Brought down 3 1/2 cords of firewood this week and hauled my camper up to the mountains, saw lots of sign, lots of track, and a few elk in my favorite spot. Starting to think about bow season in September, starting to dream about those snot nosed bulls screamin in rage on a cool autumn morning. Found myself searching the cover in between cuts, remembering all the spots I nearly closed the deal last year. Spent half my time cutting, and the other half looking around. Brought the boy with me today and let him unload a brick on .22's on multiple targets, dang good week in the mountains. Now, if I can just get those elk out of my head. Gonna buy a new bow next weekend and get shooting, come on September.

Sounds like a great week to me!!!! I'm kinda getting the itch myself!!! Sept. never seems to roll around fast enough for us diehards!!!! <grin> Keep that boy shootin!!!!

ElkNut1

That's time well spent.

My wife is ready to kill me been watching Elknuts videos and have been doing alot of practice calling just about ready to get kick out of the house. Had a new string put on my bow a month ago and have been shooting just about every day and I go to the 3D range once on the weekends . Going over topos of a diffrent spot not to far from where we hunt never hurts to have a backup plan .

I Leave Oct. 26th for my home away from home in the flat top mountians of CO. to push myself as hard as I can for 2 weeks last year was sucsefull and we killed 2 bull elk mine a raghorn and my friends a small 6x6. cant wait for the smell of pine and the sound of the wind blowing threw them and the scream of that red eyed bull that taunts me.

I am getting the itch too. We leave early enough to be on site for at least a week, then stay around for a week after. My youngest, 5, is already asking questions....even my wife is getting anxious. She and my oldest boy each drew buck tags.

Can't wait to pack up and finally leave....hunting is the only real vacation I have taken in about 20 years. I have taken time off to visit family and things like that, but, that stuff doesn't matter nearly as much as my elk season. I must be ill.

Anymore I don't really care so much that I tag an animal, even though I find myself working harder and smarter as the years go by. I enjoy: the idea that my wife and boys like to be with me during the hunt.....the campfires, the weather, the smells, the sounds (or lack of), the solitude, the memories....I have hunted the same area since I was 14...., the idea that all the cares of my job go away the minute I walk out the door headed home for elk season.

Does anyone remember Jim Mora saying.............. PLAYOFFS .........PLAYOFFS....etc.

ELKY............ELKY............I only hope I can make it to Aug 25th!!!!!!
Been removing old barbed wire fence to improve migration for Elk and Deer. Saw some hours old droppings and beds. Then got into a discussion (with non-hunting volunteers) on how I new what had been there and how long. Working on a no human access easment........WOW.........I'm ready!!!!!!!

seems like i get more of the elk virus every year. maybe just the big game hunting virus in general. i wish this fall would hurry up and happen already, and i havent even got to do much summer fishing yet.....

I have to agree with everybody. I jumped my pack from 25 to 35 pounds this weekend. Its almost game time. My ole lady says I'm nuts hiking hills with a 35lbs pack in 90 degree weather and 80% humidity. whatever it takes.

The comment on getting thrown out of the house is funny. I got banned at my office for using my elk calls when I was bored. I've gotten banned from calling in my house. So I've been calling on my back deck. The other night a neighbor came by because she was certain that a dog had gotten caught in a trap or something. I guess my elk calling sounds like a hurt dog, thats not very reassuring. So now I'm banned from calling off my deck. What am I going to do?

99 days before I leave for Montana but who's counting?

The anticipation of the upcoming elk season, my first, is just as exciting as the hunt will be. I think about it 24/7, at home, work, in the shower, on my daily runs to keep in shape, it's never ending. Sometimes the hair stands on the back of my neck with just the thought of being out there in the mountains and listening to those elk bugle. 85 days until pack-in and I'm ready.