Fires

I always get a little nervous about this time of year due to wild fires. Mid-late summer thunderstorms can create huge fires in no time, struck by lightning and fanned by high winds. This summer may be worse than some because of the long, wet spring and the ensuing high growth rates of the under story brush and weeds. I find myself checking the Forest Service fire map often during this time of year.

Thanks for checking in,
BCB

fitness hike

I went out for a hike in an effort to continue to get my legs in shape for the upcoming elk season. I headed out on a local trail into the local foothills. I had my daypack with my spotting scope, binoculars and a canteen of water. Saw a antelope doe and a peregrine falcon eating a fresh Hungarian partridge. Heard some coyotes and chuckars. All in all a good trip, my legs felt good, but I still have a long way to go...

Thanks for checking in,
BCB

Elk scouting trip 1

Wow, nothing like the first trip of the season to show me how out of shape I am!

About two months until I head up elk hunting, time to get running and loosen up the lungs, loose a few pounds and whip my legs into shape.

The high country was beautiful and absolutely chock full of bood quality browse for the elk, the micro stream where I hunt is spring fed and it stable year around... just perfect for a healthy herd of elk on "my" mountain. The long, cool spring and (so far) cool summer, it seems the stars are aligning for an awesome fall hunt. Speaking of the weather, I always check the Old farmers Almanac to get a prediction on the weather and it is predicting a hotter than average August (which bodes poorly for fire danger), but a much cooler than average September which bodes well, very well, for an active, vocal rut.

Other preliminary elk scouting trips I have been hearing about nearly all mention an abundance of calves this year, and from what I saw I'd agree! I didn't spend much time on the mountain, but I did see lots and lots of sign, so all in all I am pumped!

This is the year!
BCB

Banzai weekend trip

One of my hunting heroes, Cameron Haines, coined the term "banzai trip" in one of his Eastman's articles. That's what I am going to be doing this weekend. With my lovely and ever patient wife and tremendous son vacationing with her parents in Missouri for the week (while I am in school purgatory...) I am planning a quick hit trip to the high country to scout out my September elk hunt. I can't wait to share what I find, though I have to warn you , there won't be any pictures as I am going light and fast (and my wife has the charger and the camera I have is on it's last legs and has a nearly dead battery...)

At any rate, this'll be one of, hopefully, three trips to the area that I am planning to hunt, so it'll be fun!

EDIT: I'll be taking a night or two just backpacking into an area I really have enjoyed in the past. Saddleback Lakes, under the towering Elephant's Perch above Redfish Lake isn't an area I am going in search of elk, but rather, relaxation. Although it is climbing oriented (and thus, Elephant's Perch oriented, it gives a little taste of where I am headed)... here's a great rundown of the area.

This is the year!
BCBH