Winter storm advisory

[salmonchaser]

Catherine and I went up to set up the tent for elk season. A family obligation had us returning home late afternoon. When we started setting up the tent the area was dusty, now its covered in snow. A little worried about what I might find tomorrow morning when I get back up there. I’m going up just to do some chores and then we need to be back home again. Just over an hour from the house to camp. It was close to 80 two days ago at camp. Sunday I’ll go up for a week, try to find an elk!

 

[DrMike]

Good that you have the tent set up. I should imagine that the snow would get the elk moving. I'm certainly pulling for you to tag your elk.

 

[JD338]

Looks like a cozy camp. Get the wood burner going and it's home sweet home for a week.
Wishing you a safe and successful elk hunt!
What is your rifle and load this year SC?

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

I hate it when I'm set up in the mountains and a blizzard comes rolling in

 

[salmonchaser]

I hate it when I'm set up in the mountains and a blizzard comes rolling in

Yep, pretty much sucks. 30 degrees, 8” new snow over night and it’s very wet and heavy. Elk are moving, I’ve seen two bulls within a mile of camp so that’s good. Winter storm watch in place until 1400 hours tomorrow. Never leave camp without tire chains, shovel, chain saw and a sharp axe.

 

[salmonchaser]

Looks like a cozy camp. Get the wood burner going and it's home sweet home for a week.
Wishing you a safe and successful elk hunt!
What is your rifle and load this year SC?

JD338

Same old same old. 338 Jarrett; Nosler 250 grain Accubonds over 85gr of Rl. 26 at 2985 fps. Ive used H1000; and 7828 as well but get better accuracy by a little out of the RL 26. Might take the #1 in 275 rigby for a back up, but probably wont’. Only an hour and half from home on mountain snow. If we need a back up I can call Catherine and meet her at the end of the pavement. Catherine sent me this pic, on her way into town, about a mile from the house!

 

[JD338]

Your 338 Jarrett is some serious horse power SC.
Hope you get an opportunity to put a 250 gr AB into the chest of a nice bull.
The snow will push the elk down from the high country. Best of luck to you buddy!

JD338

 

[wvbuckbuster]

That looks like some tuff conditions but hope all works out for a successful hunt. A departed friend and I went to VA years ago for their early ML season. I suggested maybe we should take more wood for the stove (tent camping) he thought we had plenty. Was snowing when setting up tent and making camp. We joked about going to the Interstate with a sign "Will work for firewood". Had enough, was a good week. Dan.

 

[salmonchaser]

That looks like some tuff conditions but hope all works out for a successful hunt. A departed friend and I went to VA years ago for their early ML season. I suggested maybe we should take more wood for the stove (tent camping) he thought we had plenty. Was snowing when setting up tent and making camp. We joked about going to the Interstate with a sign "Will work for firewood". Had enough, was a good week. Dan.

That little pile in front of the tent is not enough, I’ll be cutting more, I’m like you I’d much rather have than not need when it comes to firewood.

 

[salmonchaser]

So the snow kept coming over the weekend, the season not set to open until Wednesday 10-26. On Tuesday we had hoped for a good scouting day even though we knew early evening rain and turned to more snow. I opened the tent to a lot more snow. One of my partners took his truck to see how bad the not maintained in over twenty years road had become, and to do a little scouting. I was organizing the tent and never lost the sound of his Dodge truck. 15 minutes later he came into the tent “ I got stuck at the corner had to shovel, but I was able to get a signal and the weather report” we’re screwed we might get a foot of snow tonight. We need to move down the mountain.
We started packing and had camp in our trucks by noon. We got stuck a couple of times and ultimately had to chain up to make it the first two miles up to the Forest service main line. Mostly down hill from there to the high way. As we neared the highway we realized the snow depth was almost as bad there as it had been 1000 feet higher. We had seen a lot of tracks and quite a few elk all crossing the road heading down country and out of the snow and our unit.
I called Catherine, Yes she would give up her week of quiet solitude under the circumstances. First time in over 50 years I was going to be hunting elk from the house and not a wall tent. Home was less than an hour away.
Opening morning found that an additional foot of snow had fallen. The truck worked hard to get us to the end of the pavement and near where we hoped to hunt. We parked in a protected spot and started getting ready to brave 20 mph wind and drifting snow. Two pickups were chaining up 100 yards from us. This is nuts I thought.
We hunted for about 21/2 hours. The snow was near knee deep, drifts were forming quickly. I was hoping we would be able to get back to the Hi-way without too much drama. I struck for a closed road and the truck, got on the radio and my partners were also ready to go. I knew a spot, isolated public ground, but with a little luck we would be able to get in there, another hour of driving though from the house. It is on a migration corridor and I figured it was going to fill up with elk givin the tracks we had seen. We hung out there the rest of the day, saw one spike, we all had spike tags, and three nice 300 class bulls and a bunch of cows.
Next morning we drove past all the snow and dropped down the pass to this lower ground. Driving up the ridge road we had elk on both sides. We saw several branch bulls and some rag horns and as the light improved we spotted spikes. By 0845 we had three down.
Mine was taken at just shy of 400 yards, not proud of the shot, he was moving away and not giving me better than a quarter away shot but through the scope it looked good. One of us wiggled and I hit him just above the knee and the 250 grain AccuBond then dove into his chest through the diaphragm wiping out lungs on the right side, exited through the brisket.
I knew I hit him good, also that I for sure had taken out a leg. His head was up, I moved to a rock pile went prone and put one more between his ears.
Pack out was less than a mile and no more than 500 foot of elevation gain. We had all three in the truck by dark and were home about 2100 hours, Catherine had dinner ready.
I might sell my wall tent.

 

[DrMike]

You persevered and it paid off for each of you. Man, the weather can make hunting a chore. When it becomes work, the rewards are that much sweeter. Good job on a tough hunt.

 

[hunter24605]

Dang, you definitely earned every ounce of that meat! Congratulations, and well done sticking it out and driving on!

 

[truck driver]

One never knows what mother nature will drop on you this time of year. Great job working through it and scoring on your Spike.

 

[salmonchaser]

Impromptu meat pole; by the time we got home it was time to eat and relax, seemed like a great fix.

 

[DrMike]

Impromptu meat pole; by the time we got home it was time to eat and relax, seemed like a great fix.

That looks to be about ideal!