Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:06:49 PM
I was laid off from my work in Oregon on September 30th, and made the push back to my parent's abode in Central Washington in an attempt to see the first few days of morning light out hunting moose. (For those of you that don't know... after 20 years of applications, I drew my once in a lifetime moose tag in the East Okanogan/Kettle Range... story: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,161954.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,161954.0.html) )
Long story short for those of you who don't want to read about it, I couldn't tape my trigger finger to my palm and shot a moose October 3rd... right before our elk hunt was supposed to start! My parents came and helped me wrangle the ridiculously large, magnificent animal and we all ended up burning a few days off the beginning of our elk season.
We were fortunate to draw this tag this year in particular... the elk were rutting late. The first evening my parents were able to hunt, they heard nothing shy of one hundred bugles from two to three bulls along the steep, rocky canyon walls. Joining late due to moose-related chores (making sure my cape went to a good home and coordinating meat cutting efforts) I was excited to experience what the next morning had in store.
Thirty minutes into the morning light, I was sneaking through a small meadow, chirping on my diaphragm call when we received a surround-sound bugle concert. I crouched, nestled against a small evergreen unsure as to whether I should get my camera or my muzzleloader ready. Tines glistened through the timber-rich hillside as my excitement mounted... a few more chirps produced two smaller satellite bulls at less than 50 yards... a young 6 point, an odd-ball 4x3 with no eyeguards, along with a young and curious yearling bull with no headgear who lingered at 80 yards. The two herd bulls still bellowed in the distance, as I snapped some photos of my close companions, playing with them in the warm morning air. They finally had enough and took off towards the rocky hillside, and my father (who unbeknownst to me had been off my left shoulder) and I met up to discuss further tactics.
(https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10672403_10103475962639908_735779178204205811_n.jpg?oh=dbdd86072c396b070acaad4ba53e8499&oe=54AF3630)
(https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/l/t1.0-9/10675582_10103475962575038_6615641190001781685_n.jpg?oh=be96e50daf8a7ccade42804a942b2581&oe=54C81732)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10590508_10103475962570048_7813596613099273572_n.jpg?oh=f0327566e8c67e5c296931828050a038&oe=54BDFD37&__gda__=1425189153_9d9cfbb624d3daf1428e0936c53ebf4d)
Look at that fella's right antler!!
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:07:33 PM
Tree Violence!
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:09:47 PM
(https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10647146_10103475963019148_4535282757485029467_n.jpg?oh=cfe219a149d82c487aa5ad3492b77d71&oe=54ACA037)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10703781_10103475963064058_8398433066281046596_n.jpg?oh=5e125ef247594df8711e664106f19518&oe=54F6DA05&__gda__=1421123962_2dfb143ab67cdacddc36b3424c742969)
(https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/l/t1.0-9/10659355_10103475963273638_4854487213749729289_n.jpg?oh=8a5ee17d73be608b33aede1f720607a5&oe=54ADE5B9)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10644402_10103475963473238_2274385264309534882_n.jpg?oh=f1dd7753d474232e76e7bddb42b47cfe&oe=54C1640F&__gda__=1425361634_2462c0a561623001e06cce1c177d749b)
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:10:51 PM
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10358866_10103475964131918_5601156198197097446_n.jpg?oh=29a4da8a3a3d855956ed24c2791e7459&oe=54C8BF44&__gda__=1422417648_f3b71a7de4e674495ff4060f28077840)
Life after tree-death...
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:12:45 PM
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10672063_10103475964521138_6163165102097688213_n.jpg?oh=115a59a3bad852abeb4264aa3a7d21f2&oe=54F2B5FA&__gda__=1421573039_0d46ab8d03e7bdda2b13c63733294505)
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:14:50 PM
Even though the weather was EXTREMELY warm, the snowshoes are starting to trend towards their winter fashion.
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:17:01 PM
(https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10628265_10103475964561058_2685616992301643134_n.jpg?oh=f265a00ea4a20b769b082652c9ae388f&oe=54F464B0)
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:20:53 PM
This day was my 10 bull day... this fella was actually actively bugling at 1PM and coming into my call...
Shortly after he busted me, five small three points (none with eyeguards... all looked more crown-structured which I found kind of interesting) came in to look for love, too.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1960115_10103475964905368_4953842747492016413_n.jpg?oh=b5091efda0b01abfa56d04002acbc2c5&oe=54BDA7EF&__gda__=1422437509_ed4c8563fee3f145172b7a8a7dde9dec)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10609529_10103475965065048_4140547991135342445_n.jpg?oh=f767c6863fba9df09cbd61e92834797f&oe=54C97984&__gda__=1425541522_fde28c4e11029e9c3aade8b7c20481f9)
Post by: jrebel on October 12, 2014, 02:23:41 PM
You are a great asset to this forum and to the hunting community. Keep it coming, I love reading it. :tup:
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:30:28 PM
Because it had been so hot, we made the group decision to drive the few hours back home to hang, clean, and get the beautiful cow into a cooler environment. We got back home at roughly 8 PM to a balmy 83 degrees! The animal hang and cooled nicely overnight, and we were back for the evening hunt with little to report. With my mother's contribution to our freezers, the pressure was off and anything else we were able to harvest was simply a huge blessing, as we share a lot of our meat with friends and folks that have not been as fortunate as us, both hunting and financially.
The next morning yielded elk in the middle of our skid road as we were driving into our usual spot, but... they were on the road and there was no way to ethically/legally shoot at them. They scrambled up the steep hillside followed clumsily by me. :) My father chose a different tactic, and took a small skid road downslope and ended up in more animals, just barely shooting over the back of a healthy cow. The rest of the day was pretty slow with the exception of bumping a small herd with a bugling bull with too little light left in the day to shoot. We'd have to try again tomorrow.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10613060_10103475963812558_1648406258563607287_n.jpg?oh=67333dd4d3092666613ac394dcb98275&oe=54F8E754&__gda__=1422403841_66cc13498b6d19725e7ef96194c60b16)
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:33:34 PM
(Had to delay putting this photo in because I had to get permission from my mother to post her) :)
She said I could post it as long as I thought it was an OK photo... OF COURSE it is OK! This is a perfect example of where I get my hunting prowess from. She's my hero.
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:38:09 PM
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1625603_10103475963538108_4613107769366234217_n.jpg?oh=d526174c95373655b3e40a3a3d1c338d&oe=54F58312&__gda__=1421210488_19fc665436fd4adeaea46ef064670319)
(https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10689574_10103475963992198_8134872976092027535_n.jpg?oh=96b4648aecff272c0b555bdab7fc5953&oe=54B1DB4E)
We were up there for the Lunar eclipse, but a small veil of clouds prevented us from seeing it, even though my mother's phone hummed After Midnight by Eric Claptin to wake us up to see it... the moon the night prior was just beautiful, however.
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:48:46 PM
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 02:53:05 PM
The bull slowed, and paused below my father, roughly 20 feet away as he started feeding and relaxed into normal activities. This beautiful 8x7 is in my dad's top 5 he has seen in this state, and the thing was RIGHT there for roughly 30 minutes. Finally, the bull took his leave down the streambed and out of sight. That was the second to last elk my father got to see for the season, as he and my mother took a drive and spotted another nice bull sans-cows while I snuck through our meadows and hillside haunts from the last few days with no success. We met back up at roughly noon, and broke down camp. It was now up to the women of the household to finish out the hunt!
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on October 12, 2014, 02:55:52 PM
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 03:04:26 PM
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 03:08:22 PM
"Hunting!", we said while smiling. We were met with a frown. "For what? What season?" We explained, and a slow smile crossed the long-haired gentleman's face.. "OH! Me too. Been seeing them, haven't gotten one."
After a few moments and a marriage proposal, the truck pulled forward and we were back on our way. :chuckle:
Post by: SniperDanWA on October 12, 2014, 03:15:52 PM
Post by: hirshey on October 12, 2014, 03:23:10 PM
It was a great season, and I'm so lucky that my mom got an animal and took the pressure off so that I could just... be. And take photos. And enjoy taking my gun for a walk in the woods. And have a good, humbling experience to remind me to first and foremost trust my sights, and to continue to strive to be a better markswoman and huntress.
Three tags, one elk. We are thrilled, and feel so lucky to have had such a fun, exciting season.
Most of all, it was so wonderful to spend that time with my mother and father... I am so fortunate to get that kind of opportunity time and again. :)
Now, on to the remainder of the general deer rifle season!
Post by: chucker on October 12, 2014, 04:21:02 PM
Post by: Mfowl on October 12, 2014, 06:49:26 PM
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Post by: elkoholic1 on October 13, 2014, 02:18:31 PM
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Post by: bowhunterforever on October 14, 2014, 02:11:18 AM
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Post by: Hornseeker on October 14, 2014, 08:31:38 AM