Big hunt, no success, but the Enjoyment was through the roof!

[Ugly Sauce]

My home away from home for the last seven glorious days. That's my big camper, I call it the "Great White Elephant", much to the dismay of my wife. She came up for the three days before season opened. I like to go up early so no one takes "my spot". I didn't take my motorcycle, so didn't unhook the truck. Decided to just concentrate within a two-three mile radius around camp.

Weather was perfect, "partly cloudy" with a bit of snow on some of the higher peaks.

My weapons of choice, the Jeager and the Little Brat 1862 Colt. Perfect for a Grizzly Recovery Area, eh? I took my TC cap-gun along in case the weather got wet and nasty, but never needed it. I can keep a flintlock working in the rain, but sometimes I'm just lazy.

Wolf activity was high, deer activity was low. Hmmmm....perhaps a correlation? Yeah, plenty of wolf sign. I only jumped three bucks, but could not get a shot. Just a flash and they was gone.

This coffee break brought to you by the Little Brat.

Is the Jeager not beautiful? Brown Rosie, the Rose of Alabama. This is Mineral Creek, and around 1920 there was actually a road and a small bridge here. That mossy plank to the left is the only remaining artifact of it.

To those of you who filter your water, I SALUTE you! However, the cricks up here, I drink right from them. And don't get sick. It's a mystery.

One of my favorite lunch-spots, and I shot a cougar here.

On my last day, since the deer hunting was not "great", I did some cougar calling, not far from the favorite lunch spot where I shot the last one. This was my hidey hole. This was a very dark and gloomy patch of woods, next to a swampy area. The pics make it look brighter, but it was dark and gloomy, even spooky, perfect for calling. But no kitty kats came in. I thought maybe a wolf would come in, as the were active in the area, and I've called them in before. But, no one came to my party.

This was the view from my calling-hidey-hole. Again, not bright like the pic, but very dark and gloomy. Had my call placed straight ahead about 35 yards. I've found that if I put the call on the ground, and cover it up a bit, instead of hanging in a tree or setting it on a rock, the animals tend to come in closer to it. Of course the sound does not carry as far.

Okay, Rosie and the Little Brat say: "thanks for listening". No kills, and I even let quite a few grouse go as I didn't want to make the noise and scare off any big game, but just being there was worth the trip. Other than a very few road-hunters, I had pretty much an entire mountain range to myself, a warm dry bed, and more food than I could possibly eat. It don't get better than that. !!!

 

[entropy]

Sounds like a successful hunt nonetheless!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Sounds like a successful hunt nonetheless!

It was. As I try to tell non-hunter friends, it's not about the kill.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Looked like a good time to me, the only I would change was having my grandson with me. That would greatly diminish my chance of getting anything but it would still be fun.

But, sometimes solitude can't be beat, so I get it.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Looked like a good time to me, the only I would change was having my grandson with me. That would greatly diminish my chance of getting anything but it would still be fun.

But, sometimes solitude can't be beat, so I get it.

I totally agree, I have a ten-year old grandson, and eight year old grand daughter, but both are in school/school started already, and involved in soccer, gymnastics, yada yada so I'm lucky to get either one out for the day, let alone a seven day hunt. Yes I'd gladly take either one regardless of diminished chances. For sure. The boy is very quiet, not a problem, although two people, twice as much movement, but again worth it. Little girls, well, as you know they can be a bit more "chatty", but she loves the outdoors and I hope to instill as much bush-craft and woods savvy in her as I can.

Thanks for the comment, yes, if I could change it and take either one of them with me I would.

 

[jmr40]

Looks like fun. I assume you hunt solo.

 

[mavracer]

I missed our annual Pheasant hunt for a few years while my kids were little, when I finally got to go again I realized what I really missed was all the non hunting stuff. Some of it was silly like we used to stop at a apple orchard about 1/2 way up and get a bushel for snacks in the field, but I miss that.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Looks like fun. I assume you hunt solo.

Yep, Agent Orange caught up with my best hunting partner of many years, my last one jumped out of too many perfectly good airplanes and his back is toast. My son is full time National Guard, so has to do all the training days, along with family and two young kids, so I'm lucky to get one hunt a year out of him. !! This whole last year he's been deployed down on the border, won't be back until end of October at best. Now I'm too set in my ways to "train" a new hunting partner(s). !!! I've gone on one too many one-day "trial" hunts (first dates?) with some real bozos, so I don't really seek out new people to hunt with. However, there are perks/advantages to hunting alone so I'm okay with it.

 

[jmr40]

However, there are perks/advantages to hunting alone so I'm okay with it.

My younger brother was my primary hunting partner for years, but about 5 years ago he decided to stop hunting. He was never into it as much as I was and came along just to keep me company. Neither my son nor daughter are interested in hunting so I've been a solo hunter for a few years. I don't mind.

 

[buck460XVR]

Kudos......You know you've matured as a hunter, when the hunt itself becomes the primary objective.