Bad QBs can really spell the doom of any team... I can't believe MSU blew that game... I stopped wathching it because I had to go talk to a neighbor but to read this morning that ND came back... Bad week for me and my sports teams I guess. Maybe the Bears will win today and I can get one win out of the football teams but NU lost, Montana State lost, and the team playing ND lost...

Don't worry PSU gets to play NU next week.. Wonder how many picks are going to be thrown? lol. I guess the injured Sophmore QB might be back for that game... If we could just put a brain and an arm on Kafka I think we would have something.. Maybe? Please?

1 more week. One more week...

Well it looks like I am the first to ring in here from the vast Idaho wilderness.Ican't even begin to describe the time we had. So much action, but we just couldn't quite seal the deal on a bull. We all had golden opportunities, and there are some LUCKY to be alive elk out there. We got some great pics to share with everyone, and somegreat stories. Can't express enough gratitude to Troy and his wife for welcoming us into thier home, and to Scott for hunting with us and taking up his time to help other hunters.Bull moose, bear, yotes, a mountain goat, mulies and some nice whitetails made up some of the critters we saw besides elk. The hunting was tough, but we got on em day after day. The scenery was spectacular, just an incredible time.

I'm sure we'll all write some more tomorrow and get some of the pics up.

Hey Ryan,
Welcome home.Glad to hear you had a great time! Look forward to hearing all about it and seeing your photoraphs.Troy and Dee and the boys are an awfully nice family.It is all about the experience,not whether you kill or not.To be in that country going at it day after day with fine people is more than enough to make it worth while!I am sure you would go back in a heart beat.
I tried to PM you but the site wouldn't allow me to do it.

Welcome back fellas!

Welcome back fellas. Can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories and I'm glad everyone had a safe andenjoyabletrip. Sounds like you guys had plenty of close encounters and will have lots of great stories to tell, and that's what it's really all about.

Rybo - I was gonna call you last night about getting out spotting some whitetails, but I didn't know if you were home or not. Saw some good bucks last night in G.C. and got a few more on video.The big boys are laying low now, because they're getting a good amount of spotting pressure - we saw three other vehicles out last night. The element of surprise is now gone, but I know they're there.

Hey Guys,

Well we are done with the elk hunt. What a week! I think the guys learned a lot about hunting big public lands the elk that roam this vast country. I am dissapointed that no one filled their tags, yet happy to say the guys all had full draw experiences with bulls up close in bow range. As for everything else, All I can say is the week was exceptional. From our 1 and 2 thousand feet accents and decents after big herd bulls to bulls sneaking in without making a sound like a wise ole whitetail buck, to ouroutback campfires and napsin the deep forests during the mid day hours. We had a great time and 6 of the 7 days produced at least 1 bull per day, a couple days weworked multiple bulls. The elkwere very quiet, non vocal in their approaches.Except for the one giant we worked for over 1.5 hours only to havehim slightlyescape Jays set up, just out of range.

As for the guys themselves, Ryan, Jay, Mike, well these guys are special folks, welcome at my camp anytime. Scott, thanks cousin for devoting your time to caling bulls for these guys! In all of my years of hunting, I have never had a better time hunting than this past week. Sucha good time withloads of BULL elk action when everyone else I talked too wasnteven seeing elk.I almost forget we didnt kill a bull. AsRyan said, there are several bulls that were fortunate to escape. I'll have pictures and a day by day post hunt review..in my next field journal.

Ryan, Mike email those pics of yours to my work addy.. Thanks guys...



Whitetail Time... XX lets get some down...

Troy

Welcome back, sorry no Elk capes came back with you and even sorrier no Elk steaks...Yummie. But the experience is 95% of the hunt and you guys sound like you had a blast... ACtualy, for me the experience was 99% but that is a whole nother story. We are in the final stages here getting ready for the season.. Have a new stand I am going to hang for later in the season tomorrow and setting up a ground blind too... Ahhh... Sunday seems like it will be tomorrow almost.

Welcome back guys, glad to hear you had a good time. I can't wait to see the pics. I hung one more stand this weekend ( for my dad....I remember him doing it for me not that long ago) and saw some more rubs. This season is looking good.

I had the worst #$^#ing weekend I can remember. My internet modem got zapped by a lightning strike at my house Friday night. My wifes cat got hit by a car ( didn't bother me...but I had to deal with that crap) and I had to bury it. Then the kicker....I get a letter in the mail from my bank that my escrow account is $6K in the red!!! I just bought the house last November. The dumbarses paid my taxes....4 TIMES!!! The letter informed me that I needed to send them $3K in 5 business days, and pay another $500 a month in escrow to keep it from happening in the future. Talk about a mad son of a ..... well, I was mad to say the least. I called this morning an talked to the customer service rep. All she kept saying was "Sir, I can't understand you." I told her that I speak english, as do most people that live here!! I ended up driving an hour to St. Louis this AM to talk to my loan officer in person. I was ready to get sideways with someone....finally got it worked out. I think my blood pressure hit about 1000......... thanks for letting me vent. I pity the first deer that walks by me next week. Its on.[:@]

Mr. P - we were pulling for you guys out there, but despite not scoring on an elk, I know everyone had a fantastic time. Like Anthony said, hunting is 99% about the experience, especially when you're after a new type of game in a new type of environment. I'm sure the guys gained some invaluable experience that will help them out down the road. Definitely looking forward to seeing the pictures and hearing the details.

The official countdown is on, and we'll be getting started in about 110 hours. It's time for Team XX to start putting all that preseason scouting to work and start dropping the hammer on some whitetail bucks. I won't be able to relax until I strap that safety belt to the tree and nock an arrow.

I talked to my boss, andI'll be rearranging my work hours to 8-4 (instead of 9-5) for the rest of daylight savings time (10/28). That'll free me up for some really good evening hunts - and I've got many evening stand locations mapped out, so I'm more than ready. After daylight savings time ends,it's back to 9-5 and hunting before work if I still have a buck tag.

So Troy, what's your whitetail hunting calendar look like for this week? Anything mapped out yet?

Does everyone on our team (except Troy) start on Saturday?

Dave - LMAO - I bet you were ready to choke-slam somebody at the bank. Glad you got things straightened out. I'd have been highly agitated at that. Sorry to hear about the cat. I know how women can be with their pets. I had to dog-sit the wife's dog (it lives with her parents) this weekend. She got this dog when she was in college (Llasa Apso), and it stayed with her parents after she graduated b/c her mom got attached to it (I have no idea how or why one could become attached to that mangy animal). I was ready to stuff that mutt in the microwave. I swear I never heard a dog make so much racket in my entire life. Apparently, I am rude to the dog, and I said some hurtful things that hurt his feelings. LOL

Fran,
We start Oct 1st in IL. The countdown has begun.