Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:24:00 AM
Missouri Sherpa here. I just got back from my annual expedition into the high country and we had a lot of fun. I am going to post some pictures tonight and will fill in some text when I get caught up at work tomorrow.
This lake behind me is in an over the counter Colorado unit, west of the Divide, about 11,000 ft elevation and 8 plus miles from the trailhead. I am unable to disclose the exact location out of respect for a Colorado resident hunter I ran into up here last year that gave me a few pointers about this place. He has hunted here for 12 years and has never seen anyone here more than one trip. He was gracious enough to help me out and even though I may never be able to haul my camp up here again, I will not betray that kindness.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/2.jpg)
This is my longtime hunting partner Eric, also known as first assistant sherpa Ironbelly. He is loading llamas for me while I am at work. His wife took some of these pictures for him. This is Dooley, a haul of fame packer in my book. He has been on every trip of mine for the past 7 years and has never failed me.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/3.jpg)
The llamas have fresh sawdust on the floor and high quality hay to munch on during the 13 hour drive to the trailhead.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/4.jpg)
Here we are getting loaded up at the trailhead. We sat in the truck and waited in the rain for hours. Didn't matter because it rained and sleeted on us off and on all afternoon.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/5.jpg)
The trail is rocky and steep, described in hikers handbooks as highest level of difficulty. We are headed for camp on top of Mt Krumpet six miles away.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/6.jpg)
We are hauling extra groceries, clothes and gear because my son and brother are coming up for a couple of days later in the week. My brother wants to go fishing, and my son will also have an archery elk tag. The extra gear is a concern and we are going slow, adjusting packs as we make our way up the mountain.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/7.jpg)
We have five creek crossings to make and 2 sloppy bogs to traverse on the first leg of the trail. The llamas do not hesitate to plow across the streams, but the bogs are pretty tough and we have to walk them across one or two at a time.
I started taking some blood pressure medication about 10 days ago. I felt like I was going to fall over into my plate at breakfast that morning. Altitude has never affected me before but I am suffering now, really feeling loopy and winded. I am not the worlds most likely physical specimum when it comes to climbing mountains but I have always been able to set a pace that tires down the rest of my party as much as me by the end of the day. I stopped taking the Maxzide and was feeling great in a couple of days. I don't recommend anyone stop taking blood pressure medication because you may end up having a stroke, but I thought I was going to die the way I was feeling on the way up this hill.
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:30:00 AM
We got off to a late start and slow progress and only made about three miles the first afternoon. We were soaking wet, and cold so when we came to the first good flat spot we pitched the tent and fired up the stove to dry out for the evening. I couldn't have made it another three miles up the mountain under those conditions. Here I am burning trash bags and food wrappers the next morning. I didn't want to start a big fire and all of the wood was wet so this benzomatic propane torch comes in real handy. I use it to light propane burners, lighters, wood and to burn propane in the stove without having to worry about Carbon monoxide buildup.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/9.jpg)
We were faced with another three miles of steep, wet rocky trail but we made it up in about three hours without any incidents.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/10.jpg)
This is the opening to a small box canyon we call happy valley. This is where we camp for the rest of the week.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/11highcamp.jpg)
Here is a picture of happy valley from above. Can you see the tent and llamas?
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/12.jpg)
This is a closeup of the same area, shows the tent better.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/13.jpg)
This is my version of the high country Hilton. It is pitched on the only piece of flat ground that doesn't hold water in the entire unit. We had to scoop the elk manure out of the way to make room for the tent. This is awesome elk country. I have been using this same tent for 9 years.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/14.jpg)
The llamas are staked on picket lines out in happy valley. They have plenty to eat here and are easy to care for. There is so much moisture on the grass from the daily rains and the lush grass they do not even drink when taken to water. There is a small cowbell attached to the halter of each llama. I think it must help ward off predators because I have never had a problem from lions, bears or wolves around my camp.
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:35:00 AM
There is a lot of elk sign over there on Mt. Baldy. We ran a nice 5x5 out of there last year.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/16.jpg)
This is an enchanted hanging valley with big wallows in it. The fog rolled in and we couldn't see 10 ft. away just after this picture was taken.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/17.jpg)
This is a picture of sunrise on the pass. Our camp is about a mile from here. I did not want to camp to close because this is grand central station for elk hunting. There are three mountain peaks, several tundra meadows and three major creeks that touch on this tree studded meadow saddle area. We worked bulls here every morning. I am careful to not push too hard when hunting here because I want the elk to be here every day. I think there are several groups of elk that cross through here. If you don't find elk here just wait a day or two and there will be elk in this meadow at first light. We had bulls calling to us from the peaks that wouldn't come down to play and we left them alone so they could go bed. I didn't want to push them out because that keeps all of those horny sattelite bulls hanging around for us to play with.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/18.jpg)
This inviting saddle is just across the canyon from Elk Central pass. I wanted to go over and check it out but we were finding plenty of elk to work and didn't need to go on a three hour trek to see the top of this pass. On the map there is a very large, wet flat bench that runs away from this saddle, probably 3-4 square miles of open country similar to my elk central saddle area. It is accessable by another trail, and is around 10 miles in from that trailhead.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/19.jpg)
This one of many tree lined little parks up above the saddle, this one just below the peak of Mt. Krumpet. I arrowed a 5x5 bull here last year. Eric stuck the herd bull just about 100 yards from here in the next park.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/20.jpg)
Our camp is about 2/3 the way up this slope but you can't see it. This is just off the edge of the saddle, there are a series of wallows on these benches leading down to the creek.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/21.jpg)
There is a vertical drop off to the canyon floor making this lake difficult to get to.
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:38:00 AM
More steep country off the face of Mt. Krumpet. Last year there were a couple of young bulls that came up this trail early every morning on their way to the saddle. I sat here to ambush them this year but they didn't show up on this trail.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/23.jpg)
This is the honey hole on the opposite side of Mt. Krumpet. There is the most unbelievable amount of elk sign here. One of the sapplings was rubbed bare higher than I can reach (over 8 ft). There are several wallows down below this photo. We sat the trails to this wallow several hours one afternoon but no action.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/24.jpg)
My son with the compound, my younger brother in the middle, and I am the big galoot on your right.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/26cloudy.jpg)
Looks like more rain.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/25snow.jpg)
Wrong, snow and sleet. Didn't amount to much.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/26clear.jpg)
Clear skies the next day. This is the view from inside my tent.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/27flowers.jpg)
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:42:00 AM
We saw lots of grouse. They were lucky not to be on the menu because none of us had a tag.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/29filter.jpg)
This is our water treatment facility, a Katydyn gravity filter bag. This is so much better than pumping water through my HIKER filter. Just have to pack a few small pails of water and hang it up.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/31firebug.jpg)
My partner gets alarmed at the way I do some things. He is responsible for some kind of OSHA safety program with the company he works for. I am as safe as I can be.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/32sherpachef.jpg)
Here I am preparing an evening meal. I used to own a restaurant,and at the same time worked as a grocery wholesaler for 8 years prior to medical school. I was a member of the local Chef's association and befriended many fine country club and hotel chefs that taught me a lot about fine food. Good food is important to me and this remote location only makes it better. Here I am preparing some Bacon wrapped touranodos of beef with Stir fried oriental vegetables and some grilled/buttered english muffins. I use aluminum foil for a lid to keep down any spatter in the tent.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/33sherpmtmuffin.jpg)
Enjoying some sherpa mountain muffins. Leftover rib eye steaks, scrambled eggs and cheese on an english muffin. Great way to start your day.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/34dinner.jpg)
Enjoying evening dinner.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/35trashdetail.jpg)
Burning trash again at the end of the hunt. The Benzomatic propane torch is one of my favorite camp tools. Starts first time every time regardless of temperature, altitude or moisture.
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:47:00 AM
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/36upperlk.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/37ericfish.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/37fish.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/39jacobscutt.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/40jacobstonelk.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/41Falls1.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/42falls2.jpg)
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:50:00 AM
A word about my equipment. I shoot a Super Shrew 56" long pulling about 65 pounds at my 29.5 inch draw. I have two of them equipped with a connexion hinge so I can carry two bows and a dozen arrows on my back in a plains type quiver. I use Cabelas Carbon Hunter arrows with three 5.5" fletch with lots of helical. The fletchings are covered with baby bottle liners to keep them dry until needed. The arrows are tipped with a 160 gr STOS and weights to bring the arrow up to 600 gr. I use an assortment of cow calls that I keep around my neck on a single lanyard and use a PRIMOS Bugle mostly for a locator bugle. I have to pay tribute to the Elknut for his CD collection on elk calling which has been a big factor in my success at hunting elk. I keep a camera, rangefinder, puffer bottle and water bottle at my fingertips in the pouch on my right side. I made my green tunic out of a US issue army blanket and have a heavier one made from a grey swiss army blanket. I use the northern quiver, a damascus or berlin glove pulled over mechanics gloves, and made my own arm guard and pouch. The leg gaiters are a great item for wet days.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/44calling.jpg)
I bugle sparingly, usually in the early morning. Otherwise I use cow calls, lots of lost cow calls.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/45raghorn.jpg)
Here is a picture of a raghorn bull crossing the meadow. He was heading straight for me when Eric started to call and pulled him toward him. The bull is marked with a red line, Eric's position is marked with a yellow line. This bull had busted off his main beams and had 4 12inch brow tines. Eric wasn't sure he was legal and let him walk. I called him in to thirty yards but he winded me before I was in a position to shoot.
We like to get up around 4:00 am and sneak into position in the saddle long before daylight. We will hang out until the action dies off, usually not later than 8 or 9 am. We do not hunt the rest of the day unless we are sitting on a wallow or in the saddle on an ambush point. We have found it doesn't pay for us to stumble around and ruin our area. Just be patient and they will come. We used to climb into a different basin after basin looking for elk to the point of exhaustion. We hunt smarter now, handle the area more gently and have more encounters. We worked three bulls in the same saddle the second morning we were there.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/46upfromhole.jpg)
Here is a tired old man trudging up from sitting on the honey hole. The next morning we returned to the saddle long before dawns early light. I gave a lost cow call sequence that was answered by a not too far off bugle below the rock slide adjacent to the saddle. We called back and forth and I could tell he was coming. We could hear him busting branches raking a tree and he was getting pretty worked up. He was headed up the ravine straight for Eric. I had good cover and ran about 100 yards ahead until I say a bull moving off to my left. He stopped, lifted his head and looked right at me. I wanted to shoot this bull before he could get into that big meadow and try to work his way around and wind us. It was just barely shooting light. I couldn tell how many points but his fronts indicated a legal bull. I had a small window to shoot through the spruce boughs, down hill. I was in the dark shadows and I am not sure he could see me. I canted my bow to clear the tree branches I was under and loosed an arrow. The radical helical fletch makes a distinctive sound on the way to its target. Whoosh... thump followed by thundering hooves and crashing branches. Eric said "It sounds like you hit a tree". There weren't any trees in that draw. He picked up my arrow and gave it to me. It had bright red blood and had 12 inches of the business end missing. I used the range finder back to my shooting position and it was 43 yards, farther than I thought. I had aimed at the top of his shoulder, not able to see my desired impact point. The arrow dropped perfectly, clearing the shooting opening on its way to the elk.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/47bloodtrail.jpg)
There wasn't any blood at all for about 20 yards then I found a big splash. A blind man could follow this blood trail by feeling for the dampness. Big splashes of blood with every step, with lots of droplets inbetween like blood poured from a bucket. The blood trail was short. Total distance of about 80 yards.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/48entryhole.jpg)
The bull had piled up in the meadow within sight of beginning the blood trail but we didn't see him until we were right on top of him. The arrow took a big nick out of a rib, went through the top of his heart and both lungs. When he stepped the arrow broke off but not before making about an 8 inch slicing motion through his off side lung. Lots of carnage for a little broadhead.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/49toad.jpg)
This elk is a toad, a real butterball. He had a solid two inches of back fat. He even had lots of fat on his head when I caped him out. Just like a beef. I used the gutless method and took a series of photos for instructional purposes if anyone is interested. I ended up with 6 coolers of boneless meat from the backstraps, tenderloins and quarters only, 45 pounds of meat per cooler by my packers scale. I killed a 6x6 bull in Montana few years ago and this bull is definitly bigger. Not sure how to convert boneless meat to gross weight but he is a good one.
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 12:52:00 AM
If you will look at this photo at the very top of the photo in the center, at the draw just above my head you will see where he was standing at the point of impact. This is my best bull, second archery 6x6 and first longbow elk kill.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/51partners.jpg)
I am happy to have had a good partner to help me all of these years. We did not have enough time to haul this elk down the mountain and get back in time to kill, bone and pack out a second so we just took time to enjoy a day on the mountain after this one was in the coolers. I gave a bugle tooth to Eric and one to my son for packing out the antlers for me. I will always have these antlers for myself. We did not have enough payload capacity to take the cape down so this one will be done as a European mount. I could buy a cape but I think it would be best to leave it a bare skull to remind me of how hard it was to get up and down that mountain.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/52rackpack.jpg)
Here we are lashing the antlers to my son's pack for the trip home.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/53exitloads.jpg)
Loaded and ready to leave. The llamas without any top loads are toting 90 pounds of meat in addition to the saddles and coolers.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/54exitloadsII.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/55hornporter.jpg)
My good son, the horn porter.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c324/nucduke/56downhill.jpg)
This was a difficult hunt for me and I will not likely ever go back up this mountain again. I had three llamas go lame on the last mile of our return trip. The last mile and a half of trail was dripped with llama blood from cut foot pads and leg lacerations from the sharp rocks. Stuart injured a knee and is still lame. I carried his load the last mile. There were too many labor day hikers on this trail to shoot him so when I went back up to cut his throat and retrieve his saddle I was relieved that he was able to walk and hobble down the trail without his load. Bull had never been on a pack trip like this before. He apparently feels his way down the trail with the back of his front feet on the descent. The back of both of his lower front legs was raw meat by the time we got to the trailhead. My older tried and true packers had no problems but I they wouldn't be able to go back up with out a days rest. I am glad to be back from this excursion and am looking forward to the next one, perhaps one with a little less vertical.
Post by: shapeshifter on September 05, 2006, 01:12:00 AM
Post by: CJ5 on September 05, 2006, 01:19:00 AM
Post by: suNaj on September 05, 2006, 01:25:00 AM
Post by: Mike Orton on September 05, 2006, 01:51:00 AM
Thank you sharing your hunt with us. I particularly like your style of fire starter, good idea using the torch. I think I'll go pack a torch too. Congrats on the bull and those trout. A lifetime of memories there in one hunt.
Post by: cjones on September 05, 2006, 02:21:00 AM
Post by: Al Kidner on September 05, 2006, 04:09:00 AM
In Oz, alan
Post by: tradtusker on September 05, 2006, 04:51:00 AM
Post by: Guru on September 05, 2006, 05:23:00 AM
Congrats!!!!
Post by: BigRonHuntAlot on September 05, 2006, 05:38:00 AM
Post by: Killdeer on September 05, 2006, 05:47:00 AM
What a magic place!
Killdeer :archer:
Post by: Jerry Jeffer on September 05, 2006, 06:12:00 AM
Post by: shick on September 05, 2006, 06:32:00 AM
Post by: Ray on September 05, 2006, 06:46:00 AM
Post by: **oneshot** on September 05, 2006, 07:09:00 AM
Post by: Keystone on September 05, 2006, 07:10:00 AM
Post by: Huntrdfk on September 05, 2006, 07:13:00 AM
David
Post by: B.O.D. on September 05, 2006, 07:26:00 AM
BD
Post by: Falk on September 05, 2006, 07:27:00 AM
------
edit: Now, after you filled in some text between all the pics I am even more impressed - thats for sure! Great story! PERFECT shoot! My hat's off!!!
Post by: RayMO on September 05, 2006, 07:38:00 AM
RayMO
Post by: EASTERNARCHER on September 05, 2006, 07:56:00 AM
Post by: dead horse on September 05, 2006, 08:07:00 AM
Post by: Randy Morin on September 05, 2006, 08:19:00 AM
Post by: hunt it on September 05, 2006, 08:33:00 AM
Post by: Coop on September 05, 2006, 08:34:00 AM
Post by: Talondale on September 05, 2006, 08:59:00 AM
Post by: Teacher_of_the_Arcane on September 05, 2006, 09:07:00 AM
I'm all but speechless!! Spectacular!! Unbelievable!! Incredible!!
Huzzah!!
Lobo in West Virginia
Post by: JC on September 05, 2006, 09:10:00 AM
Post by: nick_the_tinkerer on September 05, 2006, 09:36:00 AM
Post by: DarkeGreen on September 05, 2006, 11:12:00 AM
Post by: vermonster13 on September 05, 2006, 11:28:00 AM
Had any wolf issues with the llamas yet?
Post by: RRock on September 05, 2006, 01:03:00 PM
Post by: Elknut on September 05, 2006, 03:36:00 PM
Post by: BlackDog on September 05, 2006, 04:45:00 PM
Post by: Terry Green on September 05, 2006, 04:50:00 PM
Congrats!!!!
Post by: Nala on September 05, 2006, 05:06:00 PM
How would someone who wanted to go on a self guided Elk hunt with a few buddies ever find such a place?
I would love to do that someday.
Thanks for sharing.
Nala
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 05, 2006, 05:38:00 PM
Use the Internet to scout. If you are in pretty good shape and can handle the high altitude I would recommend looking at wilderness areas in OTC units. You might want to spend a summer vacation to scout out a couple of likely areas where you might want to go before you actually commit to hunt there, which is what I did. I am getting to be an old man, overweight and with limited lung capacity compared to my youth but I am still able to get up there. If you are faced with those limitiations that I am then you need to have plenty of grit and determination to get there. You need to have the perserverance of a snapping turtle and never quit. I prefer timberline hunting areas myself and look for units with plenty of ground above 10,000 ft. and up. I scour over topo and ariel photo maps and look for an area that is at least 4 miles in from a trailhead. That keeps most foot hunters out of the picture. If you are going much farther than that you will want to have horses, which are available for rent. It seems to me most outfitters will often place their camps 6-8 miles in, so that gives you a pretty nice buffer zone between the day hiker hunters and the mounted outfitter hunters. If I were to do last week over again I would have my buddy and son keep hunting and plan to call a horse packer to take out the second elk if they were able to connect.
Post by: Lee Viv on September 05, 2006, 05:42:00 PM
I keep trying to tell my wife that we should be living out west somewhere! She just gives me that look that basically just tolerates my rantings.
Thanks for sharing!
Lee
Post by: James Young on September 05, 2006, 05:56:00 PM
James Young
Post by: Doug Campbell on September 05, 2006, 06:48:00 PM
Post by: Whip on September 05, 2006, 06:50:00 PM
11 days from now I will be packing in to hopefully create my own adventure - I only hope it is half of what yours was!
Post by: initialimage on September 05, 2006, 07:37:00 PM
Post by: JEFF B on September 05, 2006, 09:01:00 PM
Post by: HARL on September 05, 2006, 09:17:00 PM
Post by: Autumnarcher on September 05, 2006, 09:28:00 PM
Congrats on a well earned bull.
Post by: Chuck Mullaley on September 05, 2006, 09:28:00 PM
Post by: Lewis Brookshire III on September 05, 2006, 10:45:00 PM
Post by: royalfox on September 05, 2006, 11:41:00 PM
Post by: Rico on September 06, 2006, 07:03:00 AM
Post by: Gopherhunter on September 06, 2006, 07:51:00 AM
Post by: D Wood on September 06, 2006, 08:25:00 AM
Nice shot!
Thanks for sharing.
Dave
Post by: kerry on September 06, 2006, 09:25:00 AM
Post by: bohuntr on September 06, 2006, 12:23:00 PM
Post by: Eric Krewson on September 06, 2006, 01:35:00 PM
Post by: Emmons on September 06, 2006, 01:48:00 PM
Post by: Nook on September 06, 2006, 03:45:00 PM
Post by: Rick Butler on September 06, 2006, 09:04:00 PM
Post by: wakemstakemdave on September 06, 2006, 11:56:00 PM
Post by: Shaun on September 07, 2006, 12:07:00 AM
Post by: UKarcher on September 07, 2006, 04:15:00 AM
Graham
Post by: CheapShot on September 07, 2006, 05:32:00 AM
Post by: Skinner on September 07, 2006, 08:19:00 AM
Post by: Tom Leemans on September 07, 2006, 08:37:00 AM
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 07, 2006, 08:43:00 AM
I just pulled up a thread from a few weeks back, Packing into elk camp. This thread has a lot of information on llamas and how I prepare for these hunts.
Thanks for the kind words. I have been doing these hunts every year since 1994 sometimes 2 or 3 trips a year and have not even taken a camera for the past several years. Seems like the pictures all start to look the same after a while and they don't do justice to being there. Now that I have a digital camera, the resolution is better and the computer display is better. I have a 512 chip and can take hundreds of pictures that are easy to review and edit. Keeping the camera at my fingertips in the shoulder bag instead of in the backpack also is more conducive to taking more pictures. I will probably take more pictures from here forward.
My llamas are better though Stuart still has a limp and will not likely get the call to pack ever again.
This trip for the first time, I felt the limitations of aging or medication side effects or something else bad. I am not done by a long shot but I am going to have to train more or find less vertical places to play. I suppose I could accept the fact that it might take me two days to reach my hunting grounds and two days to get back and still hunt up there. The hunting is real good, I know the place like the back of my hand, and it isn't hard to hunt once you get up there but it took a lot out of me and my partner and my llamas coming and going.
I am glad you enjoyed the pictures because I sure enjoyed collecting them. I hope I can take a few more some day soon.
Regards, John Berger/Missouri Sherpa
Post by: JC on September 07, 2006, 08:50:00 AM
Post by: razorsharptokill on September 07, 2006, 10:18:00 AM
I noticed the British chemical protective suit your boy is wearing. I had one like that in desert storm. I love the pattern they use.
Congrats on an awesome animal and hunt that would be a dream come true for most of us. Like it was said before, I'd like to have been there just for the camping(and gourmet cooking!)
Post by: huntsmanlance on September 07, 2006, 12:06:00 PM
Talk about a Dream Hunt for a boy on the plains of Oklahoma.... :D
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 07, 2006, 01:20:00 PM
Post by: Kevin Breaux on September 07, 2006, 01:51:00 PM
The opportunity to be with folks that is in the know about a trip of this caliber to pick their brains and experience being there and sharing, man!
On a first trip I’d be the dedicated worker bee and cameraman if you will. Since retiring from the Army, I have deep thoughts and dreams of in the future walking mountains again, breathing that crisp mountain air and having a chance to carry a bow I brought to life in pursuit of taking a elk.
Thank you for posting and keeping my dreams fresh, wonderful story and pictures.
Post by: Ray Lyon on September 07, 2006, 01:59:00 PM
Also, congratulations to a fellow Super Shrew shooter! :thumbsup:
Post by: Roger Norris on September 07, 2006, 11:14:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on September 08, 2006, 07:55:00 AM
You're heck with that bernzo matic though
!["[tunglaff]"]("graemlins/tunglaff.gif" "\"\"")
Post by: dhanson on September 08, 2006, 08:43:00 AM
My knee went out a week before my trip, went anyway hoping it would work out but never did. Came back after only 3 days hunt. Maybe next year.
Post by: Mark Normand on September 08, 2006, 09:32:00 AM
I hope you continue to post these fine extended writeups.
Mark
Post by: Bob G on September 08, 2006, 11:01:00 AM
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 08, 2006, 12:15:00 PM
Sorry to hear about your knee. 95 pounds is a bunch but a good llama can handle it for a ways. I have found that at 60-70 pounds the llama will wear down about the same time that I do. More than that and they wear down quicker if we are going uphill. They can do good with 90+ for 6 miles going downhill if they know they are going home. We packed in with no more than 50 pounds and I think they could carry that all day every day. I give out long before they do at that weight.
I used to hunt solo but took up a partner to appease my wife. Best thing I ever did. I might have had trouble staying motivated on this last trip if I were going it alone.
Good luck with the knee.
John Berger
Post by: tmccall on September 08, 2006, 12:28:00 PM
Post by: Rocky Reimer on September 08, 2006, 01:06:00 PM
Post by: el cazador on September 08, 2006, 11:08:00 PM
Post by: Hornseeker on September 09, 2006, 10:19:00 PM
Congratulations!
Ernie
Post by: Ken999 on September 10, 2006, 09:25:00 AM
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on September 28, 2006, 01:10:00 PM
Post by: knife river on September 28, 2006, 01:57:00 PM
Like so many other folks have said, THANK YOU. This was simply amazing.
Post by: Jeff Holchin on September 28, 2006, 02:56:00 PM
That sure was a nice bull you killed! Sorry that you and the llamas took a beating.
Post by: flungonin on September 28, 2006, 08:47:00 PM
Greatful for your camera and your sharing this with us. Your llamas deserve a break just as you do. Thanks for going and giving it your all cause we certainly appreciate it. You have photographed what dreams are made of and have given color to them thank you. Totally awsome.
Post by: Traxx on September 28, 2006, 09:21:00 PM
Post by: Yance on September 29, 2006, 10:01:00 AM
Post by: Joe D on September 29, 2006, 10:39:00 AM
Post by: Ted Fry on September 29, 2006, 12:45:00 PM
Thanks for sharing them.
Post by: JDinPA on December 20, 2006, 11:46:00 PM
Post by: DesertDude on December 21, 2006, 12:45:00 AM