The Way West...a bowhunting journey.

[Hoodoo Arrow]

Vance and Charlie:

Melody Harding was just in the office and we looked through this entire thread.  She recognized you both right off, but she said you looked "a little different" than she remembered.  I could tell your pictures made her homesick for that country.

[Fritz Brown]

Well, Curtis.  Wingnut and company are just a few miles north of me right now and they are hunting in day time highs in the mid 50's.  All I can say is that you boys from down south should make sure and pack some warm jammies 'cause it's gonna be nippy at night out there.  

Good luck on your hunt over there in Oregon, Curtis.

Seems to be quite a few fellers heading to the pacific north west this year.  Hope you all enjoy the area and take home lots of memories for future campfires.

-Fritz

[Terry Green]

Best of luck to all.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I'm heading off to Canada tomorrow to chase moose for two weeks. Hopefully I can get internet access at the lodge, because otherwise I'm really going to miss following this story.

[Firstarrow]

I just checked in, Wow!!!  Lots of pages and smiles.

Congrats Terry.

I've been away since the 1st chasing elk. Got my first Trad big game kill on the 12th, a 3yrd shot can you say            ?

Thanks for keeping us informed and sharing your adventures. They provide a great boost during the day!

[IB]

WELL !! Just got off the phone with Lam"O" as he slides from here to Oregon.

He ask that I pass on his progress in the first stages of this adventure  

Then he was going to head off to find some STRONG BLACk  "HOT" COFFEE. and perhaps some Biscuts and Gravy, he wants to keep his calorie intake pretty high cuz it's taking so much just to stay warm outside.
 
He wants Curtis to know that the S--W ain't ALL THAT DEEP yet, but he was sure glad he has the new MUD and S--W tires on the truck, expects to use them, for the rest of the trip to Robins  :eek:  
He had to add Anti-FREEZ last night his wouldn't go low enough

Robin called also to check on Charlie's progress, and to let us know that his confuzer burnt down last night, so there won't be any news from them unless they can get cell service.

He did say that he was installing a generator on yer bike Curtis to run the letric Snowmachine suit he got for you to wear. He said you might get tired but as long as you peddled the bike you should stay warm.  

Sounds to me like everything is just A OK and every thing is pretty normal nothing very exciting happening yet.... we'll keep ya posted

[IB]

HooDoo.......... You is a LUCKY man to have that COWGIRL in your camp, She was always a TOP HAND and pretty easy on the eyes as well.

I haven't shared a top rail with her for many sleeps, is she still with Bronc? What she up to.

I read your post to Charlie his response was  "OH MY.... MELODY"

My dad and Her Dad worked together 50+ years ago
 send her a tip of my hat when ya see her again........vance

[Ted Fry]

Snow down to 5000 feet in the Cascades this morning Curtis , I can feel the elk going into heavy rut today . Should be bugling all over Oregon today, man I love fall.

[IB]

Ted ya can't say S--W and Curtis in the same post he'll lock up on us. Only way ta get him back, is in the OVEN @ 375 for 30 min. or until he's Golden around the edges      

[Littlefeather]

Awww Daaammmm! I should have kept this damn pooter shut down so I wouldn't have you guys making me go back and fourth to WalMart for more cold weather gear. I did solve most of my sleeping issues on this last trip to the store though. I invested in an electric blanket for this trip. Sure hope Robin packed some extension cords.   :confused:  

Lamb called a few minutes ago. Said he was where he was supposed to be but someone must have move Helix, Oregon to someplace else. I asked if he was lost? Lamb just said "nope", I have A Sears Repairman standing outside waiting to give me some directions.  :rolleyes:   I'm sure Charlie's map malfunctioned or something. Oh yea, he said " IT'S COLD ".    

I'll talk with you guys in about 11-12 days if I make it back from the Ice Berg by then. Be safe, hunt hard, and have a great time doing it! See yall soon! CK

[StanM]

Ontario is where my folks used to live.  I used to love heading over there for Thanksgiving weekend and a pheasant/quail hunt.

Vale is just short drive from Ontario and home to one of the best traditional bowhunters, or any kind of bowhunters for that matter, alive.  His name is Jerry Stout, he is the bowyer of Juniper Mountain Longbows.

I've been to Helix.  Before I met Robin, however.  Nice place, but I guess it could be difficult to find.  If it helps, it's on the way to Athena  :D  

I'll be stompin' the coast this weekend.  Wish I had the time head East and hunt with you boys, though.  Been a few years since I hunted Rocky Mountain Elk.  Maybe when the kids are older.  Have fun.

Stan

[TXRED]

Curtis,take care,good luck & we'll keep Texas warm for ya!  

[cjones]

Good luck guys!

[Firstarrow]

To the top waiting for more adventures...

[DarkeGreen]

"I can feel the elk going into heavy rut today."

I don't think I want to know how that works!  

[DarkeGreen]

Littlefeather,

Next trip to walmart pick up a little water pump, hot water bottle, 50' of plastic tubing, antifreeze, and a torch. If the project goes well you'll be nice and toasty.  

[IB]

Good day Brothers and Sisters of DA BOW. I guess I should hold up my part of this adventure. Wish I had something neat, exciting and BLOODY to add in here however things around here have pretty much gone south, as far as my hunting time and opportunities are concerned.

Wyoming is so considerate of the Bow Hunter, The only Archery season left open around our area is ELK, which is way cool, except that GUN season has opened for DEER and Antelope in all the Archery areas, NOT COOL. There is a very bright side to this however , I am in control of roughly 4000 acres of  Deer and Antelope habitat that becomes very popular to these critters when things get to hot  for them on public ground. Yesterday I added another 8500 acres to that which is PRIME ELK habitat with two feed grounds on that piece. It ain’t over yet for “WAY WEST”

I sure hope that the boys in OREGON are not experiencing the temperatures tat have blessed us this last week, most every morning  I have been in the TEENS with one in single digits, the day time temps have been higher 40-50.   :eek:  

We have heard not a peep from Oregon short of the last cell phone call when they were at the store getting some last min. supplies. I think Curtis was after an letric blanket and Robin and Charlie were after more extension cords.    

Odds are pretty good we got us a new type POPCYCLE,  "THE SWEATCYCLE"      

I’ll try and get some photos up of happening around these ole diggings soon.

Seems that this cold weather has brought ALL my clients out of the woodwork to catch one more fish before freeze up, I am not at all happy to have to go back to work.

Please stay tuned I will add what I know………………………………vance  

[IB]

Received a call from the Oregon Crew this afternoon. Very brief and to the point, and as suspected this will be a hunt that will take Curtis a bit to forget.

As I say it was VERY brief, bad cell service topped off with a dying battery.

About all that really came of this call  was, that they are weathered in and have been pretty much since they got to the jump off point. Some one had taken a Deer and they were going to keep trying. Then they were gone.

This got my curiosity up so I gave Mrs. Robin a call to see if she had gotten a better review of the activities. She had gotten a brief message from Robin so between the both of us we put together what we think is going on.

This is our best put together story. Fact: They have around 10-11 inches of snow on the ground where they are camped. They have not left the jump off point. Robin had hauled most of the food and supplies into the 1st and 2nd camp spots where they were going to Mt. Bike to. Fact: Bikes are OUT OF THE QUESTION in MUD and SNOW.

One of them has taken a Deer don’t know who or what it was, they must be getting short on vittles cuz we think they said they were gnawing on fresh venison.  Robin had said that Charlie really liked Fresh Baked Bread and ask if Mrs. Robin would bake up some.

Now she feels that there was a hidden message in that question and suspects that they be getting close to pulling stakes and heading for warmer ground.

They were planning to head back to Robins on Saturday so Curtis cam make an EARLY connection (3:00 AM) she thought on Sunday.        
She may be correct in her hidden message thoughts.

I said that I didn’t think they would be to cold     they have Curtis, NO Fire danger and they are in the middle of the forest. Bet ole Wing can see that fire from his side of the canyon.

[JC]

Dang....I don't know if Curtis has ever even seen snow  

[Terry Green]

Howdie Vance