F-Troop Est. 1968

Friday

Arriving to yet another installment of climate change, the crew warms up camp and heads off to the local hills of last weeks interest. Polecat and Hobbit tends to camp chores that must be addressed which leads them off the mountain to the flatlands.

In an effort to locate mules, a small drive is performed with no results. Jumping over the creek to the camp side, the crew finds tracks and beds. And beds and tracks and beds and tracks….

At the last moment, a lone doe is pushed to Robba by Steven, which was not suppoda happen – Steven was a watcher! There must be a buck in the mix somewhere?!

Polecat and Hobbit returns to camp with duties well dispatched, as well as being quite “dispatched” themselves.

Saturday

The now well assembled crew (except for Probie) assaults the same hill as the day prior. Tracks abound, beds, rubs, and all the rest of the stuff of deer hunting now being observed. The drivers delivers as promised, “Toucher’s dates” down the hill to the watch line. Chip relives his first-buck-miss-I-can’t-believe-it nightmare of last week as a doe walks right up to him.

More than one deer is around, three confirmed flattops with a fourth mystery mule which evades the gang before being viewed. All performs their assigned routes as planned, but Chip now having been bit to the bone decides to play Bungalow Jim and dogs the evading mules. One lone mule sneaks through Trailhugger and Spike, who were only yards apart. Upon return to camp, Chip informs the crew that the entire parade of mules went ’round the mountain and right back up into the notch, walking right under Leaddog’s watch which was abandoned a mere half hour before, even after staying put after drive two was initiated. Should-a would-a could-a……..

Sunday

The crew awakens to the now icy world of continued climate change. Rain, snow, and sleet from the night before congealed into a ice laden wonderland, preventing a hunt that would be of any benefit. Since it would make no sense in running the fat off the mules due to noise, all agrees that enough is enough. Robba and Leaddog cooks a nice breakfast of blueberry pancakes and eggs, which both had none of! (at least the pancakes anyway)

Probie is now placed on eternal ever lasting probation, due to his no-show. Fines will be assessed, and collected. A one thousand word essay entitled “Why I want to be a real hunter, and why is my head still healing from the rolling pin that my wife used on me” must be submitted before next year. Maybe Chip could be his sponsor?!

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……

I’ll be back from the NASCAR car race and will join for week 4 hunt