The OTHER Thunder in the Rockies: Elk Stampede

As mentioned in my previous post, we ran into elk last weekend. Lots of them. And when I say "ran into elk" what I really mean is I almost freaking got ran OVER by elk. Let me first give you some context into what is a very real reality when encountering animals in the wild. Big Al has an elk stampede story that's been retold over and over while sitting around the campfire. It goes something like this...

Many years ago, Big Al was hunting the mighty wapiti solo. Somehow Al was separated from his hunting pals. My guess? He was wandering around in the woods in search of a lost poop chair. Or trying to dream up alternative ways to carry an elk off the mountain. Anyway, it doesn't really matter why he was alone. He was alone.

The fierce solo hunter found himself nestled in a grove of aspen trees. While talking sweetly to the elk in the distance (*ahem* I mean snoring) suddenly the ground began to shake. Instead of the sound echoing from storm filled skies above, this rolling thunder came from the ground below. In a moment's notice, Al fumbled to his feet and was met eyeball to eyeball with a bull elk who had a slew of reinforcements charging close behind. The elk had their revenge that day. Al's bow went flying as he was promptly thrown back down to the ground as the elk herd stampeded right over top of him.

Surviving the thunder of hoofs, Al stumbled his way back to camp covered in mud. Torn shirt. Broken bow. Everyone thought he got into a fight with another hunter, and didn't believe the story... until they saw the hoof prints on his shirt.

Disclaimer: I may have embellished the story slightly or made up some parts, but there are witnesses out there somewhere that will testify that Al had hoof prints on his shirt upon arriving back to camp. So, it must be true.

So, last weekend as I was lingering behind to snap pictures of the wildflowers blanketing the mountainside, I almost had my own elk stampede experience. I rounded the corner of a small knoll trying to catch up to the guys in front of me. The usual raised hand by the party in the lead indicated to stop. I stopped. I then heard a thunder of hoofs. The crescendo was flooding towards me. For a fleeting second, the above story flashed through my brain. Was I about to be run over? So, what did I do? I braced myself and hoped for a good camera shot.

A word of advice I was given if about to be trampled by a herd of elk:

DUCK!

Apparently, if you stand up, you will get knocked over.

If you crouch down it is more likely that you will be hurdled. Thanks.

Wild Flower Love

Every time I venture up into the mountains in the summer I am in awe of the wildflowers scattered across the hillside. It truly is breathtaking!

Last weekend I had my new Nikon camera (which I'm still learning to use). I think my husband was wondering if it was a good idea to purchase this picture taking contraption because I kept lagging behind to snap shots of the flowers in the field. I couldn't help it...

"Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Let the Scouting Begin!

This weekend marked the beginning of our 2011 Mule Deer search. We drew tags for an area that we haven't hunted before, so the initial scouting trip of the area has been completed. We are now a little more familiar with the terrain and have learned some valuable lessons.

I believe that any additional planning you can do to better your game plan before opening day will increase your odds in having a successful hunt.

Listed below are a few reasons why I would highly recommend scouting out your unit(s) before making the trek to the mountains for opening day...

1. TO FIND THE ANIMALS

I know... Duh. Right? But, some tags issued in Colorado will include several different units you can hunt. If you plan on hunting in a specific unit and haven't really done your homework, you may end up in an area that has a low population of the animal you are hunting for. There are many factors that can change up the populations in a specific area, e.g., snow run-off, drought, fire, or other non-environmental pressure factors such as, construction.

It is also a good idea to check with the local Division of Wildlife office to learn additional tid-bits that may help you. For example, one year we learned that a prescribed burn was planned near our hunting area. We tucked that piece of information away and used it to our advantage by hunting the other side of the mountain at the appropriate time.

This last weekend, we had expected to find deer in a specific location based on recommendations from previous hunters and studying google maps. We were surprised to discover that the area was more heavily populated with elk than deer. Now, I love hunting elk but unfortunately we only have a deer tag for this area. (I'll post an update later on my elk encounter from last weekend.)

2. TO PATTERN YOUR ANIMALS

When scouting animals in mountainous regions, it is best to find a high vantage point where you can scan the forest floor below. Often times, game trails are easily recognizable looking down, and the lay of the land can be easily understood. It seems obvious, right? But it does take a level of commitment to climb to the next ridge when the current lower vantage point appears good enough. Climbing a little higher can bring clarity to the terrain below and is worth the extra effort.

From your perch above, you now have a better opportunity to begin to pattern the animals in the area. As mentioned before, game trails should be noted. This last weekend, I witnessed several deer making their way along a game trail that I spied from above. So, I made a mental note of where it would be best to position myself in a grove of nearby aspen if I had the opportunity to hunt that specific spot next month.

3. TO BELIEVE THE SIGNS

When we initially drove into our area, we noted that there were an awful lot of tracks across the steep rock slides. Were these game trails? Are sheep or rams in this area? Surely not. And then eagle-eyes AKA my husband, Troy, spotted them. Those dang Muleys were making their way across this steep terrain. Look close in the above picture.

Here is another view of their dare-devil stunt:

I am NOT following that game trail, no matter who dares me to! Pass.

4. TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA

Again, this sounds obvious, but it is true and I think oftentimes hunters go in "blind" on opening morning to an area they are unfamiliar with. If you can minimize the guessing of how to get from point A to point B, the better you will be in navigating your hunt out west. If you need to change your game plan and move areas due to minimal animal movement or other environmental factors, it is best to know how to do this quickly. Otherwise, you may waste an entire afternoon or day getting to another area.

For example, see the lake in the above picture? We had attempted to drive to this lake that was marked on our map while familiarizing ourselves with the roads winding through the valley below. We somehow completely missed it! It wasn't until we hiked to the vantage point from where this picture was taken that we realized our error. (We did have an interesting discussion on who was right and who was wrong!)

So, there you have it... a few of my reasons why scouting is important. What about you? Have you learned some valuable lessons from scouting prior to hunting season? Any other words of wisdom on scouting? We are heading back up to the mountains in another week for round two, so let me know if I missed something.

Take me Hunting, Auntie Em

Watch out hunting world!

I am going to have a new partner in crime in the near future...

2nd Leg: TCR Series

The second leg of the triple crown running series has been checked off my list which means I am now officially entered for the Pikes Peak Ascent run on August 20th. Yay me! Okay - enough with the self validation.

It's amazing how little mile stones in life can bring such a sense of accomplishment. Before this year I had never run a race in my life and now I am about to embark on a race to the top of a freaking mountain. That's all good, but the true question is... what do you run for? Yes, setting goals is good. Pushing yourself to your limit is good. Having dreams is good. But I want more than just good.

Have you ever watched the movie Chariots of Fire? I love this movie. I'm sure you are envisioning runners on a beach to the theme song about now...

However, if you've really watched this movie, you know that it is about more than just running. Eric Liddell recognizes his talent for running is a gift and chooses to honor God. The best line of the movie..."I believe God made me for a purpose. But he also made me FAST. And when I run, I feel his pleasure."

I've been reminded lately of the brevity of life reality. One thing that is certain for all of us is our days are numbered. Beloved reader, please know that I'm not trying to bring you down. I probably am writing this more for myself. The finish line of life is something to run towards, but as you run, make sure that you feel God's pleasure along the way.

What does this mean? Simple - Honor God in your dreams, passions, talents. After all, where do you think these things came from? (I'm not going to go into the whole "we came from dirt" bogus thing here.) And as you honor your creator a strange thing happens, your dreams, passions, talents suddenly become a way to glorify God. The focus changes. The need for self validation fades and glorification emerges.

So, my goal is, yes, to make to the top of Pikes Peak next month, but more than that.. I want to run well. I want to feel God's pleasure.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint."

Bass Fishing!

While fishing in Wyoming last week we spent one afternoon reeling in bass. They were biting and we were having a ball! We just kept slapping on the sun screen because no one wanted to leave the honey hole.

I could pretend to be all fish knowledgeable and share the specifics like the depth we were fishing, specific bait used, water temperature, yadda yadda. But I'm not going to lie. I have no clue about those things.

You see, I grew up in the state known for it's 10,000+ lakes, but did I fish those lakes? Nope. I owned a boat that was used for... waterskiing. Fishing was an excuse to go out on the lake and go swimming.

So this day, I let my father-in-law (aka fish whisperer @WyomingDon) lead the way. All I had to do was pretty much pick out a lure I wanted to try and then cast my line. My first bass (and only one for the day) took the bait on the first cast. Wahoo!

And the rest of the afternoon I spent snapping pics of my husband reeling in fish one right after the other. He way out-fished me, but that's okay.

Here's the pics from the day on the lake...

Fishing - Wyoming Style

If you can manage to avoid getting lost amongst all the sage brush and wide open spaces, some great fishing spots can be found in Wyoming. Last week we found ourselves fishing a couple of these cowboy state lakes. The first attempt was for walleye. Apparently the walleyes were not in the mood to strike at any bait. The crowds on the lake for the 4th of July stirred up the waters and now all was quiet. Nothing was biting.

So what is one to do if trolling and casting attempts leave you with nothing but a wet line? Get out the bow and shoot carp! If you've never tried this, I would highly recommend it. We had an absolute blast! And since there was just one bow on board, it was a battle to be the one flinging arrows. We played fair, but it was fun bantering back and forth.

Now, these Wyoming carp are not the flying asian carp that leap out of the water in the wake of a boat like you may have seen on some hunting shows. The trick with these boogers is to spot them hovering near the banks in the mud / reeds. If you look closely, a fin breaking the water's surface gives away their hiding spot. Easing along the shoreline with the power of an electric motor allows you to get pretty close for a shot.

So we flung arrows for good portion of the afternoon before heading to the bass lake to finish out the day (I'll post bass pics later this week - man those are fun to catch!)

Booyah! Carp on!