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Joined: Apr 2007
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
That's more like "I am, however, being assasinated by a cold-blooded fish!"
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Mar 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
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Shame you did not find him. Sounds like you put in a heck of an effort though thanks to your year round training. ( A good reminder again how important it is) Tough losing animals. I still remember a really nice whitetail buck I wounded with an arrow I never recovered over 30 years ago in Kansas. Anyway, Hopefully hit was non lethal and sounds maybe hit a bit too far forward or high which is good for survivals a hit too far back . As you know elk are really tough animals. I think it is a good policy to share info like this on here. Good reminder to really concentrate when shooting and not give up when tracking. You would think you would see crows, ravens in the area if he was down after a few days if was a lethal hit. thanks for sharing Well bad news on the elk hunting front; yesterday left the house before 4, I hiked up to a high meadow where I was seeing some activity and made it to the very end of the meadow with about 15 minutes before shooting light
Just at shooting light I saw an elk walking and then a couple of more, one was a bull for sure (but you can kill a cow or bull here and I'm not picky); got down on my knee, rifle ready- about 8 cows/calves jogged through the opening (most of been a little updraft- had they stopped I would have drilled a cow), a lone bull was behind them about 75 yards or so, I willed him to stop and he did- roughly 250 yds, put the cross hairs on the center of the elk just behind the shoulder an touched the trigger. I could hear the bullet hit and he jumped a bit too; he was out of sight quickly due to a small rise, so no opportunity for a follow up shot.
I was elated and expected to see him piled up as I walked over the rise, he wasn't, but was convinced he wasn't far. I found his tracks but no blood- wtf? Followed them about 200 yds and then saw a few pin pricks of blood, not good. He started downhill and broke off from the cows. I gave him 20-25 minutes to settle down and started slowly tracking, a little blood here and there, but not much. He was angling downhill through some really thick stuff, I just kept a turtle's pace- stopping often to look/listen. Blood was very sporadic, but I had good tracking snow and was confident I'd get another shot at him. This continued for a mile or so; every so often there would be a bigger spot of blood, but he never bedded.
He stopped descending and starting side-hilling and then eventually started angling uphill. I figured he might want to get back with the cows. We hit a little creek, but didn't cross, turned parallel to the creek and headed up. At this juncture there was about a 100 yds of no blood whatsoever. I thought maybe he bumped me into another bull and I was possibly following the wrong one. I backtracked until a found a spot blood and then made sure there wasn't another bull that had broken off. At this point it started snowing, hard- straight down, no wind, more like a downpour. Tracks started to quickly fill in with snow. I was carefully brushing snow out looking for blood, but never saw another drop. There were now tracks going every which way and they all looked the same. I followed a couple of different sets, came back to the same spot and followed another set. The snow wasn't letting up and now there was no telling a fresh track from one two weeks old.
I made a pretty big circle in the general direction he was headed and then a couple of big figure 8's, hoping (just hope at that point) I'd bump him, but no such luck. There was a trail above me and I decided to walk it out a mile or so and then back to see if if anything had crossed. No luck and still the snow came down hard. I made a bigger circle yet, but was starting to run out of light and started the long haul back to my truck. I wept, not for me, but for the bull. It was one of the longest 3 mile walks of my life.
I was out early again this morning, hoping beyond hope that maybe he would be back in the meadow again. It had snowed more that night and appeared no elk had used the meadow, but was really impossible to say with certainty due to the snow. I went back to the last spot I knew he had been. Again I made a couple of loops, each bigger. I knew in my heart it was a lost cause.
I pray he ends up like other deer and elk that I've harvested, discovering an arrow or bullet from some time past.
I took this week off to hunt, but my tag is in now the trash.
I'll continue to pray for that elk.
Sorry for the long winded post, but felt like I had to get this off my chest- thanks.
Last edited by ribka; 11/29/19.
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Joined: Oct 2016
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thanks- much appreciated
I'll probably go back after hunting season wraps up (this Sunday) just to look around, if he's down and dead somewhere- as you say, should be a lot of bird activity
there's always the possibility that another hunter harvests him too, that would certainly be a positive outcome
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Joined: Oct 2016
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4 miles on snowy trails with my wife and Tiny Elvis
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,246
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,246 |
Warden, you sure do put in a lot of hard work. I have got to find an exercise program that will work with my physical limitations. Keep up the good work
PS That has got to be a pretty healthy dog also. Great pictures as always. Thanks for posting them.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Grandpa:the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Dad:son you have 2 choices for supper eat or don't eat.
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Joined: Oct 2016
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^ thank you Sir might be worth seeking out a qualified trainer to at least get started? nice having a day off high volume for time 10 rounds squats/bench @75% of 1RM/pullups 10/9/8/7/6.......2/1 reps @ 75% of 1RM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Walked 1.7 miles with a brutal 31 ft of elevation. I was able to keep my correct walking form together for a mile this time; progress!
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Oct 2016
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progress is good
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Campfire Regular
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Joined: Oct 2016
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Campfire Regular
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4 miles on snowy (but somewhat packed) trails w/ Tiny Elvis
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,488
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Campfire Regular
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Well, today Maverick and I had company! Two nice folks accompanied us while we hiked 4 miles, gaining a bit over 1,000' and enjoyed our first snowshoe hike of the season! We weren't far from town, and not much higher, but there was at least a foot of snow, and it was a really nice hike. A few photos from today: My old buddy Fred, Vietnam Veteran, US Army. Great guy. Snowshoe & bicycle fanatic: Looking out over the valley: Maverick, chillin' on the trail: Scenery shot. Sometimes we go another four miles over that direction, to the west, but not today: Some ol' Jarhead and his dog: Regards, Guy
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Nice!
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Joined: Oct 2016
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4 miles on snow packed trails for Tiny E and I; headlamp mandatory
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Love the pics ^^! It's starting to feel good to push off /put power through my left foot so I'm pretty happy, and just trying to get through this phase w/o setbacks. I think I'm entering the phase where it's more about pain tolerance- I got that, so that'd be awesome. Up till now whatever biofeedback loop controls this [bleep] was just shutting it down. Progress!! Boat day yesterday, got our limit of 36 Dungeness. This is about 1/2 of them. Not much exercise involved because we had an enthusiastic newcomer pulling pots. So I just drove the boat. the crab ate perfect; hard as a rock and full of succulent sweet meat. Dayum.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Oct 2016
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^ that's a haul! what time is supper?
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
If you get over this way I will FEAST you and Mrs. mtwarden on seafood! Walked 2 miles, 31' elevation (that cracks me up, sorry).... Was able to hold good form for about 1.5 of it and when I couldn't anymore the limp was subtle. Gettin' there.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Oct 2016
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^ deal this morning high volume day for time 10 rounds deadlifts & overhead press @75% of 1RM/ 10/9/8/7/6.......2/1 reps @ 75% of 1RM, chin-ups 10/9/8/7/6.......2/1 this afternoon 7 miles of snowshoeing with Tiny Elvis
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Walked 1.8 miles today, same route (meaning, flat)... might be overdoing it to walk every day, it was sore all day today and walking the 1.8 was no fun a'tall.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Oct 2016
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well I was going to pick a loop today that didn't entail snowshoes, then discovered I'm missing a single glove out of my jacket pocket, soooooo... we did the same 7 mile loop today (on snowshoes!) AND I didn't find that damn glove!
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5 miles on snow packed trails with my wife and Tiny E
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