back from my backpack interior hunt
Good time, but tough. We packed in about 5.2 miles according to my GPS. My Dwight schuh pack tipped the scales at 52lbs, and gained a few for every mile i went. Fell several times, includung one dunk in the creek that put me 90% under water. We got in after about 10 hours, and set up camp. slept in the next morning and finished setting up camp. That afternoon we hiked to the top of a ridge were we were instantly into the elk. My partner was woking the herd bull while I slipped around the side, a beautiful 6x6 slipped around offering me a 40 yard shot. I didn't hesitate and promply shot a 2" tree directly in the way of his vitals. The bull suspected that most cows don't dress in camo and rarely shoot arrows into trees so he exited the scene in a flash. My partner got within 50 yards of the herd bull but didn't feel comfortable with the shot. I knew the herd bull was huge bc the satelite bull i shot at was big.The nextday i had lost my partner as he pursued the herd bull into a canyon, I was on the ridge walking when i walked to within 30 yards of a small 5x5. I settled in and did some calling and had 2 more small bulls come in within 15 minutes. It grew quite and i got up to move and spooked a giant 6 point that had snuck in behind me to within 15 yards. That was 4 different bulls from the same spot, the time was from 230-300pm, go figure. We were in the bulls everyday but never had the right bull in range. all told I had 11 different bulls in range over 6 days of hunting and my partner had 5 bulls in rangebut he hadtwo days he spent in camp. He was surprised by a visit from a black bear that alked right into camp while he was there. It was both of our first back pack hunts. My hunting partner said he would never do it again. I thought it was something sweet, awsome. It is a very physical and hard way to hunt, but the rewards and satisfaction is great, I loved it. Nver saw even another boot print, totally wild back in there.[8D] Dwight schuh pack was an absolute POS though, and it was the only equipment I bought for this trip that failed.