Coming_out_heavy.
09-07-2010, 10:24 AM
Before you read any further, let me warn you, there is no ram, no "happy ending".
This hunt was a shit show from the get go.
The plan was simple. Walk way up a series of valleys to get to a promising looking basin. We wanted to check out the area more than anything, and if we found a big ram, that would be a bonus.
On day one we re-learned some lessons. When walking in the thick bush, in the rain, in the fog, you need a compass, or GPS. You would think we would know that, but somewhere along the line we tossed that out to save weight. I normally dont get turned around, the odd sight of an adjacent peak normally keeps me on track, but with the clouds 100 feet off the ground, that didnt work so well. Long story short, day one was 5 hours of walking, in a big circle, and we got soaked without getting anywhere. One sight of a peak would have set us straight, but it wasnt possible. We decided to head to the Muncho Lake Lodge to dry out and lick our wounds. Day one... Gong show.
Day two was better for us, but not my dog. Before we took off for our second attempt, we met a young couple who had been sheep hunting. They also had a pack dog, a young Husky lookin pup, 8 months old. My lab Jake is 13 months old. That young husky decided he wanted to dry hump Jakes face. So while we were all havin a chat, I looked over and poor Jake is gettin his face worked over by this young husky and he couldnt get away. He actually wasnt even fighting that hard. I had to rescue him from the abuse. Rough start for Jake.
We found an old horse trail finally. And got into the area we wanted to check out. Whoever slashed that trail 50 years ago is the toughest man alive. We got there and set up camp. Soaked to the bone, we made a fire and started to dry out in prep for the climb on day 3. Here is Jake resting out of the rain, trying to forget what happened to him that morning.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040932.jpg
Day 3 started nice, at least the rain had stopped. Time to head up to check out this basin we were sure had rams in it. As I was getting my pack ready, and Jakes pack, my hunting partner tells me he is going to head on up the trail toward a creek, where we would meet and then pick our spot to head up the mountain. No problem.
Jake and I catch up to him 10 minutes later. He is having a drink by the creek, and as I am putting my pack down, he starts telling me how bad of an idea that Chili Maccaroni mountain house was. He starts describing the disastrous crap he just had off in the bush, and says that if that type of crap happens again, he will for sure be out of toilet paper ahead of schedule. "Thanks for the info", I tell him.
Then I happen to notice Jake is gone. "Jake!!!" I snap. At that moment my hunting partner realizes Jake has gone in the direction of his shrapnel like crap location. He tells me what he has realized. Now its all coming together as Jake comes happily bounding back to us. As he is running towards me I see a huge smear of shit all over his neck. I run away from him as Im trying to wrap my head around whats going on. My hunting partner is laughing, Im not sure what to do, so I run away. Jakes confused.
I go towards Jake to at least get his packs off before he gets shit all over them. I get my hand near the buckle at his neck area and I see the shit. Its as bad as my partner had just described. Then I smell it, and I hit the ground puking. My asshole hunting partner is laughing, Im laughing and puking at the same time, and Jake has this dumb look on his face.
Thank god we were at the creek. I yelled out, "thats your goddam shit, YOU CLEAN HIM". I dont know what we would have done if there wasnt a creek right there.....
Anyway........ we went up the hill, found our beauty basin, and did not get a ram. 30 ewes and lambs, a couple dink rams, and a very big grizzly were calling that basin home.
Here is the basin, a sheeps paradise.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040974.jpg
Jake acting like he didnt roll in shit earlier that day.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040977.jpg
Not one of our better trips, to say the least.
And yes, the GPS is back on the what to pack list....
This hunt was a shit show from the get go.
The plan was simple. Walk way up a series of valleys to get to a promising looking basin. We wanted to check out the area more than anything, and if we found a big ram, that would be a bonus.
On day one we re-learned some lessons. When walking in the thick bush, in the rain, in the fog, you need a compass, or GPS. You would think we would know that, but somewhere along the line we tossed that out to save weight. I normally dont get turned around, the odd sight of an adjacent peak normally keeps me on track, but with the clouds 100 feet off the ground, that didnt work so well. Long story short, day one was 5 hours of walking, in a big circle, and we got soaked without getting anywhere. One sight of a peak would have set us straight, but it wasnt possible. We decided to head to the Muncho Lake Lodge to dry out and lick our wounds. Day one... Gong show.
Day two was better for us, but not my dog. Before we took off for our second attempt, we met a young couple who had been sheep hunting. They also had a pack dog, a young Husky lookin pup, 8 months old. My lab Jake is 13 months old. That young husky decided he wanted to dry hump Jakes face. So while we were all havin a chat, I looked over and poor Jake is gettin his face worked over by this young husky and he couldnt get away. He actually wasnt even fighting that hard. I had to rescue him from the abuse. Rough start for Jake.
We found an old horse trail finally. And got into the area we wanted to check out. Whoever slashed that trail 50 years ago is the toughest man alive. We got there and set up camp. Soaked to the bone, we made a fire and started to dry out in prep for the climb on day 3. Here is Jake resting out of the rain, trying to forget what happened to him that morning.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040932.jpg
Day 3 started nice, at least the rain had stopped. Time to head up to check out this basin we were sure had rams in it. As I was getting my pack ready, and Jakes pack, my hunting partner tells me he is going to head on up the trail toward a creek, where we would meet and then pick our spot to head up the mountain. No problem.
Jake and I catch up to him 10 minutes later. He is having a drink by the creek, and as I am putting my pack down, he starts telling me how bad of an idea that Chili Maccaroni mountain house was. He starts describing the disastrous crap he just had off in the bush, and says that if that type of crap happens again, he will for sure be out of toilet paper ahead of schedule. "Thanks for the info", I tell him.
Then I happen to notice Jake is gone. "Jake!!!" I snap. At that moment my hunting partner realizes Jake has gone in the direction of his shrapnel like crap location. He tells me what he has realized. Now its all coming together as Jake comes happily bounding back to us. As he is running towards me I see a huge smear of shit all over his neck. I run away from him as Im trying to wrap my head around whats going on. My hunting partner is laughing, Im not sure what to do, so I run away. Jakes confused.
I go towards Jake to at least get his packs off before he gets shit all over them. I get my hand near the buckle at his neck area and I see the shit. Its as bad as my partner had just described. Then I smell it, and I hit the ground puking. My asshole hunting partner is laughing, Im laughing and puking at the same time, and Jake has this dumb look on his face.
Thank god we were at the creek. I yelled out, "thats your goddam shit, YOU CLEAN HIM". I dont know what we would have done if there wasnt a creek right there.....
Anyway........ we went up the hill, found our beauty basin, and did not get a ram. 30 ewes and lambs, a couple dink rams, and a very big grizzly were calling that basin home.
Here is the basin, a sheeps paradise.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040974.jpg
Jake acting like he didnt roll in shit earlier that day.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/Coming_out_heavy/P1040977.jpg
Not one of our better trips, to say the least.
And yes, the GPS is back on the what to pack list....