44hunter45
Well-known member
Went back to the scene of the slime for a morning hunt. Thousands of tracks in the dust, but no elk today. It was 75°F at 9 AM. I glad I'm not out there breaking down an elk in the rising temps.
Cramps for Gramps - or - Misadventures in early cow hunts 2022
- Thread starter 44hunter45
- Start date
BackofBeyond
Well-known member
Ok, I freely admit to getting a case of the giggles over that one.
44hunter45
Well-known member
No elk tonight. Saw the best WT buck I've seen in a decade. And in a weird @Greenhorn moment, I saw a young couple with a rifle that were not going to see any game with the amount of snogging they were doing.
BackofBeyond
Well-known member
Is that what the kids are calling it these days?
44hunter45
Well-known member
I thought I would update this one. August fell apart and September seems like it may, too.
Mrs brought home some crud from the school where she works. We both tested negative for Covid, but it kicked my ass.
About when I was feeling good enough to go out, our water system failed, which switched me to home repair mode. That morphed into replacing the damaged flooring in the kitchen. I'm finishing that project tomorrow. Nothing left but nailing on the baseboards.
September is now filling up with root canal and eye surgery.
I will get out when I can. I plan to turn off the phone and tent it at least one week in September.
Mrs brought home some crud from the school where she works. We both tested negative for Covid, but it kicked my ass.
About when I was feeling good enough to go out, our water system failed, which switched me to home repair mode. That morphed into replacing the damaged flooring in the kitchen. I'm finishing that project tomorrow. Nothing left but nailing on the baseboards.
September is now filling up with root canal and eye surgery.
I will get out when I can. I plan to turn off the phone and tent it at least one week in September.
44hunter45
Well-known member
Got out with my bow yesterday but I wasn't hunting per se. I have a buddy who is an every year elk killer. He kills one with his bow and his wife kills one with a rifle.
He texted me in the morning while I was working on my flooring project. He said he had made a bad hit on bull. He had bumped it once and then decided he had better wait on it.
He started tracking again after an hour, but had lost his blood trial.
I loaded up 4 coolers with milk jugs and met him at the trial head about 20 minutes from my house. It was 85°F when I got there. He took me to the last blood spot and we started looking again. I found his bloody arrow. It smelled badly of paunch. He said the shot was quartering toward him and he hit the elk's left side low.
Not to belabor it. We did not find the elk. The were times when I could swear I could smell a dead elk, and then the wind would swirl again and it was gone.
He was going back in this morning. No doubt the crows will tell the tale.
He texted me in the morning while I was working on my flooring project. He said he had made a bad hit on bull. He had bumped it once and then decided he had better wait on it.
He started tracking again after an hour, but had lost his blood trial.
I loaded up 4 coolers with milk jugs and met him at the trial head about 20 minutes from my house. It was 85°F when I got there. He took me to the last blood spot and we started looking again. I found his bloody arrow. It smelled badly of paunch. He said the shot was quartering toward him and he hit the elk's left side low.
Not to belabor it. We did not find the elk. The were times when I could swear I could smell a dead elk, and then the wind would swirl again and it was gone.
He was going back in this morning. No doubt the crows will tell the tale.
44hunter45
Well-known member
Working on relationships today. Stalking the aisles of the Orange Store and Costco. Practicing the "Don't make eye contact" and "Look, but don't give away that you are looking..." techniques. I guess that means some would call it "Creeping in the retail ecosystem."
It hurts my neck and I'm not dumb enough to think Mrs doesn't notice.
It hurts my neck and I'm not dumb enough to think Mrs doesn't notice.
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44hunter45
Well-known member
Went back to The Poop Chute after work this afternoon. I laid down behind my pack and watched a lone spike for about 20 minutes before he wandered off. No cows.
This season is actually open until September 15th, but I think it's time to put the rifle away and bow hunt.
This season is actually open until September 15th, but I think it's time to put the rifle away and bow hunt.
Benfromalbuquerque
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
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I’d wager that if you bow grouse hunt, you’ll find elk. Or trout fish with a rifle on your back. Elk are where you find them when you’re not looking for them, right? 
44hunter45
Well-known member
@Benfromalbuquerque - great setupI’d wager that if you bow grouse hunt, you’ll find elk. Or trout fish with a rifle on your back. Elk are where you find them when you’re not looking for them, right?
I had a root canal yesterday and, having arranged a backup at work for the whole day, did some fly rod therapy the rest of the day. I had my bow strapped on my Eberlestock the whole time. I didn't see any elk, and untangling wind knots from a compound bow is a PITA.
Didn't bring home any fish, grouse, or elk. Had a great day outdoors though.
My adage is, "The weapon you have with you will not be legal for the elk you stumble into."
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44hunter45
Well-known member
Early Cow season ended at last light tonight. I watched a little button bull all by itself for the last 20 minutes of light. Legal for this hunt and tasty, no doubt, but I never let the safety off.
