Elk 2012 Journals: Day 14

MORNING HUNT: Road to the Lakes
Tuesday, September 18
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After all the fun we had yesterday, we decided it would be appropriate to head back to the same location for round two.  We ran into elk again but it wasn't until later that morning, and unfortunately the scenario, while memorable, was anything but ideal.

I don't know if it is ironic, karma, or the forces of nature playing a cruel joke on me, but here is how it went down that day... 

While taking a short break from the hunt, I realized that I would need to sneak off into the woods to, well, let's just say become one with nature.  I've learned that when you hunt in a group it is a good idea to let everyone know your plans when duty calls so that a search party isn't sent your way or worse yet, they take off hunting without you.  It is just one of those things, as I'm often the token gal in the group, that I've learned to get over.  I'll even admit that I once got 6 inches from Al's face, opened my eyes as wide as I could and whispered in a very serious tone, "I have to POOH."

So, this morning I let someone from the group know which direction I was headed and quickly vanished into the woods.  Upon finding a perfect location that was my own little secret pine tree cave, I unloaded all my gear and dug a nice little hole.  Just as everything became quiet, I heard it.  A bugle!  Are you serious?  Okay, I'm sure most of you have seen the comical pictures of hunters caught with their pants down and the bull / buck staring them down from the other side of a tree, while the hunter's bow is just of reach.  That was now happening to me. I couldn't believe it.  I guess it was bound to happen one day... this was my day!  I couldn't see the bull, but I knew he was close. It was a comedy act trying to finish the deed, gather my stuff and sneak back to the guys as quickly as I could.

As I was making my way back to the guys, they were already headed my direction because they also heard the commotion.  I quickly got a short lecture on never pooping in the wrong direction.  What? Apparently, you should always go back the way you came.  Yadda Yadda.  The bull was still up there, so he wasn't spooked too bad.  As I motioned to Troy to stay away from the "danger zone," he waved me off and moved closer to the bull.  I followed.  We ended up sitting right around my pine tree cave hideout.  Uncomfortable.  I don't think that is the scent cover we were looking for.

After a several bugle exchanges, we never did draw him in, and realized the bull was on his way up the mountain to bed down for the day.  Let me tell you - I was more than happy to call it a morning and when the suggestion was made to settle in for our late morning snack before heading back to camp, I was all in!

I don't have the evening hunt documented in my journal for this night, and either I'm getting old and can't remember the details, or it truly didn't exist.  Sheesh!  Tomorrow is another day...