2019 Season: "It's not that bad guys, it only hurts if I walk on it"

[pianoman9701]

Boy, that buck is a beauty. Congratulations.

[Karl Blanchard]

Well my season is winding down. I've only had a single weekend off since Aug 10th and I'm starting to feel it. This thanksgiving weekend found me back in Idaho helping our little buddy keegan on his late elk tag. Weather was brutal cold and the snow was ridiculously deep. There was almost 3ft on the valley floor and up on the ridges where he shot his bull it was waist deep.  I haven't had a packout that miserable in a long time.  It ended up being 2,8000ft of elevation in a little under 1.5 miles. Really rocky terrain that was hidden under all that snow made for a stumbling, sliding, miserable up and down.  Keegan's dad has a completely torn rotator cuff so wasn't able to pack anything. Between keegan and kayden they don't weigh 220lb between the two of them I ended up with two hind quarters and a front, all boned out, and one side of the neck. Kayden had a shoulder and backstraps and keegan took more trim and his head.  It just flat sucked but it's so rewarding to see these boys grow as hunters and woodsmen.

[jackelope]

Keegan doesn't even look like the same kid. That's so awesome.

[Karl Blanchard]

Keegan doesn't even look like the same kid. That's so awesome.

yeah he has really shot up in the last 6 months. Missing a chunk of lung really slows him down though. We killed that bull at 9,000ft and he was really sucking wind. He is tough as nails though. He goes in for his first rib plate adjustment procedure here in a few weeks. All the growing has him back in some discomfort in that area.

[Cougeyes]

Well my season is winding down. I've only had a single weekend off since Aug 10th and I'm starting to feel it.

You're married correct? How in the heck are you managing to hunt that much without coming home to divorce papers?  You must have a rockstar of a wife.

[Machias]

Awesome year.  Love seeing the kids out there and doing a fantastic job.  You rock Karl!!

[Karl Blanchard]

Well my season is winding down. I've only had a single weekend off since Aug 10th and I'm starting to feel it.

You're married correct? How in the heck are you managing to hunt that much without coming home to divorce papers?  You must have a rockstar of a wife.

she has a really great boyfriend. Took me a while to find her the right one but now I'm free and clear to hunt all I want 

Seriously though, I didn't just start hunting this much. It's how it's been since the day she signed on. She is a strong independent woman who doesn't need me to be entertained. Honestly I hunt less now then I used to when we first got together. I used to waterfowl pretty dang hard and coyote hunted a few days a week. Trying to find big deer has taken priority over the other stuff so now I've dropped all small game and traded that in for more deer tags. I try and be the best husband and father I can be in the off season so i can get away with being the worst come fall

Awesome year.  Love seeing the kids out there and doing a fantastic job.  You rock Karl!!

thank you Fred! The kids stuff always makes my season special! Gotta train em up so they can start spotting and packing for me 

[boneaddict]

Great thread Karl.  Looks like an awesome year.

[2MANY]

Yes folks Karl gets it done like a one footed man in an ash kicking contest.

[Karl Blanchard]

Great thread Karl.  Looks like an awesome year.

Thanks Doug 

Yes folks Karl gets it done like a one footed man in an ash kicking contest.

  I'm up to a foot and a halfish now

[Whitpirate]

Great thread Karl.  Looks like an awesome year.

Thanks Doug 

Yes folks Karl gets it done like a one footed man in an ash kicking contest.

  I'm up to a foot and a halfish now

Hobbits heal fast!

[2MANY]

I believe he would rather be Tyrion Lannister then a hobbit.

That dudes got game.

[BULLBLASTER]

I believe he would rather be Tyrion Lannister then a hobbit.

That dudes got game.

He can’t be Tyrion... he’s bald!

[Karl Blanchard]

Idaho is very wet and very cold

[fishngamereaper]

Heck of find...those are hard to see unless you watched it eject from the gun...