DATE: 02/26/2008 20:00:48 / MOOD: Neutral

I think everyone has a Comfort Food, or a food that brings back fond memories. As I'm sitting here eating a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, it brings back some of the fondest memories of my Youth

My cousin has a Wilderness Cabin 8mi from town. It's a really nice spot beside a beautiful Lake. You can catch fish right off the Dock and the Water is wonderful to swim in. When I was young our Family would go out to the Cabin almost every other weekend all year round. In the Summer we would swim until we looked like Prunes

Spring or Fall, Summer or Winter, my cousin would bring out a loaf of Rye Bread and a Package of Cheese Slices. He would put a good layer of Ground Pepper and Garlic Powder on every Sandwich and Grill them on the Cast Iron Griddle on the propane stove. To a Hungry Youth high on Fresh Air, those Sandwiches tasted like Heaven.

Even now as an Adult, I can still get that Comforting feeling when I'm eating a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

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DATE: 02/22/2008 23:51:02 / MOOD: Neutral

Everyone has a person they look up to. For me, it was my Dad. I realize that He was just a man and only Human, but my father showed me who a man was supposed to be.

He had a way about him that few people have. He was as strong in character as He was in physical strength. I rarely ever heard him raise his voice. He would tell stories about the bad temper he had, but I very rarely seen him lose his cool.

When I was growing up, my friends used to bring their Bicycles over to my place for my dad to fix, and I never once heard him complain about it. When I got a little older He would take my brother and I Hunting for Grouse. My Dad would always give us first chance at the birds, and never got upset if we came home with nothing.

Later on when I became a Man. I decided that I wanted to try Deer hunting. After i was successful a couple times, I convinced my dad to give it a try. We had a really good time together. It didn't take long till we really looked forward to Hunting Season in the Fall. It was a time when we could spend together quietly and enjoy each others company. There was never any stress. It was a relaxing time to hunt and enjoy the world around us.

Unfortunately, in 2000 my Dad passed away from Cancer at the young age of 59. I miss him all the time, but the Times I miss him the most is when I'm hunting.

My Dad will always be My Favorite Hunting Partner

 

 

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DATE: 11/20/2448 12:03:40 / MOOD: Excited

2007 Elk Hunting

2007 was an exciting year. It was the first year I had ever went bowhunting. I've been rifle hunting successfully for deer since 1996. But I had never tried hunting with a Bow. This year I was going to make it more interesting, I was going after Elk with a 50# Bear Grizzly Recurve. My hunting partner had taken his first Elk with a Rifle in 2006.

So on the first Sunday in September we loaded up and headed down for the 2nd week of Elk Archery Season. We spent most of the day getting set up and finding a good place to pitch camp. We determined that we didn't have much chance of cutting them off in the morning as they came off the Alfalfa and Oat fields nearby, as they usually came off before light. and that our best chance was to catch them as they were headed out to the fields in the evening.

Monday morning we spent some time scouting for fresh sign, and decided where we would set up for the evening Hunt. I had found what I thought was a Nice Tree to set up in. That evening as I was sitting in my treestand, around 6:00pm, a nice Cow Elk came walking down a side trail from a direction I had not expected. This trail had her walking through a drainage and up hill towards the tree I was sitting in. Unfortunately, as she was walking up the hill, she saw me in the tree. She was at close to 15yrds away, but pointing directly at the tree, so I had no shot. She decided that whatever was in that tree wasn't supposed to be there (namely Me) and wheeled around back down the hill. I gave a couple Cow Chirps with my Reed Call. This made her Curious, so she took a wide circle around coming back toward the tree I was in. But still I had No shot. After a couple minutes of trying to determine what was going on, She had enough and wheeled around making loud Barking Noises as she went. BUSTED. Oh well, it was only the first day.

The next evening I decided to try the same area, but I moved further down the trail, figuring that I may not get busted in different location. After spending a few hours in the tree, (Waiting, Calling, Waiting, Calling, Etc.) I decided that it was getting rather late, and if I did arrow an Elk, I would have a lot harder time tracking it in the failing light. So I climbed down the tree. As I was packing up my treestand and stuff, I heard a snapping twig and the definite sound of a hoof drop. Looking up I saw the beautiful site of Antlers above the Willows. "Oh No" I was totally unprepared, My Bow was about 5' away with my arrows put away nicely in the quiver. I Rushed to Grab my Bow!! I knew that the Bull would come down the trail and be about 5yrds away from me. Atleast I was hidden by a large clump of willows at the base of the tree I had been in. As I rushed to grab my bow and get an arrow nocked and ready, I clumsily "Clicked" the arrow on the Riser.  BUSTED again. the next sound I heard was the bull crashing down the trail in the other direction. But Hey, it was only day 2 and I had been within shooting distance of 2 Elk .

Wednesday Day 3, on this morning my hunting partner and I decided we should go exploring. We found a couple very interesting drainages with fresh Elk Trails. So, we decided we would set up on 2 seperate drainages that evening. Around 3pm we got into our perspective areas. I decided to set up near this low area wher there was a very prominent Elk trail going through the middle. My Partner headed for higher ground where there was another low area He wanted to set up on. Around 4:30-5pm we heard a couple Bulls Bugling north of us. Hoping to lure them in, both started giving Cow Elk Chirps and the odd Spike Bugle. Apparently, He was more convincing than I. After a 1/2hr a Young Cow came down the trail towards my stand. She came to within 10 yrds of my tree, and stopped, and looked right up at me. The problem was she was 1/4ing towards me. Not feeling that confident about a shot like that (especially with a Recurve). I waited hoping she would make a few more steps down the trail, providing me with a shot. Unfortunately, she moved back up the trail. After checking me out at different angles (none of which provided me a shot), she decided to head through the Hazelbrush completely away from the trail.  Busted Again!!

Remember those Bugling Bulls I mentioned? Well, shortly after I had my experience with the Young Cow. One of those Bulls slowly snuck in on my partner. At first, He thought it was a moose, But then he caught the Unmistakable flash of an Ivory White tip of a Bulls Antler. This Bull was being very Wary, like He figured something wasn't right. As he was sneaking in my Partner drew his Bow. Then the Bull caught the scent trail where my partner crossed the drainage earlier. He lept back like someone smacked him in the nose. Fortunately, He didn't go far, and hung up in the willows. My Partner, still being at full draw, was starting to feel the strain. Lord willing, he was able to catch a second wind, being able to hold the bow at full draw. The Bull tentatively and slowly made his way back out of the willows into the clearing. Seeing his Opportunity my partner released the arrow from his 60# Mathews MQ1, hitting the bull at a slightly 1/4ing towards angle, at the rear of his shoulder blade. The 100gr Muzzy went through his shoulder blade, through a rib, clipping the top of one lung, and through the other lung, busting a rib as it exited out the other side. The Bull spun and ran off into the willows.

After a long search that night, we never found Bull. Fortunately the next morning we went back and found the bull very close to where we had searched the night before. Unfortunately, that day was the most miserable rainy day of the week. By the time we had the Bull out of the woods and to the Butcher shop, we were absolutely soaked to the bone, even with new Remington Remcloth outfits. I will say however I don't think any other waterproof breathable outerwear would have stood up any better. We took some friends wonderful hospitality that night and slept where it was warm and dry

< P align=left>We never seen another Elk for the rest of that week. We could hear a pack of Wolves Howling the next couple nights. We figure that all the animals were keeping a low profile because of them.

All in All it was an Awesome experience  I am now totally addicted to Bowhunting and Pray for better luck next season.

May the Lord Grant You as Great of an Experience as I had

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