SFC B and associated mental defectives doing questionable outdoor things.....

[SFC B]

We got camp set up but I felt like absolute dog crap.....like wanting to throw up bad. Finally, laid down for a couple of hours before I could function. In the mean time Wisco buddies I even and his new son in law Jake made it to camp. As a bonus Kevin brought a nice JAG of oak firewood for us. We cut the rest of our firewood that afternoon. Friday we hiked around a bit and commiserated about the BRIGHT azz full moon. Then it started snowing late. Love me some snow.

 

[Redman]

The day of my flight I could tell I was having the start of possible sinus issues so bought some Misinex just incase. By the time we got to Toponus and slept a bit I was full blown sick. Rode with CPO and warned him before hand how I was feeling. I managed to pull my weight with camp set up. We got a good night's sleep and scouted a bit the next day. SFC B and I went to some spots I found last year. One spot in particular where I had a very close encounter with a beautiful cinnamon phase bear, but had no tag last year. Hiking out to another spot we came across bear track reassuring me bear were still using that area and this year I have a tag.
We came back to camp and had a great supper. I coughed and hacked all night long. Between that and the full moon spot light I didn't sleep much. Temps dropped during the night and the snow came with it.

 

[SFC B]

Opening day was uneventful for our camp. Snow was blowing along with fog and visibility fluctuated between bad and worse. Mybhighlihht for the day was a ground squirrel. I believe Redman caught flashes of animals prior to shooting light.

Sunday came and again we spread out all over the area looking for brown furry things. At dark I was on my way back to camp and had the strongest thing happen. In my mittens, my hands got painfully cold almost instantly....out of nowhere. I walked into camp miserable only to hear Jake had an elk down.......

 

[Redman]

Yep opening day was a cold wet day. I stayed out from dak to dark. Pitched my tarp and built a fire to keep warm. Watched a fox catching mice to pass the time. Just about a half hour before sunset I had a cow and 2 calfs come out 2 yards below me. Got the rifle ready hoping for a bull to come out but no such luck.


Second day found me at the same spot again from dark to dark. My fox friend came to visit but not one elk. Packed up at dark for a cold long hike back to camp coughing and hacking all the way. Was greeted with "Jake got an elk lets go pack it out!" Told them to let me thaw out, eat some food, and take some meds, then I will go. I asked Jake if he had it all quartered up and in game bags. He said " No, I haven't a clue on what to do." No problem great time to learn!

 

[SFC B]

After chow and a bit by the stove we grabbed our packs to head out. I told Kevin to bring some kindling as we WERE going to have a fire. The hike to the meadow was one I know well. I've shot 2 elk, a bear and a buck down there. When we left ee asked Jake how far down the meadow it was.. ...he said "Not TOO far". You can see where this is headed at the meadow no sign of elk ......we keep heading down. Finally Jake catches up and says a little farther......WTF? When we got to it I made the mistake of looking back up the valley.......I could feel the pain brewing already. Cutting commenced and I nourished the . It was getting proper cold.

 

[SFC B]

The instruction and cutting took a couple of hours. Once finished and packed we started what was a horribly long climb out of that meadow. But it was a Bestival, clear, cold night. Redman and I joked and commiserated as we climbed. One step at a time, ever thankful for trekking poles. By the time we got back to camp it was 2300 and Cush's INreach said it was -6 f. Redman and myself had pretty spectacular ice growths injuries beards. We slept in the best day.

 

[Redman]

Yep the night was pretty bitter and glad SFC B told them to bring supplies for a fire! Jake was nervous about doing something wrong. We explained to him as long as he didn't get into the guts all will be fine. He finally realized the neck leather is tough and nothing like a deer. We showed him how to do a quarter and he repeated the cut on the opposite side. It took longer and the cold made it seem like forever but we wanted him to learn rather than do it all for him. I decided to grab a rear quarter because it didn't seem so bad of a hike...HA HA! When we got back to camp I had ice stalactites pointing in every direction coming from my nose down to my beard. I put my face over the wood stove to thaw it out. Crashed in my cot and woke up in the middle of the night coughing, hacking, and blood coming out my nose ughhh.. needless to say I didn't go out that morning but did make it out for the afternoon hunt.

 

[SFC B]

The next couple of days were pretty uneventful. I saw nothing of note other than a lone fox. Redman had seen some critters not on his menu and a bunch of tracks up high so Wednesday I went up with him. We sat on 2 small meadows a few hundred yards apart. Later in the afternoon I catch about a 3 second glimpse at 400 yds of what turned out to be the only legal for me animal of the week....the buck in Redmans pic above. It ran right by the ONE of us without a buck tag. SMFH.

 

[Redman]

Yep next few nights were pretty uneventful as far a close calls. I saw a herd of elk about 3 mles away on private and enjoyed watching them. Wednesday SFC B went up to me in a high meadow with lots of draws. I put SFC B in one of my spots and I hiked up higher. Even though we were a few hundred yards apaert the lay of the land could allow a herd of elk tonmove between us and neither of us see them. About 4 pm I caught movement at the edge of the tree line about 300 yds out. Sure enough it was a bull and 2 cows. I was tucked in some trees and crawed out to get a better rest and view. I was trying to make sure the bull was legal because all I saw was a long main beam. As I was getting the cross hairs on him he put his head down and the slope of the land made it to where I couldn't see him. One cow caught my movement when I crawled out and was staring in my direction. All I could see now of the bull and second cow was their rump. I watched as they disappeared into the timber and the cow staring at me turned and followed. I knew where they were going so I tried to get up a head of them and get a better look and hopefully a shot. Unfortunately they walk faster than I run and found their tracks in the snow where they crossed into dark timber. Back to my glassing spot I went. As it was getting late the mule deer came out and were within spitting distance of me. Watched several young bucks and the best buck I have seen on the whole trip checking on the does. Night came and I snuck down to SFC B to hike back to camp. He had saw a few deer and a buck that wasn't sticking around long enough for him to shoot. I told him we needed to come back Thursday and he needed to set where I was seeing all the deer. Another long hike back to camp no head lamp need thanks to the bright clear night.

 

[Redman]

SFC B is probably wanting me to lead off on this one so I will hijack this segment. Feeling more like crap Thursday morning I decided to sleep in and rest. The Wisconsin guys packed up and were heading home so we all said our goodbyes. SFC B and I decided to go back to where I saw all of the mule deer and hopefully he could put his tag on one. We left right after lunch and I hiked up with him to show himnthe exact spot to set. I hung a orange hat up hald way down the slope to meet up at dark so we could go back together. I decided to go back down closer to the creek so I could get a better view of the open area, but the rolling terrain still made it possible for an animal to pop right out in front of you or completely pass by without being seen. I got all comfortable and the temperature was climbing and snow was melting. The warm sun felt good and I could have easily took a nap but again you had to be ready because it could happen at anytime. The whole afternoon I didn't see anything other than a few squirrels. It started to get that magic time when you just know something is going to happen. I was anticipating SFC B rifle to bark any time. I looked behind me incase something was stupid enough to come from my down wind side and as I turned back around, heading out of the creek bottom was a bear. It was headed up the draw where if it turned it would be out of view instantly. I determined it was a good bear and beautiful brown color phase. I didn't range him but knew he was 200 yds or under. (I was borrowing CPO's SAKO in .300 Win 165 Barnes TSX Leupold VX5 CDS. He had just got it and hadn't shot any critters with it. I flew out this year so instead of the hassle of bringing one of my rifles I borrowed one.) I set the CDS on 200, settled the cross hairs, exhaled as I squeezed the trigger, and BOOM! Down he went! I worked the bolt and put the cross hairs back on him as he was snarling trying to get back to his feet. I squeezed again and click.....worked thw bolt again and in my excitement I found that I short stroked it ejecting the round but not feeding the other round (I use mostly non-magnum short action) Got a round in the chamber and settled the cross hairs back on him and gave him another. He let out a half hearted death moan and that was that.
I gathered my gear and rushed over to him before I ran out of good pictue light. I propped my phone on my pack and set the timer to take some self portraits while SFC B continued to hunt. I walked up to where I could see our marker where we were to meet and waited on SFC B. He saw my head lamp and we went down to my bear. I hadn't skinned out a bear before but watched videos and SFC B made it clear that he wanted no part of it. So with guidance from SFC B (He did help hold while I cut) and me being overly careful on not damaging the hide, we got the bear skinned, quarted, and packed down to the creek putting the meat in the trees. SFC B grabbed a quarter and I packed the head and hide back to camp all along the way cracking up and being thankful we didn't have frozen beards!

 

[Pahoundsman]

SFC B is probably wanting me to lead off on this one so I will hijack this segment. Feeling more like crap Thursday morning I decided to sleep in and rest. The Wisconsin guys packed up and were heading home so we all said our goodbyes. SFC B and I decided to go back to where I saw all of the mule deer and hopefully he could put his tag on one. We left right after lunch and I hiked up with him to show himnthe exact spot to set. I hung a orange hat up hald way down the slope to meet up at dark so we could go back together. I decided to go back down closer to the creek so I could get a better view of the open area, but the rolling terrain still made it possible for an animal to pop right out in front of you or completely pass by without being seen. I got all comfortable and the temperature was climbing and snow was melting. The warm sun felt good and I could have easily took a nap but again you had to be ready because it could happen at anytime. The whole afternoon I didn't see anything other than a few squirrels. It started to get that magic time when you just know something is going to happen. I was anticipating SFC B rifle to bark any time. I looked behind me incase something was stupid enough to come from my down wind side and as I turned back around, heading out of the creek bottom was a bear. It was headed up the draw where if it turned it would be out of view instantly. I determined it was a good bear and beautiful brown color phase. I didn't range him but knew he was 200 yds or under. (I was borrowing CPO's SAKO in .300 Win 165 Barnes TSX Leupold VX5 CDS. He had just got it and hadn't shot any critters with it. I flew out this year so instead of the hassle of bringing one of my rifles I borrowed one.) I set the CDS on 200, settled the cross hairs, exhaled as I squeezed the trigger, and BOOM! Down he went! I worked the bolt and put the cross hairs back on him as he was snarling trying to get back to his feet. I squeezed again and click.....worked thw bolt again and in my excitement I found that I short stroked it ejecting the round but not feeding the other round (I use mostly non-magnum short action) Got a round in the chamber and settled the cross hairs back on him and gave him another. He let out a half hearted death moan and that was that.
I gathered my gear and rushed over to him before I ran out of good pictue light. I propped my phone on my pack and set the timer to take some self portraits while SFC B continued to hunt. I walked up to where I could see our marker where we were to meet and waited on SFC B. He saw my head lamp and we went down to my bear. I hadn't skinned out a bear before but watched videos and SFC B made it clear that he wanted no part of it. So with guidance from SFC B (He did help hold while I cut) and me being overly careful on not damaging the hide, we got the bear skinned, quarted, and packed down to the creek putting the meat in the trees. SFC B grabbed a quarter and I packed the head and hide back to camp all along the way cracking up and being thankful we didn't have frozen beards!
View attachment 301941View attachment 301942View attachment 301943

That’s a beautiful bear,congrats

 

[Redman]

That’s a beautiful bear,congrats

Thank you. I couldn't ask for a better coat on s bear.

 

[SFC B]

The rest of the week was sadly uneventful from that point forward. Good times in camp, plenty of warm fires and shit talking to be had. CPO finished up the last of that Busch Light Peach he had been sucking down all week and we prepared to leave. Chained up per usual knowing that after the snow the trail would be a bit sloppy. It proved a challenge that caused minor damage to CPOs new truck due largely to the trailer he has to tow (I will never understand buying trucks with 5 ft beds FFS). Of course Jack had zero issues.... We stopped at the store in Toponas which some locals are rehabbing...only the liquor/drink side is currently open but they already have a nice selection and are nice folks. We said good bye to Cush and headed to the barn with the end of that adventure.

 

[Redman]

Thursday night I woke up coughing and haking something terrible. I went out of the tentso as not to bother anyone. Cush was in his truck listening to tunes so I joined him until my coughing fit got so bad I had to get. I coughed so hard my nose started gushing blood and I threw up. Friday I slept in then took the sled up the mountain and packed the rest of my bear. I got back to camp in time to go back out but decided to skin out the head of my bear. Friday i went back out and saw nothing to speak of. Saturday the same. Knowing we were headed out Sunday I gave it one last go Sunday Morning. I had one mule deer buck come past me at spitting distance and watch him cross the meadow into the thicker timber. I said good bye to the mountain and hiked back to camp to help pack up. I boned out my bear so it would be less weight for my flight since SFC B was bringing my gear to my house I could get my bear and hide home on my flight. Bit of a rodeo on the way out. SFC B and I played lumber jack to get the rode cleared for CPO. After saying our goodbyes to Cush we stopped at the Antler Inn for supper where I had a delicious steak and a few barley pops. I crashed a Johns and Monday we went to CPW to tag my bear hide and tooth extraction. CPO dropped me off at the air port. You get some strange looks from security when they scan your carry-on that has meat and skull in it!

 

[SFC B]

The next adventure is currently underway in the glorious Hoosier state......

 

[vanish]

The next adventure is currently underway in the glorious Hoosier state......

Hope it goes better than my whitetail hunt!

 

[SFC B]

I got home Sunday evening. Monday was a whirlwind of laundry, repacking, adjusting and cleaning the truck (Jack). Tuesday I had to go in for shift at Scheels (had to avoid not working a shift for 30 days or I'd be taken off the rolls. ). Came up and got some sleep to ready myself to leave Wednesday.

Wednesday I was up and on the road by about 0900. The plan was to make Manhattan, KS for dinner. My nephew Jake just got stationed at Ft Riley and I hadn't seen him since he went AD over 4 yrs ago (27 months were spent in Korea). We had a nice dinner and talk about the Army, life, family and hunting. He is a great kid and is going to the E6 board in Dec. When he graduated HS ge had already been working PT with a biomedical device company through a co-op making very good money and I wondered why he had gone into the Army so I asked. He told me he wanted to see some of the world and........he saw what I had done and wanted to be like me. Not gonna lie I choked back a big lump at that one. Gave him a big hug and told him to keep his powder dry as a drove off.

Distance wise I wanted to make MO someplace that first night. The winner was Cameron. I grabbed a room, watched an episode of Friends (one of my guilty pleasures) and crashed.

 

[SFC B]

I pulled into town late afternoon Thursday and we chilled that night. Friday I had biscuits and gravy at tge diner in town and then took Casey to Indy for a few of my favorites....Heidelberg Haus, Claus' butcher shop, the commissary, and a White Castle. Full day of goodness.

 

[SFC B]

Saturday I put out a new ground blind in a strategic spot that is good fir early morning and the last 1-2 hours in the evening when you can catch deer coming out tge feed in the cut corn field. I headed out to the ladder stand that is really my only option as the first several days of this hunt were (cross)bow only.... rifle didn't open until the 18th this year. I got up for the last couple of hours and had a couple of small deer wander through. A good start.

 

[SFC B]

Sunday started my intentional "all day sit" series in the ladder stand as you can't kill em if you aren't there!! Taking the crossbow is something to get used to. It is heavier and more cumbersome than my rifles but given I am not a bow guy, have some current arm tweakage, and have limited interest into archery full bore items a great option. I am lucky Joel and Casey kept me use her new rig. In the morning saw some little guys wandering through aimlessly. Then around 1000 had a pretty nice 8 come the same trail they were on out at about 50 yds with bridge and trees who didn't want to respond to boats or grunts, so no shot. About an hour later a good sized doe came, however, being the moron I am I held thinking she was at 30 yds and was just under 20 Bolt sailed over for a clean miss. Was so pissed I went in for lunch. Got back out about 1500. Throughout the whole day (and it continued the whole week) were rifle shots. I bemoaned the late rifle season this year and it seems a good number of folks didn't even check on season dates.... just started shooting. Even the IDNR put out a press release about it and that they were "warning" folks....FFS . The day past that was uneventful for me....but about 1745 I get a text from Redman that he had a buck down!! I headed to the to meet him and go help with the pack out. It was a looooong drag across plowed field with a healthy deer. We come home tuckered out. Here is his archery deer for 2023