My Halloween Costume: Steelheader.net- Steelhead, Salmon and trout fishing

This year I got to be a butcher

So the story starts... Originally I was on my uncle's LOP list for a damage tag, giving me a cow tag. I prefer this b/c I'm out for meat anyways. Well, come to find out, ODFW screwed up, again. They had me setup for a spike tag, which didn't make any sense because I failed through the initial draw process. So Tuesday I have to track down the district ODFW guy and luckily was able to trade my spike tag for a cow tag. Good deal..

So the next morning everything is going great. We leave the ranch house at dark thirty, about half way up to where everyone begins the hunt and WHAM!!! - 3 pt mulie down. Jumped out of our CRP fields next to the highway and Pops never had a chance to slow down. 65mph = extremely dead deer and $3k bumper damage. That was the start to elk season. Lovely..

I saw lots of elk everyday, problem was they either had sticks, cows with calves, or too long of a shot. Being the only one in our party with a cow tag of course I saw the most bulls. But it was neat to see so many animals, along with deer, coyotes, and more grouse than I ever want to see again. Numerous times where they almost caused a need for new drawers.

The last day was the day though. I was side hilling the top third of the canyon. Usually I walk the ridge, but my dad and I were alone on this end today so we had to drop lower. By this last day in the season, my knees are killing me. It got so bad that if I was walking downhill I had to turn around and walk backwards. Towards the end of the canyon, there's a draw that comes into a flat, giving a pretty good vantage point. I usually skip this, but because we were short that day I thought I'd drop low to take a look. I'm walking backwards down this draw, thinking if anyone saw this I'd never hear the end of it. So I decided to turn around. At that very instant a cow comes out of the timber, prancing across the flat in no hurry. I couldn't figure it out, the wind was wrong - right in her face - but along she came anyways. Dropped to my butt and blasted, 1 shot, 1 elk.

I was reading the other post by 450, about being close. Well, this next hunt made my trip worth it, regardless if I would've gotten my cow or not. After I got my elk loaded we had some people that wanted to check out a place we hadn't hunted since the first day. We call it the "Big Thicket". The name says it all. It's the nastiest, hairiest, dog hair mess you've ever been in. And of course the elk love it. Since I already filled my tag, I was given the honor of walking the brush, as well as my dad. Without going into specifics, I had elk at least 10 times within 20 yards of me in there, several at 10 or less. But the fun part is you don't even get to see them. It's like a freakin explosion that I can't describe. It started from 5 minutes into the hunt and didn't end till I came out. The best part was when I was just coming into their bedding area and could see through this dark jungle - there would be an ear here, an a$$ there, and then someone shot above on the ridge and it turned into absolute chaos. Those sons of guns can move man!! Turned out my dad and I pushed out one big group of about 75 head, along with all the pairs and smaller groups before that. They ran into the adjacent canyon which busted an even bigger group. I've never heard or seen anything like that. I've seen big groups of elk, but not that close, and not like that. I can still smell it. The intensity is something I've never felt before. It was a great season!!!

Here are some other pics...

Sunrise

Love this view

I was staring at this hillside for about 2 hours, accidentally took a little siesta. Pops caught me

Found time between hunts to help my uncle cuts some gate poles

Trick or treat!!!

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Take It Easy. If It's Too Easy, Take It Twice..
CCA Member

Edited by Pinch_of_Snuff (11/02/07 02:07 PM)