Monday, August 18….Decided this morning I do not need a trailer battery…Get 4 solar power lights called “Luci” for inside the trailer.  Save $100 and probs with big battery issues.

The deer seemed to be off their normal patterns.  Other hunters have said the same thing.  There was a couple driving a white Ford truck that had evidence of a kill in the back of the truck, so we know of at least one buck being taken.  Our evening road hunt didn’t produce many deer but Cody did spot a very big bull elk about 300 yards above the road.

Tuesday…The weather cleared and it actually got rather warm yesterday.  B&C saw several small bucks on their morning hunt…100 yards and no closer.  When you think about it, we have seen a lot of bucks.  They were hoping to see the wounded buck and even went into the area…kicked up some deer but the brush is way to thick in there to see them.  Cody and I had a nice late morning ride on the toy…saw a doe and a fawn.  Back at camp we contested with BB guns and knife/hock throwing.  At a leftover breakfast of elk, scrambled spuds, ham, cheesy mac and a broken up burrito and 2 each eggs over medium.  Very good lunch.  Supper was rabbit chicken and then the evening hunt.  Left camp at 5.

Went down toward Crushed Canteen and saw a 2 point just 10 yards off the road.  Conner almost got a shot…a small quakie blocked the shot.  Close but o banana.  We did not see many deer…maybe 10.  Before we headed out we had a husband and wife  (Kyle and Sandal) pull into camp on a 4 wheeler.  Both with deer and elk tags.  She has the LE tag.  She was excited to hear of the big bull we saw last night.  He has trail cameras and a stand up the canyon behind camp…they went up there for their evening hunt.  After dark they came to our camp to tell us about their hunt.  From her tree stand she saw a herd of cow elk down the canyon.  No shooter bucks or bulls.  He hiked to the top and checked his trail cams.  No good animals.  Their camp is below Bug Lake.  Nice couple.  She is pretty sure she knows Jess Richards from high school.

This morning it’s over cast and warm..50 outside..wind still, smells like rain.  Pretty sunrise.

Side note:  I have always thought it foolish for bow hunters to road hunt but after having 3 different opportunities I can see why they do it.  I could get into this hunt.  Bow hunters all must have a lot of fo-fer-a as they have most of the day to sit around in camp.  They day before I braided a nylon rope and made a strap for Cody’s binocs.  Yesterday I carved a hawk handle (it broke by days end) ..pine.  Today we have to go to town for gas, ice, beer.  Will it rain??

Last day:  Wednesday, we leave when B&C get back from morning hunt, yesterday B&C saw one buck in am, no chance for a shot.  The deer were off normal habits..clouds…dropping barometer…something had them off.  The high only got to 64…a slight rain early pm…on way to town we came across stranded guys…broken truck…we took them to their camp when we came back from town.  They have a LE elk tag and deer tags…they shared secrets and told us of water hole with small bucks coming each night.  We went and saw the ground blind they had built.  In appreciation for helping them they gave us elk sausage which we cooked some with our breakfast supper…YUMMY…1/2 elk, 1/2 ground pork and season pack from Ridleys in Hyrum.

Another camp filled with LE elk hunters told us about bucks coming to  JB Pond.  We took our evening drive, seen 10 or so deer and made it to JB just before dark…2 small bucks were on the hill above the pond.  B&C hid and waited..Cody and I went down the road and parked…the bucks got close to the pond but not close enough for a shot…it got dark.

This morning B&C are going to drive back and forth through area where most of the bucks have been seen.  I’ll get camp ready for the trip home.  Today is our 7th day without a shower…I’m sure we smell bad!  It’s been a wonderful trip.  Seen loads of wildlife…deer, elk, squirrels, chipmunks, porcupine, birds (no grouse), heard lots of coyotes.  The guys we helped said they have bear on their trail cameras.  This place is wilder than you might think.  The two boys have had a great time…no bickering…just fun.  Cody is a hoot with all his grown up thoughts and young ideas about how the hunting would work.  He doesn’t miss anything in a conversation and is quick to repeat it later.

B kept track of his truck gas consumption and gets just under 7 mpg and goes 7 mph…at $4/gal. it costs about $40/day to drive it around.  Keep that in mind if you plan to ride in “The Rack” during the muzz hunt, it ain’t cheap.

At all my camping or traveling excursions, I keep a running list of things that need fixing or modifying or investigating.  Things that didn’t quite work out or whatever.  This trip’s list looks like this:  Problem with camp grill right side shutoff valve.  Need a pad of paper in the trailer (this note is written on back of our planning notes), put a magic marker in trailer, replace trailer main battery with 4 or more “Luci” lights, fix pilot light under stove lid, put stick pins in trailer, add paper towel dispenser just inside entry door, need an extra battery for my camera, investigate storage over fridge, bring 3 rolls of paper towels on camp outs, clamp hose on trailer gas tank.

I brought pickled eggs that I made back in June and even though they taste really good, my body couldn’t handle them.  It was queedup time within an hour of eating one.  I suppose if you had a constipation problem, they could be a remedy, but I think it best to leave them home on future hunts.

I didn’t mention it earlier, but B forgot his sleeping bag and has been sleeping under a single blanket this whole hunt.  We are fortunate that it has been relatively warm.

On this our last day of the hunt, the morning hunt wasn’t great.  Only a few does spotted.  B & C stayed out until about 10..no bucks, meanwhile I saw a buck and a doe from camp.

We got things cleaned up and spent about 30 minutes talking with the guys we helped out yesterday.  They hiked up behind our camp and nearly to the top…no elk sign and only one deer.  When they left, we finihsed loading things up and got ready to go.  We made a sandwich and ate it before pulling out of camp…1130…we slowly went down the road hoping to see a buck.  Just across from the spring on the hill, B spotted a doe laying under a pine and then way down by Hamburger Hill we saw six more deer, one being a good little buck…not sure on the number of points.  It was out in the alfalfa and no way to shoot.  In that same place two camps were coming out of Old Canyon, the second rig was pulling a 2 horse trailer…he blew a tire and we ended up taking him to meet his buddy waiting at the main road in Randolph…Home by 3.

So, there you have it in a nut shell.  For the muzz hunt it looks like there will be plenty of action for the shooters and make sure you bring lots of dollars for the Boobin Baby Board!

Bears Butt

August 21, 2014

Edited August 25, 2014