Awesome, thanks for taking the time to share w/ us!!

Just awsome picks! I guess some time when you look down you wish you didn't look! Keep hunting hard and geterdone!

I'm tired so i know you are. We had us a fine hunt today, some good pic's too. We shall get some rest and sleep and be ready for tomorrow.

grndhntr, what altitude are you hunting in?

These hunting areas are right around 8,000' elevation. Tomorrows hunt story may come in a little late. I'm supposed to go to a concert tomorrow night so...not sure when I'll have time to post. This is fun though. Thanks for letting me share :^)

Grndhntr, the pleasure is ours. Geeeeze, I've hunted in altitudes like you are hunting right now. No one would ever know what its like to take each step some times at that height. You are a good man and you hunt hard! My kinda guy! Amazing rush every time you stand up real quick isn't it? Have fun and play safe!

Wed. Jan. 10

This was another windy day here today. I don't know what the gusts were but I would guess some at about 80 mph. I went into an area that is about 6,000 acres without any roads through it. It does have a trail system so I was hoping the snow would be packed down enough for me to get up on a ridge near the top of the mountain that's in the middle of the 6,000 acres. I was only able to get about half way because no one else had gone farther and packed down the trail. Darned inconsiderate if you ask me :^). I hunted in the area of this meadow.

Just behind where that last picture was taken, I got into the trees and almost immediately found some elk tracks. They looked to be old so I decided not to follow them and started looking for fresher sign or elk hide in the thick trees. It was fairly easy to see through the trees with the snow on the ground. I think I could spot an elk pretty easily out to 75 yds. or so. I went about 1/2 mile past the meadow and found some more tracks. They too looked old but since I hadn't found anything else I decided to follow them. They took me up over a steep hillside and I finally got into an area where the wind wasn't too bad and I could see into the track better. I was going the wrong way but I continued going backwards just to see where they came from and if there were other elk there. After finding a park I didn't know was there, I backtracked back to where I was and continued on the track. At times the track was totally wiped out from the blowing snow and I had to guess it's direction until I picked it up again. In this area I took a picture of the ground blizzards that I was dealing with.

I was dealing again with deep snow. The snow in the trees wasn't too bad as it was soft and I could plow through it fairly easily but the drifts had a crust that you would break through and then have to break again as you push foreward and pulled your legs up and out.

I was ready for a break at lunch time so I started my traditional lunch fire. I like to just pack an empty can to heat water up over coals. With snow on the ground it doesn't take too long to melt and then boil the snow. Today I ate what all good mountain men eat- Cup O Soup. I also had to boil water for my cup of tea. Hot tea really hits the spot on a winter hunt...but I digress.