Rocksteady 2019 Dear Diary

[quadrakid]

And goodluck Rocksteady,we all enjoy your hunting stories. Life in the east Kootenays,lots of opportunity.

[srupp]

Hmmmm goodluck Mike...be safe..
Steven

[HarryToolips]

Good luck Mike, hope ya post pics of the animals you harvest..

[Islandeer]

We all hunt for traditional and cultural reasons,spread that around.

[Bugle M In]

Well, that really disappoints me that a member would say that to another member.
You go Mike.
If it is legal and you have tags and you are going to "eat it all up", then go ahead.

For someone like me, I just don't consume that much game meat (even when I have it).
IT's not me as it is the rest of the family just doesn't want to eat it all that often.
Elk I drop, MD I am selective because of it.

BUT, IT"S MY CHOICE!.
And if you have tags, it's your choice, and with tags, it is LEGAL.

The reason we have game issues "is not" because of legal hunters!
So, who ever is tooting that horn about taking too much legal game, better get the F off HBC! or "smarten up"!

Sorry Mike!
Back to you and "continue your Reports"!!

[Caribou_lou]

HBC come through again.. got a pm from a member (never to be named) asking me to explain my rationale to try to get an elk a moose and 2 deer for my family and extended family (total of 10 people) since our wildlife populations are in such dire straights..

Really?

My family has been through the same. Family of 5. We harvested 3 moose in one season. One was LEH rifle and 2 were bow harvest. We heard it from numerous hunters around town. Thats too much for one family. Why do they need that much meat. My response is that meat will last a few years in the freezer, and we may not harvest 1 moose next year. Never a bad thing having 2 freezers full of wild meat! We also donate the hide when we can and all the trimmings go to the local dog and cat rescue shelter.

Good hunting this season. Hope you tag out!

[rocksteady]

An adventurous day.. hiking in to my viewpoint on the river in the dark. Get there as dawn breaks.. 30 minutes later have 13 cows and calves with a spike bull come out and feed on the willows on the sandbar.. nother cow and calf cross downstream.. upstream 3 cows.. getting good.. aint gonna swim the river though..

Look a bit further mid stream and a herd are crossing.. 14 cows/calves, 2 spikes and a raggy 4 point.. they cross and feed onto a different sandbar but i know where they are headed.. its go time..

Run upstream about 500 yards bail down the bank for a couple hundred and get in on the main trail in the thick stuff.. willow pit in front of me and i am sitting in a mature spruce type.. figure it should take an hour for the herd to graze to me.. nope..

Within 10 minutes i catch movement way back to my left.. lead cow walks by, rest of the herd following.. gets to my 10 o'clock and freezes.. think she smells me
. She is 9 yards away trying to find me.. this goes on for 20 minutes.. intense.. she finally walks away, circles around behind me with her girls. Never saw the bulls.. they were all around me for almost an hour, from 40 to 100 yards.. afraid to breathe..

Eventually they all just wandered away, into the forest then another hunter came stomping down the trail, totally oblivious.. he walked by me at 6 yards, did not know i was even there and within 3 minutes i heard the herd blowing out of there crashing through the woods..

So close... yet so far.. oh well, be back there tomorrow..

[rocksteady]

There was no bugling, cow calling, chirping.. nothing.. just a bunch of elk out for a wander..

[Bugle M In]

Well, don't need to tell you that you are in the right spot, before 1st light tomorrow and sounds like you could have some fun.
Doesn't sound like they will be far from today, if at all.

[rocksteady]

And to clarify.. far side of river is private.. near side is crown