OK, just copy and pasted this from my facebook instead of doing a whole new write up.
Elk camp 2015 - Season is in the books. The weather was great for hunting. Cold temps, rain and snow. I got the vets on a lot of animals, many legal bulls were seen, just no ethical shot opportunities. We four Marines spent our Marine Corps Birthday up top of the 8117 rd in the snow. Beautiful views and great brotherhood. Hopefully they will add their pics to my album soon. As of Sunday the 15th, I was alone in camp for the last 3 days of the season. On Monday the 16th, I went up top to the alpine lake across the goat trail at first light. Went and said hi to Pop and Ron. On the way back down decided to go through this heavily rutted/partially washed out road. Only about an inch of snow on the ground, but snowing still. Made it through the rough area and went on up several hundred feet. Went to go around some trees that were leaning over the path loaded with ice and snow, and slid off the road. Spent the next several hours trying to dig my truck out to no avail. With 2 hrs of daylight left, soaked to the bone in 26deg temps and falling, still snowing and about 5-6 inches on the ground, I gave up on digging out and started the 10+ mile trek out back to camp. On the walk out my orange vest had frozen solid and snow was building up on me. Had to shake it off every once in awhile. I set the trip log on my gps when I left the truck. I was luckily picked up by another hunter at 5.38 miles mark. By that time I was pretty hypothermic, unable to walk a straight line, no longer shivering, feeling warm when I shouldn't have. Got back to camp, stoked the woodstove, stripped and stood right next to it drinking a couple large mugs full of hot cider. After a couple hours I was doing better and walked to another camp to get a ride down to where I could get cell reception. Called my friend Scott Thompson and he and his son Kaleb Thompson came to my rescue. I broke camp that next day and Scott brought me down to his home down in Toledo, Wa. We went up to the Margaret unit for the last day of the season on Wednesday the 18th. I shot my cow elk with an hour left of daylight. We spent 4 hrs that night chainsaw winching her up the bank, down the road, and through a washout to get her into my truck whole. Got into my truck to head out at 0230 hrs Thursday morning heading back to Scott's place. Had her hung, cleaned up, and finally in the rack about 0600 hours. That afternoon Scott pulled my travel trailer and I pulled the cargo trailer up to my house. Finally home after 3 weeks. I left half my elk with Scott for all he and his family did.
Way more to the whole season, but enough for now.
