Rubberfist
08-06-2011, 02:22 PM
Both my hunting partner and I had barrels full of excuses for being so woefully underprepared for a Stone's hunt...despite the fact that we had been talking (note the emphasis) about preparing for our 2011 sheep hunt as we were driving back from our last 2010 sheep hunt.
Two days before we were supposed to leave, I was telling myself that if my partner hadn't booked time off of work, I would have cancelled - work pressure and lack of preparation had been gnawing at my guts.
Despite the fact that I had promised myself that I would be be walking in with a pack weight of no more than 60 pounds, I was at 68 before water. Despite the fact that I had promised myself that I would be flinging arrows at least every other day for a month prior to the trip, I had actually only had five range sessions...since 2010. Despite the fact that I had promised myself to be leaner, meaner, stronger and faster than I was for the 2010 season, I had jogged less, been completely absent from the gym, and actually packed on a couple more pounds of uselessness.
We were two hours late getting out of town as we remembered little last minute details such as: game bags, new batteries for pretty much everything, making sure the SPOT transmitter subscription was active, broadheads for arrows...
While my pack was somewhat organized, my hunting partner had resorted to throwing a few totes and bags of assorted stuff into the truck, which he would carefully analyze, sort and stuff into his pack during the 12+ hour drive that would ensue.
Arriving at our destination in the early morning hours, after a very refreshing nap in the luxurious confines of the Hotel Pickup Truck, located in the Kitwanga parking lot, we were still sorting out our gear:
"Hey, do you think I need three flashlights?"
"Um...have you seen my pack cover?"
"Are you really going to bring that heavy-ass book with you?" (I did)
"Why the f*ck did I pack 4 Jetboil cannisters for only seven days?"
"Are you really going to bring your portable make-up studio (glycomed, chapstick, Q-tips and assorted other toiletries) up there Princess?" (I did)
"Did you remember toilet paper?" "I thought you had some!" "No, those were game bags..."
"Sh*t...where is my f*cking toothbrush!?!?!" (thank you Tina)
Finally, figuring that if we had forgotten it then we didn't really need it, we headed-off for the most ill-prepared backpack hunt I've had to date.
However my hunting partner, ever the optimist, countered my worries: "See, we're poorly prepared...we're going to kick ass."
Hiking in on the July 30th, we reached our desired base and planned to spend the 31st scouting. I had predicted that the weather would be somewhere between crappy and sh*tty with a 90% chance of "give us a break!". And I was right: rain, sleet, hail, snow, wind, fog and no rams. Well, there may have been rams, if you could see through the pea soup that limited visibility to about 50 yards.
Waking up with first light on opening day, the weather looked slightly overcast, but relatively clear. We resolved that we would make the most of any decent weather and just flat out giv'r.
There were highs and lows during the first day. We spotted rams fairly early on and I ruined a beautiful stalk by choking on a 60 yard shot. After I was finished inventing new swear words and kicking myself for not shooting enough before the season, Mr. Optimism chimed in: "Your arrow didn't like that one...it was too small. You'll get a bigger one today."
I'll be damned if he wasn't right:
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20111.jpg
I creeped down the slope towards the spot where this guy and his buddies were relaxing. I popped-out barely 30 yards from them and ended up getting off a shot at just over 60 yards.
Day two had weather even better than the first, so we ate an extra Snickers bar and managed to smash another one:
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20112.jpg
My partner arrowed him at just over 50 yards after a nicely executed stalk and bump on the open plateau.
It felt pretty damn good for both of us to be walking out with curls on our backs.
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20113.jpg
The only downside: it's going to be pretty hard to argue with Mr. Optimism on the next hunt...bugger seems to always be right.
Two days before we were supposed to leave, I was telling myself that if my partner hadn't booked time off of work, I would have cancelled - work pressure and lack of preparation had been gnawing at my guts.
Despite the fact that I had promised myself that I would be be walking in with a pack weight of no more than 60 pounds, I was at 68 before water. Despite the fact that I had promised myself that I would be flinging arrows at least every other day for a month prior to the trip, I had actually only had five range sessions...since 2010. Despite the fact that I had promised myself to be leaner, meaner, stronger and faster than I was for the 2010 season, I had jogged less, been completely absent from the gym, and actually packed on a couple more pounds of uselessness.
We were two hours late getting out of town as we remembered little last minute details such as: game bags, new batteries for pretty much everything, making sure the SPOT transmitter subscription was active, broadheads for arrows...
While my pack was somewhat organized, my hunting partner had resorted to throwing a few totes and bags of assorted stuff into the truck, which he would carefully analyze, sort and stuff into his pack during the 12+ hour drive that would ensue.
Arriving at our destination in the early morning hours, after a very refreshing nap in the luxurious confines of the Hotel Pickup Truck, located in the Kitwanga parking lot, we were still sorting out our gear:
"Hey, do you think I need three flashlights?"
"Um...have you seen my pack cover?"
"Are you really going to bring that heavy-ass book with you?" (I did)
"Why the f*ck did I pack 4 Jetboil cannisters for only seven days?"
"Are you really going to bring your portable make-up studio (glycomed, chapstick, Q-tips and assorted other toiletries) up there Princess?" (I did)
"Did you remember toilet paper?" "I thought you had some!" "No, those were game bags..."
"Sh*t...where is my f*cking toothbrush!?!?!" (thank you Tina)
Finally, figuring that if we had forgotten it then we didn't really need it, we headed-off for the most ill-prepared backpack hunt I've had to date.
However my hunting partner, ever the optimist, countered my worries: "See, we're poorly prepared...we're going to kick ass."
Hiking in on the July 30th, we reached our desired base and planned to spend the 31st scouting. I had predicted that the weather would be somewhere between crappy and sh*tty with a 90% chance of "give us a break!". And I was right: rain, sleet, hail, snow, wind, fog and no rams. Well, there may have been rams, if you could see through the pea soup that limited visibility to about 50 yards.
Waking up with first light on opening day, the weather looked slightly overcast, but relatively clear. We resolved that we would make the most of any decent weather and just flat out giv'r.
There were highs and lows during the first day. We spotted rams fairly early on and I ruined a beautiful stalk by choking on a 60 yard shot. After I was finished inventing new swear words and kicking myself for not shooting enough before the season, Mr. Optimism chimed in: "Your arrow didn't like that one...it was too small. You'll get a bigger one today."
I'll be damned if he wasn't right:
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20111.jpg
I creeped down the slope towards the spot where this guy and his buddies were relaxing. I popped-out barely 30 yards from them and ended up getting off a shot at just over 60 yards.
Day two had weather even better than the first, so we ate an extra Snickers bar and managed to smash another one:
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20112.jpg
My partner arrowed him at just over 50 yards after a nicely executed stalk and bump on the open plateau.
It felt pretty damn good for both of us to be walking out with curls on our backs.
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/rubberfist007/2011%20stone%20sheep%20hunt/st20113.jpg
The only downside: it's going to be pretty hard to argue with Mr. Optimism on the next hunt...bugger seems to always be right.