Ryan, Mike, no worries, I am sure you guys are well prepared, probably over packed to say the least. I know I was on my trips to Canada.

Quick, thank you, you are very kind. As for doing this type of thing, I cherish it. I would rather see someones smile on their face after hearing thier first elk bugle in the wild than shooting my own monster whitetail. Second, I am so fortunate to live in this country out here, I can't imagine not sharing. I hope to have you out someday Fran, I look forward to it and you nailed it when you said, Good People, Food and the outdoors...thats pretty hard to put a price tag on.

hahaha as for those sheds.. I guess if you spend enough time in a particular bucks area your bound to step on a set of sheds now and then. I'll tell ya what on ole high rackers set...the other day I almost stepped on them they were so camoflauged in a mess of blowed down timber. I do love finding the sheds to the bucks I am hunting though. Makes if fun. Anytime I walk through the woods hunting, I always catch myself scanning the ground for sheds though..and NOT looking for deer.. I have to remind myself I am hunting and not shed hunting LOL...

Ryan and Mike. I will be driving a full size Dodge 3500 ...all white with black fender trim.. Fuel tank/diamond plate boxin back.. etc... Expect me out front on the side walk about 1:30 p.m. My buddy told me he would cover for me 5th and 6th hour now! We will definately be elk hunting Friday evening. Its a small air port you wont have any trouble seeing me pull up out front.

I need to apologize in advance. The outsides of my construction at my place is still pretty UNFINISHED...Garage still needs built..so the dirt and dust is kind of a pain, but the good news is the house is ready for you guys....

Camper will work great for additional bedding..its all good..guys..

I am really excited today guys...Pumped for you guys to get here we will have a blast...


Hiking a lot during the days locating elk.. packing day packs for lunches and what not... Getting to BED EARLY! so we dont get worn out.. (this is usually the hardest part trying not to stay up allnight bsing..) I am sure you guys wont sleep much the first night but as the days go by and as we chase and hopefullypack out a few critters..that will all change.

My cousin is coming up for the first 4 or 5 days to help out calling and to finish my electrical in my house...I am trying to rent an extra quad for the week too..it will be cheap, a good friend of mine owns the local quad shop...

I have to giggle a bit..I had a cow elk walk through my dusty drive way two nights ago...right by the house...I think she got lost..little does she know who will be at my house in 2 days!

Ok guys.. I better get to work..

Troy

Troy you are right on the money with the shin splints. I had to have some arch supports made to correct the problem. It sounds like you will be having a great time when the guys arive. I hope all goes well for you all and you shoot some nice elk.

Thanks for thebest wishes on the state police. I am really hoping it all works out for me. My best friend is a state tropper.

Good luck to all in your hunting.

William

We want to see some pictures daily!!!!!! I think I am almost as excited as you three are. You guys have a great time and remember every minute of it. Good luck
PICTURES.........

Good luck on the elk hunt guys. Be safe, have fun, and like others have said, we want pictures.

Thanks guys, I am getting my final packing down. I got a big card for my camera to hold lots of pics, I want to soak it all in while out there. I want to get anice pic of me skylined against a beautiful sunset. It would be even sweeter if I had a set of elk antlers on my pack at the time.

You guys hold down the fort and fend off all these trash talkers we get thru here. Soon our deer seasons will be opening and we can silence the talk with some bucks on the ground.

Ryan, Mike & Pat- have a good trip guys.

Once you guys get back, we will return to our regularly-scheduled program, and refocus ontrophy whitetails. For now, we're all in elk mode and rooting for you fellas.

True story - I've beenthinking about you guys and this elk hunt so muchthat I almost purchased an few elk calls at Gander Mountain last Tuesday night, justbecause Ihad all these elk vocalizations in my head that I wanted to try. The wife saw me toting them around and gave me the "Scowl of Doom" (mostly because she knows thelife of torment that comes when I get a new turkey call that I just have to "try out"). Always one to pick my battles, I put my tail between my legs and hung them back up on the rack,keeping just a new limb saw and a new Energizer headlampin my cart. I lived to fight another day...

If I can get through this day at work it will be amazing - everything comming out of the woodwork!

Picked up another battery pack for the video - and saw a 2 gig pic stick - (have a 1 gig that does hold lots of pics - but twice as much is better)

Like Fran - the sense of reason (or thought of how much new stuff I have recently acquired) brought me back to staying out of trouble.

LOL... I walk around gander and count how many cows THIS trip is going to cost me... Bad Anthony... Bad.. I try not to go with the wife as the scowl of dooom is a bit of a buzz kill, usually I put back half of what I grab on my own... The question is, am I grabbing twice as much that I actually want just so I get everything I want when I put it back... Bad Anthony.. Bad.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes. We should have a great time. I two have a 1 gig memory chip for photos! We should get a lot. We will keep you guys posted from my SLOOOOOOOOOOW speed dial up home PC this coming week...

The weather is forcasted for mid 50s during the days and high 30's at night! Perfect weather for bugling bulls... They havent talked too much this week but are starting to speak up a bit. For years the 15th on into about the 25th has been the best time for talking elk in my area...

Quick, I agree...for a week elk will be the talk..but once we bag some wapiti and make some great memories we will get back to the business at hand and thats defending this title...You had me laughing outloud again with the story about yoru elk calls and wife...

IL... you gonna get back out west again for some elk hunting? Tell ya what if you ever want to hook up for a Montana bull hunt I would love too...

I talked to ( Dan ) Hiawatha last night on the phone...sounds like I may be heading back to Sas for shed hunting some time in the future...probably two springs from now..man is that a blast! Pigs up there...

Anyway, I am just getting my last minute preperations around my place..lots of cleaning...of debris..burning waste from the building...etc.. trying to make this place look a little more civilized than its Bagdad appearance... More siding to do, rails for the porches/deck... etc... Still waiting on my Gravel to get delivered..again...does this ever end??? LOL

No matter what..tomorrow..we'll be cow calling son of a guns!

Troy

So, did you fellas arrive in one piece? Good luck and we're hoping to hear an update soon.

I'll be off the radar for the majority of the rest of the weekend. I'm in my buddy's wedding tonight, and I have to give a speech that I didn't even start writing yet. Should be a long evening.