2020 Hunting Success Thread

[Hummer]

The carcass is in rigor now and it will be a few hours before freezing. It's 22 degrees now.

This is the first deer I've hunted in several years. The Roosevelt Forest closure actually ended Friday for areas north of Hwy 7 but I didn't see the revised map until this afternoon. The USFS Boulder Ranger District hid the order and hasn't removed the closure signs and gates throughout the district. Typical arrogance, disregard for forest users and inaction from that office. I went hunting in MY FOREST, OUR FOREST, and got my buck, pfffft!

My 2nd season elk hunt was difficult and disappointing. First day was a 14 mile round trip jaunt over the mountain into prime elk country. On Sunday I rested while it snowed 16 inches and temps dropped to minus 8 degrees. It was tough going from that point in. There were elk all through the spruce-fir burn area of 2018 but I never got close enough. I hunted until the last light of the last day of season. None of the 7 other veteran hunters who camped nearby got an elk either. Difficult hunt. I like to be on the move and sitting in one place for very long isn't my style. At 69, the deep snow and below zero temps aren't much fun anymore. My best reward was finding, calling and duetting with Northern Pygmy Owls on four days. Great birds, they came withing a few feet of me.