after checking, re-checking, checking yet again, etc....... Of course replacing it was easy. I just reached in the duffle and pulled out the super glue, duct tape, nylon wire ties, sewing thread and needles, bailing wire, and smoothed it over with just a tad of two-ton epoxy. Then of course I had a hell of a time getting all that stuff back in the duffle and ready to travel. Never fear, if you didn't pack it I probably did! :bigsmyl: CK
-
bailing wire.. I FORGOT BAILING WIRE.. but I don have duct tape. no self respecting stick shooter would forget the duct tape. I do have some JB weld that could come in handy in a pinch.
James Young
-
Don't forget to have a good time.
One thing I make sure of is to have what I need in case someone pulls up lame or gets sick. :scared: etc.
-
Don't forget the gutting gloves! :thumbsup:
I'm just thinking ahead for ya'll. :archer:
-
Mike, I would offer you a place to stop and pee and fill your coffee cups, but Im probably not going to be at home during the day on Wednesday (what with earning a living and all).
Curtis, You know that one thing that you cant live without and always forget? Well, I have forgotten it so many times that I have found the solution to the problem. In my jeep, every pack I own, every camping box I have, and every place else I can think of is....... a roll of TP. I've used way too many scratchy leaves in my life. Never again :)
-Fritz
-
Bailing wire and duct tape...... :bigsmyl: Terry
-
Well it's daylight again and we are checking lists and packing the trailer. Headed to Costco soon as they open to get the grub.
Had to put new tires on the trailer yesterday with a higher load rating since Rusty is comeing over this weekend to deposit his gear. LOL
Bows and arrows are shooting great. Gear pile is getting higher. Things are good.
Come on Monday!!!
Mike
-
Hey Mike just got my puter fixed and catching up (hard drive crashed)
Good luck up there chasing those tawny hide ghosts, and tell Rusty and James I said hey!
Looking forward to the tales and hero pics upon your return.
-
Good hunting to all of ya. keith
-
I just shipped my pack and bow to Idaho yesterday. Total weight is about 35#. I'm packing a little heavy this time around though :) I don't forget nothing 'cause I don't take nothing. I do have some duct tape though. I got backups for everything in my carryon for the plane trip. I'll have to carve a bow up there and field dress my bull with a rock since I can't carryon sharp stuff.
Safe travels guys! Good luck!
-
Mabe you guys should think about stopping off on our side of the state for a few days. This just off the press.
James E. Risch
GOVERNOR
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Brad Hoaglun
September 7, 2006 (208) 334-2100
GOVERNOR RISCH AUTHORIZES IMMEDIATE HARVESTING OF ESCAPED ELK
BOISE – Governor Jim Risch signed an emergency Executive Order today authorizing the immediate destruction of all domestic elk that recently escaped from an elk farm in eastern Idaho.
“There is a crisis facing our elk herds in eastern Idaho. Because of the escape of domestic elk that was not reported as required by law, we now have these farm-raised elk mingling with our wild elk herds,” said Risch. The Executive Order I have signed authorizes the employees of Fish and Game and the Department of Agriculture to immediately harvest these domestic elk. The order will also allow the Fish and Game Commission to put into place emergency rules to authorize licensed hunters and private property owners to take these elk without a tag. This emergency action is being taken to protect our wild elk herds in Idaho. There is a serious risk of disease and an altered gene pool from these domestic elk and I am authorizing these activities to begin at the earliest time possible.”
Governor Risch held an emergency meeting Thursday with employees of the Fish and Game and Agriculture to develop an action plan to eradicate the escaped domestic elk.
On August 14 a complaint was filed with state agencies about some domestic elk had escaped from a private elk ranch in Fremont County. It is estimated that 160 elk had escaped through a hole in the fence. Attempts to recapture the animals have had only limited success.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has given 24 hours notice that they will adopt emergency rules that will allow licensed elk hunters and private property owners to harvest the domestic elk. They will meet by conference call at 3 p.m. Friday.
Domestic elk are required to have two identify marks and ear tagging is the common method for marking. The identification tags from the harvested elk must be reported to the local Fish and Game office. While not required, tissue samples from the domestic elk is being requested to allow further testing of the animal.
The Department of Agriculture has oversight of elk farms in the state, but state law does not require the licensure of the facilities.
###
-
OH MY :eek: :eek:
Half the world is headed WEST...Even CURTIS
Safe travel, GREAT HUNTING and TAKE NO PRISONERS
-
May you all encounter curious retarded bulls just uphill and outside of camp with large racks, and tender flesh. Praying you shoot straight and have plenty of cooler space. That should cover it for you. Goodluck and Godspeed.
-
Well it's almost dawn with two days to go and I can't sleep. Been up addressing DVD envelopes for an hour.
Trailers about packed, gotta get the clothes in the bins this am and get them in and Sleeping bag packed. Man I don't want to forget the sleeping bags, cuddling with James is not a good way to stay warm!! Whewwwwwwwwwww! :scared:
Last of the bow orders went out yesterday so that's checked off the list.
Well need coffee!!
BTW it looks like we might be able to stop and shake paws with Vance and Charlie on the way by. That's cool!!
Mike
-
My hunting buddy and I are waiting and leaving on Sept 15th ...... hunting the last 9 days of the season.
I've never hunted those last days, but I've hunted the second to last week and experience tells me the later the better IF you can find unpressured animals.
Slip into a little canyon or flat and find a group of animals that haven't been hunted and the satellite bulls should be a reasonable goal.
I'll take that ....... I've not killed an elk with a trad bow and its killing me :)
-
Wingnut you better not get your hopes up.. I only snuggle with Bonnie. She's prettier and smells way better than you. I have my standard cold weather sleeping gear... two sleeping bags and my 7 horse blankets.. now for the realy cold nights I have two fleece blankets to go along with all the other stuff and mittens. Been thinking of those battery operated socks that I could hook into the truck.. Hey wait a minute.... an electric blanket or two or three should do the trick..
Can hear ya now: " One time in Elk camp it was really cold at night and I unplugged James' electric blankets to get him outa bed to light the heaters and make coffee.. and it weren't good.. " LOL
Everything is packed and I even have some elk sinew in case we need to rebuild something :thumbsup:
I've been up al night at work.. getting a little punch drunk so I must now sleep.. Wait I think I forgot something.. Dang it. Got ta unpack to make sure.. ( For the 7th time in three days)
James Young
-
Another day gone by. Got most everything staged to go in the trailer and truck tomorrow. We take a big camp but we will be gone for three weeks and do like to be comfortable. Fire restrictions forced a change in plans with the wood stove and bbq. I got a big propane heater that will take the chill off for sure and picked up a gas bbq. GASP!!
Well with a few mods tomorrow the bbq will run off of the 20# tank and all will be well.
Expect James to show about 10 even though he says he will sleep and come at 2. Rusty should arrive with his stuff about noon. We finish packing, check the list and pull out at 0400 on Monday.
Dang that's a long time to wait.
Mike
-
0400 TOMMORROW!!????? :banghead: we have to wait that long??
Lets go already.. Getting ready to take a real short nap.. like thats gonna happen. chunk everything in the truck and head to wingnut's.. The adventure is about to begin. Yeehaw...
James Young
-
I'll be about a week and 4 days behind ya... You all have me chomping at the bit now too....Made a scouting trip up to the high country with the better half yesterday and things are looking good...... Might even have a new honey hole close vertigo point...... Terry
-
Wingnut and Jason make a pretty bow, no doubt about that. This is one they made for me. Now, i'll be honest with ya.....looks don't do nothing for me unles I'm gonna date her :) , but this is a pic of my best group at 30 yds. Hey the bow is not just another pretty face. Da dang thing will shoot. This is the 58" BushWacker 60#@28". I am shooting a cordavan tab with a no pinch insert.
30 shots at 30 yds with no passes. Not all the groups were this good though (oh ya shot with me before and knew that aeh? :) ). I been shoot'n quite a bit lately getting ready for the elk hunt. Now that I can hit the target at 30 yds I just hope I can hit a grouse at 10'...seems I have a harder time at 7' than 30 yds.
(http://www.trashwoodbow.com/core/bushwhacker30.jpg)
outstanding performer, great speed
rusty
-
oh well it likley won't matter too much. Wingnut and Jason say they are busting golf balls with every shoot and I saw James kill a Scaled quail at 20yds.....i probablely won't get a shot anyway........ :) NOT!!! when gatlin gun Craine is on the line ya better shoot fast :)
Rusty - gatlin gun- Craine, three arrows in the air at one time :)
-
Good luck guys, looking forward to the stories when you all get back....
David
-
Well Rusty came by earlier and dropped his stuff and Bonnie just dropped James off with a pile in the driveway. We got it in the trailer and are quivering like a dog passing a peach pit in anticipation.
It's going to be a long time to 0400.
Mike
-
Mike, Rusty, James, have a safe journey and a good hunt.
-
I thought I would NEVER get James out of the house. Now that he is gone for three weeks, I can finally clean up. Maybe I can find some good things to sell while he is gone.
If nothing else, I can at least have the remote control for a few days. And maybe some elk meat when he comes home.
Bonnie "remote happy" Young
-
Sorry we're gonna miss gettin together with you guys. Have a safe trip and keep an eye on those fires. (in Georgia they pronounce that "fars" :D )
Best of luck with the elk. :thumbsup:
-
Bonnie -
Have you heard anything from "th' boys"?
Danny
-
i heard from the boyz today. It is snowing in elk camp. Jason got a mule deer (no detials). the boyz been whacking the grouse (7 so far). Wingnut says it is a good grouse year in our area.
they had James on a growd cow elk, up close and personal. One more step and it was a done deal...but she wouldn't budge. reminds me of the girls I date :) . Wingnut says that at the end of the deal James still had his arrow on the bow and it was shaking like a sushi chelf's knife. If ya think a big ole cow elk up close and personal want give ya an adernalin dump...ya just ain't been there :)
I got Bodark (my jeep) gassed up and ready for a 7AM lift off....
rusty: - fort worth control tower this is xray xray niner niner experimental requesting take off instructions.
Control tower: - Xray xray niner niner experimental.....dang boy ya gonna need a long runway...ya better use 287west....Hey Charly some yahoo is gonna try to take off in a jeep.
Don't laugh Jerry he was air born by Witchita Falls last yr...that ain't bad for a jeep :)
Rusty -Idaho bound, let's see that is north west???right- Craine
-
:bigsmyl: Have a safe trip Rusty.... Terry
-
Rusty without a navigator? :scared: :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl: ...Van
-
Hope he doesn't have to "back up" anywhere ha ha (inside joke)
-
Have a safe trip Rusty! I'm sure Bear's spirit is hangin' his head out the passenger side, waggin' that stub of a tail.
-
Did you guys see the 5" of snow they got in SLC last night??... I hope Rusty beat it through there.... Terry
-
Hope Rustic brought BOTH pair of long underwear. Yesterday when I headed up the hill, the snow was ankle deep and it was 24 degrees. And the elk stayed on the south slopes all day. We also went through a LOT of firewood the last couple of days.
-
Iffin Rusty could drop about 3/4 flaps, change pitch on his fan blades and hit 4th gear about Decatur with full manifold pressure, he could prolly get off the ground about Bowie. Air born before then and he'd have to get clearance from D/FW Regional Control. That would require him to have an encoding altimiter. That was not one of the factory options on a Jeep.......so it looks like Wichita Falls again this year.
-
:bigsmyl: :bigsmyl: Congrats Jason :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ...Van
-
I hear he put JATO units on the side of the Jeep, just in case.
-
You would think that in this Day and Age there would be someplace that there was CELL SERVICE :bigsmyl:
-
The guys called in Saturday. Rusty made the trip OK and all is well. James said they have been having lots of fun, but it is cold there.
They don't have cell coverage unless they have to go into town for something, so not much communication.
James got a mule deer and Jason got a mule deer. Several grouse bit the dust and lots of close encounters of the elk kind, but none resulting in closure. Rusty did say he had a close encounter of the romantic nature with a big bull Elk, bu I think the elk decided he was better off not touching that. So he wandered off.
Sounds like they are having a great time, lots of hunting going on and relaxing for all. Will let you know if I hear from them again.
Bonnie Young
-
Thanks for the update Bonnie
Congrats to Jason and Killjoy on the Mulies :thumbsup:
-
Great to hear from that side of the Canyon, least wise they ain't froze up YET!! :knothead:
Thanks for the up date
-
Thanks Bonnie, it's great to get these in-hunt progress reports. Not many days left now, maybe a couple of them will close the deal soon!
-
tap tap tap tap .... waiting in anticipation.
-
Thanks Tom I was just going huntin for this thread myself :thumbsup:
Now someone throw another LOG on da FIRE PLEASE
-
Here's a log. Anybody got a cup of coffee?
Danny
-
I'll add another log to the embers :bigsmyl:
-
Last time James called (Monday) there was nothing new to add, but I think they should be home this coming Monday or Tuesday. So stories will start then. I am going to warn you though, as long as he talked on the phone about this hunt, I think you guys are in for an even LONGER story.
Bonnie
-
I like long stories bout hunts :thumbsup:
-
Get the coffee brewing... almost story time and, boy, cna wingnut ever spin a yarn... can't wait!!!!
-
I got back from elkcamp yesterday around 7PM. I was a great hunt. Da Boyz left this AM.
this was my third elk hunt so I am by no means any kind of expert but I have got some things to share with ya till the boyz get back.
Number one -
Elk hunt is a lot of work!!!! Elk often live in very thick stuff. it is hard to get thru, it is easy to get tripped up and fall tea cup of tea kettle, ya have often have to go up very steep stuff to get to where they are....i mean very steep stuff.
this clip is pretty big....if ya got the band width, it will show ya what da boyz were going thru. watch how quickly their heads disappear ...near straight down.
http://trashwoodbow.com/panamovies/elkclip.mpg
rusty
-
now the next thing is...the dang things are big. heck fire I am a texas flat land boy and hunt sub-150# texas whitetail all my life. 'em elk can be 8 or 9 times that size and I got no idea how tall they are but they are up in the air on a lot of leg. So when I see an elk at 40 yds, he looks like he is at about 15 yds. ya see it is one of 'em relativity things. if ya spend 4+ decades shooting at texas white tail in the field and in 3D shoots sumpin in your mind (or in my case the absense of mind) tries to make that shot...dangit
add this to the fact that texas boyz don't have a chance to shoot shots at 30 or 40 degrees up or down hill....
this all adds up to a lot of low shots :) .
-
next things is....
Mike is bugling, I'm cow calling, jason is answer with a calf call, the bull is going crazy, bugling, stomping around and trashing trees.....
now my adrenline spikes, now knees are knocking, i am having to breath thru my mouth....and Idaho only has two molecules of oxygen for the whole state. my glasses of fogged up cause now I am sweating in 32 degree temperature. In the back of my mind I know I'm gonna have to carry this beast back over what I have just come thru....life is good!!!!
rusty
-
i took a parabolic mic and digital recorder. I got some elk bugling and cows talk that I will post as mp3 file pretty soon.
wiith that note, if ya ain't been elking hunt before and thanking about going ya need to look into calling.
Bugling is pretty hard to get right but cow calling is pretty easy and ya gonna have to learn to do it.
some of the squeez calls are a surefire way to get a good sound. i worked severals herds of cows by myself and got good response.
rusty
-
OK let me tell ya my story while we waiting for the boyz to get home. this year i wanted to do a lot of videoing so I didn't buy an elk tag but bought a general tag. with that ya can shot a mule deer or bear or cougar. hmmmmm well I we had been seeing a few bears. I decided I'd give a bear a try...it didn't matter that I knew absolutley nothing about bears or bearing hunting...but Wingnut did :)
Wingnut said i would have a slim chance of getting a shot at a bear withot baiting, dogs or sumpin...
heee heee next night as i turned off the bridge and rounded a curve......there was a black bear walking down my side of the rode. I pulled the jeep over and got out. he crossed the rode and went up a near verticle game trail with out a problem at all. I backed off and went to the camp. the next afternoon I took Wingnut back to show me a bear track which oddly enough are pretty hard to see. We found the bear track withot any problem. Wingnut showd me how to found bear tracks and how to make a guess at how much the bear weighed by the size of his track. this one was in the 200 # range.....plumb good enough for me....
rusty
-
Wingnut tougth me a trick. Ya take a pine bough and sweep the old tracks away. that way ya can tell if the bear used that trail during the night. I went in the next morning a swept the trail clean. I looked around and found several other trails he was using. The trails were above a boggy creek. Wingnut said that this time of year they might be eating grass. I looked the grass over and indeed found several areas that looked to have been worked over by the bear. there were several areas where he had been digging and clawing the bank for sumpin.
I had laid the area out well in my mind. I was ready if he used any of the trials. Wingnut said that bears worked a lot at night, so I though I would come back tonight and set over some of the biggest bank diggins.
rusty
-
I had taken my 44 speical pistol with me. 240 gr semi-wade cutter over all the blue dot the pistol could handle. over lunch we discussed the idea of taking my 44 with me as backed up, just in case. Wingnut told me no matter what for me not to follow up the bear in the dark but back out and get the boyz and we would follow it up together. I decided to leave the pistol in the truck.
rusty
-
when I went in that PM that it had been no movement on the trails as you would expect. The wind was right i could set up between the diggings on the creek bank and the trail he had used the night before. no bear showd but two mule deer doe and a fawn came in down the trail. for a few minutes i had to decide if i wanted to fill my take with an easy shot on a mule deer doe or hold out for the bear. I decided to wait a few more days for the bear.
the next morning I went with da boyz to video some elk hunting.
rusty
-
Enjoying this Rusty!! :wavey: Sounds like you all had a great time...keep it up!
-
I hav a feeling we are in for another great story.
-
Ditto what Chad said :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :)
-
Oh boy, oh boy... more western critter chasing.
-
the morning broke with mixed winter rain, little snow, little sleete and rain. I had to take the rain bonnet for the videocam on the morning elk hunt. I kept thinking about my bear and had a good feeling that tonight would bring some excitment.
During lunch we talked about bear hunting. wingnut said that he did not want me to come back saying the shoot looked good but was a little back.....that ain't good. He advised to shoot a bear the same place I would want to shot a pig. Now that is sumpin I can relate too :) .
Rusty
-
that evening the weather had turned into a heavy misty evening. the woods had been like walking on patatoe chips but now with the moisture it walking was very quite.
I came in the area on a side trail to get the wind in my advatage. geeeze the woods were easy to slip thru with the wet leaves. when I got to the trail I had swept of track my heart jumped in my throat.....I had bear tracks. Up till now it had been a kind of a lark....ya know "oh yeah I'm bear hunting"........holy cow now "I AM BEAR HUNTING".....if ya know what I mean :) . my pucker factor tightened up a lot and i got pretty serious about it.
the first thing I did was sit down to listen and look the area over will.
rusty
-
having no experience heavy woods/mountain hunting, it took my a while to realize how much sound the woods soaks up. i looked and listened....maybe better than I have ever looked and listened. Wingnut said that when he gets close to bear, he can hear a mouse fart at 100 yards.....now I know what he means. :)
the woods had settled back down after I had slipped in. the dang pine squirrel that had spotted me settled down and stopped cussing at me. I starting to slip up the creek.....
rusty
-
I went 50 yds up the creek and set up for a look and listen. hmmmmm what is that sound?? I couldn't figure out what the sound was but it had a swishy walking cadence going up the creek. I didn't understand what HE was doing but somehow I knew that was the BEAR! BEAR HUNT is on.......holy cow!
rusty
-
I had a phone call form wingnut. da boyz were halfway across WY last night when he called. we gonna have mule deer hunt, elk hunt and a ton of grouse hunting stories coming soon. :)
rusty
-
I have been "spot and stalk" hunting pigs for the last 3 yrs, it was all just practice for this bear hunt I did not know I was gonna have....
the wind was prefect, the woods were perfect for putting a stalk on a bear, I was shooting one of Wingnut's 60# Bush Whackers....what are the odds a half wit old geezer from Texas would get within a bow shot stalking a black bear....well the odds just got a lot better :)
rusty
rusty
-
I am sorry I didn't mean to string this out i was gonna post it at one sitting.....but I am gonna be late to work.
see ya this evening. I'll finish my bear hunt this evening. it was as exciting.
rusty
-
Just when it was gettin' good :rolleyes: :bigsmyl:
-
I like bear hunts Rusty, keep it coming :thumbsup:
-
Them bears sure do increase the pucker factor. Looking forward to the rest of this one. Thanks Rusty.
-
I think Rusty has a bit of Missourian in him.... :D Terry
-
Yet another great thread. Really enjoying it so far.
-
"da boyz were halfway across WY last night"
Well I guess we'll just hafta re-freez the "TACATE" for next time :wavey:
Great tale Rusty don't weaken............vance
-
How did I miss this thread? Sounds great, patiently waiting for the rest of the tale :bigsmyl:
-
Good Luck Guys, and Dont Forget the Camera!!!! Y'all know how We L-O-V-E Pictures on here!! :wavey: :archer:
-
Did I just hear a mouse fart? :eek:
:wavey:
-
Naw Killy, That was my Jack Russell... LOL
-
Oh so Sorry, that was me :bigsmyl:
Come on guys sleep is highly over-rated.
-
Hey Dano, Timing is everything. :bigsmyl: Although it does smell like ya, LOL
-
Can't wait for this one to keep going either, it's getting hard keeping track of all that's going on around here, isn't it great? Come on Rusty!
David
-
ya deep woods hunters know ya most never see a game animal in the woods. ya see an ear, a paw and part of a leg, etc but espcially a horzonital line....there ain't a lot of horizontal lines in the woods esp one that moves. that is what i saw first, a black horzonital area moving. the bear was a little behind me and not too far down hill....my heart was pumping :)
rusty
-
Come on Rusty, Quit teasing us. :help:
-
the swishy cadence was the bear walking thru tall grass. if he kept the line he was on he would step out into an area he had stromped down and dug around in.....15 yards from where i was. he came out of the tall grass poking his head down into the short grass, i guess looking for sumpin to eat. one more step and he would be flat broadside to me. I knew I'd like to have a 1/4'ing a way shot but I was not going to get it. if he moves three steps he is going to put a tree betweens us.
rusty
-
braod side, 15 yds.....breath rusty breath. I was leaned back in the shodows of a dead fall leaning against a snag. I start me draw, leaned out a bit....just kept thinking "back pressure" back pressure, back pressure......then the string dropped. I saw the arrow disappear into the black side somewhere very close to the knuckle. The bear larch foward, reacting as quick as any white tail I've ever shot at. the bear bolted up the creek and out of sight.
rusty
-
The shot felt and looked soooooooo gooooood. I felt like doing the scene from "rocky" when he was on the steps and the theme was playing. instead I moved back into the shadow to compose myself.
Ok first go check for hair and blood.
I mark my shot with tape. Where the bear stood was black hair but no blood. looking behind the area I see my arrow stuck in the bank....holy moly a pass thru.
rusty
-
And then? And then???
-
Smells good huh Ron
That was ATAR after three days of camping, just like ROSES :rolleyes: :D
OK Rusyt, nobody works that much
-
"OK Rusyt, nobody works that much."
Unless they are trying to stay upwind of Drano... :scared:
-
:bigsmyl:
-
Ok I won't squeeze ya anymore....the arrow was clean as mama's kitchen. no blood, not fat, no grease....it was clean.....THEN I remember wingnut telling my not to forget that a winter bear has 4 to 6 inches of hair hanging down under his belly.
there was a flash of disappooint across my heart as it sinks in that it was a low shot. i just gave the bear a shave but it was only a flash.
i hustled up the creek in the direction my bear had gone. there is a drag line road just a bit up from here then a pretty big burn ya have to corss to get back into the deep wood creek. I got there in time is see my bear back to his ambling long poke his head at stuff to eat. I didn't follow him anymore it was geting real dark now
rusty
rusty
-
LOL Where's the rest of the story? The wind is O.K. Now. :eek:
-
when I got to the truck it was well dark. wingnut and the boyz were worried and came to look for me.
that night laying in the bunk replaying the evening......i didn't feel badly about my miss. infact for some odd reason I felt very succuessful and ready for the next encounter.
i guess misses are an important part of bow hunting. misses are what make the success...successful :)
rusty
-
Man Rusty, that's a heck of a hunt right there.
-
here are three pics of my bear tracks. one of them is a back foot front foot cadence track. i don't know if the other two are back foot or front foot.
(http://www.trashwoodbow.com/core/beartrack1.JPG)
(http://www.trashwoodbow.com/core/beartrack2.JPG)
(http://www.trashwoodbow.com/core/beartrack3.JPG)
i told I didn't know sic'um about bear hunting :)
rusty
-
the bottom track has a mule deer fawn track that just about hit the bear track.
rusty
-
coming soon to a trad bullentin board near you
(http://www.trashwoodbow.com/core/comingsoon.JPG)
would you buy a used car from this man??? :)
rusty
ps grouse are the funnist thing I ever hunted :)
-
Just made it in to the house and Wingnut and Jason sould be home soon. Gonna take a much needed shower sleep in a real bed and the fun will begin in the morning.
Rusty: You're funny.. BTW you like the "GROUSE RALLY HAT" ? It worked.
James Young
-
Keep it coming guys!
-
Jason and I rolled in a few minutes ago and are hitting the rack. We will get the story rollign in the am.
MIke
-
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
Glad your home safe and TIRED
-
I second that, glad your all home safe, now get with the story tellin' :bigsmyl:
-
Those Elk are kinda small James! :D
-
Sleep? The nerve......
-
BTW James, The hat kinda makes you look fat :bigsmyl:
-
Cool thread! I will check in tommorow with a big cup of coffee for an update. Dan
-
Dano BTW I'm am a fat boy.. LOL.. working on getting pics downloaded from camera and ready to add to the story.. This is gonna be good. Get ready for a good time..
James Young
-
Oh well then that's a pretty cool hat :bigsmyl:
-
Get Ready????? did he just say that??? :rolleyes: If we were any more ready you'd have ta stick a fork in us......Terry
-
hey james ain't fat! i got some hot tub video if ya don't belive me :) . i recorded it in the worst quality video.
there is a thermo-springs near camp. three 5 gallon buckets of cold water out of the river. fill the tub with hose syphoning 180 degree water out of the springs and ya can bath at elk camp
rusty
ps and man do ya need it :)
-
i can tell one thing for sure! at dang james is a one man grouse swat team. he can whack 'em grouse....the dang shot hog :bigsmyl: it got so bad wingnut wouldn't carry his arrows anymore
rusty
ps or an alternate view.....we can't hit 'em so he has to :)
-
in this clip the grouse swat team put four grouse in the ice box in 55 seconds :) . [3 meg down load]
http://trashwoodbow.com/panamovies/grouseswat2.wmv
btw that is 55 seconds realtime, not edited clip time. 'em boys are quick
grouse are the funiest thing I ever hunted.
rusty
-
Yep, them grouse sound like a chinook helicopter when they decide to take off too.
-
Rusty's right about grousae being the best thing to hunt.. anyway we'll get there.. Got to laughing so hard one time that I couldnt even draw my bow. Grouse hunting is good for your soul.
James Young
-
I'm starting a new thread to tell teh story cause its gonna get long and have lots of pics.
James Young