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Boggy Creek Ranger, I just read those posts about you and the NO'S hunting trip or exploratioin might be a better word for your travels. Did you get to shoot any elk? Well if not, did you see any elk, bear or moose?
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<br>It brings back tones of a movie I once had the pleasure to view. I was all about two old grummpy SOB's who couldn't agree on anything and each one of them just knew the other had to be wrong most of the time. They never saw eye to eye on anything, unless it was a stoplight flashing RED ahead.
<br>Mr. Walter Mathau and Jack Lemon played the parts.
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<br>It sounds like to me you boys should have packed up and took a trip over to Buena Vista to get some good hot chow in your belly's. I heard there was a real Belly Dancer over there also, that can make the hair on a mans chest stand tall. Say, were you guys hunting that big valley area? The one with the nice log cabin type store and resturant are located, up from the cabins. They have a motor cycle (dirt bike) rally there every year for the past 6 or 7 anyway. I blew my 350 Yamaha up out there a couple years ago, going back to Gunnesion.

Mush my friend for me it was a voyage of discovery. Sonnie is an old mountain man or so claimed to be. I had never been up there other than a drive through on main highways. We was on the way to Wyoming to kill a mule deer. I killed one he missed.
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<br>We saw beau coup antilope and a bunch of deer and one elk. I don't care how many brown tree snags we saw we saw ONE elk. I saw a bear in Wyoming or rather when I told the guys what I did see they said it was a bear. Couldn't prove it by me so I took their word for it.
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<br>Just back toward Creede from that North Creek campground is a log store and some cabins is that the place you are talking about?
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<br>We did not see a moose. We were driving along a creek somewhere and Sonnie saw bushes moving and said it was probably a moose. We stoped and pretty soon this animal came out in the open and went Moooo. Sonnie said. See there I told you it was a moose. Moose do not have wall eyes and downturned horns.
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<br>I don't remember any Buena Vista I don't think we went through there. The closed road was out of Creede not whereeverthehell it was where we saw the deer herd on Sonnies old stomping grounds. That is where we set up camp on private property. The guy who came to run us off was nice and did take pity of us and let us stay the night. He probably figgured we were either both senile or escaped lunaticks but harmless. He is the one who had the bunch of land leased and offered to show us elk.
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<br>In the road blocking incident it was not just a little red Toyota with Georgia plates on it was also a propane delivery truck FedEx and two guys pulling horse trailers. As to the fish there you are mighty well told they were small. I'd still call them minnows.
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<br>All in all though the country was pretty and I saw some that I am not likely to see again. I am glad I done it.
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<br>BCR

Boggy it sounded to me at first like you Knights of the wilderness were in Taylor Valley, there is a nice resturant and store there, with cabins also. This is a short jog to Buenna Vista on motorcycle or jeep.
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<br>Now when you mention Creede, it brings to mind the
<br>"La Margarita Mtn.Wilderness Area" that puts you boys 50 miles due South of Gunnison Col. That whole area is mighty pretty landscape to view, even when your eyes get a bit tired.
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<br>I have never hunted that stretch, stay more up around the Cottonwood Pass area, the Sawatch Range, San Isabel National Forest. This is also some beautiful country to gaze upon.
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<br>I guess you boys will know more of what to expect this year out there you think? If you want to see some bigger minnows, have Sonnie take you to Taylor Reservoir. I hear tell they have got trout in that stand of water that could give Capt. Ahab more of a scare than Mobey Dick.

Mush you are right back off the main roads it is all pretty country most anywhere up there. I liked it a lot. I'm not going any where this year and if Sonnie goes I think he is going to the southern part of Colorado. Some where around Alamosa or Durango I think.
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<br>BCR

Mushroom,
<br>What can I say, this old Texas cow hand,(Boggy), can't tell an elk from a tree when the sun goes behind a cloud.:) It was a fun trip for me even if I did sell our travel trailer and had to take a camping trailer.
<br>You are talking country on the North side of Gunnison. I started his education into back country at Creed, took the mining loop on North side then proceeded toward Lake City with side trips. Everything was dry, at Lake City, I turned back up the mountain, (Slumgullion Pass), and hit the back roads again, took him over another pass and dropped into the valley where I was hunting, finally emerging on East side of Gunnison. The Taylor Resavouir area has been over run by Crested Butte Ski crowd with all their money and twelve room mountain "cabins". ---- Where we were there is still "cow paddies", and up on the mountain behind that "gate", we had deer standing not 40 yards beside the "back road" that never ran but continued to brouse while we stopped and took pictures. We saw several deer just going up and back down the mountain, in the truck while the sun was still up, and they didn't run. Not many deer left in that area, we didn't see any elk, too low, too early, about 40-50 miles South of Gunnison.
<br>Now over at Bristol Head there were several "dead trees" that Boggy saw that had legs on them and they were low, close to water. -- no

Say Boggy, you boys got any bino's? It sure helps distinguishing one brand of tree from another and weather or not those trees have horns LOL.
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<br>Durango had a lot of burnout around the area from the fire last I heard. Don't know about elk there as yet. Some of the area is sure getting crowded compared to other times. I have been debating weather or not to try and hunt up in the North part of Colorado, never been up that way as yet.

Mush,
<br>I hunted out of Hayden,(West of Steamboat), about five years ago and saw no elk killed to the North, out South toward Flattops saw more deer and elk than I have seen in years but it was all on private land.
<br>Over at Craig I saw deer grazing in fields in and around town. Plenty of antelope out South of Craig but again on private ground. Boggy and I hunted out of Encampment, WY last year,(North of Hayden), about 80 miles and plenty of deer on private ranches, and some in the National Forest but not as many as hunters.:) -- no

Sonnie, the next time you take that flatlander Boggy Ranger with you to the high country, you might try and figure out ahead of time, which species of trees are legal to shoot. LOL
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<br>I am positive that a Texas Cowboy should be able to put his hands on a couple of sure footed pony's so's you boys could get to the other side of the rainbow where those elk are hid out..............Now he may have to give you a lesson or two how to sit a saddle, but that shouldn't through a monkey wrench into the trip. Most those Texan's can ride a horse fairly well I been told. I am sure with Boggy's expertise you can master the challenge. It might help to bring something along to ease the pain on your backside and posterior for the first two days. I am confident that your skin by this stage of lifes travel is tuff enough to survive the ordeal.
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<br>Now with you Gents mounted up on your trusty Texas cowpony's of 4 legged flesh and all, it shouldn't be long before you tag out on the other side of Rock Mountain. Yes sir! I can see it all happening now, plane as the big fish swimming in the pond. (The one Boggy failed to see!) It is back up the mountain side to benches, draws, and canyons where those monster bulls are lined up for you boys two by two. I know that you Old Timers won't have neary a bit of trouble being armed to the tooth for bear.........just in case mind you. Sonnie, you might should paint that front sight on Boggys "Old Besty" so's he can make it out should a cloud come over head you figure? It helps to know and realize that, unless a lot of weather hits them hard, those trees or elk, which ever Boggy prefers, aren't giving way to coming off the mountain tops anytime soon. So if you really want to work like sled dogs in a blizzard, (skinning and dressing out those bulls) I suggest next time out the chute, you boys saddle up early and drink your coffee in the saddle like the Big Duke. Your burning daylight pilgrims!
<br>Good Luck In That Next Venture*
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Mush, don't sell old Boggy short, he is a HIP drugstore cowboy, rides a MEAN 4 wheeler, keeps the horse hid in the barn. My last saddle is sitting on a stool in a pawn shop," for sale", on consignment right now as we speak. Boggy shoots several rifles better than most, with or without scopes, hammers, levers, rods, or handles. I think the sudden change of altitude from 400' to 8000' got to his eyes a little. Course a Texas deer could walk under an elks belly you know and he is not used to hunting anything that tall so he thought it a tree. When you think you are bad, just get on behind Boggy on his 4 wheeler and see what cowboy is all about. -- no

Sonnie, I hunted in Wyoming also last year. We were more up around the Jackson Hole area. Lots of elk, I passed on several smaller bulls (4x5, & 5x5 ) I was looking for that monster and found one big rack son of a gun. I just could't get close enough to put a shot over at him. The canyon between us was 700 yards wide give or take. I had him dead to rights in my range finder at 760 yards.
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<br>I sat there for 45 minutes watching the big boy and his lady's, trying to figure out a way to get to the other side, since I know they were staying put. I didn't bank of other hunter pressure doing me a favor and pushing them out of the timber. There were several smaller bulls on the outskirts of the herd too. The big bull was laying down, about 50 yards back from a trail along the canyon cliff, with his lady's below in front of him. Other elk were above him also feeding some. He could see all and nothing could get close without be spotted by the cow lookouts.
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<br>Then 4 hunters wearing 80% orange (I thought they were doing a commercial for Cabela's all dressed up right and proper like) entered into the black timber, spaced about 50 yards apart from each other, on the far right of the elk about 300 yards or so, later pushing the elk out into the open grassy hillside 300 yards further left of the timber.
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<br>Then I spots two hunters on foot that came out a draw area 800 yards below and to my left. There is a ridge that runs over to the area on the other side that the elk cross. It is very narrow (rocky goat path really). These two rookie hunters spot the elk and start blasting away at them. I have no clue of what they were thinking. They could have gotten at least 250 yards closer by staying behind the sparse trees in the area. Those elk didn't have a care in the world. They never even reacted to the first 3 shots. Then they spotted the hunters standing in the open firing off handed believe it or not. Gee what a couple of dummy's in my book!
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<br>Damn fools! Those elk were at least 600 to 700 yards away from them on a 40 degree hillside above them. I got on my horse and went down to see what was going on. The one guy had a 270 and the other had a 30-06, but they had never hunted elk or been in the mountains before that day hunting so they told me. Oh brother, if they would have just been patient, those elk would have drifted down their way, from the hunters pushing through the timber. The one big bull (6X7) looking through my Swarovski 10x50, I figured to be close to 350 or better..........at least I got to see him in the wild.
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<br>It didn't take long before those elk simply went straight up and over the moutain side, never saw that bunch again. The one fella got a little upset when I told him he shouldn't have been shooting so far at those elk. They both figured the yardage to be close to 400. I showed the other hunter that the big tree near where the bull was, registered 640 on the Bushnell range finder. No way was he going to hit that, unless it was the hand of the Lord guiding the bullet for him.

Somebody ought to follow you guys around with a vidio camara. I hear Mutual Of Omaha is looking to revive "Wild Kingdom". I can just see Boggy arm wrestling an ape at the Dallas Zoo with no offering the ape helpful hints.

Frank, sorry partner for messing up your thread, just send me a bill for the damages or wait till I get back up there. Will be checking out Alamosa - Durango area 18- 22nd Sept. Could meet you in Creed and play for a day, know many areas there, we might see a moose.:) Got a couple of pool tables in the local saloon and I think the bad miners are gone. -- no

Frank, you don't have a worry in the world with that rifle and caliber. My wife shoots a 7mm mag with a 160 Barnes XLC bullet now with a velocity of 2970fps. Now before she was using a 175 Nosler partition at 2700fps. It went clean through a 5x5 at 250 yards. I know that the Barnes bullet is a better penetrator by far. The only problems is, if your rifle like em or not. She has shot .890 groups using the 160 grn Barnes bullet at the bench and I have taken the same rifle and shot .610 with it from the bench at 100 yards.
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<br>The doctor I go to for my neck sometimes, also shoots a 7mm mag using the Barnes 160 grn XLC now. He said it is good on any kind of angle shot that might present itself to a hunter. He is 3 for 4 elk in Colorado the last 5 years.
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<br>Oh yeah! Sorry about getting carried away with the elk story.

Sonnie,will get in touch with you as those dates get a little closer.Would enjoy getting together again if only for lunch, dinner, coffee or whatever.

Frank, if you get in a pinch, you are welcome to use my 35 Whelen.:) I know you are gun short with the shop an all. I'm serious about boating on Continental if it has water. I wanted to bring a boat for several years when we were hunting that area. There are no roads to access the back end and too far for most hunters to go without horses. I have hunted above it on the lava fields and high meadow behind that. Bring your maps and I can point and mark wagon ruts for you. Most of the wagon-jeep ruts are grown up now and the saplings too big to push over, illegal anyhow for the politically correct. Sure is handy to know when trying to get an animal out. -- no
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<br>PS If we don't get together, if you run short on gasoline, when you come down the highway toward Creede and hit the valley floor. The first dude ranch,(outfitter, Broadacres I think), has gas and are pretty good people, they built a store next door and has groceries, gas, and a water hose on back side of building. Watch the dog! They have a public phone outside, dress warm, the line may be very,very long during hunting season.