Chad... Except for a short side trip on Wednesday, I'll be on the road east that morning. Expect to arrive home sometime Friday afternoon.

Killy... we skin them. The tail is pretty (local native tribes used the whole thing...tail... for decorative stuff.
If I shoot another do you want it?

I hope your able to connect with something before you have to head back. If we don't hear from ya before then, Have a safe trip home!

Chad...... We have about reached the stage of pulling out all STOPS.

We plan on giving it the best we have for the BIG GUY.

Terry and Curt have set some pretty high STANDARDS and some large tracks to follow  

Would hate to send him home with a freezer full of CHICKENS      

"Go get'em Charlie and Vance"

Oh and CK, if eat alittle more and put a little meat on your bone ya might not get so cold!  

Nice bird Charlie!    

Brian, I'm eating enought for two guys. It isn't working!  :D

Beautiful sunsets Charlie. Looks for certain like you've got your shootin well in tune from months in the field.        Woe be unto the critter that pauses long enough in range.

i sure have enjoyed traveling along.  I haven't had a chance to hunt sage hens but srpuce grouse and ruffed grouse are the funist thing I have ever hunted  

rusty

Good stuff as always Charlie. Hope you and Vance are shadowing a herd as I type this.

Just wan'ted to say thanks for the great thread as time is trikling away. I know how much effort and time you, Vance, and CK put into giving the rest of us a great hunting trip thru the stories and pics.
Still laughing at the comments of you and CK in the time you spent in Oregon.

Have a safe trip home, hope you have time to get a elk small enough to fit in that cooler. RS

It's not over yet Charlie, and I'm sure you'll have Terry's finish on your mind the next couple of days.  But regardless how this story ends, it has been an incredible journey for all of us.  Thanks so much for the time and efforts you put in to make this all happen.

Eventually all good things do end, and so will your trip.  I know it always seems like you don't want the end to come, but with no end, there can be no beginnings.  I would bet that on your drive east you will already be starting to look ahead to the next adventure.  For me at least, the anticipations of coming hunts are as delicious sometimes as the hunts themselves.  What you have been able to do is a dream to most of us, and I know you treasure every minute.

Charlie, one of your bird skins would be major mojo fo' sho'! I would have to come up with something to trade for it.

I know! I will carry your camera for free on one of your adventures!    

Killdeer  

Amen Joe.....That was very well said my friend...

Still pullin' for ya Big guy..

Charlie,Vance,CK,and Robin....Thank You

Charlie,

Glad to see your adventure in Oregon went well, and that you made it back to Wyoming no worse for the wear.  Try to get in touch with me I have stories to tell.

Nathan

I LOVE COMING HOME TO SEE THE PICTURES AND READ WHAT THESE GUYS ARE UP TO.

Well, I've about beaten this one to death... but not quite.

Elk are totally out of the picture now and I guess it was just luck that kept a couple of old farts out of trouble.
Both Vance and I assumed that we'd get to hunt elk all the way up until the opener of the firearms elk season... we were wrong.

Found out today that the archery portion of the season ended day before yesterday. Good thing we were taking it easy letting the weekend crowds clear before going back up to hunt more... and a real good thing that our good friend Nate Fikkert alerted us to the situation with the regs.

You just can't read the regs too many times... lesson learned.

We're gonna hook up with Nate tomorrow for a sandwich or something and let him regale us with deer hunting tales and I'll bet he'd got a good one... cause he said he GOT a good one.

Gonna talk him out of a pic or two to put up here as well.  

They say that the good Lord looks after fools and drunks. We're both sober, so I guess we know where that puts Vance and I.

A strong storm system moved in this morning, keeping us house bound and away from the elk timber... see how it works?   :D  

Not wanting to shoot the last two days sitting at home we took a ride anyway. It was pretty even if wet and of course the moisture magnified the smells of the pine, sage and willows along the creek.

Here's a veiw or two up the mountain...  

With time on our hands and arrows to burn we headed back down below the squall line... it wasn't raining near as hard at lower elevation... and hit some of our favorite sage hen spots.

At first we were having a little trouble hitting the dang things, though we were certainly finding plenty.

But then we hit stride and took advantage of their reluctance to fly in the damp conditions.  

This is another limit for me and danged if I knew at this point that Killy wanted the tails or I'd have sure saved them.

Now I have to use my last day here trying to get another one or two... oh the pressure!  :D

Vance was putting a little too much pressure on himself during this outing. A couple of errant shots had him grumbling to himself.

I understood completely... hell, I don't hit every bird I shoot at. (at least not this time out!)

I got a ringside seat as he walked into the middle of a good sized flock of frying size birds.
One by one they got up around him. First one on the right and now one on the left. Vance double clutched as one came up almost underfoot and misnocked the arrow... I know what the bugger had in mind! He was want'n to wing shoot a sage hen. That's a tall order folks!!!

Well, he settled on evening the score on a nice plump bird that decided walking was better than taking the A train.
The little Super Shrew spit that carbon arrow right through the chest of the big gray bomber and it was down.

We got this picture as we ran out of light and chickens.
 

Awesome pic guy.....2 buds,2bows...doesn't get any better!!!

Bows....they do a body good!

Well, The good Lord knows you needed the weather. Maybe that will aleviate any fire for awhile. Glad you got a few more birds. Sure makes me wish I was tagging along to "tote your camera".(Thats my job Killy)

I have to comment on the hat "dew" rag. That's a novel idea and the truest usage for the term I've seen. I hat rain-coat! Sure glad you had such a fantastic trip!!!! That goes to show you that a guy doesn't have to kill a truck load of critters to have an epic adventure. I for one am real glad to have been a small part of the trip!    

Be safe in your travels Bud! CK