Oct 21-25, The Elk Hunt

Wanted to post a few pictures from the elk hunt.
This year Ryan and I packed 7 horses in for week long elk hunt. Spent the week with Flint, Blake, John, Eric, and Skye and had a great time.

Monday. Packed in and set up camp. Great weather, sunny all week!

Tuesday. Finished setting up camp, scouted around a bit, and played pinochle (which is a really fun game),

Wednesday. Now we got busy. Ryan and I got into some elk and Ryan shot a nice point bull.  I took a quick shot at a rag horn but didn't knock it down. (grr) Took us most of the day with two horses to pack him out.

Thursday. Blake got a nice 5 point. Long shot, about 560 yards on a steep slope. It was pretty exciting getting the bull out.

Friday. John took a few long shots at nice bull, but couldn't get on top of him (about 700 yards).  Tracked him for a while. We even took a picture of his hoof print just to prove how big he was. We decided to leave him for next year.  That evening Ryan and I were sitting on a ridge top and looked about 3.5 miles away into some distant meadows.  I noticed the meadow started 'moving'.  There were elk everywhere.  We got soooo exited. We went back to camp and started making plans.

Saturday, Ryan and I left at 6 am with 4 horses for a 5.5 hour trip in search of those elk.   That evening, we got into them. I got a shot off at a nice bull, but once again, I missed it. Now I am ready to wrap that !@#$ gun around a tree. Lots of excuses, but bottom line is I missed it. Still looking for my 1st bull. After the miss Ryan was able to bugle with the bull for about a hour, but we were never able to see him. We got back to the horses way after dark, then took the long 5.5 hour trip back to camp.  For 5.5 hours I followed along on my horse looking at the empty pack horses in front of me.  I dreaded the thought of explaining this to the anxiously waiting elk camp crew, my brothers and uncles, the Thompsons, Stephens, and Hibbards, my own children, and many other big elk hunt fanatics.
It really was a fun hunt, hope to do it again next year, this time with a different result.  Before I do anymore hunting, that 300 WSM I have to come together, because something ain't jelling.

 At the trail head

 Along the trail

At the pass
 

 Entering camp. The last horse's pack was falling apart!

 

 Rollin' into camp

 

Ryan's nice bull

 

 

Blake's bull

I was pooped! Had 3 nice blisters to tend to.

 Beginning the long trip back to elk camp. grrr

 

  Blake's bull and we are out of there!