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Having had nothing more pressing to do, and needing to get out from under the wifes feet, I decided a snowshoe trip up the hill behind the house was in order. I threw the essensials into the pack, grabbed the Stevens 200 from the safe, put it all in the truck and drove around to the trailhead. I was surprised to see that none of the local snowmobilers had been up on the trail yet.
Strapping on the snowshoes, I grabbed my gear and headed up the hill. Several inches of fresh powder overnight made it easy to see what the local wildlife had been up to. There was not a single rabbit track anywhere and very few squirrels for that matter. It wasn't until I got to the gate to the State feed grounds that I saw any significant tracks at all. At the feed ground gates I came to 3 sets of elk tracks. They were headed my way so I followed their trail up to the area I had intended to call. Nearing the top of a finger ridge I ended up bumping into those elk. They were cows and calves.
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This is where I set up to call and looks back down into Star Valley my house can be seen from here.
I put the Foxpro in an aspen tree,
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and moved off a few yards. Since I hadn't seen any rabbit tracks I chose lucky bird and started the caller. After three series, and 45minutes on stand, the only response I got was two circling ravens. At 25°F out, I suspect it was just too warm.
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This is the setup looking center left.
The snow was deeper, and it took me longer to get where I got than I had planned, so I didn't have time to make another stand before my deadline with the wife. I always tell her about how long I'm going to be gone and she worries fiercely if I'm late, so I headed back to the truck. I found 3 more elk, a calf, cow, and a spike, bedded on a ridge above me. Either would have been an easy shot had the season been in.
All in all it was a great way to spend 3 midday hours on Christmas Eve.
Peace to all of you!
Larry
Strapping on the snowshoes, I grabbed my gear and headed up the hill. Several inches of fresh powder overnight made it easy to see what the local wildlife had been up to. There was not a single rabbit track anywhere and very few squirrels for that matter. It wasn't until I got to the gate to the State feed grounds that I saw any significant tracks at all. At the feed ground gates I came to 3 sets of elk tracks. They were headed my way so I followed their trail up to the area I had intended to call. Nearing the top of a finger ridge I ended up bumping into those elk. They were cows and calves.
This is where I set up to call and looks back down into Star Valley my house can be seen from here.
I put the Foxpro in an aspen tree,
and moved off a few yards. Since I hadn't seen any rabbit tracks I chose lucky bird and started the caller. After three series, and 45minutes on stand, the only response I got was two circling ravens. At 25°F out, I suspect it was just too warm.
The snow was deeper, and it took me longer to get where I got than I had planned, so I didn't have time to make another stand before my deadline with the wife. I always tell her about how long I'm going to be gone and she worries fiercely if I'm late, so I headed back to the truck. I found 3 more elk, a calf, cow, and a spike, bedded on a ridge above me. Either would have been an easy shot had the season been in.
All in all it was a great way to spend 3 midday hours on Christmas Eve.
Peace to all of you!
Larry
