RE: Ready, Get Set, Go!
Gosh EKM, it doesn' t seem possible, only six weeks left to wait!!!
I might have told you I am doing a " solo" hunt this year. I have been up to the areas I intend to hunt many times this year, but have two more scouting trips planned. Given that bow season just opened, have you ever had problems screwing up things for the bow hunters (and front stuffers) on late scouting trips??? I am planning on bringing up water on my next trips, but how the heck did you get the 25 pounds of gear number? I have pared and pared, and come up with at least twice that, before rifle. By the way, if you bone out an elk, what do you say to the DOW people when they want to see evidence of sex attached? I have done some " trading" , and have the use of two pack horses after I get my elk down. Some friends that hunt a different unit didn' t get 1st season tags, so will help me out. However, it would take at least two days for them to get the elk out. I am not really concerned about spoilage at 11,000' , but other critters. How do you get around this problem???
When I started planning this hunt, TWO years ago, I had my heart set on using my guide gun with 420 grain Garretts. You know the story with the .416 and I am torn between the two. I get an extra 150 yards in range, at the cost of lugging around 4 more pounds. To make things worse, about 1/2 of the areas I looked at, you would never get a shot at more than 50 yards, and the other half, never less than 200. Please provide your unbiased opinion!