The journey has begun...

[plumber1969]

We are about 2 hours east of Dallas. Left Jacksonville Florida yesterday afternoon and stopped in to see my dad in New Orleans. Avoided any damage from the hurricane and saw a 300 plus mile traffic jam. All of those that fled the storm were headed back yesterday along with the service trucks being sent in to assist. Should be arriving in south east Colorado about 1am and will catch a few hours sleep. We will update as often as possible.28 hours in a fully loaded truck with my elk packer, i.e. Wife.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Drive safe! I just made a very similar trip and Dallas traffic was not fun.
If you like coffee, be sure to grab a cup of Texas Pecan coffee in Texas!

 

[plumber1969]

I think we are a killing machine! Love bugs suck!!!

 

[Keeptrying]

Good luck! My wife takes a deer packer with her(me).

 

[plumber1969]

Made it to Trinidad Colorado trying to catch a few hours of rest. As we pull in to the motel parking lot, I'm looking at what I first thought was a horse in the dumpster, then my delirious state of no sleep awakens me to my senses and it's a black bear with a brown coat. Tried to get a picture but it was not very photogenic. Now I'm sitting here listening to my wife snore at 3:17AM. Going to be a long day!

 

[LWC55]

Good luck on your hunt! Looking forward to following.

 

[Khunter]

what is the hunt you are on?

 

[Elkhunter24]

Drive safe and good luck!

 

[plumber1969]

We are doing archery. Two days in the books. Seen big horn sheep ewes. Walked up on 4 mule deer to of them were bucks and one was really nice. Haven't heard any bugles but found wallows and tracks and did have one bark at us. The winds suck!!! Swirling constantly. Found some unbelievable looking areas and covered over 9 miles in two days. My wife looked like a drunk at times crawling up the mountain but she has stayed with me every day. The dry air is hell on my nose. We are camping around 8800 feet and been up to 10600. 35 on the mountain in the mornings and high around 60. I will try to update when we get service.

 

[tarheel]

I think we are a killing machine! Love bugs suck!!!

Nothing like driving through a swarm of them. You might have to explain what "love bugs" are to those who haven't been initiated.

 

[plumber1969]

Don't know if I'm doing this right or not. We covered 10 miles today. Up and down. 3.5 miles back we found this meadow and it had 3 streams coming in. Following a heavily used game trail in to a marsh and stumbled across another wallow. The game trail lead to an old trail. Looked really good and we finally had the winds in our favor. So I bugle and my wife was raking trees. After 10 minutes we kept thinking we were hearing something walking but it went all quiet. We decided to grab a snack since it was 11:30. We no sooner finished and started hearing a deep grunting. 15 feet behind my wife steps a bull moose. He stepped out on the trail and we had a stare down. I told my wife to get behind a tree if he moved at all in our direction. That was something I don't think either of us will ever forget. We did bump some elk later on as we got ran off the mountain from the sleeting rain. Low today was 26 and high was 57.

 

[LWC55]

Great moose pic

 

[Jasher]

You seen a nice bull just to bad it was the wrong species.

 

[plumber1969]

Well guys it is over. The last two days were really good. Called up 4 elk. One sounded like Corey Jacobson. Another one sounded like it wanted to bugle but almost at a whisper. That was weird. Saw at least 10 more mule deer and even threw rocks at one. Not very smart animals. We did have another bull chuckle as we could hear him walking but never could see him. We saw two grouse and that is a dumb bird. Over 5 days we battled rain, fig, sleet and hail. Walked over 20 miles per onX. Saw some amazing country and met some good people. The only negative I can say was a group that shoot a cow elk and decided to drop the carcass behind camping areas and ruining the area for others. We walked in past the elk and wasn't real thrilled coming back down at night knowing that a bear might be eating on it. I am really proud of my wife for hanging in there with me. It was hard and grueling at times but we are already planning our trip next year based on the draw results. I will load more pictures as we get better service.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

That's a beautiful moose!

 

[Jasher]

You had a good time and got to spend some quality time together in some beautiful areas that most people only dream about and that's the important part. I'm going on another hunt this year with some family and I'm sure it will be the last hunt for my dad. I'm going for the second year in a row without a tag in my pocket just so I can be there with him and enjoy the time together.

 

[Joe Hulburt]

Thanks for sharing the adventure! That is an awesome moose picture! Probably worth the price of admission on its own. Not many can say they have had that experience.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Sounds like a great hunt to me, looking forward to more pics from your hunt.

 

[LCH]

Maybe no meat, but sounds like a successful trip! That moose encounter sounds like it was pretty cool.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Heck of an adventure right there, too me that is almost better than killing an elk. That moose is freak'n awesome, wish I could draw a tag here in Idaho at some point. Have a safe drive back. Good read,
Matt