Well ladies and gentlemen, the fat lady has sung. It's tag soup for me. Sorry the delay in the final installment, but I didn't get home until late.
So I left to hunt again Saturday morning after spending Friday with my girls, and taking them to the airport on sat morning. I arrived at the spot only to find someone parked there. I quickly looked at the map and found a promising area close by. A saddle with a north slope on one side, and open south slope on the other....with water. It had the makings of a good spot. I got ready and started the hike in. Right away it was seeing fresh tracks. The further in I went, the more tracks there was. I was excited. Once I arrived at the saddle, I found that there was a spring making it a lush wet area with nice green grass.
I worked my way through this area methodically and eventually came across this....
The bull had just been in this wallow. The mud was still glistening, and it was hot out. There was still bubbles in the water. My heart was racing. I quickly set up and cow called. Immediately I heard branches breaking close. Within 50 yds close. I could hear my heart pounding. This is it. More twigs snap. Closer this time. He's coming. Then, the unthinkable happens, I feel wind on the back of my neck. The twig snapping continues, but this time further, and further, and further away. With nothing to lose, i grab a limb, and start thrashing the brush. No dice. The gig is up. These holes and saddles have the worst swirling wind. I am once again, disappointed. I shouldn't say disappointed, because these close encounters are just as cool as harvesting a bull, you just don't have to hump meat afterwards. I still hunt my way back to my rig. Get back and make a mountain house and relive the moment over and over. I couldn't have done anything different. I just got hosed by the wind again. I decide I'll just sleep there in my jeep so I can listen to bugles that night to help form a plan in the morning. To my surprise, no bugles all night. I had heard bugles almost every night until now. Weird.
The next morning I head into the same area and work the saddle and north slope. Nothing. Back to the jeep I go to eat some lunch. I decide to hunt the wallow again. This time ill just sit on it until the end of my day. As I sit there, I relive my entire hunt. The highs and lows. The close encounters. The Armageddon storms and the heat. It's been an awesome experience. One ill never forget. Then it hits me. This will be the last time I roam these beautiful mountains for who knows how long. An overwhelming sadness comes over me. I love the mountains of the west. I love chasing game in the these mountains. Testing my mental and physical fortitude. Coming back to camp completely worn out and eager to strike out again in the morning. It's hard for me to think about. It's part of who I am.
I sit there as long as I can, not wanting to leave, not caring if I see an elk or not. I finally head back....slowly. The whole drive home I am consumed by memories of this hunt, and of past hunts. I must really love my family i think to myself. I also think of how lucky we are to be able to access these beautiful and wild places. I won't have much of that where I'm going, so cherish and take care of what you have. Ok, enough of the sappy crap.
I've never hunt for such a long stretch. It takes an enormous amount of mental fortitude to do this. Day after day of up early and working it all day. I want to thank Jackelope for keeping me focused. There were many low spots that he helped me work through.
I saw a bunch of critters, had some close encounters and spent 2 weeks in the mountains. What more could you want. Nothing.
I know you guys like pics, so here's some pics of daily motivators for me over the last 2 weeks.
And here's a memento of my close encounter with the g4 bull
So that's it. My grand finally. Not the ending I had hoped for but that's hunting. I had a great time. Sorry for the long story, but it feels good to get it off my chest. Ill stay a member and maybe post up some east coast tree stand whitetails for you guys to chuckle at.
Oh, and here's another bull that was on the cam.
