Mustangs Rule
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2021
- Messages
- 761
Part Two
Except for the surprise deep hole I stepped in, it was an easy crossing, sandy bottom, slow current and wide. I scrambled out, took advantage of some cover and glassed upriver.
They were still, browsing, walking, stopping, heads going up and down.
The cover was minimal. Scattered shrubs, almost like a see through green lace. I hated the thought of it, but walking in the river along the bank, being so much lower, having some shrubs to grasp onto for balance, was the fasted unseen way to them.
I loaded the magazine, nothing in the chamber, slung my rifle over my shoulder and went overboard again into the getting faster cold water.
I was wearing classic heavy Italian hiking boots with a thick Norwegian welt, and Vibram sole. In the water, with them full of water, I felt like Frankenstein wearing a deep sea diver’s lead boots. At least my feet were supported but the hard sole was slick on hard wet rocks. Plus the current was fast and strong enough to push my feet around at each step
The race was really on, they seemed to be walking more and browsing less. Several times I thought I had a shot but the combination was just not right.
I was just fumbling along at my best. Going up stream, the river was getting narrower, deeper and with a faster current. Grabbing the base of the thickest shrubs on the bank was becoming more and more critical to keep from being swept away! The splashing water was up to my hips now. I was losing heat fast from my core and shivering badly.
Finally, there was the right opportunity on the last in line few antelope that could be seen. Except for shivering the shot was easy and a big doe antelope dropped like a stone.
I do not know what was worse. Being in the fast cold water, or being so wet in a fast cold wind.
Normally I would be gutting her out fast and out of Grizzly country quickly. Dragging her back to the easy crossing I had used and into my truck.
Nothing at all was normal now. I was feeling weak and clumsy, I had been in the river for over a half hour. I stood on the edge the bank and maybe fifty feet across a now deeper, narrower and much faster flowing river, there was a flat place, lower and out of the wind.
Just 50 feet away?
Antelope have hollow hair. Adds to their insulation. I dragged her into the river in stillest place possible. She floated well.
In my head I was trying to do some impossible flotation math as I tied my day pack and rifle on her. Nothing else for me to hang on to if the water got too deep except for her? Would she sink then. Would my gear and gun be lost!
I knew going straight across was impossible in the strong current. I would end up downstream, how far? There was what looked like a good landing place, rock free on the other side. I launched her.
She floated pretty high. When my feet slipped and needed to hang on to her, she sank more but still, was above water.
In a few seconds we were on the other side, I was unharmed except for now being totally soaked to the bone, exhausted, weak, and violently shivering
Except for the surprise deep hole I stepped in, it was an easy crossing, sandy bottom, slow current and wide. I scrambled out, took advantage of some cover and glassed upriver.
They were still, browsing, walking, stopping, heads going up and down.
The cover was minimal. Scattered shrubs, almost like a see through green lace. I hated the thought of it, but walking in the river along the bank, being so much lower, having some shrubs to grasp onto for balance, was the fasted unseen way to them.
I loaded the magazine, nothing in the chamber, slung my rifle over my shoulder and went overboard again into the getting faster cold water.
I was wearing classic heavy Italian hiking boots with a thick Norwegian welt, and Vibram sole. In the water, with them full of water, I felt like Frankenstein wearing a deep sea diver’s lead boots. At least my feet were supported but the hard sole was slick on hard wet rocks. Plus the current was fast and strong enough to push my feet around at each step
The race was really on, they seemed to be walking more and browsing less. Several times I thought I had a shot but the combination was just not right.
I was just fumbling along at my best. Going up stream, the river was getting narrower, deeper and with a faster current. Grabbing the base of the thickest shrubs on the bank was becoming more and more critical to keep from being swept away! The splashing water was up to my hips now. I was losing heat fast from my core and shivering badly.
Finally, there was the right opportunity on the last in line few antelope that could be seen. Except for shivering the shot was easy and a big doe antelope dropped like a stone.
I do not know what was worse. Being in the fast cold water, or being so wet in a fast cold wind.
Normally I would be gutting her out fast and out of Grizzly country quickly. Dragging her back to the easy crossing I had used and into my truck.
Nothing at all was normal now. I was feeling weak and clumsy, I had been in the river for over a half hour. I stood on the edge the bank and maybe fifty feet across a now deeper, narrower and much faster flowing river, there was a flat place, lower and out of the wind.
Just 50 feet away?
Antelope have hollow hair. Adds to their insulation. I dragged her into the river in stillest place possible. She floated well.
In my head I was trying to do some impossible flotation math as I tied my day pack and rifle on her. Nothing else for me to hang on to if the water got too deep except for her? Would she sink then. Would my gear and gun be lost!
I knew going straight across was impossible in the strong current. I would end up downstream, how far? There was what looked like a good landing place, rock free on the other side. I launched her.
She floated pretty high. When my feet slipped and needed to hang on to her, she sank more but still, was above water.
In a few seconds we were on the other side, I was unharmed except for now being totally soaked to the bone, exhausted, weak, and violently shivering
