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Author Topic: Creek Bottom Blues.  (Read 7905 times)

Offline MarkyMark

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Creek Bottom Blues.
« on: October 06, 2014, 10:05:20 PM »
I've been out muzzy elk hunting in nasty creek bottoms. Thick ugly dens of thorny, prickly,itchy plants. I'm told I will find elk down there. I know whoever told me elk hide in this hole is getting a good laugh at my expense. I also know that I'll be coming home with more welts on my legs. But back in the morning I go.
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Offline csaaphill

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2014, 10:23:03 PM »
gl they can and do especially in the heat.
might try to get above them and hunt down into maybe?
"When my bow falls, so shall the world. When me heart ceases to pump blood to my body, it will all come crashing down. As a hunter, we are bound by duty, nay, bound by our very soul to this world. When a hunter dies we feel it, we sense it, and the world trembles with sorrow. When I die, so shall the world, from the shock of loosing such a great part of ones soul." Ezekiel, Okeanos Hunter

Offline bobcat

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2014, 10:31:34 PM »
I think it's the elk that are laughing.   :chuckle:

Good luck tomorrow, maybe wear some leather chaps and leather gloves.   :tup:

Offline longstevo

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2014, 02:45:18 PM »
Right?

I was hunting the top of a ridge on Saturday, and some old duffers hauling firewood said "there's no elk up here.  They're down there!"  They pointed down in the bottom.

I didn't go to where they pointed, but I did focus on some low lying creeks, with no result. 
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Offline MADMAX

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2014, 02:47:54 PM »
steep and deep baby
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Mark Twain


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Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2014, 04:36:02 PM »
I jumped a bull in a nasty creek bottom yesterday. I chased him at full speed through the reprod, but lost him. Pretty sure he had hoof "rot" because I found some blood a few places while tracking him, and he'd been living in one area by himself for a while.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2014, 08:35:21 PM »
I've covered every darn creek bottom in the Minot unit almost. A couple of them two or three times where we saw what looked to be the freshest of the dried out tracks. At least we got some grouse traveling between areas.
The temps are hot in the creek bottoms too.
I only saw two four- legged animals and they were does feeding along hwy 8.
Back at it tomorrow.
At least it's not crowded!!! :)
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Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2014, 08:48:55 PM »
...and I fell flat on my face and jambed 2" of mud in the end of my barrel.
I did see an old gut pile way up high.
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Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2014, 10:20:49 PM »
Today I did not see any elk in the creek bottom but I did fall into a beaver dam that grass had  grown over. Thankfully a log stopped my fall by wedging itself in my privates. Can't wait for elk season to be over. More Advil please. ;)
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Offline bobcat

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2014, 10:43:07 PM »
At least you post about your lack of success. That's rare, most people only post when they're successful! I hope your luck is better tomorrow.

Offline elkfins

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2014, 09:04:48 AM »
Think of it this way...

you could be at work instead of elk hunting.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2014, 04:30:18 PM »
I'm not ashamed to say I wasn't successful. I would be ashamed if I didn't try. I tried and got beat. I also learned a lot. Which will eventually lead to success.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me out along the way.
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Offline Watimberghost

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2014, 04:51:53 PM »
 :tup: keep at it! Experience is the best teacher

Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2014, 05:11:20 PM »
I'm not ashamed that I wasn't successful either. I am however, devastated about the really nice 5pt Rosie I missed TWICE at daylight this morning. Finally caught them in a small clearcut this morning after tracking them through reprod and creek bottoms for the last 3 days. I thought I had a good feel for my new musket, but I mis judged the range and shot underneath his chest. Unbelievable.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2014, 05:45:45 PM »
That happened to me on a nice broadside shot on a mulie last week.
Those creek bottoms tore up everything. Clothes, skin, pride... You name it. Where were you at? I heard a couple shots this morning in the little north river area.
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Offline bobcat

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #15 on: October 10, 2014, 06:04:41 PM »
Damnimissed- sorry you missed but with a user name like yours it's bound to happen once in a while.

Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #16 on: October 10, 2014, 10:20:16 PM »
Damnimissed- sorry you missed but with a user name like yours it's bound to happen once in a while.

That is a fact. I didn't even think of that lol

Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #17 on: October 10, 2014, 10:22:07 PM »
That happened to me on a nice broadside shot on a mulie last week.
Those creek bottoms tore up everything. Clothes, skin, pride... You name it. Where were you at? I heard a couple shots this morning in the little north river area.

501

Offline kerrdog

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2014, 03:35:02 PM »
This is one of the more entertaining threads I've read on here in awhile. :chuckle: I too had my butt kicked trying to find the elk.  There's always late season.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2014, 04:22:40 PM »
I can't find a late west muzzy season in the regs that doesn't require a $200 Weyco permit that are no longer available. Unless I'm missing something.
But back to more entertainment. Washed my gear and found thorns and seed pods in the dryer lint trap. lol.
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Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2014, 08:51:40 PM »
I got us into a bad mess trying to cross from one creek bottom to another by heading up and over the end of a ridge through, what I thought was a little brush. Ended up getting too far in to turn around, so an hour later we emerged from the mess of wild rose and blackberries, after whiddling a bushwalking stick :bash:

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #21 on: October 11, 2014, 09:03:24 PM »
I got me a stick too. I forgot to mention all the spider webs.
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Offline bobcat

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #22 on: October 11, 2014, 09:04:57 PM »
Sounds like what you guys really need is a machete.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #23 on: October 11, 2014, 09:49:04 PM »
Yes! Or a gas powered hedge trimmer.
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Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #24 on: October 11, 2014, 09:57:17 PM »
Or just go home and take a nap After the morning hunt and come back out in the evening, instead of climbing around in nonsense $&@# holes all day. I can't get myself out of the woods though.

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #25 on: October 11, 2014, 10:47:58 PM »
I may have taken an afternoon nap or two at the end of the spur line.
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Offline RadSav

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #26 on: October 12, 2014, 12:25:23 AM »
Go deeper into the woods.  Find Devil's Club and find elk.  Real elk hunters hunt at least two miles from a road.  ...the things we tell elk hunting newbies just for the entertainment value :chuckle:  Usually advise spoken by an old logger with a 500' spool of crab line in the back of his truck. ;)

I tried to get an old girlfriend's father to shoot an elk 450 yards away on an opposite hillside.  After the elk was gone I asked him why he didn't shoot it.  His answer, "I don't have that much crab line in the truck."  :o

Seriously though, try Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants!!  If you can find some good oil/wax Tins that have not been destroyed by the new yuppie urban logger wear design - those are good too.  There is a reason loggers have been wearing them since the stone ages! 
He asked, Do you ever give a short simple answer?  I replied, "Nope."

Offline Damnimissed

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #27 on: October 12, 2014, 07:59:38 AM »
Go deeper into the woods.  Find Devil's Club and find elk.  Real elk hunters hunt at least two miles from a road.  ...the things we tell elk hunting newbies just for the entertainment value :chuckle:  Usually advise spoken by an old logger with a 500' spool of crab line in the back of his truck. ;)

I tried to get an old girlfriend's father to shoot an elk 450 yards away on an opposite hillside.  After the elk was gone I asked him why he didn't shoot it.  His answer, "I don't have that much crab line in the truck."  :o

Seriously though, try Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants!!  If you can find some good oil/wax Tins that have not been destroyed by the new yuppie urban logger wear design - those are good too.  There is a reason loggers have been wearing them since the stone ages!

I normally always wear Filson double hunting pants, which are a mix of shelter and tin cloth. With this years weather I decided to snag the heck out of a pair of Sitka ascents :bdid:

Offline MarkyMark

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Re: Creek Bottom Blues.
« Reply #28 on: October 12, 2014, 09:16:24 AM »
75* almost everyday. I ruined my lightweight gear too. I will have the right gear for next season.
We had an 1800' spool of line if it was needed.
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