Elknut, I think them wolves may have had a snack on them gutpiles before you found them, as for the hat, my buddies call it my buckaroo bob hat. It was a really nice oilskin before I started using it for a pillow, seat, sunshade, etc. Don't know where I would be without it. I have hunted by the McCall area a little but prefer to hunt further south. We haven't seen another sole for the past 4 years. Last year we had 3 bow kills and 3 rifle kills, The year before that we had 3 bow kills and 2 rifle kills. I met some friends from NY in the northern part of Idaho. We had 3 rifle kills up there. I got mine the first week both years and didn't know when to quit when it came to packing meat out. Some people think that I am nuts but I live for the whole hunt and the close ties that come between elk hunting partners. As you well know things can get pretty hairy in the high country. Nice to hear from you.