Monticello weather for today:

Morning sunshine, turning to partly cloudy throughout the day.  Highs in the mid 50’s, lows tonight right at freezing!  Light breezes.

We had our meeting yesterday to decide on all the stuff for the elk hunt.  A big decision was made NOT to take the atv’s (toys).  I sure hope we don’t regret that decision.  They would have given us more flexibility and maneuverability in some of the tighter spots but on the other hand it would have caused us to split up and we don’t want that.

So, it looks like two rigs will haul two trailers down and 3 guys will sleep in each of the trailers.  That will make it nice and not crowd us up.

Another great decision is to take Trackers dining fly down for comfort from any foul weather and it will add the bit of ambiance that is always nice in a camp.  We are meeting up on Wednesday to make an addition to it which will also be a nice thing.

On past dream hunts we have used EZ-Up canopies to cover the cooking area.  This modification will put a large tarp over the cooking area without detracting from the ambiance.  Nothing like a good elk hunt to get the brain thinking about how to make things better in camp!

This hunt is adding another dimension to my thinking and I guess I should just relax a bit and not over think the whole thing.  But it’s in my nature to worry some and make sure we have all the bases covered.  The biggest thing with me is how long to plan to be down there.  The hunt goes from Saturday through the following week and ends on Sunday.  It should not take that many days to find a shooter size elk and from the information I’ve been given by the experts in that area, a bull elk can be killed any given day…will the one that shows itself be big enough?  I guess we will see when that happens.

The days between our leaving and now are going to be dragging along and just like the hunt we just finished, it will be over before we know it.  That’s how they all go.

So, the six of us are going to be on the hunt from Thursday through Sunday and then half the crew have to leave to come home.  Monday morning will see Wapiti, Soft Ball and Edjukateer heading North on Highway 191 while Tracker, Weasel and I stay to keep trying to fill that tag.  Unless of course the tag gets filled on Saturday or Sunday…then all of us will be cruising North.

The three of us have made plans out to and including Wednesday.  If the tag is still unfilled by then, we will make a command decision at that time to stay or go home.  Time will tell and no matter what, it will be a very fun hunt with good company and in country filled with ancient ruins, hieroglyphics and beautiful landscape.  Red rock country contrasted with pine covered alpine ridges, canyons filled with aspens, trailing down to low country oak and eventually into the desert that the Moab area is known for.  I can hardly wait.

18 days!

Bears Butt

Oct. 20, 2013