Yesterday I went scouting with 4 others for the first time, and first time riding a horse in over 10 years. Good day, nice weather, sore butt...about 7hrs in the saddle.
Today the crew was packing in a camp (taking supplies and tent to set up in remote location). I asked if I could go scouting instead and Larry allowed. Another 7hrs or so on saddle today and lots of ground covered. Saw 3 bull elk, one shooter, got rained on a few times, temps dropped quite a bit today. Was up above 10,000ft all day while scouting closer to the tree line where the elk tend to be this time of year. They will soon come down more and start bugling which will be great.
Anyways, hitting the sack, need to rest so I can do it all over again tomorrow!
Pics are on my photo site, look in "Travel" then "Winterhawk Elk Guiding"
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Update from 9320ft
At base camp, internet connection is weak on the satellite. Had troubles uploading pics and couldn't do the web cam with Carrie :(
Looks like writing in the blog will be by best option.
Not sure how I'm going to keep the updates coming, so for now I'll just post interesting stuff.
Today I went back down the mountain with Larry (owner) and went grocery/suppy shopping. Needless to say it was a bit more than a typical shopping trip. It took us 15 minutes to load the truck up with the groceries there were so many!
Tomorrow I head out on horse back to scout some areas with a few other guys. Should be great.
I'm the only one here that doesn't wear cowboy boots and wrangler jeans and chew tobacco :)
Will keep ya posted.
Looks like writing in the blog will be by best option.
Not sure how I'm going to keep the updates coming, so for now I'll just post interesting stuff.
Today I went back down the mountain with Larry (owner) and went grocery/suppy shopping. Needless to say it was a bit more than a typical shopping trip. It took us 15 minutes to load the truck up with the groceries there were so many!
Tomorrow I head out on horse back to scout some areas with a few other guys. Should be great.
I'm the only one here that doesn't wear cowboy boots and wrangler jeans and chew tobacco :)
Will keep ya posted.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Craziness!
So it's 4am and I can't sleep worth a darn. Why you ask? Well yesterday I got a call from Larry Amos at Winterhawk Outfitters saying he needs me this fall guiding elk hunts in the Flattops Wilderness area of Colorado!!! First off, check out his website to see the great business they run(www.winterhawk.com). Total world class operation. That craziness??? Well the season starts next Sat, one week from when he called me. So in the next few days I need to pack up all my belongings, my bro and Mom are going to raid my storage unit back home for my hunting gear and ship it out to me which means it'll get there either Thursday or Friday. Larry wanted me over there ASAP but the soonest I'll be able to leave is Tuesday morning (basically giving me 2 full days to prepare).
So a few details of my 3 month adventure:
- Sept will be my break-in period learning the area, how to hunt/call, packing in hunters on horses to small camps, and following along on hunts with experienced guides.
- early Oct there is a break between archery season and rifle season where I'll have to cut trees, chop wood for fires in the cold months to come, restock base camps..etc. If I prove myself worthy in Sept (which I will) then I might be guiding rifle hunters on my own when the season opens. Rifle season is 5 weeks long and is the end of the adventure. There will be a few days of tearing down and halling everything out of the area then I can go. Might make it home for Thanksgiving.
Lots of cool details like having a few pros coming to hunt on video for tv series, outdoor writers, and crossing my fingers I might be doing some video work for the business for marketing. They are thinking hard about buying a new semi-pro level HD camera and will need a video guy.
Basically this is a dream come true. I came across the job by thinking only a few days ago "what would be a dream job of mine" and it was guiding elk/mule deer hunters in the mountains. I responded to a few adds for guides and even sent a few random emails to outfitters and what do ya know, I get the call!!!! Craziness I tell ya. God works wonders and this is definitely one of those times.
Base camp is going to be 9200ft and most hunts in Sept should be closer to tree line which is around 11,000ft in that area or higher (12,000max). Needless to say I'm so glad I have become acclimated to the altitude and in good shape! No cell phone service. Yes, life can be mantained without them! There is a satelite internet connection in base camp which is the primary source of communication. I will have a few days off during season where I can come down the mountain and go to town for a day (Eagle CO). Sleeping on cots with sleeping bags, hot water, good food, what more can a man ask for?
Anyways, if I can get online during the season I'll try and post up something quick, but I'm not sure if that will be possible. Check out their website and keep watching the blog. I'll try and take lots of pics and vids for everyone to see.
Craziness!!! I'm so excited :)
So a few details of my 3 month adventure:
- Sept will be my break-in period learning the area, how to hunt/call, packing in hunters on horses to small camps, and following along on hunts with experienced guides.
- early Oct there is a break between archery season and rifle season where I'll have to cut trees, chop wood for fires in the cold months to come, restock base camps..etc. If I prove myself worthy in Sept (which I will) then I might be guiding rifle hunters on my own when the season opens. Rifle season is 5 weeks long and is the end of the adventure. There will be a few days of tearing down and halling everything out of the area then I can go. Might make it home for Thanksgiving.
Lots of cool details like having a few pros coming to hunt on video for tv series, outdoor writers, and crossing my fingers I might be doing some video work for the business for marketing. They are thinking hard about buying a new semi-pro level HD camera and will need a video guy.
Basically this is a dream come true. I came across the job by thinking only a few days ago "what would be a dream job of mine" and it was guiding elk/mule deer hunters in the mountains. I responded to a few adds for guides and even sent a few random emails to outfitters and what do ya know, I get the call!!!! Craziness I tell ya. God works wonders and this is definitely one of those times.
Base camp is going to be 9200ft and most hunts in Sept should be closer to tree line which is around 11,000ft in that area or higher (12,000max). Needless to say I'm so glad I have become acclimated to the altitude and in good shape! No cell phone service. Yes, life can be mantained without them! There is a satelite internet connection in base camp which is the primary source of communication. I will have a few days off during season where I can come down the mountain and go to town for a day (Eagle CO). Sleeping on cots with sleeping bags, hot water, good food, what more can a man ask for?
Anyways, if I can get online during the season I'll try and post up something quick, but I'm not sure if that will be possible. Check out their website and keep watching the blog. I'll try and take lots of pics and vids for everyone to see.
Craziness!!! I'm so excited :)
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