Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 22, 2012, 07:51:18 PM
First off! All you guys who are celebrating this white dumping we are getting have no idea what you are in for. I could not get to the spot I originally intended to hunt so I hit a backup. Trailered my new horse Turbo, at 0430 and hit the road from my house in Selah. When I reached the trail I found another truck already there and covered in snow. It was snowing heavy. Saddled up and hit the trail at about 0545. Two other hunters showed up as I was saddling up. They had three more guys coming up from the bottom.
Rode about 2000 feet higher and found it was not only snowing but high winds! Tucked against a tree for about 30 minutes and then turned around to head back down. Two cows were standing on the hill above me. They turned and were gone before I could say boo.
Turbo started getting really bad ice balls in his hooves and I had a hell of a time getting him down. Walked the whole way and really had to force him to keep going.
I did meet the two guys who owned the first truck I mentioned. They are camping in a pup tent up there! Nuts! Stopped by their fire and made my own coffee before coming down. Met two more hunters on the way down. This was all on just one trail up there. 10 hunters on the one trail. :bash:
Anyway, back at it tomorrow. Sorry for not being all that colorful of a story. New baby in the house.
Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 22, 2012, 07:54:43 PM
Post by: huntergreg on October 22, 2012, 07:56:41 PM
Post by: adamR on October 22, 2012, 08:03:14 PM
Post by: Tegantunadog on October 22, 2012, 08:39:01 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 22, 2012, 09:16:14 PM
Post by: PlateauNDN on October 23, 2012, 09:00:18 AM
Keep your chin up! Remember that while you are freezing your butt off in the deep snow and absolutely hating life, the elk WILL be moving. Stick with it and don't get discouraged you couldn't have better weather (for the elk, not for you).
i was saying the same thing yesterday plowing through the snow watching camp after camp pull out or towing their trailers out to lower elevations. all i could think of was all the elk on the move and trying to decide where to try and catch them at. since it appeared i was the only one still up there and trying to get further and higher, though i'm sure there were others still up there doing the same thing just in a different area. :tup:
Post by: fillthefreezer on October 23, 2012, 09:11:12 AM
Post by: 92xj on October 23, 2012, 09:27:11 AM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on October 23, 2012, 12:28:52 PM
Post by: Limhangerslayer on October 23, 2012, 01:11:00 PM
Post by: Wyoming08 on October 23, 2012, 01:29:16 PM
First person I have ever heard of complaining about snow on the bull elk opener :dunno: leave the horse at home, drive roads til you find fresh elk tracks that have a bull in the herd, track them up and kill him.
:tup: I agree. We set up camp on Sunday off of Tieton Rd. and headed up to cut wood, loved the Snow. Every year there is lots of snow we see PLENTY of ELK!! :chuckle: Keep at it buddy. Maybe we'll see you up there...
Post by: huntandjeep on October 23, 2012, 02:45:13 PM
what elev are you guys working at and how deep is it?Pretty sure I walked up the trail today that he rode yesterday. There's maybe 3" at the gate and 5"-6" at the top. Not sure on the elevation there though.
Post by: Craig on October 24, 2012, 07:55:07 AM
Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 24, 2012, 08:28:49 PM
Yesterday the weather was gorgeous. The snow melted off down low. We spotted three cows and then later what looked like a good bull bedded across the valley from us about two miles away. I got the spotter out and confirmed that it was a branch bull but could not really count points. Looked to have a good frame though.
We went down and then up the other side. We jumped four cows on the way up but could not reach the basin we saw the bull in before it got dark. So back down we went in the dark.
Today and tomorrow I am at home with our baby. The wife Is being pretty stingey about hunting time this year so I am not sure when I will be back up there.
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 25, 2012, 08:29:34 AM
Post by: huntandjeep on October 25, 2012, 12:59:30 PM
Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 25, 2012, 05:58:19 PM
Thanks to the rest of you for the encouragement.
Post by: buglebuster on October 25, 2012, 06:18:24 PM
Post by: BENCHLEG on October 25, 2012, 06:23:53 PM
Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 25, 2012, 06:55:00 PM
I know of a decent bull shot in there today.
Let's see and hear about it. :drool:
Post by: huntandjeep on October 25, 2012, 07:46:10 PM
Post by: ShaneTyTrey on October 25, 2012, 07:55:01 PM
Post by: elkrack on October 25, 2012, 08:42:36 PM
Post by: kirkl on October 25, 2012, 08:50:27 PM
Post by: buglebuster on October 25, 2012, 09:42:05 PM
Post by: buglebuster on October 25, 2012, 10:40:06 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi38.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe131%2Fcoyotekiller3006%2Fbull.jpg&hash=ed99d523e6bb960d07ff7650bac0c1651ad1eeab)
Post by: adamR on October 26, 2012, 06:05:18 AM
Post by: rippinlips22 on October 26, 2012, 06:27:17 AM
ok here is the first one i mentioned, got permission to share.. havent asked on the other one.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi38.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe131%2Fcoyotekiller3006%2Fbull.jpg&hash=ed99d523e6bb960d07ff7650bac0c1651ad1eeab)
I know who's this is!!! Good job again...CB!
Post by: buglebuster on October 26, 2012, 06:55:22 AM
Nice bull, That doesn't look like rimrock?Pic is in their yard, not rimrock.
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 26, 2012, 09:05:55 AM
Post by: Gringo31 on October 29, 2012, 01:35:29 PM
Quote
I did meet the two guys who owned the first truck I mentioned. They are camping in a pup tent up there! Nuts! Stopped by their fire and made my own coffee before coming down.
LOL...I know that guy. He came down eventually VERY wet with his tag still in hand.
Post by: deerhuntr4885 on October 29, 2012, 07:47:38 PM
Sunday I drove the wife around town looking longingly at the blue skies and clear mountains I could see in the distance. :bash:
Today I was back up on top and checked out a few good meadows and bowls. Still NO ELK! On the bright side, I drove my quad up the ramps and into my back window! :bdid: :'(. Sat up there til dark tonight but still no elk. I think this rain and wind has them holed up in the thick timber.
Post by: huntandjeep on October 30, 2012, 04:50:05 PM
Post by: Elkrunner on October 31, 2012, 10:37:19 AM
I was up there Saturday. Drove up to the top of Divide Ridge and hiked down into a bowl and sat on it until about 1:00. It was snowing in the morning. Chained up all four to get up there but it was fun. Then the freezing rain, wind and fog set in. Built a fire overlooking the bowl but never saw an elk. :dunno:
Sunday I drove the wife around town looking longingly at the blue skies and clear mountains I could see in the distance. :bash:
Today I was back up on top and checked out a few good meadows and bowls. Still NO ELK! On the bright side, I drove my quad up the ramps and into my back window! :bdid: :'(. Sat up there til dark tonight but still no elk. I think this rain and wind has them holed up in the thick timber.
I did the same thing one time, blasted the whole window out.....never load your quad after drinking beer! One of my lessons learned.
Keep at the elk, I hunted archery season and they are in there, just back in the nasy thick blow down.