I’ll write the post at some point, put in a photo until then!
Friday:
Leaddog shows up in the pouring rain, snow – “snrain” and warms up the camp, Probie and Robba arrives and all three stare out the window watching the warmy-changy event unfold before their very eyes. Eventually it stops and the three finally get in the woods to verify if mules exist in a certain area. Probie to the area of the 10point watch, Robba does his Piney Knob recon, with Leaddog standing guard in the knolls. Not one track is seen, so all decides to exit via the third cable after Robba does his environmental duty by collecting yet another barrage of Halloween themed balloons. Back to camp at dark, where the plan for tomorrow is conceived with the rest of the arriving gang.
Saturday: “The Call of the Raven”
The gang has a plan! Four watchers slodge (yes, slodge) their way to Billy’s watch, with the other four being transported around the target hill by Ftroop’s Uber which is affectionately referred to as the “FUber”! The four climbs and drives the mountain, to the awaiting watchers on the other side, finding bear activity as well as dancing mules. Two of the drivers, being the farthest – find exceptional hunting as they make their way up the mountain. As they climb, staying within proximity of each other, tracks are observed! Old snowed in tracks slowly turn to fresher looking tracks, then getting even fresher as the hit the top. Up, down back and forth these track go, looking like a he-mule was chasing she-mules. At the top, tracks so fresh are seen that everyone is on alert. A quick call from the outboard driver (no, no vessels were involved) asking the position of the driver to his left by using the call of the Raven, which was quickly returned – led to the report(s) of the rifle….the mule was bedded down between the two who were less than 100 feet apart! During the wait of their comrades with arms, the two almost gets run over by the mistress mule, less than 10 feet away….
When the dust settled, on the ground was a very nice looking nine-pointer! All assembles at the kill zone, photos taken, stories swapped and now the drag begins straight downhill to the awaiting FUber, who just got back to camp before be re-summoned to extricate mule two to camp. Joyous celebration is in order, which was joyous indeed! 😉
Sunday:
The gang wakes up to a snow-globed-white-washed world. A decision is made to not hunt today, clean the mule and camp and attempt to get off the hill. The one-third mile egress off the hill was a knuckle-whitened, pucker-upper ride. Lindy goes first and apparently had no issue, Polecat next with some issue, and Leaddog with surmounting issues. Having no traction, and sliding $50K worth of truck almost off the hill he finally made bottom – but the remainder of the gang had other thoughts. Sanding of the tracks made their egress more negotiable, all exits the ride from frozen hell with the note to sand the track before attempting to leave under similar conditions again. Leaddogs blood pressure was most likley 200 over 300, or whatever the doctors consider stroke worthy during the five minutes of breath holding, please don’t go over the bank ride.
Noteworthy: The ride down Rt 10 was almost as bad, but at least there’s guard rails! 😉
