Nope.

Now, probably like the rest of you I think about elk hunting every day, but I got plenty to do in order to get ready for next year's elk camp/hunt in order to have it "come off" the way I want it to go. Got some canvas in being altered. Propane furnace needs tweeked. Looking at a 3rd set of meat panniers & lashing rope. Got to round up some steel tubing, some more 2" rope and some more 12" nails. I've also got to get a 338 glass bedded and re-scoped (leupold) and a 416 to get tweaked just the way I want it! Got plenty to do and it is all fun! [:'(][:'(]

I AM looking forward to some summer "scouting" as I have got two "new" areas I want to go stomp around in (probably two trips). If they are decent (I'm sure they will be), then I'll be recording new waypoints and generating new maps for my team. I'm sure I will come up with some new "stands" (ambush sites) which are needed as it looks like I'll have quite a few more people in 2004 than 2003. I also have some spike camp equipment I want to walk "back in" and cache for fall. I AM very much looking forward to it all, but all things in due time.

Something different this year will be a niece (14) and her dad will be hunting with us on their first elk hunt --- lots of deer under their belt but no elk (NE California). First time for us having someone that young and a girl too! Having her get an elk will be a high priority in my planning, I'd love to get a picture of her with either a cow or a bull. She is a country kid, tough and scrappy, and has a strong spirit and knows what it means to "tough things out"! She and her dad are going to do a "tag team" and I expect she'll do fine.
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On a separate but related note, the African season is just kicking off! That would get my juices going and what a great "off season" filler it would be! Or perhaps elk season would become the "off season filler". That too in due time!

Good Luck and Good Hunting,

EKM