The Way West...a bowhunting journey.

[DarkeGreen]

It's AM.    

[Charlie Lamb]

The sun peeked over the eastern mountains and was greeted by the haze created by the smoke of a new fire in the Wind Rivers... we need rain or snow!
 

   

Snow? Yes folks, snow. It's entirely possible with temps averaging in the 20's every morning. This one being no exception.

We've certainly been busy the last couple of days.
Up and down the ranch, off onto public ground, and high against the base of the mountains, working plan after plan.

As all good hunters do we started with plan A and as close as I can tell we're now at plan R. That leaves us a few plans to work yet and we're sure gonna do that.

This morning Terry is off to an ambush site that has shown habitual movement over the last week.

[Charlie Lamb]

The days have been idyllic, warm but not too warm and with enough wind to spread our scent, but not enough to blow us off the mountain... which can certainly happen.

As per usual, our binoculars have stayed glued to watery eyes seaching for the perfect opportunity.
 

[Charlie Lamb]

There's been lots of "stumping" too. Sure there isn't a decent stump within miles of us, but you get the drift.
 

[Charlie Lamb]

We try to keep our shooting eyes in shape and adjusted to the misleading distances in the rarified air.
Sometimes just pausing at some pretty spot that captures our imagination and  stimulates our appreciation of the little and not so little things that we encounter daily.

A picture of good looking country without an archer in it is somehow empty, so we fill that void to satisfy some future need.

 

[el cazador]

Wow! What a story so far!  Thanks for sharing, or more like taking us along.  Great pics too, although, I haven't seen the one I'm looking for, that would be the one that followed the pic of the reddish tint arrow!  Good luck, be safe, and stay after 'em!

[Charlie Lamb]

Sometimes the available cover makes for tough stalking and mostly we stay away from those "tough" areas.
There is still a charm to the high sage and we couldn't resist a picture along this old fence line.

 

[Charlie Lamb]

With this kind of antelope hunting there is always lots of boot leather worn away and tracks laid.
But pretty country makes for a light heart and puts a bounce in your step...
 

[Huntrdfk]

This is simply an outstanding thread, thanks for taking the time to take us along Charlie!    

David

[Charlie Lamb]

The great thing about antelope hunting the way we're doing it is opportunity. Each day has given us a half dozen stalks or approaches for lack of a more descriptive term.

Often the whole thing is blown before it starts and we've found that the local goats are "skittish" to say the least. Way beyond what is normal in my experience and even to the conditioned eye of local ranchers that we visit with almost daily.

But there are exceptions.

For instance, day before yesterday we set out for a move on a very nice buck who was feeding in broken country.

He'd been spotted from a mile away so we jumped in the truck to close the distance to something reasonable.

I dropped T. off as we passed a wash which ran close to the bucks position... 200 yards. I slowed to a crawl for an instant as to not alert our quarry. As Terry slid out of the moving vehicle I speeded up and drove well past the feeding buck.

When I'd put a half mile between me and the antelope I parked to watch the show.

I'd parked by a gate into one of the ranch pastures and a herd of 30 goats down the fence line 300 yards went into hyper drive.

No looking back or nervous posturing, they went from zero to warp speed in an instant and were gone.

Looking back down the fence in the other direction I was perplexed to see a small band of does feeding along unbothered by my presense. I doubt they were more than 60 yards away. Figure that one out!

Terry's stalk ended when the feeding buck (who'd kept a wary eye peeled my way) crested the hill behind which Terry was hiding and casually fed away from him.

Late in the day we went to an old homestead site which lay in a small valley. A natural spring flowed from the rocky terrain and created a green belt down the center of the valley.

The plan was to move any antelope that might be holding there toward a fence crossing that Vance knew of.
We'd hidden Terry far below the spring and circled far above and beyond to start our drive.

We must have moved 25 head on that push, but every one of them took off AWAY from our stander. So much for best laid plans.

As Vance and I moved the truck to the spring to await dark and watch our distant partner and try to will something to happen, a nice buck appeared on the hill above us and sauntered to the spring a mere 50 yards below us. He was oblivious to th presense of the truck.... until Vance got out and tried to move on him.

We decided that it was a natural ambush spot. The homesteader's cabin, which had stood at that spot for a hundred years or better, lay within a bow shot of the spring.
It's roof had collapsed decades before leaving enough overhead to provide shade.
The walls, however, were sound, standing gray and weathered, the marks of a broad axe plainly visible on it's hand hewn walls.

After a frustrating morning in the local meadow we packed food and drink and Terry spent the afternoon waiting for his ship to come in. It didn't quite make it to the dock!

[Charlie Lamb]

Vance and I took our time to head for the high country. We'd look around for elk sign and spend the afternoon with the smell of lodgepole pine in our noses.

We were able to find the camp of Trad Ganger and local resident Nate Fikkert, where we spent an enjoyable hour or two visiting and learning of his days hunt.

Seems he and his partner Dan were feeling the effects of a tough days hunt high on the mountain.
Young and in good shape it had taken it's physical toll on the two.
I understand that! I used to climb that very mountain when I was much younger and in much much better shape.... I doubt I'll ever see that mountainside again.

We left Nate and his buddy (who held up the Trad Gang tradition of being a outgoing and friendly) with a couple of tips to secret places and a hand full of well wishes.

Vance and I checked out several "old man" spots before heading back to pick up Terry at dark.

We came across this little egg sucker on the way.
   

The striped skunk is the bane of the sage hen clan. Destroying entire nests of eggs in the spring. They also play havoc with other ground nesting birds.
They've long been on the unprotected list in this state and are typically shot on site... but there still seem to be plenty.
Their coat is gorgeous if one has the stomach for skinning them.
   

The sage hens will thank me for this... at least until the season opens in a couple of weeks when they'll have other things to worry about besides skunks.

[Charlie Lamb]

Terry's time in the homesteader cabin was eventful but failed to produce the shot opportunity that Vance and I just knew would come.
   

An hour before dark a compound commando and his crossbow toting companion appeared on the horizon riding their 4 wheeled mounts within sight of a water hole a quarter mile below Terry's hide out.

They took up positions on the pond bank where they stuck out like a sore thumb in their dark camo and with rings and watches flashing in the bright rays of the setting sun.

I'll let Terry tell a little of his adventure when he gets time.
 
We returned to camp for a hot meal and some solid sack time after a cold Tecate.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

If you're going to shoot a skunk, I'm guessing that's the place to do it...right in the head.   :eek:

[Terry Green]

Wow...what a morning....I might as well post, cause I need to sit down.

I started out early this AM before the lopes woke up and got set finally in a place the herds had been crossing, yesterday I didn't make it in time...they got there before I did. I was in the best place I thought that would walk em right by me or I could put a move on em.

Well, after watching them at a distance for 2 hours, they finally made a move in my direction....but so did four other BIG animals from the rear. I was between two thick willows with a slight opening behind me and very open in front. There was also a small willow I could see thought set out in front of me....a very natural blind I could move and shoot out of very easy.]

As the group of doe moved in, I was set to take one being the last day....any buck or doe that got in range was on the list. I heard footsteps behind me, and I dare not turn around....then stomping, very very heavy stomping, and a very deep snort. I slowly turned around and there were four horses stanging over me, and they let it be known that they were not happy with me at all. Raring up on hind legs, stomping and I'm willing to bet there's snot on the back of my camos.....

I was trying to keep an eye on them and the lopes, but more so them. Thinking they were going to charge right through that little opening and stomp a mud hole in me. So, I waived at them, ...didn't work. I took my ghillie hat off and that didn't work. I had a serious talk with them, and they just weren't listening. They came around in front of me and this one beautifull stallion just kept bluff charging me and circling back for another go.

The lopes, including a buck, had crossed the snakey creek about 150 yards in front of me and to my left, and there was enough cover for me to cross to the left of me out the back of the blind. I ducked out and crossed the creek, and the horses seemed to have settled a bit....like I'd crossed some imaginary boundry. They were settled, but still very concerned with me, so I had to keep an eye on them and the lopes now in front of me......

Charlie and Vance have lunch ready.....these guys are something else let me tell ya....and they are spoiling me rotten!!!....

[Guru]

OOHH BOY!!!!   I'm getting that feeling.......

[Randy Morin]

Thats some good stuff right there!!  I'll be back to check in later.

[Terry Green]

I got within 60 yards of the doe herd....then fifty...then a mama thought she saw something and the 20 minute Mexican stand off was on.  She looked me over from several angles as she simi circled from left to right.....until she and her group were now in front of the horses....so everyone was looking at me now.  20 minutes at mid stride trying not to blink will work on ya....specialy here where oxygen is scarce....

Finally the jig was up with them....now where was the buck?.....

[TXRED]

Yeah where?WHERE??

[kojac]

oh, come-on don't do that to us.........@#$%%$%$!!

[AZStickman]

Just had to get post 400.....  :D  Charlie, Vance, and Terry, I know how much time it takes to do a thread l;ike this.... Thanks for the effort.....     Terry