It’s now Sunday morning of the 2013 muzz deer hunt.  Traditionally we go out in the morning and then try and make it back around noon to break the camp and head for home.  Also, tradition usually lends itself a blow to some of the younger folks in camp on Saturday night.  The camp fire glow is not going to be had the next night (Sunday) and so for some reason there is a party atmosphere that calls for “one more drink” before retiring for the night.  This year was no exception.

The call to order for who is riding with who showed that the Rack would have Weasel, Gunner, Ian “Evening Scotch”, Conner, McKenzie and I going out in pursuit of the wiley bucks.  The ride would take us over to the old cabin and then up past the trailer house.  Those are places we didn’t get to yesterday and Weasel thinks the kids need to see them so that stories of old would make some sense to them.  Load it up and let’s get out’a here!

The morning was crisp and cold but not nearly as cold as yesterday morning.  No frost like yesterday either, but plenty cold to have us bundled up pretty good.  However, Conner and Kenzie insisted they ride in the back of the truck right from the start.

There weren’t as many deer out and about this morning as we traversed the rough road to the cabin, but the morning sun was just hitting when we arrived.  It was a beautiful day to be in the field hunting.

That old cabin has seen better days and whoever built and lived in it must have had a pretty rough go of it.  About the only thing I can see that would have been appealing to live there is the fresh spring water that flows year round just outside the door.  The area around it is sagebrush and rough roads and having never been there in the heat of the summer, I would just bet it gets down right HOT!

From here the plan is to go up past where Gunner killed his deer several years back, which is also the place Conner and I tried to push that big buck into Weasel yesterday.  Maybe we will see it again.  Then over the top and down past the old trailer.  From there it will be anyone’s guess as to where the Rack will travel.

It’s always nice to take a break from the bumping and grinding to get a snack while road hunting and this was a very welcome break.  A snack of pepperoni and crackers or jerky or some small treat like a Snickers bar, any of which are very good for the soul!  Plus the stretch is good.  Next year there will be some modifications made to the Rack.  Some kind of cushion on the rails of the Rack to soften the blows riders get when they are leaning against them and a way to stabilize the rifles during travel so the hunters don’t have to hold onto them all the time.  These will be very welcome additions and any ideas you have as to how to accomplish these things is very much needed.  Please leave comments below this posting!  Thank you!

We made it to the top of a very high hill and the scenery was magnificent.  As far as you could see were the changing colors of the leaves of the aspens, oak and buck brush, contrasted with the dark black/green of the pines.  Gunner wanted a picture of he and Evening Scotch with that scene in the background and I was sure not against taking just such a shot.

Well, the morning hunt came to an end, just like this entire hunt did and we came off the mountain in time to see the camp in a hustle with people going all over the place picking up their items and putting things away.  It is like this every year and it’s the day I really don’t like about the hunt.  It means “it’s over” for another year….but, what do you do?

I made my way to my trailer and opened up the fridge and pulled out the two packages of Sweet Breads I had brought to heat up and let these folks give them a try.  Most of us have had them before, but you never know if there is someone in camp that has never heard of them or tried them.  The eating utensils for this meal is nothing more than a toothpick!  When the call went out that the Sweet Breads were ready, here came the folks like a hive of yellow jackets to a bowl of Posole!

And when the clunking sounds of empty toothpicks hitting against the bottom of a cast iron pan was done, the pan went in for a cleaning!  Next year I need to remember to bring three bags of Sweet Breads!

Soon we had the camp all cleaned up and ready for the road, but not before we finished with the “unfinished business”.  We still had two things to do…make that “Three” things to do!

The breaking of the Beaver Sharn stand!  And as a reminder to you who forgot yours this year….Don’t forget them next year!

Who won the biggest buck contest?  And did that person take a horn off the kill jug?  We know that he consumed the mini bottle that was presented by Half Cock ED, but I think he forgot about the big bottle!  Yes!  Dry Dog won the biggest buck contest with his fine 3 point buck!  Bottoms up Dry Dog!

What a nasty thing to face at noon!  Makes me shiver just seeing this picture! (I must have been shivering when I took it because it’s not in focus).

Now for you non-alcohol drinking folks out there, YOU don’t have to drink from this bottle should you make a kill while in our camp.  We have alternate non-alcoholic drinks for you!  I just hope you like Spice V-8!

And then comes the best part of winning the biggest buck contest…the money!

There was well over $100 in that pile of cash and Dry Dog and Magpie had already decided to present it all to Black Arrows Widow, Shy Mouse as a little aid to her financial dilemma.  That is a very nice thing that you decided to do with that money Dry Dog!  Thank You!

AND that is not all!  No Grimace took the winning antlers from last years biggest buck contest and put them on one of his chain saw carved bears and that too is a prize for shooting such a fine animal!  In addition to that, Muskrat had brought a Mule Deer Foundation hat to be given to the winner as well.  Notice Dry Dog has a double hat on!

Does the fun ever stop?

NOPE!  Not yet!  We still have to hear from “TWINKIE MAN”!  Yes folks every year for as long as Twinkies are being made!

And with such a large crowd at hand, Twinkie Man needed some help handing out those delicious little Twinkie treats!  Thanks guys!

Those Twinkies may not be made by the original company, but they sure did taste good.  I don’t know about how Dry Dogs tasted after a big gulp off that nasty whiskey jug, but mine sure was tasty!  Thanks Wapiti!

And there you have it.  From Tuesday through half the day on Sunday…the life in the Willow Creek Free Trappers muzz hunt camp.  Lots of laughter and a whole lot of fun!  Now we have to wait that looooonnnngggg year until we get to do it again.

Bears Butt

Oct. 7, 2013