Day hike from the cabin.

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by Datilite, Apr 2, 2017.

  1. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    21,001
    Likes Received:
    15,831
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    United States
    Beautiful!!!!!!!!
     
    The Marsh Gorilla and Datilite like this.
  2. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Back into the high country today.
    IMG_20180322_084545438_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180322_150039254.jpg

    I followed an elk trail into some dense canyons and found this spike bull layed up, after several minutes he stood up and walked away.
    IMG_20180322_113946246.jpg
    IMG_20180322_114034612.jpg

    I moved on to a high basin and found two bulls feeding towards me. IMG_20180322_142642200_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180322_144001155_HDR.jpg

    A very light wind come into the basin and they got my wind. They did not locate me but they knew they needed to leave.
    IMG_20180322_144349125_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180322_150218857_HDR.jpg

    Continued.....
     
  3. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    After approximately hiking five miles I started out of the high country and found a fresh elk kill.
    IMG_20180322_154040250.jpg
    IMG_20180322_154458961.jpg

    Shortly after finding the kill I bumped into a group of Javalina. IMG_20180322_153915288.jpg
    IMG_20180322_153918909.jpg

    As always, another great day in the woods!
     
  4. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    21,001
    Likes Received:
    15,831
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    United States
    Amazing.
     
    The Marsh Gorilla and Datilite like this.
  5. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Hiked behind the cabin today and found a fresh mountain lion track.
    IMG_20180326_101505310.jpg
    IMG_20180326_100934497.jpg

    I followed the tracks for approximately a half mile and found where he had just killed a jackrabbit, eating the front half of the rabbit. He made a small scent scrape next to the kill.
    IMG_20180326_104524742.jpg IMG_20180326_104536487.jpg

    Lots of mule deer and elk in the area right now. Kind of wondering if this may be an old lion starting to have difficulty taking bigger game.
     
  6. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Day hiked to the east of the cabin and visited some caves along the way.
    IMG_20180328_105605058.jpg
    IMG_20180328_104121373.jpg IMG_20180328_103456977.jpg

    This small cave has some old names and dates scratched into the sandstone.
    IMG_20180328_103443112.jpg
    IMG_20180328_103326569.jpg

    Found some fresh bear activity, looked like he was after rodents.
    IMG_20180422_134609330.jpg

    Found an old mule deer shed, mostly chalk.
    IMG_20180410_135213572.jpg

    Headed home and found this horn toad trying to warm up.
    IMG_20180422_170245715.jpg
    IMG_20180328_110718100.jpg

    Another great day!
     
  7. kihnspiracy

    kihnspiracy Member

    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    387
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    USA
    Great pics.
     
    Datilite likes this.
  8. Mountainmistwanderer

    Mountainmistwanderer Member

    Messages:
    1,899
    Likes Received:
    3,514
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Gamma Quadrant
    That third pic looks interesting. Great bunch of pics.
     
    Datilite likes this.
  9. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Started out early today for antler hunt.
    IMG_20180429_061400012.jpg

    Bumped into three does.
    IMG_20180427_083154220.jpg

    Heading upslope, before the sun came up the temperature was 34 degrees.
    IMG_20180429_094447368_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180429_110921317.jpg

    I found this bull that had been killed during archery season but was not recovered.
    IMG_20180429_115942414.jpg
    IMG_20180429_115916839.jpg

    I found the arrow broken in two near the head with a low quality two blade expandable broadhead.
    IMG_20180429_120616267.jpg

    Continued on and started to find some shed's.
    IMG_20180429_130525049.jpg

    Continued.....
     
  10. SEMO

    SEMO Member

    Messages:
    1,818
    Likes Received:
    6,524
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southeast MO, Mississippi River Bottom flatland
    Awesome finds!!
     
    Datilite likes this.
  11. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Continued...

    IMG_20180429_135838820.jpg
    IMG_20180429_154418038.jpg

    Temperature reached 74 degrees by the afternoon and I found this guy stretched out.
    IMG_20180427_124355518_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180427_124457157.jpg

    Another great day in the woods!
     
  12. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Thanks Semo. I will call G&F tomorrow and see if I can get approval to remove the head. He was a real fighter, he had broken three tines off during the rut. It will be a long hike back in to his location but his rack has a lot of character.
     
    SEMO and Zeek like this.
  13. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    21,001
    Likes Received:
    15,831
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    United States
    An amazing place you live sir!
     
    Datilite likes this.
  14. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Game and Fish approved the removal of the bull so today I went back in to retrieve the head.
    IMG_20180502_110326514.jpg

    Some of the views on the way out.
    IMG_20180501_113315616.jpg
    IMG_20180501_160856154.jpg

    Bumped into a group of spectators.
    IMG_20180501_154414331.jpg

    Found one additional horn, I walked within four feet of this horn five times going in and out of the canyon.
    IMG_20180502_114750736.jpg

    Great day in the woods!
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2018
  15. DiscoveryLover

    DiscoveryLover Member

    Messages:
    781
    Likes Received:
    2,461
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Charleston, West Virginia
    What do you do with the antlers that you find?
     
  16. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    DL, I sell some of the horns and keep some for my own projects. A fresh drop horn (referred to as brown) can sell for around 13 to 16 dollars a pound, so a horn that weighs around 10 to 12 pounds becomes pretty valuable. This bulls head will be used as a skull mount for the cabin. I have seen heads that score 350 inches or better sell for 400 to 800+ dollars.

    It’s a great hobby but can be very frustrating when you go a few days without finding anything! Lots and lots of hiking to find horns, I walked about 22 mountain miles to find what’s in the last few photos, it is always great to be in the outdoors doing what you love! Dat.
     
    Stray Round, Zeek and DiscoveryLover like this.
  17. Charlie Delta

    Charlie Delta Member

    Messages:
    153
    Likes Received:
    450
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Fixed that for you.
     
    Datilite and Stray Round like this.
  18. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    I started out early this morning to check some last spots near the cabin for shed antlers. Bumped this doe off the trail as I was headed in.
    IMG_20180520_071110949.jpg
    As I arrived at the area to start looking for sheds, I found fresh bear sign.
    IMG_20180520_075928836.jpg

    Temperatures are in the 80's and we are into drought conditions again. The trail into the spring is beat to powder as wildlife for miles are coming to the spring. IMG_20180506_080209725.jpg

    After checking the spring I bumped into a small black bear and it ran into this canyon before I could get a photo. He was pretty small, probably his first year on his own. IMG_20180520_140354606.jpg
    His track. IMG_20180506_085751116.jpg

    Some of the rock erosion. Great shelter for the rains, if they come this year. IMG_20180520_135040477.jpg IMG_20180520_130419212.jpg

    Will continue........
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2018
    BigJake, Strigidae, SEMO and 2 others like this.
  19. Datilite

    Datilite Member

    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    922
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southwest
    Day hike continued.....

    Some vista photos.
    IMG_20180506_095915792_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20180520_115837239.jpg
    IMG_20180520_140349274.jpg
    IMG_20180520_140107827.jpg

    As I headed home on the same trail I used in the morning, I found bear tacks on top of my boot prints.
    IMG_20180520_141359212.jpg

    Hot day in the field, I went through 180 oz. Of water and brought home no horns. But it was still a great day!
     
  20. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west

    you WOULD LOVE hunting in Boston Bar, Lytton, Lilloet and anywhere in BC where we have that kind of terrain. Insane amounts of game.

    this mini cave in the rock, is that chipped out by hand? that is insanely cool

    http://eseeknives.com/forums/index.php?attachments/img_20180520_130419212-jpg.27131/
     
    Datilite likes this.

Share This Page