We left Dulles on Sunday, Oct 12, 2009 bound for Idaho Falls, Idaho with a quick layover in Denver, CO. After arriving, we spent a day organizing and packing then heading into one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, the Caribou Valley in the Blackfoot Mountains of Idaho. One of the best things about Idaho is that it has more public lands set aside as Federal and state parks and forests, Bureau of Land Management areas, wildlife refuges, etc...than any other state. It is a state that long ago commited itself to protected its wild places and preserving the beauty it was graced with.
We made the 2.5 hour journey from Idaho Falls to camp, gaining elevation along the way, the temperatures dropped from the 50's in Idaho Falls to around 10 degrees as we approached the area we were to be hunting. 4-6 inches of fresh snow also greeted us as we got close.
At one point it became necessary to chain up the tires on the trucks in order to reach camp. For anyone who hasn't tried to set up a fairly elaborate camp for a 7 day stay in these conditions it does make things a little more difficult yet somehow makes the experience that much more exciting and challenging.
After setting up camp, collecting a weeks worth of firewood and getting acclimated to our surroundings we settled down to a fine dinner cooked in 50 year old dutch ovens. We have a guy in camp, Darren Leavitt, who can make a dutch oven do everything but stand up and bark. Man can he cook!
The first day dawned bright, clear and cold but warmed steadily throughout the day, and the week, with some days unseasonably warm, in the low to mid 60's. We hunted in elevations ranging from 6000 to 9000 feet and traveled from 5-15 miles each day seeking out these remarkable creatures. We all had bull only tags and when all was said and done 2 big bulls had been harvested, one weighing in at over 800lbs.
More importantly, 13 men left camp with a deep appreciation of how lucky we were to be there, how beautiful an area it is and thankful we are that there a still such places left in this country that remain as God has created them. All that's left to do is GET OUT THERE and enjoy them!
Now that's a serious adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us, Jon! :D
2 comments:
Beautifully composed! It sounds like it was a spectacular trip - thanks for sharing it with us!
Great reading, Jon. Beautiful pictures as well. Loved reading it!
-Mom
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