Montana, 2014 Spring Bear Hunt.. Morrell Falls, Seeley Lake area. Intended as a short day hike during afternoon lull, snowpack turned it into a 10 mile hike, busting through 3 feet of snow every other step on the way back. Lost my water bottle (fell out of pocket), but luckily had iodine tablets in my pack and refilled my other bottle from the falls. Some of the best water I've ever tasted.
Emigrants used this pass from 1846 to 1850 to access the Willamette valley of Oregon and the Goldfields of Northern California. All this season since July I've been hunting and scouting in three states along the Applegate - Lassen Trail for Deer and Antelope.
The weight of the historical significance really hit me as I watched the sun break over the horizon.
An early snow ended our 5 elk streak in Wyoming. All the tracks were "down and out" and we never relocated the now silent bulls in the timber. But it was a beautiful place to not get an elk...
2014 Idaho elk hunt with my dad and my brother. Probably the last pack in with horses hunt my dad will do. Thank goodness for wall tents and wood stoves. Killed a bull on the last night of the hunt to top it off.
Pausing for a rest while climbing towards some mountain goats near Continental Divide in Colorado in late September 2014. Steep is relative to where you are and where you have been. This was steep country but not vertical. Some of the walls leading up onto ledges had solid rock and others had rotten rock which was not trustworthy.
Last day of Bow Season 2014. Bluebird day. Saw a few elk but fouled up the stalks. National Forest. In this picture is the spot where I killed my first Elk 15 years ago when I was 15.
It used to be awesome timber to hunt, but as you can see, beetles have taken their toll. Not so great for sneaking around anymore, but maybe even better for Elk security. In one week rifle season will start, and this gulch will be relentlessly slammed for 5 weeks.
Opening weekend first light Kansas regular turkey season. There is a big flock of turkeys just over the horizon hammering out gobble after double gobble. Pheasants quail teal crows cows donkeys and even a peacock add to the cacophony of noise as the day gently awakes.