Sunday scouting

[salmonchaser]

Getting a late start. Cat said she wanted to go, still waiting. Get out to the truck, had left the tailgate down apparently
Guess I'm going for a hike with the girls, perhaps we'll pick huckleberry. Better go get some buckets!

 

[DrMike]

No doubt the exercise will benefit all. The waiting can strengthen your patience.

 

[asherbonaventure]

The two dogs look so cute sitting in the back of the truck. They must love these trips to the forest. Royaledle

 

[salmonchaser]

They are a special brace of shorthairs. They have been from Alaska to Baja California with us.

 

[salmonchaser]

We are about a mile from the open road, walk in only area on private timber co. Ground. Backs up to USFS. there are cows and calfs just 20 yards in front of Catherine. Drops off just the other side of the fence.

 

[salmonchaser]

Found a few elk this morning

 

[DrMike]

They posed for you (unalarmed, but wary).

 

[JD338]

They posed for you (unalarmed, but wary).

.... because he didn't have a rifle.

JD338

 

[salmonchaser]

Actually it was a quick draw with my camera phone. I had just pulled up to the gate, they were just out of sight watering, stepped into view and were gone. It would have been a pretty quick shot on the raghorn if it had been rifle season.

 

[salmonchaser]

Big hike today. Didn’t see any elk or Mtn. Goats but we did push a big herd of elk off the trail. Could hear them going down below and found their tracks on the trail. Pulled 10 miles with a little over 2 grand in elevation gain.

 

[Blkram]

We went on a scouting trip today.
Found some fresh elk tracks, old moose tracks, saw a few snowshoe hares and some grouse (ruffie and some blues), 11 mountain goats and a quick glimpse of a big grizzly on the highway home this evening. Raised his head out of the tall grass along the highway and then was gone! BIg head, little ears with a nice wide gap between them.
Also found and picked some high bush cranberries, huckleberries and Labrador Tea (which Susan using to make medicinal teas with).

 

[salmonchaser]

Well I’ve spent quite a bit of time in this unit the boys picked to try something new. It is going to be a tough hunt. It had contained one of the largest bug kill, pine forests in Oregon during the mid to late 80s. Then came the fires in the mid 90s. Now there are vast areas of 20 to 30 year old lodge pole pine re-growth. Sure there are critters in there but it is so thick I have to turn side ways and force my way through it.
I am seeing elk but I’m not seeing much for deer. In fact I’ve seen more wolves (3) than bucks (2). It is a relatively large unit, I’ve explored about 1/2 of it and would be hard pressed to pick a spot for opening day.
Found these elk yesterday, about 30 cows and calves but only one spike bull seen. I have not heard any bugling but the cows I’ve bumped into have been very vocal.
Bow season opens on Saturday, I guess that is today. I’ll head back down there, It’s an hour and a half from the house, Tuesday or Wednesday, see how the bow hunters are doing.

 

[salmonchaser]

Took another long, 7.5 mile hike into the North Fork of the John Day River wilderness. Got an early start because it was going to get hot. The trail I used has not been maintained in several years, did find elk tracks and sign, got in far enough I was less than 1000 feet above the river. Saw a couple of cows near the water and could hear a bull.
About 3.4 miles in I found a plaque left by some friend or relative of Orin. He must have been a hell of a man to pack 38 elk out of that canyon. About 1100 I broke out onto a rock bluff, most of the hike had been in timber, and it was hot. With 2000 feet of vertical to gain I got out of there. I pounded out of there making pretty good time and was about 100 yards from the end of the road and my truck when I found another memorial nailed to a tree at the trailhead.
I’ve found a few markers over the years, but it has been a while. Can’t think of any time I found two on the same ridge.