I'm taking all of bow season off and 3 of us will be packing in. For modern and ML seasons, I'll pretty much be on my own - or at least I need to plan it that way. So I decided to help myself out and took the plunge on a Pack Wheel. Hope it works. If it does, it'll be worth its weight in gold. When solo, it should cut pack out trips in half. With 3 of us, we should be able to get a whole bull out in one trip. Plus I can bring in a ton of good food and be more refreshed! Planning one last scouting trip for late August and will test it out then.

http://www.packwheel.com/

Or I'll just call WDFWx1 for some horses! One can never have Too Many horses.

Whiskey!!

Amazing the things Sara could do with mules.

I don't drink any longer, but if you rustle up a string of ponies, the whiskey will flow like you've never seen!

Probably not the summer sausage Nick enjoys.

Yeah. No.

Been spending some time at the range dialing in the muzzy and some workable loads. It's grouping at about 1 MOA give or take, so I'm very pleased with that. It's funny to see everyone's head turn and look after a boomer. I showed some random Eastern Block guy the ropes and let him take it for a spin. First words outta his mouth were "you Americans are so lucky". No dude, luck doesn't have anything to do with it. We've beat ass across the globe time again for the right to play with our cool toys. 'Merica! Fvck Yeah!

Sweet.
One of these days I need to get a smoke pole and dump a few loads.

There's an ever-so-slight touch of fall in the mornings now. It's getting real close to GO TIME now. 17 days and counting. Much to do. Much to do.

16 straight days hidden away in the woods will be soup for the soul.

Well - it's almost go time. Just a couple of days now. I probably won't post much until after archery season is over, so GOOD LUCK to everyone out there!!!

The bulls are going good in a few places I've been. I've seen rubs and heard bugling. Good luck and shoot straight!

Well...Broodbuster and I are back from our world-wind tour of WA Elk hunting. Spent the first week of the season on the wet side until we had to vacate the backcountry due to weather and rapidly rising creeks. Then another week over on the dry side - which wasn't dry at all. The wet side was the hardest hunt I've ever been on and was just brutal across the board.

I had my shot on a GIGANTIC 7x7 bull at 20 yards broadside and I completely whiffed (it was an easy layup and I just air-balled it). Book bull for certain. Largest animal I've ever hunted and I totally chit down my leg. Anyone else with any decent bow experience is on the cover of a magazine. The encounter was surreal and it definitely changed me forever.

Onto muzzy season - where I hope my aim is a little better!

For first close encounters with babes and bulls, fixating on their impressive rack will oft leave you standing all alone to contemplate your damaged self-esteem....

No Naps. I had just billy goat scrambled up 800 vertical feet in less than a couple of hundred yards to get into position...in about 10 minutes.

It wasn't the size of his rack. It was his booty. He pushed 1,100 pounds (guestimate). Like a damned elephant coming in to wreck me. It was awesome.

Cheers,

No - please bust away. I wouldn't have posted it, if'n I didn't expect some flack.

That being said, it was the first day I've ever had a bow in my hand and I called in a true monster. I'm pretty lucky just for that to happen. If I had taken that beast on my first day, it would have been bad outdoorsman juju & karma. Probably wouldn't catch another fish in my lifetime and it would only be downhill after that.

I'm just happy I got to experience it...because it was very, very cool. I made some mistakes which I've deeply contemplated and will learn from. My calling is on point and I can still speed climb like a mofo when I need to. These are all good things which will pay off in the future.

I wouldn't say bad juju.. But these are the types of experiences that keep us hungry and keep coming back for more.

You'll get em and it will be very rewarding.

Bow hunting elk is hard. It doesn't always work out like TV. Shots are hard to come by and easy to miss. My first attempt I put my 40 yard pin on an elk that was maybe 20 yards. My shot obviously went way high and I can still remember knowing exactly what I had done the second the arrow left the bow.

Yes it is and it's a steep and painful learning curve. Bummer on that shot WSU. I figure I got a while before it really comes together.

Really looking forward to muzzy season and Oct. 5th. I'm a "little bit" handier with a rifle or muzzy in my hands.

You'll get one. They bulls may still be with the cows opening of muzzy, so that's probably your best shot at a masher. There will be some lingering rut activity, although they may not come in screaming.

Sounds like quite the experience Nick, major bummer on the luck though. Total hunch, but I'd guess you'll see some rut activity the first of muzzleloader season (as mentioned before).I finally heard the first bugles at the house last night. 2 different bulls around 7pm, for about 30 minutes. Craziest September weather I've ever seen here in The Valley! Cloudy, cool, rainy...you'd think it was the end of October. Mission Ridge has had snow twice in the last week. Was good shroomin last Sunday.

Going to assist with a muzzleloader mule deer hunt on Saturday for a couple of wheat farmin' cousins. When 2 wheat farmers go and buy a smoke pole and tags, that means there's a NICE buck they don't want anyone else killin' (they haven't bought tags since '14)! I'll be the gopher, glass man, etc. The boy and I literally hunt across the 2-track from their land, so it'll be a good day for scouting the local deer in NCW. I was up a month ago and saw alot of VELVET there. Should be fun. Sunday the boy and I will go shoot some turkeys at another buddies place.

Yep - early fall and winter. I think we are in for it this winter, if the past few weeks is any indication.

2nd estrus should (will) still be in full swing next weekend. They might be a bit quiet after archery season, but they'll still be chasing tail. Gonna have to keep my head on swivel for the silent ones slipping in from the side. We are hunting some new, sight unseen land for muzzy, so it'll be fun to get it figured out. Supposed to be lots of bulls in there and very few hunters. I'll have 4 days with the smoke pole to get it done.

Snit - let me know how that wheat hunt goes. Sounds like a real bruiser is laid up in there. I stalked and shadowed a flock of turkeys during archery which was great fun. Got within 10 yards of some hens and they had zero clue I was around.