Author: leaddog

Friday

A strong crew arrives after Holiday festivities to once again to hunt for mules. A repeat of last weeks weather results in local hunts, where as usual nothing was seen. A up and back valley hunt of the stream was performed, but no mules wanted to play. A few tracks were observed, but their makers were not.

Chip applies for membership in the esteemed FAMHC, but he didn’t submit his 100 word or less essay and didn’t have a sponsor. In an effort to satisfy the rigid standards, he shovels the parking area, and promptly parks in Tobias’s spot. Limited membership was granted – based on next years mandatory attendance requirements. Toucher finally shows up and earns his CHU’s, and he retains his membership in said esteemed club.

Saturday

A push of Marsh was accomplished, and not one mule was seen. Tracks however are starting to appear and gets the crew excited, which was promptly extinguished on the next hunt. A “15 minute hunt” turns into a lot longer hunt based on a small “hump” in the middle of the drive. Since no one brought pitons and climbing rope, Polecat had to circumnavigate said hump – which led him to “places beyond”. Toucher waits, and was “given the bell” once again.

Sunday

What should have been done in the last two days was finally attempted. The other local bunny hill was assaulted, with mules being encountered – finally. Toucher’s dates said hello, and goodbye. Somehow in between all of the ruckess up top, a rather large tracked mule escapes once again. Since these mules apparently have been trained, the crew decides to mix it up next week and do the hunt in reverse.

Let’s see what happens!

Good Job Boys!

Tracks in the snow

1st Vly

Lawn Chair

Drying Guns

Pie Whore 6ptr 130 lbs

Friday

Leaddog arrives to almost a foot of global-climate-warming-change-whatever-it’s-called-now, and is the first up the drive way. Robba and Hobbit follow soon thereafter and the snow cleaning efforts begin, to ensure that the rest of the crew can easily make ingress to the camp. After clearing a nice spot so that everyone could park, the woods were assaulted once again. Leaddog sports his new insulated watch gear and sits for five hours in 16 degree temps, at a very close to camp watch.

Polecat and Robba hits the area in an attempt to move mules, without success. Both with Hobbit in tow leaves the area to rescue yet another barrel of beer before the rest of the gang arrives. Leaddog refuses to leave his watch, being ridiculed with the truck horn by the now departing beer rescue crew.

At dark, Leaddog leaves the watch, and starts to make his way back to camp – and there at the cable just 100 yds from the watch now are fresh mule tracks present in those made earlier by Leaddog. Apparently, the mule heard the beer crew leave and thought it was safe to come out from hiding, but ran into right Leaddog’s tracks. The mule turned and ran back to where it came from. The beer crew confirmed that there were no tracks when they left, and saw them upon their return.

Saturday

With a strong crew present, all attempts a saturation hunt on Marsh. Drivers drive, watchers watch and the mules ran about the hill like mice in Spikes old camp! No bucks were seen this time. Polecat decides to see if the “Polecat Recovery System” (PRS) is working by engaging mules with the lakeside crew, and not being able to be contacted by the Duckhole side crew – who incidentally “had the bell”*. All now worries and activates the PRS, which led to backtracking by those up top (who had the bell*) to find the Polecat. All is good however and the keepers of the bell* are relieved, as determined by the endless squawking from Polecats radio transmissions to the lakeside crew. Plus he almost poked his eye out.

Robba earns his newly coveted “Rescue Ranger Badge”, Toucher however does not due to his recent placement on triple secret probation by the FAMHC, due to lack of participation.

A return to camp hunt on the Duckhole side through the Knolls had similar results, with all returning to camp, including the Polecat with one good eye…..

*”Having, or Who’s got the bell”

– A term used between guardians and parents that specifies who’s in charge, and is responsible for the “kid” at any specific time.

Sunday

Rains from the previous night results in a diminished but slippery snowpack, and I-ronder-twat is the focus of the day. Watchers are dispersed, drivers go the their starting points and the fun begins! Mules evade the drivers, but puts them on notice of their existence. As the drive progresses, A sound of something breaking just out of Leaddogs sight is heard. Twenty seconds pass, which is followed by five shots – and a subsequent transmission from Chip. A big buck was between both, and the Remington ammo division is in the black! Chip has his first buck encounter!

The mule vacates the area, but minutes later another single shot is heard in the direction of camp on the other side of the mountain. After a few minutes, it is conveyed that Bernie (aka: the Pie-Whore) has an encounter with a mule with headgear, at the very spot where for some time it was known that mules escape the crew. A critical but not instantaneous killing shot was delivered, with the mule heading “cross the creek”. Robba and Toucher are immediately dispersed to dog the deer, joined by Trailhugger and eventually Leaddog (who was on the other side of the mountain) to assist. The compromised mule was chased almost a mile before it decides to head into the swamp, where Robba, Toucher and Leaddog finally corners it, with Toucher delivering the killing shot – and baptizes the poor thing in the stream.

The buck of Chips dream and now nightmare was not this beast that the Piewhore tangled with, so there’s more than one buck still on the hill!

Never again!

Tree down on the Hilton

Boys at the Hilton

Probie looks Cold

Black Hole

Nice Fire!

Polecat & Leaddog

Boys warming up!

Mr. November 2014

Friday

Five members of the FAMHC (all in good standing) gather at camp to “three inches of partly cloudy” to resume chasing mules across the lands. After getting the camp set, all head to the valley to hunt the hills on both sides of the creek. Polecat, now retaining his membership in the FAMHC based on his earning his CHU goes high on No-name while the rest of the crew assaults the creek bottom lands.

Some track were observed, but nothing fresh enough to get anyone excited. The ensuing lake-effect snows quickly covers any fresh sign, making it impossible to figure out just what is going on. All return to camp to dry out their outsides, and thoroughly wet their insides.

Saturday

A good turnout results in 15 to hit the hills. A three pronged attack in the back country by specialists resulted in Robba and crew crossing the creek to further explore if the mega-mule of last year is still tearing up telephone pole sized trees. Junior and “Jaws” receives their “Cross the Creek” badge – a true honor for F-troopers Rangers.

Four others climbs the hill and goes over the top to initially meet Robba and company, but since that crew was already out of bounds, the Black Hole was the secondary target. Much sign was observed, but no major rubs as with last year! Even the rogue crew sees little sign on the other side of the creek, but one never knows….

The center attack pair – Polecat and Chip – goes over the hill through Beaver Valley to the Split Rock camp, and sees about the same. Chip promptly skewers his eye on a stick on the way in, but hunts regardless.

The remainder of the gang stays somewhat local, and actually sees some deer! No bucks however.

Sunday

A big one way push over and under Marsh results in mules being moved! Tracks and scrapes are seen, there’s still more than one buck on this hill, but where? Polecat and his up-top crew sends mules flying about, and two descends through the drivers to the low-crew (Robba and Leaddog) and promptly evacuates the area, after bouncing off Robba.

As the crew heads up the driveway to camp after the hunt it appears that there is one mule that is sticking up his middle hoof to the gang. About 150 yards from the camp, a fresh giant solo track that wasn’t there just two hours ago when the watchers went out to the watches – was present crossing the driveway. This track went INTO the drive where the crew just left. Go figure……

Regrouping after we learn the bad news.

Polecat interrogates the intruders

The View from Liz II

The View from Liz

RIT’s crosses the cable

Drying everything out

Drying Out

Everybody loves FYB!

Trailhugger made it to Deer Camp!

Friday

Three members (all in good standing) assemble to hunt the beast that has been tearing up the hills. Probie earns his required FAMHC – “CHU’s” (Continuing Hunting Units) to maintain status in this elite club. Polecat arrives but declares he has “other duties” to attend to, and swears he’ll hunt next Friday.

The trio heads to the areas hunted last week, which is occupied by the mighty mule. More scrapes and rubs were seen, with a repeat of “ring around the swamp” hunts being done. At 3:30 it was decided that a last push through the Knolls would be done, so all set out from the drive on Marsh to the Knolls.

At 4:30 an single shot was heard a mile away – from the area just vacated by the crew.

Saturday

A strong crew now consisting of almost 17, (two show up a little later in the day) gets their marching orders and disperses to the mountain lair inhabited by the beast in question. The entire mountain is covered and crawled about end to end by the crew – even the red squirrels quivered and hid in fear by the presence of this camo covered compilation.

More and more scrapes and rubs are observed, the beast can’t possibly get away now unless it sprouts wings! All performs their assignments perfectly, and are somewhat befuddled by the absence of any mules. At the end of the mountain, the elusive “Icicle Al” was caught once again in the midst of the drive. Al has some bad news for the crew – it appears that another gang of four slipped in the night before and bagged a seven pointer – right in the spot that the FAMHC left at 3:30 on Friday. Yes, it certainly did sprout wings and was sent to its creator it appears. Robba was not pleased, and cuts cross country in a rage. His state of mind can only be depicted here:

All performs one more drive before heading back to camp, some mules were seen – but who really cares at this point.

Sunday

A drive through the Meadows is set. There shouldn’t be any interlopers there, and most likely no mules as well either. Polecat takes his rangers through the snow topped hills and drive towards the watches down below. Lindy see two mules on the way up. Polecat inspects the buckcart that has never been used in the way-back and finds it half eaten by a bear! The bear did however leave a calling card – half a bandoleer of 30.06 rounds, from Toucher’s encounter of last year…..

“Hey Digger! Let’s carry this back to camp!”

You can have your F’ing mattress back Lindy!

Friday

The first sanctioned FAMHC event was held, with Robba, Digger and Leaddog (all in good standing) in attendance. Polecat once again had a gas delivery and a surveyor to deal with, so he couldn’t join the real men on this first event. The three amigos disperse to the woods in an effort to find mules. Several “ring around the swamps” drives were performed with some sign seen. After a few drives, mules were actually encountered, but the type of mule was not verified. One mule decides to make it self’s presence known by blowing tunes just out of sight of all three FAMHC members (in good standing). Another is heard in the Knolls by Leaddog, but not seen. Toucher arrives just in time late in the day to be included in the hunt to maintain status, but decides that the beer is more alluring the deer. This may lead to more council to determine his status in the “club” at some point!

Saturday

A good crew is present, and the hunt is set. Drivers are dispersed to Camp Creek, with watchers at the other end as usual. Leaddog goes out left through Beaver Valley and up and over Liz and down to the 10 point watch. The main drive was performed with no results. All meet as planned, with running track going right through the 10 point watch, where no one was present. The crew is sent to Marsh to do drive two. On the way for drive two, a very nice rub is observed – that wasn’t present there the day before. Digger finds more rubs up top, and very impressive ones at that! The drive ends as planned, and all return to camp empty handed.

Sunday

As usual, since all sign was seen at a particular spot over the last two days – the crew is directed to hunt elsewhere. Why this happens, we’ll never know. The usual No-name to the Painted Marker drive is performed, with absolutely nothing seen, except for the next mountain which will be assaulted on part two. Leaddog and Steven stalks a stealth hiker on the way in on the trail, but was not seen. We do however, know the brand of boots said hiker had on! Rumor has it that Polecat may have seen some mules, no bucks however.

Next Friday – a good turnout for the FAMHC is set.