sabotloader

Hunting season is finally here... Larry and I spent the first two days working over an area that we call the "Park Breaks". The area is a pretty easy hunt as long as you keep the animals up on the plateau, but if you shot one and the go east over the edge, it is one long ways done to the Boulder Creek in the bottom - bring a fork.

Both Larry and I have late season elk tags, so we are locked into whitetail deer at this point and both Lary and I are limiting ourselves to a decent buck.

Wednesday opening morning it was a bit difficult. We has a small group of bucks in between us. All four we bucks and one was a really nice basketball size rack... the other 3 were starters. Larry had a real show as he got to watch the bucks sparring each other for about 20 minutes. He ranged them at 150 yards. When I finally got to where I could see the show they were 200 yards from me, but they were all in between Larry and I.

I decided that I was going to pass on all of them... I need to make this deer hunting last all the way through November so I was not willing to work for the shot. I guess Larry felt the same way as he passed also, although they were in easy range for him with his 06.

Here is a picture of the country that we were working in...



Everything in the world is good if you keep the animals up here in the flats.. but...

This morning I headed to an area that we have not hunted in several years... The Forest Service destroyed the road to the top of the ridge that we use to use to get to this hunting area on the East Side of McGary. This morning I bit the bullet and decided I would go up from the eastside bottom road - the way I use to go when I was a lot younger and dumber.

When I got there... I was kinda thinking this is a mistake the trees in the clearcut unit were 20 ft. high and the brush was much thicker. Non-the-less I wanted to try it... I tried to finess my way up but that was not happening... To make matters worse Potlatch had the unit pre-commercially thinned a couple of years ago... I gave up and just went up a spur ridge to an old haul road and then out to a ridge that has always been very good for us. Found my old sit down spot and decided - good place to catch my breath...



But as you look across the draw you can see how thick it is once to leave the haul road. I did get a treat though - Spike elk came down out of the thick stuff down on the haul road and walked away from me... I fumbled to get the camera out but it did not happen quick enough.

I moved from this location to one farther east into a newer Potlatch unit, jumped a couple of does and worked my way to the main road and 3 miles back to the truck.
I feel much younger now

Breechplug

Beautiful Country Mike! I do as you, pass on the bucks so I can enjoy the season. But sometimes I wish I'd have taken one of the nicer ones when I had the chance. As the days go by the hunting does'nt get any easier.
Our Bow Season started Oct 1st this year, for as long as I can remember it started on Oct 15, and at one time it was around the 3'd week in October. So even though our season has started Im still in my get ready for winter mode, filling the woodshed, racking up black wallnuts and chestnuts and apples, and just getting ready for wwinter with all the rest of the stuff I usually do befor our Bow Season starts.
So for me Hunting Season (Bow) does'nt start untill tomorrow, the 15th, even though it started 2 weeks ago.
Our Rifle, Shotgun, Muzzleloader (Regular Deer Season) does'nt start untill November 17th, so Im in no hurry either to shoot a Buck, I'll wait untill the Novwmber Madness starts (The RUT) befor I get serious about Bow Hunting or Hunting in general.
Nice Picks and another good hunting report Mike. Hold out for that Wallhanger, Im sure Whitetail's are no big deal for you guy's when you get to hunt ELK, I'd take a nice elk over a whitetail anyday, and they sure do fill the freezer a-lot better!
Good Luck to you and your friend, enjoy, and may GOD Bless you both this season and watch over you's.
(BP)

cayugad

Very nice looking country. It looks like a good workout if you'd shoot one in the thick. Good luck to you guys.

onetohunt

Good Luck SL!! Looks like beautiful country!!

Grouse45

Was it supposed to rain? I noticed the balloon on your barrel. Just curious, I better get some for Colorado.

sabotloader

It rained like heck Friday night... first rain in about 3mos... The brush and trees were really wet this morning.

These are the best... there are cheaper ones..

http://www.bighornproducts.com/ultim...protection.htm

sabotloader

My problem is as soon as shoot... it is like signing a contract for Terry's to do list... And I agree I have in the past passed on some really acceptable deer and then later in the year end up wishing I could get a mulligan on one of the ones I passed...

Currently we are in Rifle season here... the bow hunters are more organized than us regular hunters and have the elk rut all wrapped up to themselves... they lobby to get their way... So by the time you can rifle hunt the rut is really winding down. But even though it is rifle season I still choose to use a ML.

Thanks BP - I appreciate the well wishes....

Breechplug

Speaking of RAIN, has it done nothing but rain anywhere else? After the 3'd hottest, driest summer on record all it seems to do so far this fall is Rain!
It's our Archery season now untill Nov 17th, and as of yet I have'nt gone, trying to finish my fall to do list, it's hard to do things when it keeps on raining, let alone go hunting.
(BP)