A week to go

Bait O' Eggs · 11-01-2002, 12:55 PM

I will be headed to Idaho in 7 days to catch a bush plane into the center of the state for some very remote buck hunting.

My hunting partner went a couple years ago and told me he passed on a dozen bucks each day until the last day, He was looking for a 30 inch buck, on the last day he took a respectable buck that allowed only enough time to get to camp before the plane came back for him. He watched a couple guys load up a pair of 30 inch plus bucks on the plane to leave as he was unloading. He told me he knew the big bucks were there and he wasnt gonna settle until he had to.

I feel like I am running out of time, I have packing to do, shopping to do, equipment inspection and repair to do. Getting panicky!!

Gods it gonna be cold in there. I was told to not expect it to get any where above freezing the entire week. I know I will be OK in the base camp on the end of the runway. Wall tent and stove are good. It is the bibwack camp I plan on carrying up the hill that is gonna be miserable. A pup tent & sleeping bag could be a long cold miserable night. The runway is about 4200 feet, and I was told the better hunting is around 7000 feet. :shocked: :shocked: The top of the hill we will be hunting is almost 9000 feet. By the time I pack my gun, bullets, binos, spotting scope, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, knife etc...... several thousand feet up a ridge I wont be in a hurry to go back to base camp to only climb the hill again the next day.

My buddy told me his boots froze the first night and he couldnt get them on the next day. Presperation from walking got the inside of his danners moist, they froze that night and he couldnt get his feet in them they were so hard. They guys he went with had to build a camp fire to warm his boots so he could get them on. He slept with his boots in his bag every night after that. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Now tell me what part of this sounded like fun in the beginning? [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

Dan Christopher · 11-01-2002, 01:00 PM

all of it man,all of it.

i cant wait to hear the storyies when you get back,,
good luck,be saif

skein · 11-01-2002, 01:13 PM

Sounds like a great trip, even with the "adventures." Hope you're in good shape. Can't wait to hear the tales. How long does the trip last? I'm writing short sentences because I'm hyperventilating. Oh man, oh man, oh man....

'Course I'm a fine one to talk. I'm headed to Long Creek tonight for my elk hunt and it's gonna be 8-12 degrees over there - but I'll have a real camp at night, not a pup tent at 9,000 feet. Brrrrr.

Good luck.

Skein

Firedog · 11-01-2002, 01:58 PM

Sounds like a good trip to me Roy. Hope you have better luck than the guys I work with. They were over for ten days middle of Oct and never saw an animal. Said the unit they were hunting needed snow in a bad way to get the animals to move through. They were hunting 20a, 26 and 27 I beleive. They did say it was awesome country. Good luck let us know all about it when you get back.

1eyed · 11-01-2002, 02:00 PM

Sounds like a blast, don't forget to take a few extra batteries if needed for the gps if your wondering all day at 7000 to 9000 feet. :shocked:

Just can't wait to hear those stories.

Myles · 11-01-2002, 02:15 PM

Suffering to have a "good time".
Hmmmmm, I'm starting to see why my wife thinks I'm nuts, and I haven't done anything quite that "fun" yet.

BRRRRR!

good luck
myles

WaterDog · 11-01-2002, 02:15 PM

Skein says:

Quote:

Hope you're in good shape.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Round is a good shape isnt it Roy?

:tongue:

Bait O' Eggs · 11-01-2002, 02:28 PM

Firedog - we will be in unit 27

Waterdog - [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

jet · 11-01-2002, 02:31 PM

Rich I am sure Roy has lost a few pounds searching for all the gear he is taking on this trip.

Actually I hunted the Wilson/Trask early Elk season this year and hunted with a guy that is 250lb and 56 years old.

We climbed hills from 750' to 2000' daily logging 10 miles each day for the first 2 days and 20 the third day ( we used my wifes pedometer). The old fart kepted right up with me and never complained. A little extra Weight does not matter for farm boys from Tillamook, it is jsut storred fuel

Have fun Big Guy.

Jet~~~

Flying Roast Beef · 11-01-2002, 02:33 PM

Wow! Have fun! Shoot straight! Do you have good binos? Oh yeah, those charcoal activated handwarmers are just warm enough to keep your boots defrosted and comfy overnight in that kind of cold. Toss one in and stuff a sock in the top. Just a thought.

Firedog · 11-01-2002, 03:20 PM

Roy, Let me know how you do up there. Would love to rub it in to the guys at the station that you went up and killed a wall hanger, in the same unit they were hunting. They actually looked into flying in and hiking out but decided against it for some reason. Good luck.

Cutter · 11-01-2002, 03:20 PM

Good Luck Roy, you didn't mention the camera, pack the camera so I have something to look at while I'm stuck at work.

Beer Waggin · 11-01-2002, 04:49 PM

I was over there three years ago. Not the same area, but kind of the same deal. Packed on with a bud who lives over there. Hiked in on a clear afternoon that soon turned cold, windy and snowy. Not a very fun situation at first. Pitched the tent in the blowing snow on top of an open ridge, cause we didn't want a tree falling on us and because we weren't exactly sure where we were at. Ended up bagging a couple of decent bucks, but nothing to hang on the wall. Even though, for my first pack in hunt, it was a blast.
I was scheduled to go elk hunting with him a couple of weeks ago on another pack in trip in Idaho, but had to cancel due to a knee surgery. Was glad though, he ended up breaking his foot two weeks before the season and had to hunt down low in a new area.
Good luck to you. Pack lite and stay warm!

Mr. Fisherman · 11-01-2002, 05:32 PM

Good luck Roy boy.

When you camp in the tent make it a cold camp without a fire if ya want a chance at the big boys.
I've used a little back pack stove to make coffe and a cup of soup to warm up but you don't want to scent up the place.

Those big bucks like rocky outcrops near or at the summit and saddle areas. They can see does and smaller deer running away in the distance and be on the alert. I used to like starting in the top in a cold camp and then hunting my way down, slowly in the morning.

Are you packing in with someone else?
Be extra cautious if you are going alone. We lost one of my cusins that way. Found him after the thaw in the spring clinging to a tree and he was no rookie.

Leave your boots on and make sure to use some powder to keep your feet dry.

Don't forget to put some mole skin in your first aid kit.

Those hand warmers are nice and they don't weigh much.

Make sure to let us know you got back safe and have a great time.

Oh yea, remember the advice on the big yellow sign with BIG black letters as you leave Idaho Falls. It reads, WARNING TO TOURIST, Do Not Laugh at the Natives.
[img]graemlins/icon_argue.gif[/img] :shocked:

[ 11-01-2002, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Fisherman ]