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DEER hunting.. MOOSIE style...

Moosie

Grand poopa
Joined
Dec 9, 2000
Messages
17,666
Location
Boise, Idaho
OK... HEre's the story. I'll add the pics in the AM. It's the longest post I think I've ever made *SMILE*

I left Frday after having a good lunch with the wife. I made it up to were the hike started and headed out. It was Early afternoon and the sun was beating down fairly good. I pulled the thick garbage bags over my lags and Crossed the river that I needed to so I can start my weekend endevour.. 1/2 way across the river my first of several lack of foresight's came to past. The Bags got cut on the rocks and started ripping. I double timed it across knowing if I slipped it was all over before it began. Fortunately I made it without falling, Unfortunately I had ripped bags and wet feet. NOT a good way to start a 6 mile hike !!!!!

I continued on with visions of big deer.....

1/2 hour down the trail stopped and changed socks. I had the pair I was wearing, and 3 other pair. another 1/2 hour down the road I did it again. I had 3 pair of wet socks hanging off my pack and I smiled as my feet were fairly dry by this time ;) (NOTE TO SELF... Do something different next time, Wet feet suck !!)

The trail in wasn't all that bad, GPS says it was only about a 500ft climb. Only 500' untill I started heading north. then the other 3,600' elevation started. My legs started burning and I thought of the 32oz and 48oz bottle water knowing I had to spare what I could. 1/2 way up I had about enough. I took my first drink and decided to chomp into a little snack I brought... Here is blunder #2.

Packing this pack I used Trailmix I made and Sealed last year. I now know that Peanuts and other snack mix go bad after awhile. :( I had relied on 4-1 gallon bags of mix/food for the 3-4 days. 90% of my food supply gone. ALL GONE !!!! Rotten to the core.

As (Pannick/pissed off) set in I grabbed a berry dessert (DEHYDRATED) that I had and Quickly pulled out the pocket rocket stove and cooked up some Grub. After scarfing it down and using 11oz of water for the ordeal my belly was full and my nerves settled. Time to venture up the hill before night fall.

I made it to the top and found a nice tree to set up camp for the hunt weekend. I still had 10 mins of light so I headed up the ridge a ways to see if I got cell reception. (YES, I opted to bring the cell phone, whats another few oz's right *SMILE*). With no luck, I headed back and layed down and fell asleep at 8:15ish with no dinner but still a full stomach.......

8:45....Snap,. Crack Swoosh.... "WHAT WAS THAT" .. HUH ?!? my eyes were fully oppened thinking I could look right through the tent. Was it a BEAR ?!?! AM I just a PANSEY ?!?! YEP, probably the latter.... "GO to sleep ya moron and stop talking to yourself".... ZZZzzzzzzzzz....

I drifted to sleep and woke every hour or so untill the 6:45 Alarm woke me. I was full of energy and hopped out getting dressed and Happy it didn't rain. It was real cool to be that far back in and able to hunt right after opening the tent door. I started heading up the ridge with little water and no food. Breakfast was a .... WELL... a piece of gum *SMILE*

The sun rose as I overlooked a nice basin. I glassed every crack and tree and only saw 2 3-point bucks and a couple of does. I heard bugleing all morning every 15 mins or so and figured some Dumb-nut was in the bottom practicing. It kind of sounded weird.. Low and behold I finally heard one that was most definately real. I glassed the canyon bottoms and finally saw the first Cow ELk. Ahhh... how they stand out in the Lush green trees and foliage of the canyon bottoms !!!!!

A 6 point elk came out and stood there Bugleing and pushing the cows around like he was the king... WELL... I guess having 15 women to do with as ya please might make you one .. eh ?!?! ;)

I moved around the mountain side hopeing to make a little 5 mile loop dropping down to get a drink of water in the creek bottom. 1/2 way around at the head of the canyon I had cell reception. GOOD thing to hear the wifes voice with the "POOL BOY" in the background (JUST KIDDING). she was really worried that I wasn't doing OK and that I might have forgotten something going SOLO and no one to bail me out. WELL, I told her of the food deal but that I still had 2 dinners and one desert still... Plenty of food ... hehee

I made the long trip sidehilling it not seeing much. Not kicking much out and sweating the whole time. I finally made the decent down to the creek. When I got there I realized it was Dry at that end. Here was #3 inm the blunders. Instead of making the 20-30 min hike down further to fill up on water, I crossed the dry ditch and made the 3000' climb back up to camp thinking I could come back the next day and fill up down a diferent finger of the ridge....

(ANYONE BORED YET ?!?!?!) :D

OK,I made it back up to camp and did a little evening glassing not far from camp. I had 24 ox of water left. NOW, if your not sure what 24ox of water is, go look at a gatorade bottle and see... NOT a freaking lot for another 2 days!!!

I made dinner and the first bite I had all day around 6ish. I used 16 oz of water and then layed down for a 1/2 hr nap. I awoke and move to my evening perch. Before I got there, I saw a band of 3 men riding horses packing 4 other horses. I figured I'd bum a swig of water or something.. HELL, Maybe even a POP !!!. The first thing they said was "WELL, Say something so the horse knows your're there..".. Uhhhhh "HELLO HORSE ? I'm here" and I shook my hand. "MY horses aren't used to seeing people up here"... GOOD GOD I thought... He's one of "THEM"... KNOWING he didn't want me in "HIS" area, I never bothered asking for water and we went on our way....

Heard the elk and saw a forked horn come accross the canyon and cross 75 yrds below and stop to my RIGHT for about 20-25 mins before night.

NIGHT came and no other deer and I went back to camp.I tried holding out but took a drink of water before I fell back asleep leaving one swig left for the AM. I slept better this night and heard bugleing again in the same canyon and his Distinctive sound. Coyotes would pipe up every hour or two, letting me know they wanted my food. LITTLE did they know......

Morning came And I was WEAK. WHAT a PUSS I thought. I need to force myself to the ridge and Glass again. I made it over and glassed for a few hours. I saw a few bucks and some does. I heard Crashing coming through I I thought It was the MOTHER SHIP !!!

WELL... A HUGE 6x6 Elk and about 8 cows come busting through. They were running for some reason and Kicked up the dust like a heard of... WELL..Heard of ELK ;) THAT was the largest ELK I've ever seen in the wide before. FAT from Base to top. Unfortunately It wasn't the Sawtooths were I'm hunting Elk.

I decided to bail off the hill so I went back to the tent and PAcked up. I had 2 choices now. After taking my final swig of drink (2 OZ.) I had to decide to bail back to the left to the Creek or make the long treck back to the truck on the Right and MAybe jump a deer... WELL, I mustered up (STUPIDITY) and went Right.....To the right that is, not the right way. afte rcomiting myself and realising there were no trees and the sun was beating down at almost 78 degrees....

I was to dry to sweat and thinking I would lick the sweat off a Hoses back jsut to get some moisture. Jsut after that I saw a big brown thing in the trail. A saddle bag !!! COOL. I picked it up and didn't even look inside till I found a tree about 10 more mins down the trail.

I opened it up and saw a 6 GAL jug of water... It feetf light, but maybe... MAybe... I opened it up and Smelt it to make sure then put the opening to my mouth !!!! Well, the 4 drops of water that hit my lips were like drinknig a gallon of water, Almost ;)

I threw the saddle bag on my backpack and headed the rest of the eway down. I ended up taking a wrong turn and hit the main river at the wrong spot. After fighting for 15 mins through THICK BRUSH, I was standing on rocks looking at a River ... A river so WET and nice.... I dumped the packs and burried my face in the water... My lips and mouth was so dry I had to come up for air and go back a 2nd time before I could actually take a drink.


WELL... I think I learned something on this trip.

#1. Bring enough water, or more gum.
#2. uhhhh Well, See #1 *SMILE*
 
Oscar you need to pay attention to the survival forum a little better :D :D
Sounds like a fun time anyway...


Now I see that you posted it here as well....:D


Delw
 
Oscar,

Good story. Pretty good learning for the first time out solo!

How did you like it? Planning more solo trips?

I think I want to investigate this concept....


Good luck!
 
What and no nice Giardia poisoning from that drink in the stream? Jeez Oscar 1 Gallon of water per person per day. Honestly!? OK all of you who think Moose should go take a survival camping class at BSU signify by saying :rolleyes: If we ever go camping together I'll bring the drinks!
 
Moosie.....
You are a CRAZY MAN! :eek: :eek:

I was just about to email you about giving me some tips on self guided backpack hunting!
Till I read this book!!!!!!!!

LETS GO BACK NEXT WEEKEND!
I'll bring the h2o. ;)
 
JB, If you're here by Friday, I know were to go :D :D

I might do it again...

Here's what I learned though, 1 Gal of water is like 7.5 Lbs of weight. WHY not fill up at a stream. The ONLY water mistake I made was not taking the time Sat to fill up. I thought I could skimp. NOW I know...

I drink out of every creek that I've been huning in. NEVER once had I had Any problems. HELL, even a gutpile sitting upsteam from ya several hundred yards won't bother ya. Sounds gross but it's true. the Only thing is COW CRAP and still water... Running water is selfpurified. BElieve what ya want, but after this long and no Problems... WELL, I believe what I want !!!

Food is no biggy. I've gone hunting 2 days without no prob. a snickers and Hiokeing .. lets go !!!!

Anyways, DAM Straight I'm going again. I twisted my Ankle yesterday and finished packing out the elk. Needless to say it's a BIT sore. I'd hate to make another 7 mile in trip and have it go OUT on me again :eek: :eek:

Anyways, LONG winded but wanted ya to experience my weekend :rolleyes:
 
WELL... HAD I been knocking the monkey around.. I would ahve scored... huh ;)

I almost left the funny part out...

I got home and MY wife wanted to feed me. I was telling her about the awsome trip and getting undressed... WHEN the shirt cam off and the belly flopped out, she said "WELL ya didn't go hungry now.. did ya..."... WTF kind of wife does that ;)
Guess It's back to the gym, them BK breakfasts are catching up to me again :(
 
Wow, Moosie wrote a book! Hey, I like those long stories, even if you didn't kill anything. Good luck next time around.

Oak
 
Moosie,

I'm with ya on all but the water.
Got a bug from water once that had me going at both ends for a couple of days before I got the right drugs to fix it.
That would truly suck miles from anywhere!

So I'll just put a purifier on my list!

Say do you make coffee? that is the most important use for water in the morning
............ in my little world that is.
 
Year old trail mix??? And you didn't try it before you left??? I like that, shows you got balls...but maybe not to many brains!!!!;)
 
Sounds like a fun trip Oscar. Can you help me find some aged trail mix? All I can find is the fresh stuff.....
 
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
LOL
If you all hunt with moosie make sure YOUR the one to make the plan's for the food & water.
Good story moosie.
Im with JB,get a water filter.

Oscar,when people talk about getting (beaver fever) you might have it's meaning mixed up-----get a water filter :D ;)
 
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