AND A WAKE UP.

[Brian Krebs]

I am going to try and get an hours sleep; then get up and go get fellow tradganger MrChuck - and try and take an elk; a deer or a bear.
I did a lot of trail camera scouting - finding trails and setting up cameras.
I have gotten some nice deer pictures- but honestly; the elk have eluded the cameras. I have seen them; heard a bugle a couple weeks ago; and have had to stop; back up; and drive around: calf elk in the road.
So MrChuck and I went up high in elevation and used binoculars to spot for elk. We went to 8,000 feet in elevation; and I called in the late evening- and got no response. Except for a lone wolf call that I could hear ..but MrChuck could not.
But worse- the whole area seemed dead; empty.
We drove 5 miles down a road rained on a week ago; and found no tracks; no trails. I have never seen it like this.
There are deer and elk down low. My place is at 3725 feet in elevation.
'Yesterday' morning MrChuck spotted elk on the other side of the river. He is camped in an RV right next to the Salmon river; and about a mile from my place.
 We shot our bows today; I told MrChuck that he should make sure is instinct was not shaken loose on the long drive up from Kalifornia.
 He is so good with a trad bow- I am honored to be standing next to him.
I did make a few impressive shots myself.

The idea was to scout tonight and see what was about. But he needed some time to sit and think about eating ice cream without reading the label ( lactose intolerant).

So - I was on the phone with my brothers. I just learned my younger brother is suffering from stomach cancer. My last night scouting got put off until just before dark.

So I jumped in my truck to see if I could catch a herd of elk that I had heard was being wolf pushed- across the river to.. the side we can hunt on.

I got to the end of my driveway and there were 40 elk in the field across from my property. I don't think there has ever been a shorter successful scouting trip than that!

I have friendly access to the property they were on- but I did something perhaps I should be chastised for. I had a person that heard I was a bowhunter- give me a compound bow. So; after my neighbor where the elk were - he indicated a month ago that he wished he had a bow; so he could hunt the deer and elk that walk through his property almost everyday.

I had a bear Kodiak that I have taken a couple P&Y animals with- and brought him over the compound and gave it to him. That and a couple good arrows with judo points.
 I am welcome; as is MrChuck; to hunt on his land; but I talked to him after seeing the elk there tonight.
 He had taken the bow to Montana and gotten it all tuned up; and got a release; and he had two pins- one for 25 yards ; and one for 45 yards.

And man is he pumped for elk tomorrow morning. Of course one shot will send them across the river to where they cannot be hunted now- and they may not return all the rest of the season.

So - an easy walk across the road hunt is out. Oh I am welcome there; but I am not going to mess up his hunt.

So- as it darkened out ; I took a drive further down the road; to where the wolves were chasing the elk across the river. The wolves on this side of the river are not around this spot - so tonight I counted 150 elk crossing the river; or that had crossed the river to the ~legal~ side.

This morning might be a learning experience; or a shot opportunity.

So - I got my broadheads super sharp; and keep thinking what I will need for tomorrow; and I have done that a dozen times and am ready.

I am going to sleep; getting up and putting the dogs in the kennel; and then dressing up ready for what the morning brings.

Its opening day for either sex deer or elk; and both whitetails and mulies; and bears; and...grouse.

I have seen big bucks on camera; but time after time I had bears pull the camera down ( one picture of the bears head - and then the camera is down. I left one camera there for three days; and the first customer was a bear; followed by 440 pictures of a weed blowing in the wind.

But I have seen on camera a nice whitetail 8 point; and in another spot on foot-  a 3x4 whitetail that is mature; and lots of smaller bucks - and does with two spotted fawns each.  

And its 3:16 and I am anxious to wake up and go.
I have been deer hunting and being wound up the night before for 46 years; and it still has not worn off.

The hair has been shaved off my left arm. I am ready to go.

I only have a month to hunt - I am not sure I will loose an arrow at a big buck or a doe. I am not sure what I will find where the elk were- perhaps just a good idea where to be tomorrow night...

This just never gets old... I will keep you up to date..

[Tom]

Good luck to both of you. Let us know how it went.

[String Cutter]

Good luck and God Bless.
We still got another month togo. I am hoping to sneak in a couple morning hunts this year.?

[rastaman]

Don't drink any coffee this morning Brian!  Good luck to you guys!  

[Mudd]

You are just moments away from going out the door if I am calculating the time zone differences...lol

I wish you the very best day hunting that you've ever had in your entire life.

I am saddened to read about your brother and his health issue.(prayers for him and all concerned, God's peace)

Chill out and just have fun.

Let the day come to you!

God bless,Mudd

[piggy]

Have fun anything extra is a bonus

[Whip]

May your hunting skills be as good as your writing skills    
Thanks for the great read Brian.  You put into words the feelings of intolerable anticipation that we all share at this time of year.
Good luck!

[WRV]

Good Luck....Randy

[Wannabe1]

Good luck Brian. Stay safe and shoot straight out there.  

[shbne]

Originally posted by Whip:
May your hunting skills be as good as your writing skills        
Thanks for the great read Brian.  You put into words the feelings of intolerable anticipation that we all share at this time of year.
Good luck!

Amen.