The Way West...a bowhunting journey.

[AZStickman]

"When yer done with that one I'll gitcha another"....        Terry

[**DONOTDELETE**]

great lines from a great movie....

[Charlie Lamb]

All right, enough movie crap. (trying not to think about bears.  :D  )

Had a good morning. Got my butt in gear and went up to check out the elk timber again.

Didn't find much in the way of fresh sign and didn't hear any bugles, chirps, farts or sneezes.

What I did find was a little pocket that needs closer inspection as I'm almost positive there is water there.

Time was running short and I need to get back in there in the next couple of days. I'd broken out of some dark timber and glassed the place I'm going back to so I was none too close.

The whole place looks pretty nice though with lots of dark timber with pockets of aspen and the odd sagebrush opening.

There wasn't a leaf or stump that was safe from my judo as I limbered up. I wanted to make sure that my open country eye worked in the closer confines and different perspective of the timber.

 

[Charlie Lamb]

I don't know how in the world I managed to leave the truck without my hat... but I did.  

I did remember to take my pack. Forty yards down the trail I became aware of just how spoiled I'd gotten with my old Bison Gear pack. Man I miss it.

What I was using did the job, but I guess a WalMart shopping bag would have done as well.
The packstraps cut into my armpits. There edges hard and much too sharp for sensitive upper arms.

A handy little pouch on the right strap seemed like a good place to keep my GPS, but when I took my first shot the pad of velcro which kept it from flopping around pulled loose with a loud ripping sound.... that ain't gonna cut it in my world.

Hope my new Bison Gear pack (an exact replica of my old one) gets here soon. If I have to do any serious trekking with my current WalMart special I'm liable to end up shooting a broadhead straight up and catch it with my forehead.

I'm not too sure just how far I walked, but when it got to be time to return to the truck I pulled out the GPS just to build trust in the thing.  

It's a different unit than what was in my pack when the whole works was stolen, but it walked my right back to the vehicle just the same.

Eventually I'll become familiar with it's slightly different format. That's really just a minor issue as it's spot on with it's directions and aquires satelites easilly even in the thick canopy of dark timber where the elk like to spend their days.  

[Charlie Lamb]

As I cruised down the mountain dark clouds were forming behind me. It didn't look like it would amount to much and so far I've proven to be right.

That's a shame since the fire danger is very high at this time and there are at least two fires burning over in the Wind Rivers to the east of me as I type.
A heavy rain would fix a lot of things right about now.

Closing the last gate behind me I headed back down into antelope country.
 

[Charlie Lamb]

This was chicken day for sure. The sage hens seemed to be everywhere. Maybe the approaching weather had something to do with it or maybe just the magical mystical forces that guide these camoflage bombers.
 

[T. Lamb]

Wow DAD sound like your having a good time up there!  Maybe when i get done with school and have money I can go on one of these trips with you, as long as you DONT get ate by that Grizzly in the canyon!!! (Its only 6 hours away right???)


P.S. Pick up the Phone and give me a call when you get a little time.

[Charlie Lamb]

I'd post a picture of the red fox that was mousing beside the road as I came back to the house.
He was very intent on what he was doing and didn't even flinch as I rumbled past.

A hundred yards down the road I turned the truck around and with camera at the ready slowly eased down toward him.

As I came to a stop he blitzed out of there, leaving me with a nice picture of the tall grass he was hunting in.... ain't that the way it goes?

I've got my game camera out on a waterhole that's being visited by a little band of antelope with a pretty nice buck as escort.

I had to drive another post to support the camera and if pics prove the spot worthy I'll set up a pop up blind there. I'll check the pics around mid day tomorrow and will share whatever I've got.

I'm getting ready to go out and check on the wind... it was blowing pretty hard a while ago.
If it has laid a little, I'll probably get out in the brush with my varmint call.

[Charlie Lamb]

Wow bud!! What a surprise. I've been thinking about you a lot these last two weeks. Hope all is going well.

Give me a shout . My new phone doesn't have your number in it and I'm not even sure it's in my notebook...I need to fix that.

[knife river]

Charlie, what do you make of the damage on the big tree your bow is leaning against (the pic where you're checking your GPS)?

[Charlie Lamb]

Good eye, Woody! I picked that photo location just because of that "damage".  Definately bear sign and I wondered if anyone would pick up on it.
You must have really picked that picture apart.  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Charlie, can we get a weather report where you are.

[Joe D]

Good stuff Charlie...glad to see you having a good time!  

[knife river]

Charlie, I don't know for sure what kind of tree that is, but I've seen whitebark pines in Montana that had a LOT of bear claw marks on them.  I think black bears climbed them, but grizzlies sure loved the nuts, too.  

I love all your pics.  Great stuff.  I just wish computers had a "scratch and sniff" option.  The smells of the big woods and high country is something I desparately miss.  Drink it in deeply and tell us all about it, Mr. Lamb!

[IB]

Wow....Good to be back and caught up on what's been HAPPIN.....Been in the dark without my "Confuzer"

Charlie won't share a Damm thing with me no more!!!!  

[RayMO]

I sure am enjoying this Charlie, thanks  

[JC]

Yep, I'm enjoying the ride too. Great pics Charlie, very pretty country.

[Littlefeather]

Hey Theo, great to see ya here!     Stop by again! CK

[beachbowhunter]

[DarkeGreen]

Good stuff, no doubt about it!