The Way West...a bowhunting journey.

[RayMO]

Curtis I must say that you realy hung tough in that weather. No more kidding from me about how cold you are going to be. You guys sure had it going on.

It seems to me that the most memorable hunts are determined by the adventure, danger, and just plan difficulty and not meat on the pole. If that is the case this one will last a life time  

[Littlefeather]

Good morning Charlie!

 
Ahhhh, I sure appreciate the cup of Joe! How about Robin, he may need a cup.
 

You're a good man. Well, this is our last day here. I'm sure going to miss you guys's company. Better get loaded for the trip home.

I'll be back with a final journal entry. CK

[Littlefeather]

JOURNAL ENTRY-day 8) The Sun greeted us with the coldest morning yet. As Robin opened the tent he revealed the bluest sky's I'd seen all week. The irony of such a beautiful day after a week of misery is almost laughable.


   I can only smile. I finally get everything packed up and I bid farewell to my friends the mountains. We'd no doubt see each other again. I understand the call of the wild from within this place much better today and I find much difficulty in parting.


 
Two hours drive and we're back at Robins. We visit with Cindy a bit and Charlie announces that he must go now to meet with other friends to hunt more. I found some jealousy in the moment but also understand that Charlie earned his lifestyle many years ago in the jungle's of other lands. I was sad but bid him farewell.
Robin drives me to the Airport Hotel in Washington via the backroads. We stop once to kill a small Rattlesnake and take pictures of the wind farms. I sadly bid Robin farewell too as I enter my hotel. We'd also see each other again, I'm quite sure. 30 minute shower tonight. The best I've ever felt. 4:00am comes early so I sleep.

JOURNAL ENTRY-day 9) I awake unrested. Homesick for Debbie and my dogs. I write these last few words as the engines humm on the wing of my plane out the right hand window. We'll be in the air in a few minutes. What a trip it's been but I couldn't be home soon enough. CK

[John Scifres]

Thanks for the stories Curtis.  Keep 'em coming Charlie.

[Tom Leemans]

I'm bettin' everyone reading along wishes they were there with you.

[IB]

Tom.........NOT EVERYONE  

[Littlefeather]

I'm going to bow out of story telling on this thread now. Charlie's been chasing elk the last few days and needs to reclaim his thread. I just want to thank Robin once again for an enormous amount of work. You're a great guy Robin! Charlie, As always, it was great to share camp with you! Here is one last pic as promised. I'd overcome my fear of heights years ago by working a job that kept me in the air. I too have overcome my fear of cold by doing something much the same.


   

            Happy hunting and good luck with your season! CK

[JC]

HA! Frame it! Great thread guys....got me missin my huntin buds and the wild places we roam.

[TexMex]

           

[IB]

         


Very Very GREAT Adventure. Glad ya got to make the hunt for us...............vance

[Chad Edgar]

[hit or miss]

Thanks for the story guys!!!  You have gotten me fired up to get out after the deer again.  I hope to have my own adventure someday with it's own stories to be told.

Scott

[Whip]

     

[Terry Green]

Thanks Guys.....great stories and pics....Yep, a couple of framers in there for sure.  

[Roughcountry]

Got me laughing again with that picture Curtis  :D  
When you get to have that kinda fun it ain't work, no thanks needed bud  

Great job tellin the tale guys, pictures were superb as always.

It's all your's Charlie, got any grouse pics?
Cindy says thanks for the pics you got of her, your her hero now  

[jcsnapshot]

Originally posted by Whip:
             

And when ya do that, I'm guessin' that the general consensus here will be ................

We won't be needin photos of that one. The story will do just fine    

[DarkeGreen]

Cool stories and pics. I enjoyed every minute of it!

[CheapShot]

I'm having to work 6 days a week right now. almost no time for hunting. Thaks so much for sharing your hunt and pictures. Really picks me up after the daily grind  

[Charlie Lamb]

Robin. Glad Cindy liked the pictures...wish I'd have taken more. Heck, if I gotta be somebodies hero, I can't think of a more lovely lady. She's certainly special and you're a lucky man. (But that will be our secret.   :D  )

[Charlie Lamb]

Well, it's starting to wind down. It's been winding down since I got back from Oregon. Soon it will be time to load the truck and head east.

It's been a fantastic time for sure with plenty of adventure and wildlife encounters. I'm sure to miss it... but for now there's still huntin to be done and more adventures to experience.

For instance... when I arrived back in Wyoming the sage hen season had just opened and I'd been looking forward to that for some time.

Chickens (as they are lovingly referred to in this country) are big birds. Big as...uh...chickens.    

Though I'd been seeing a lot over the last month or two, I knew they could be very difficult to find in the expanses of sagebrush, but I had a spot or two in mind that usually produced sightings.

So my very first night back from Oregon, I unpacked the truck and then threw my bow back in and headed for my hot spots.

You don't actually hunt sage hens at night, but they are easiest to find just before dark, when they can be found filling their crops with fine grit in gravelly areas.

I hoped that they hadn't been worked over by shotgunners and be spooky as a march hare... my luck seemed to hold.

The first bunch I got into spotted me before I spotted them and were moving slowly away, weaving in and out of the foot high sage.

Because of their size I had a Magnus I broadhead on the string and drew it fully to anchor on a huge adult that trailed the group.

The Carbonwood shaft, with yellow cap and yellow fletch, streaked through the evening air and took the bird admidships at 15 yards.

I jockeyed for another shot, but the remaining birds rocketed away...for as big as they are, they are VERY fast.

Oh well, I had a bird in hand and that was a damn site better than none at all. I pressed on looking for another flock.

I could hardly believe my luck when a few minutes later I heard a warning cluck from the nearby sage.
The light was failing fast now, but I picked out the form of a bird standing stock still 20 yards distant.
Once again I drew the heavy recurve to anchor and let the shaft fly. THWOCK!! The big Magnus connected once more and ended the days hunt. (state regs limit you to two birds a day and four in possession).

I was more than thrilled with my performance. I've done much worse.

By the time I got to my camera, the light was almost gone, but I did the best I could with the situation and got this picture...