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Author Topic: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit  (Read 18327 times)

Offline Sandberm

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #75 on: October 16, 2018, 08:26:54 AM »
Thanks for sharing your hunt and congratulations on getting your bull.

Pic on page three i think, looking down at a drainage. The wife and i hiked there 5 or so years ago. Like you posted, beautiful country. The mountain really did its thing back in 80.

Offline X-Force

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #76 on: October 16, 2018, 08:58:42 AM »
After a couple photos and setting out all the gear for the task ahead, the work starts. The hill he is rested on is so steep I never have to bend over to work on him. He fell and rolled in a way where his left two legs pinned him under a cedar log. Still, with the angle of the hill I didnt feel comfortable working on him until after securing his antler to a stump.

Skinning, quartering and de-boning the first half of the elk took about 3 hours. After that it got fun for a little bit. It took a carabiner pulley system to pull the bull up and roll him over to the other side. By 1:30 all the meat was off the skeleton, quarters were hanging and I was ready for bed.

During the process I found the bullet. It worked flawlessly. Coming in high behind the left shoulder it used up all its energy and stopped on the right side of the sternum. Both lungs were toast and there was minimal meat damage. I cant thank @Sabotloader enough for the help setting up my gun, and helping me pick out my bullet/sabot combo. 

By 3 I was back to camp and cooking dinner. Exhausted, elated, and ready for a full belly and some shut eye.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #77 on: October 16, 2018, 09:17:19 AM »
Wednesday morning as soon as the sun came up my sleep was rudely interrupted. On the hill just above camp a bull kept sounding off... or a hunter. Either way every time I would nod back off he or it would sound off... or his cows would start chatting... by 8 am I couldnt sleep any longer. I half expected to get out of camp only to see a hunter or 2 up on the hill trying to call a bull on the out of the hole behind camp. But instead, there were 16 cows, a 6 pt and a satellite 4 pt about 500 yard from camp. Man it was a beautiful sight. Bulls were pushing cows, the sounds of fall roared through the canyon. The scene looked like a post card.

The colors in this area, this time of year area amazing. Purples, pinks, bright reds, greens, white rocks, I wish i could put into words what that country looks like. It really is a heavenly place.

It took some time getting back down to the kill. While en-route I was trying to formulate a plan for the rest of my trip.

Before I left on this adventure I had asked 10+ people to go and they all had work or modern season that would get in the way. So I went it alone, I figured might as well suffer alone too... (probably a really stupid idea)

Wednesdays plan was to move the meat to the trail. It was right about 2 miles and 5 trips to get 4 quarters bags, 1 loose meat bag, and head back to the trail. I like taking breaks so instead of making straight shots from kill to trail the trip was broken up into 2 stages, get the bull out of the hole and then to the trail.

It was wonderful weather, beautiful scenery everywhere, bumped elk every couple hours and bulls were sounding off throughout the day.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #78 on: October 16, 2018, 09:36:11 AM »
I forgot one of the best parts about this story. The camping situations in this area are a pain. There is designated camp spots that must be reserved. Monday I showed up to the camp site and found that with a Sawtooth my tent would be pitched with the back of the tend in the uphill position... meaning my head would be down hill... And if that wasn't bad enough the camp area is sand. The stakes go in easy enough but the they also come out easy too. Staking the tent down took some time but i felt that with the lack of wind I shouldn't be concerned with a better anchor system.

That changed about 12 O'clock at night. The wind came in and started popping stakes. To make matters worse the wind was coming from the tall side of the tent so there was more surface for the wind to grab. Running around, getting pelted by wind and rain, half awake i scoured the sand flat for rocks big enough to hold stakes down. It was freezing and miserable work. Finally the job was done and i crawled back into the sack... As i look around the tent to make sure none of the stakes are moving i see something else... The rain is coming down so hard its flowing into the tent... I have lakes forming on each side of me. I grab a piece of wood and start making a ditch behind the tent drip line to divert the rising water... More cold, wet, miserable work.

After another 20 minutes of that I pass out. Periodically, giant gusts would slam into the tent rousing me from much needed slumber... by 2 or 3 my ditches are filled with sand and i have to re excavate the perimeter.

By sun up Tuesday morning, it didnt matter what weather was like outside... it was better to face it out there then deal with the problems of being in a tent all day. 
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #79 on: October 16, 2018, 09:44:23 AM »
Wednesdays "short" day allowed me to get some much needed sleep and game plan for the rest of the week. I was getting inreach messages from home saying that my oldest daughter was fully expecting me to be there opening weekend of modern firearm. I was not going to disappoint her.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2018, 10:51:05 AM by X-Force »
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Offline X-Force

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #80 on: October 16, 2018, 09:45:37 AM »
Could mods re-orientate photos please. I dont know why they are flipping on me.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #81 on: October 16, 2018, 10:16:31 AM »
Thursdays my plan was to pack up camp and figure out what loads will go together; camp, meat and antlers. After organizing the items into units the first trip began.

The trail is great in spots, terrible in others and sometimes is just a giant pain in the butt. There are multiple slides where footing can be almost nonexistent. Some of the deadfalls are so large its a scramble to get over them. Others are so low hanging its an army crawl to get under them.

My best guess is that each load going out was roughly 80 lbs. This first load felt all of that and by the time I got to the lake i needed a meal, change of socks, foot care and some rest. During the R&R a boat trolled by and laded a couple toad trout... Man it would have been nice to bring a pole.

On the trail back to the cash i decided i wasnt going for broke with staight shots in and out. Instead i wanted to get all the meat past the chute area before dark. The antlers were especially concerning because in the chute/slide areas there was not way you could walk down the trail with the head on the frame.

1 hour was the time i gave myself to drop down out of the chutes and to "easier" areas below.

I dont know how far that section of hiking was because i was more focused on just getting the meat down and in a cool spot during the heat of the day.

The first load was lighter, the second load was a shoulder and antlers. Its amazing, even tired how much you can focus when things get sketchy. On multiple chutes I had to toe into the hill with minimal footing, large drops below and almost nothing for hand holds... Prayers were sent at almost a continuous basis.

The third load was done in the dark and by this time i plugged into an audio book. It was definitely helpful to listen to books during the pack-out portion of this adventure. Ive never done it before but it was worth it being on the trail for this long.

The forth load was a shot straight to the bottom and the lake. During the decent I tried to talk myself into walking until all the bags were lakeside but in the end a sleeping bag called my name. Crashing for a couple hours helped... but it was also discouraging seeing how many miles I still had to go.

Over 26 miles on Thursday.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #82 on: October 16, 2018, 10:48:15 AM »
During messages back and forth with my wife we decided my daughter would head to Winthrop without me. I would have to work my tail off to catch up.

Early Friday the work started. I hiked up to the loads and decided I didnt want to go through the canyon during the middle of the day. Instead, I dropped a couple hundred feet elevation and into the lower more vegetated area along the trail. There I found a stream the provided a constant cool breeze and a perfect place to stash meat during the trek out today.

Shuttling the meat down to the lower elevation took time and there were very few people on the trail. Around 2:30 the Mt. Whittier permit holder was coming down the hill and he and his partner offered to wait for me at the lake. I cannot tell you how motivating that was!

At 4:40 the last load of a quarter and antlers reached the lake. I was greeted with a couple venison pepperoni sticks and a Gatorade. We loaded up the canoe, jumped in the drift boat and putted across the lake. Looking back at the canyon and the adventure behind me, I was struck by the jagged peaks, brilliant fall colors and the unique beauty of the area. What an amazing experience.

Thank you Craig and Pete.

Friday was over 22 miles.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #83 on: October 16, 2018, 11:10:28 AM »
It took some time getting meat to the butcher, clothes washed, and gear organized. I missed opening morning of modern but I think my daughter had enough fun she forgot I missed it.

Saturday evening I arrived at camp Templeton, so named because food is the main stay at deer camp. Within a couple hours my BiL has a whitetail doe down and the kids in camp are all smiles.

Elk heart, chicken pot pie and pumpkin pie is the menu for dinner.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #84 on: October 16, 2018, 11:15:43 AM »
Sunday was a day i have been looking forward to all summer. My oldest told me she wanted to go deer hunting so today would be the day. Our goal was to fill a second whitetail antlerless permit. We hit low country, hills and of course Winthrop for some ice cream.

In the morning we had a doe and fawn come running out of the timber as we pulled onto public. They came right past the truck, jumped the highway and across to another unit and were no longer legal... I thought our day was a bust.
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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #85 on: October 16, 2018, 11:28:24 AM »
During the afternoon Saylean and his step son joined the hunt. He had a youth antlerless permit for the same area so we started covering ground.

We ran into hunters, No Trespassing signs and were getting pretty discouraged. With an hour left of shooting light we decided to hit the river bottoms and find some public land that could hold deer.

We find a spot with a couple does and make a plan. The kid and I would go after the does and once he dropped on I would have my turn.

On our approach the does bump and bound into the timber. We try and close the distance when we see something out of the corner of our eye. A deer right along the grass line looking at us!

Its a whitetail. My nephew gets a solid rest and asks me if its a buck... I pull up my binos. its obviously a buck!.... I say no no (any buck so it doesnt matter)... its a doe just focus on the vitals.

He anchors and squeezes. BOOM! the buck doesnt move... He has a difficult time reloading with the adrenaline pumping so I load and hand the rifle back to him. The buck takes one step then... BOOM! he drops. What a shot!

I grab my nephew and say its a Buck!!! you were right!!!

He is grinning ear to ear. Soon we are joined by Saylean and my daughter.

What a day. 
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Offline saylean

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #86 on: October 16, 2018, 11:33:11 AM »
Half your pics are upside bro! 😂😂 lots of work for the elk man. Glad you came back....and was successful

Offline jackelope

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #87 on: October 16, 2018, 12:29:33 PM »
Jeez I don't know what's up with your pictures. I don't have time to flip them all and I have no clue why so many of them are flipped.
 :dunno:

I'll take some time later on and flip them over if nobody else does.
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline sjhgraysage

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #88 on: October 16, 2018, 04:23:29 PM »
X Force
Great work man! You are an animal LOL!!  :tup:


Offline X-Force

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Re: Norway Pass Muzzy Permit
« Reply #89 on: October 16, 2018, 06:35:25 PM »
JBeaumont21 your inbox is full. Thanks for the pm.
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