The Way West...a bowhunting journey.

[Whip]

You put your grill away for the winter???  I just shovel the snow away and keep on cooking all year round.  :D  
CK would probably whither away to nothing if he had cook in the snow all the time  

[Killdeer]

Hmm. Dad didn't say anything about ROACHES when I asked him about the Tonkin Gulf. Here is yet another time I wish I could have been a spider in a dark corner, and listened to the discourses in that glowing tent. The story now leaves me to reminisce about the mysteries and the blind expectation that accompany the hunter in the mist. I love being out there, the deer's eyes not nearly so sharp, the wind visible to me as it moves the fog, the quiet movement in the muffled damp leaves...

Wonderful! Such beautiful thoughts will accompany me as I take the dog to the park.
Killdeer  

[Littlefeather]

  You guys are too funny. I'm saving one picture for the very last of this thread. It'll be a shocker to everyone who knows me here.


JOURNAL ENTRY-day 5 cont.)We rode the bikes till the snow got deep and the grade got too difficult. We packed in from there. Snowshoe rabbit tracks riddle the trail. Grouse tracks in the snow seem to become more frequent. The Grouse tracks really excite Robin and Charlie. I've never shot a Grouse so I can't share in their excitment. We find Bobcat tracks following a Snowshoe Rabbit. Neat stuff! Elk and deer tracks become frequent. We open up into medows surrounded by giant Christmas trees and Ponderosa Pines. It's magical out here. 2:00pm... We stop at the edge of the forrest and start a small fire for lunch. A coyote trots by, sees us, and starts scolding us through yipps and short barks. Robin grabbs his squeeler but the jig was already up! We do get out farther to glass today.

 

I see three Elk afar. We start the return to camp. Elk tracks cross ours from earlier. We somehow had missed each other. I could feel my knees and thighs giving way today. Somehow I made it back to the bikes stashed on the ridge. I fearfully climb on the ass-torture machine and start peddling the 2 1/2 miles back to camp. Charlie dumps his bike in the snow and sustains injuries. It happened close to camp. Good thing! Rain returns just as we get to camp. The evening meal is leftover deer stew. It's better tonight than last. Cold, rain, no snow thank God! (cont) CK

[Hunter John]

ass torture machine.  thats funny

John

[Littlefeather]

Ah Killy, you were closer than you can know. I remember at least twice that you were mentioned while we huddled in the warmth of our canvas palace.    CK

[Steve H.]

Charlie take a dump in the snow close to camp and sustains injuries...hey, what the.....???

[IB]

"SNOW ANGELS"  BUCK NAKED        

Want to see the last photo....But don't want this hunt to end  

[Littlefeather]

He's OK! He was just doing some show-off trick riding and the torture machine got away from him.     He crawled back on and said something about needing a bigger 1/2 pipe or something.    CK

[kojac]

Dude, next time he should take his skateboard!

Way Rad story,

[Charlie Lamb]

The first good mountain bike day was a long and exausting one for me. Not so much because of the bike, but the distance we walked after we got to the bike "drop off" spot.
 

Curtis was all smiles as we started this little wheeled adventure. Time on the "ATM" would take care of that.    
 

Days of hunting lead to fatigue in old guys and by the end of this one I was showing all the signs... in other words my butt was draggin.

It was sure a welcome pause when we stopped at midday for a lunch fire... a luxury we couldn't have enjoyed just the week before due to the dry conditions in the west.
 

[cjones]

Wow! Charlie, I love that last pic!

[Charlie Lamb]

Thanks Chad... kind of a "out of the mists of time" kinda feel. I like it too.

Of course it's not the last pic since I went back and added a photo that I had to put in my file. (in case anybody didn't understand)

[Charlie Lamb]

Not only was there no fire danger, we had to work at getting our little warming fire going.

In the pine forests of the west you can always find tinder in the form of pine pitch which flows from certain trees, solidifies and can be broken off in chunks.

I knew the mid day break was coming when I saw Robin collecting pitch and wrapping it in his bandana.
Once small branches and pine cones are collected it is a simple matter to put a match to the pitch and watch it flame. The more the wind blows the hotter is blazes.

Soon we had a toasty fire going and Robin was preparing his favorite noon time mountain snack... Kipper tea.

We were in the middle of contemplating  the fire when our reverie was interupted by the inquisitive yipping of a coyote very near by.

Curtis and I were reaching for our bows even as Robin hissed to get ready and drug his battered varmint call from a handy pocket.

There was something about the call of the song dog that told me he knew what we were and where we were... we hadn't been trying to be very quiet.

Even though Robin played his most seductive notes on his call the coyote refused to play.
Soon we were back to studying the fire and planning for the afternoons hunt.

I'll bet you're asking yourself, "what the heck is Kipper Tea?"

Let me tell you it is one disgusting snack. Here's the recipe... take one can of Kippered fish snacks. Eat the contents of can. Now add water to half fill the tin. Heat over fire, stirring to loosen any bits of fish that may have been missed. Drink just like it's good or sumthin.   :eek:

[Charlie Lamb]

The day was uneventful as far as game sightings were concerned... just another wonderful day in the mountains.

I fell behind as we returned to camp. Tired from the long march, I was just taking it easy.
As I neared the trailhead on my mountain bike, I had to negotiate a sharp turn around a gate.

I'm not sure what happened other than I suddenly was pitching headlong over the handle bars of the bike.
I landed hard on my side and left knee. The impact knocked the wind out of me and I lay there in the half dried mud and rocks for several minutes collecting my wits. It seemed like the last of my strength was knocked out of me in the fall, other than that and a skinned knee I was fine... I walked the bike the rest of the way up the hill to the tent.

Grabbing a small bite to eat, it wasn't long before I was tucked in my bag and ready for much needed rest.

[cjones]

Now that just sounds nasty! That mist pic should be framed..

[Cutty47]

Littlefeather, is that bow a Horne?

[Whip]

That mist picture just became my new desktop wallpaper  

[JC]

This thread is gonna get me in serious trouble. The next time somebody asks me to go huntin out that way on a moments notice, I may just have to say "YES!", job be darned!

[RayMO]

Again, thanks for sharing guys  

Charlie I sure like the picture in the mist also, only problem is it is not me  :D

[Littlefeather]

Yes, That is one of my Horne bows.

Nice mist pic Charlie!   :D