Middle Outdoorsman

Out hunting for Mule deer with a muzzleloader, and I get this encounter instead.

Two different hunts coming up, back to back. Time to get busy.

So ends my 2021 Archery season. It started with some promise, and ended with a vacant valley. Too much hunting pressure, too little water, and not enough luck. That's OK, the hunting season is just beginning. We've got a long ways to go before were done for the year!

And sooo it begins! Kicking off this years hunts with a solo backpack hunt on the opening weekend of elk archery.

Another two and a half day solo backpack hunt.

Elk Archery season starts next weekend. After the sheep and cattle pooch screw of last weekend, my options on where to hunt opening day have gone from 3, to 2. So, it was time to double back and check my last two areas to make a decision on where to hunt next weekend. Song: Doubleback, ZZ tops.

Ever have a buck you were glassing from hundreds of yards away, decide to walk right by your camp?

Less photos on this camera, but same elk behavior. Trail Cam = chew toy.

Photo series of a camera I set up on a game trail leading to a pond.

This camera was either fun for the elk to play with, it had a flavor they liked, or both. In any event, it didn't stay up at the angle I had it at for very long. Ended up pointing at the ground most of the time. One photo in the series literally has a bull with the camera tree strap in his mouth. Hilarious.

Pulling trail cams and discovering an area wide FUBAR! Intro music: Cruel Summer by Ace of Base

Backpacked in to my glassing point and set up a hammock camp in the treeline away from the trail. I find it more efficient to camp where you glass when possible. I'm not so much as scouting, as gathering evidence to support my theory on Elk migrations. Also used this as an opportunity to try out a couple new pieces of equipment. DD Hammocks ultralight hammock and tarp, and Wiser Precision's quick stix system.

Why didn't i do this sooner? I never realized how much fun trail cams are. The Elk seem to think so too.

And so begins this years summer scouting season. Only this year I'll be looking for Elk and Deer, and not just Elk. This will also be the first year I'll be using trail cameras.

My ongoing theory when Elk will migrate during a given season of their life cycle. Personally, I'm going to pay a lot more attention to the phases of a moon as it relates to hunting big game. Not for gravitational effects such as as in fishing, but for the light it casts at night. More light at night translates into increased night time activity, and less activity the following morning.

Lots of gobbling, a few adrenaline dumps, and another epic fail.

Hunting for a few hours on mothers day looking for that one turkey I've got a vendetta with. The current score is: - Cagey sly Tom: 4 - Me: 0

Six days camping and four days turkey hunting. Hot tents are awesome.

A quick scouting trip for spring gobblers in three different areas.

Given the uncertain times in which we find ourselves in, I've often seen it suggested that people should "move to the middle of nowhere" and/or learn to hunt. In my opinion, It won't help you, nor will "bugging out" into the mountains. Here's why.....

Close encounter of the Odocoileus kind. So close you can hear the grass being pulled.

Just a light dayhike in December. Cold, but not much snow this year.Saw a coyote, wish I brought my rifle.

Two and a half days hunting Elk; my last big game hunt of 2020.

Hiking in the mountains lugging around a 12 pound rifle for the exercise.

A lot of walking, and stalking, the sounds of Bull Elk fighting, some footage of an elk herd, my own stupidity documented for prosperity, and a painful lesson I won't ever forget. A testament to my own stupidity, and being stuck in the OODA loop.