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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 8, 2015 11:01:33 GMT -5
Heading back to MT next Friday after work. It's a 27 hour drive, and we expect to arrive sometime Sunday morning. Planning on staying through until the 22, then arriving back home the Sunday before Memorial Day. We'll be in the just a little southwest of Glacier N.P., near the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. I ordered my bear tag on Monday, so that should be coming in the mail soon. Have been working out packing and gear list details with my hunting partner for the last couple weeks. This next week is going to be filled with getting my gear lined out and packed up, prepping the Durango for the drive, preparing and freezing meals to be put in the cooler, and picking up a few odds and ends I need for the trip. Between that, I've got work and my domestic chores to get caught up as much as possible before leaving.. It's gonna be a busy week. I probably won't have much or any cell service to give updates while I'm out there, but I'll post up some pics and the story when I get back, bear or no bear.
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Post by HuntMeister on May 8, 2015 11:25:32 GMT -5
COOL, looking forward to it!
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Post by esshup on May 9, 2015 10:19:09 GMT -5
Good luck!!
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Post by taxind on May 10, 2015 7:44:29 GMT -5
Good luck on your bear hunt Wyatt. Hope you have a great time !
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 11, 2015 14:45:21 GMT -5
Heading back to MT next Friday after work. It's a 27 hour drive, and we expect to arrive sometime Sunday morning. Planning on staying through until the 22, then arriving back home the Sunday before Memorial Day. We'll be in the just a little southwest of Glacier N.P., near the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. I ordered my bear tag on Monday, so that should be coming in the mail soon. Have been working out packing and gear list details with my hunting partner for the last couple weeks. This next week is going to be filled with getting my gear lined out and packed up, prepping the Durango for the drive, preparing and freezing meals to be put in the cooler, and picking up a few odds and ends I need for the trip. Between that, I've got work and my domestic chores to get caught up as much as possible before leaving.. It's gonna be a busy week. I probably won't have much or any cell service to give updates while I'm out there, but I'll post up some pics and the story when I get back, bear or no bear. You are my hero!
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 11, 2015 19:17:42 GMT -5
Shot the .30/06 a little Saturday, 2" groups at 200 yards and 4" groups at 300 yards. I was happy with that. Changed the oil and gave the Durango a quick fluid check tonight in preparation for the 4k mile + trip. Picked up groceries and some odds and ends I needed for the trip. Cooked a couple supper meals to be frozen, placed in the cooler, then reheated on the camp stove. Right now I'm working on washing up my clothes and getting camp stuff packed. Been swamped at work for the last couple months, and Friday can't come soon enough .
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Post by featherduster on May 12, 2015 4:32:18 GMT -5
Drive carefully and post your story when you return, GOOD LUCK.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 15, 2015 10:15:18 GMT -5
Well, I got most of what I needed to do done, and squeezed on my kids for the last time for a week and a half. Now I'm just tying up some loose ends at work before heading west. I'm picking my partner up in Indy at 3:00. The GPS says 2003 miles. We plan on arriving either late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning (most likely). We should have 6 days to hunt before driving back next weekend, hopefully with sore backs and full coolers.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 15, 2015 10:35:53 GMT -5
Well, I got most of what I needed to do done, and squeezed on my kids for the last time for a week and a half. Now I'm just tying up some loose ends at work before heading west. I'm picking my partner up in Indy at 3:00. The GPS says 2003 miles. We plan on arriving either late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning (most likely). We should have 6 days to hunt before driving back next weekend, hopefully with sore backs and full coolers. Man, I'm excited for you! Tell me how you got into all the hunting that you do. You do things that I just dream about.
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Post by steiny on May 15, 2015 10:36:33 GMT -5
Good luck !
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 15, 2015 10:51:09 GMT -5
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 15, 2015 11:03:37 GMT -5
Well, I got most of what I needed to do done, and squeezed on my kids for the last time for a week and a half. Now I'm just tying up some loose ends at work before heading west. I'm picking my partner up in Indy at 3:00. The GPS says 2003 miles. We plan on arriving either late Saturday night, or early Sunday morning (most likely). We should have 6 days to hunt before driving back next weekend, hopefully with sore backs and full coolers. Man, I'm excited for you! Tell me how you got into all the hunting that you do. You do things that I just dream about. I've just always wanted to hunt different critters in different places, since I was a kid. After college, when I could start saving money and doing these things, I planned a couple hunts with buddies. They backed out each time. Now, I tell people they are welcome to come with me, but I go whether they back out or not. I thoroughly enjoy the research and planning that goes into making a hunt like this happen. Anybody that can walk a few miles and save a few hundred bucks over the course of a year can do the kind of hunts I do. The first couple of times I went west, I paid to hunt private, but now I enjoy planning hunts on free public land. It just takes a bit more planning, and you have to be OK with possibly going home empty handed. It's all about priorities. I'd much rather spend my money on a hnting trip or 2 per year than the latest Apple gadget or some other material thing. I look at it as buying experiences, rather than things. Things don't last, but experiences stay with you forever.
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Post by HuntMeister on May 15, 2015 12:34:02 GMT -5
Couldn't agree with you any more LCH!! Good luck, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable hunt and I look forward to your story when you return!!
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 15, 2015 23:43:06 GMT -5
Well, we made it to Des Moines with only 2 near death experiences.. one involved a sudden stop and a flying duffel bag, the other a KFC, a curb, and a high rate of speed. Also had a run in with a sassy gas station clerk, had to go buy gas elsewhere (she literally reacted like I had just kicked her dog when I asked for $60 worth of gas.. pretty much said she was busy and we needed to go elsewhere. Couldn't believe it.)
Still have around 18-19 hours to go, will probably knock most of that out tomorrow. For now, time to get some rest..
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Post by featherduster on May 16, 2015 6:41:41 GMT -5
That gas station clerk wasn't by any chance the midnight gal at the worlds largest truck stop on I-80 in Walcott,Iowa.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 16, 2015 23:46:06 GMT -5
That gas station clerk wasn't by any chance the midnight gal at the worlds largest truck stop on I-80 in Walcott,Iowa. No this was in Des Moines. She might be moonlighting over there though1 We're in Bozeman tonight. Should be an easy drive to camp in the morning.
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Post by jimstc on May 22, 2015 6:52:56 GMT -5
Good luck and stay safe. Thanks for the updates.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 27, 2015 8:33:48 GMT -5
Thanks for all the well wishes everybody. Ended up with zero black bear sightings for the week. We had encounters with grizzlies, saw moose, whitetail, mule deer, elk, and antelope. There was plentiful sign, just never was in the right place at the right time for a blackie. I think it was partly due to a relatively mild winter there this past year, and an earlier than usual green-up; the bears had plenty of green stuff to forage on in the timber and didn't really need to come into the clearings to to feed like they do most years. It was fun though, as it always is, and I'm thinking I'll probably try again next year. Gotta get lucky sooner or later. View off of Morrell Mountain This was still pretty warm. This one was a little older. Hunting partners coming up with a strategy. We'd split up in the evenings to glass clearcuts like this one. Had this cow feed out a little below me in the clearcut. There are currently very few moose in this country. Overlook from an old logging road. Sunset on the final evening of the hunt. No bear this time.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 27, 2015 13:37:00 GMT -5
Wow, that is a beautiful place!
How far do you think you walked? Are ATVs allowed out there?
Well, maybe no bear, but lots of long lasting memories.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 27, 2015 14:02:31 GMT -5
Some days we walked 10-12 miles, other days just a couple miles, depending on how much sign was in the area. There are certain roads and trails open to ATVs, but most are non-motorized only on the public land.
You're right, it is a lot of fun...
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