Endangered Grizzly Bear Photo Thread

YoungGun said:
The weight of good optics will save your legs a lot of walking. Going in solo I think gives the hunter the most questions of what to bring and what to leave. If you've got a partner, bring the biggest, brightest, spotter you can and make your partner carry the tent or some of your water. Unless of course it's smokey, then you can probably get away with the 1x sunglasses and forget the rest of your optics.
Click to expand...
Smoke was not an issue in 502 when it opened in mid-November. And added weight, if somehow magically transported to the sheep ranges, could help anchor a hunter to the windswept plateaus. Unfortunately, I never mastered magic.
 
IMPORTANCE OF BIVOUACKING:

The night before the climax of my successful 1980's hunt in area 502--many have suspected the location, but I now am willing to confirm due to revision of season dates and boundaries that resulted in inclusion of the territory that I previously hunted within today's 501, a season and area that I will likely avoid if I am blessed with miraculous physical regeneration and the ability to once again pursue Bighorn rams in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness--found me very close to a location where I had twice already been taken off my feet by wind earlier in the hunt.

On the day of the preceding misadventure, I had staggered into the lee of a boulder only to be instantly dusted like a powder sugar doughnut with the spindrift generated from fluffy layers which had previously resided under wind-shattered slabs of compacted crusty snow. The topmost and grainier portions of such slabs, icy pellets that averaged about the size of BB shot, had already pelted me to the point of frustration as the persistent and gusty wind found fractures and levered irregular slabs approaching four square feet of area into the maelstrom. There, they instantaneously disintegrated into densely-patterned, shotgun-like blasts that stung the minimal patches of skin I had to leave exposed for navigation. Even the impacts on my parka-shrouded arms and torso were wearying.

In the lee of the boulder, I doffed my pack and retrieved my wind gauge, an instrument I had owned for more than a dozen years without good cause. I held the gauge as far out into the wind stream as I could manage from the minimal shelter provided by the boulder. I watched with a mixture of concern and confirmation of my suspicion as the ball within the pitot tube would jiggle manically in the region of 35 - 40 MPH then suddenly shoot and peg itself firmly against the upper 65 MPH limit of the instrument's capacity. As a kid, I had lived with seasonal Santa Anna winds, which can sometimes exceed 100 mph; yet, I had never been literally taken off my feet. On that afternoon, I knew that I could not buck the wind and hike the miles back to my spike camp safely.

I opted to drop, probably 1500 vertical feet, to the shelter of timber. A photo of my bivouac site is posted below:
1621177549991.jpeg

TO BE CONTINUED...
 
shines@times said:
IMPORTANCE OF BIVOUACKING:

The night before the climax of my successful 1980's hunt in area 502--many have suspected the location, but I now am willing to confirm due to revision of season dates and boundaries that resulted in inclusion of the territory that I previously hunted within today's 501, a season and area that I will likely avoid if I am blessed with miraculous physical regeneration and the ability to once again pursue Bighorn rams in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness--found me very close to a location where I had twice already been taken off my feet by wind earlier in the hunt.

On the day of the preceding misadventure, I had staggered into the lee of a boulder only to be instantly dusted like a powder sugar doughnut with the spindrift generated from fluffy layers which had previously resided under wind-shattered slabs of compacted crusty snow. The topmost and grainier portions of such slabs, icy pellets that averaged about the size of BB shot, had already pelted me to the point of frustration as the persistent and gusty wind found fractures and levered irregular slabs approaching four square feet of area into the maelstrom. There, they instantaneously disintegrated into densely-patterned, shotgun-like blasts that stung the minimal patches of skin I had to leave exposed for navigation. Even the impacts on my parka-shrouded arms and torso were wearying.

In the lee of the boulder, I doffed my pack and retrieved my wind gauge, an instrument I had owned for more than a dozen years without good cause. I held the gauge as far out into the wind stream as I could manage from the minimal shelter provided by the boulder. I watched with a mixture of concern and confirmation of my suspicion as the ball within the pitot tube would jiggle manically in the region of 35 - 40 MPH then suddenly shoot and peg itself firmly against the upper 65 MPH limit of the instrument's capacity. As a kid, I had lived with seasonal Santa Anna winds, which can sometimes exceed 100 mph; yet, I had never been literally taken off my feet. On that afternoon, I knew that I could not buck the wind and hike the miles back to my spike camp safely.

I opted to drop, probably 1500 vertical feet, to the shelter of timber. A photo of my bivouac site is posted below:
View attachment 183429

TO BE CONTINUED...
Click to expand...
Sounds like late season elk hunting in SE Wyoming.
 
Nothing specific to add here but just wanted to say I have been following along for a little while and can't wait until I can go hunt in the unlimited's. Will be going to school in Bozeman in 2022 and plan to hunt every year until I can't buy a tag for 7 years! Good luck to everyone hunting this year and congrats to those harvested in the past.
 
recurveman said:
I owned the razor 11X33. Leave it in the truck for this hunt. You need something much better glass than that for hunting in the UL's. If you want the razor line then look at their bigger glass.
Click to expand...
i agree, I used the razor 11x33 in my unlimited adventure the first year and to say they left alot(if not all) to be desired would be an understatement. Go big or go home
 
Looking to follow you guys that get into the unlimiteds this yr, Was going to do some summer scouting type of vacation with Tam pre scount for next yr but a lady in a suv ended those plans my truck was gone and a tore up shoulder n elbow not cryin, could have been a lot worse but all my training came to a hault a month ago
Ill be rooting for guys on here n living vicariously through you this yr
 
Hey all,

I would first like to thank everyone who has contributed here. This thread is the single reason I decided to join HuntTalk. I have read the thread in its entirety and found loads of useful information along with some great stories.

My name is Alan and obviously I am new here. I stumbled into this thread when I went down the rabbit hole of unlimited sheep hunting in MT. A buddy and I have worked out some deals and he was silly enough to agree with helping me hunt the unlimited units (even multiple time as it will be necessary). I didn’t grow up western hunting and when I started at 26 a Rocky Mtn Bighorn tag other than in the unlimited units is probably out of the question as I was late to the point game. After much thought I have committed to this and all the pain it may bring. I’m looking forward to the adventures these units hold for us and with lots of luck maybe I can join that elite and lucky list of guys who have harvested a unlimited ram.

Thanks again to all who have contributed. I look forward to following along as a HT member this year and for those to come. I am open for any question or comments helpful or indifferent.
 
Lambchoppa said:
Hey all,

I would first like to thank everyone who has contributed here. This thread is the single reason I decided to join HuntTalk. I have read the thread in its entirety and found loads of useful information along with some great stories.

My name is Alan and obviously I am new here. I stumbled into this thread when I went down the rabbit hole of unlimited sheep hunting in MT. A buddy and I have worked out some deals and he was silly enough to agree with helping me hunt the unlimited units (even multiple time as it will be necessary). I didn’t grow up western hunting and when I started at 26 a Rocky Mtn Bighorn tag other than in the unlimited units is probably out of the question as I was late to the point game. After much thought I have committed to this and all the pain it may bring. I’m looking forward to the adventures these units hold for us and with lots of luck maybe I can join that elite and lucky list of guys who have harvested a unlimited ram.

Thanks again to all who have contributed. I look forward to following along as a HT member this year and for those to come. I am open for any question or comments helpful or indifferent.
Click to expand...
Good luck out there man. Looking like it'll be a smoky season with all the sheep in the timber by September.
 
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