My General Tag

[TOGIE]

I start my hike out before things get dark. A SxS with two different folks in it had just putzed it's way through the same sage expanse the father and son were set up on. The callers to my right were firing up their rigs to get back to wherever it is they came from. Didn't seem to be much reason to be here anymore.

After getting back to the truck I dropped my things on the tail gate and leaned against the truck looking up at the beautiful sky and scenery before me. I just stood there. Dead calm and quiet. The sky was beautiful, these hills were beautiful. I truly enjoyed this moment. I used it as a chance to try and breathe some life back into what little is left of this trip with a half day left. But at the same time I kept asking myself: do I even want to be doing this?

 

[TOGIE]

I had lost faith in the forecast, as Saturday was not supposed to be windy, and it was. Classic Wyoming.

Nonetheless, it was right about Sunday morning. Looking to be a super beautifully perfect calm day. So I was off to go find the first day bull. I started driving towards my starting point to hike in knowing that the odds of me going after this bull today, if he is even still there, were slim. It was a work night after all and I have a long drive home. I'd get home late to shoot a bull. But wouldn't be getting home at 3 am on work day to shoot a bull, not on this trip. Not when I have 7 full days allotted to me for rifle season yet to come.

But let's go see what we find. Maybe the hunting gods will drop him on my immediately opposing ridge this morning.

 

[TOGIE]

I was admittedly pessimistic, rather begrudgingly, going back into to my glassing spot. I hadn't fully shaken off last nights bout with anxiety.

But, again, constantly dealing with coffee bladder along the way I finally get myself set up to yet again, begin my glassing routine in this area. Intentional yet swift, intentional yet swift.

But before I can even settle into that routine, it seems I've found my moose cows from day 1. Cow and calf actually. Now, right on the hillside immediately in front of me. Well this is nice, I certainly have something to look at now. They sure seem curious about an area down hill from them I can't really see.



And then, after the cow and calf have wandered further up the hill side to the right comes the great reveal:



Ah yes, I forgot, the moose rut is essentially peaking right now.

Looks like I was about to get a show...

 

[TOGIE]

And a show I got. This is when I need a phone scope to take video. The mature bull did what mature bulls do.

After the two bulls made it up near the cow and calf, the mature bull finally followed the cow up the edge of those small aspens and began sniffing about. For the next 20 minutes I would watch him chase her up and down and across this hillside. They would disappear into the timber and reemerge. The younger bull knew he had no place here. He just laid down in the middle of the hillside and chilled in the sun while is older bigger friend went about trying to get what he wanted.

All the while the poor calf nervously trots around unsure of what to do in this (and sorry to anthropomorphize) very embarrassing, awkward, intimidating, and concerning moment for a child to be in.

I was having fun getting to see true wildlife action - not action action, get your mind out of the gutter, I don't have twisted fetishes like that. Like I said early on in this thread, the presence of any wildlife is usually pretty spirit lifting, and I was getting more than just the "presence of wildlife."

 

[TOGIE]

I got so caught up in this I forgot what I was here for. To glass the area for bulls.

Get back to it.

I start scanning and roughly 45 seconds later...

What? No? Really?

Again, why is it always unbelievable?

 

[TOGIE]

I started contemplating making a move up there again. This bull is certainly a bit closer, but the reality is he's not that close. And of course, this may very well be the same bull.

I can catch glimpses of antlers this time. He ain't no piddly spike, that's for dang sure.

I'd already spent some time during my evenings mapping the new routes into where I initially found the bull, and while this one is, as the crow flies, closer, he's still in the same little general area as the first, just lower on the same mountainside. And from where I currently sit that area is roughly just over 3 miles of down, down, up, down, down, up, up, up, up, down, down and up... essentially. With some deadfall interspersed in there.

Then of course, let's assume I don't go totally dicking this up with crappy cow calling. Further, it is, as mentioned, a work night with a long drive home. And let's be honest, even with my spirits very lifted right now, I'm ready to go see that wife and boy of mine. I'd like to be home before he goes to bed.

When I found bulls in here during the mule deer season some years ago, it was after the general archery season and mere days before general rifle elk opener. I have seen zero people even remotely close to this pocket of the hillsides during this trip and I don't see why the rifle season will be markedly different.

I have feeling this bull, or these bulls, ain't going anywhere. Here shortly, I will have up to 8 days and a gun to fill this tag. I'm puttin' this bull to bed, for now.

I'll be back.

 

[kansasdad]

Enjoyable first half @TOGIE

I've enjoyed the introspection and the description/photos of this Wyoming quest of yours.

 

[sccritterkiller]

Great write up so far! You got this!

FWIW I have two boys 12 and 17. I worry way more now when I leave for a hunt than I did when they were small. When they were small it was physically demanding diapers, sleepless nights, chasing them around, ect...I found as they have gotten older it's less physical stress and 10x the mental stress...Add in cars, alcohol, drugs, sex, college opportunities and a not fully developed adolescent brains and you find yourself doing a lot of mental gymnastics.

 

[thomas89]

I have a hunting journal I have an entry in from an (unsuccessful) elk hunting trip I took when my oldest was maybe 6 months old. If I were to go back and read I’m sure much of what I wrote echoes your sentiments on that trip of yours.

I recall feeling much of the same that you’re dealing with…especially late at night, snuggling a warm Nalgene bottle. I personally need to get out to be at my best for the wife and kids, but I hate getting out for those long trips because I’m away. Double-edged sword.

Maybe we both knock one bull down this and feel moderately awful about being away. Good luck!

 

[trb]

Great stuff. Nothing better than stumbling onto an already in progress write-up that you've been looking forward to.

Looking forward to the inevitable and joyous conclusion in October.

 

[Dsnow9]

You all are a bunch of saps! Came home a day early from a hard elk hunt a few years ago. I walked in the door and my three year old said!

“you got home a day early, where is the elk?”

Followed by my wife: “yeah, why did you come home early if you didn’t get one?”

That has helped the motivation to hunt till the last minute. The real answer was I missed them, but I took such a lashing, I just unpacked my gear.

@TOGIE get some man! Looking forward to your rifle hunt!

 

[noharleyyet]

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.

@Hunting Wife ...trust you're polishing Togie's trophy

 

[BackofBeyond]

3) It's cheaper than therapy

This!

Absolute prose @TOGIE.

You’ve nailed it all on the head.

 

[LuketheDog]

You all are a bunch of saps! Came home a day early from a hard elk hunt a few years ago. I walked in the door and my three year old said!

“you got home a day early, where is the elk?”

Followed by my wife: “yeah, why did you come home early if you didn’t get one?”

That has helped the motivation to hunt till the last minute. The real answer was I missed them, but I took such a lashing, I just unpacked my gear.

@TOGIE get some man! Looking forward to your rifle hunt!

I get the same thing, the disappointed looks on my girls' faces when I come home empty-handed is brutal...

 

[MTLabrador]

Good story, and I am sure you’ll get it done with the rifle. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has such loud internal arguments with myself whenever I attempt to hunt the timber.

 

[cgasner1]

Great write up so far! You got this!

FWIW I have two boys 12 and 17. I worry way more now when I leave for a hunt than I did when they were small. When they were small it was physically demanding diapers, sleepless nights, chasing them around, ect...I found as they have gotten older it's less physical stress and 10x the mental stress...Add in cars, alcohol, drugs, sex, college opportunities and a not fully developed adolescent brains and you find yourself doing a lot of mental gymnastics.

With those kind of opportunities are you looking to adopt?

 

[marksjeep]

Nicely done. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, you're taking the kid(s) with you and your wife gets some solo time. Win-Win. Looking forward to the rest of this one.

 

[TOGIE]

You all are a bunch of saps! Came home a day early from a hard elk hunt a few years ago. I walked in the door and my three year old said!

“you got home a day early, where is the elk?”

Followed by my wife: “yeah, why did you come home early if you didn’t get one?”

That has helped the motivation to hunt till the last minute. The real answer was I missed them, but I took such a lashing, I just unpacked my gear.

@TOGIE get some man! Looking forward to your rifle hunt!

oh i get this too. the wife's response to any discussion of coming home early is "hey, if you're gonna take the time to hunt and not hunt, then you ain't gonna get time to hunt"

"but i was sad!"

"get over it"

 

[duckhunt]

Dang togie this is one hell of a write up.

 

[Caseknife]

@TOGIE excellent write-up so far. Your pictures are stunning. I am leaving for Wyoming this afternoon for a general elk rifle tag and have some of the same anxiety, but not because of little ones, but just the fact that I love my wife and home and will be gone for 10 days or so. This will be new country to explore with my faithful hunting partner and we will enjoy that for sure. We are both in our early 60's and love to hunt the timber and that is probably where we will be. Good luck when you go back for rifle.