Chape1rm
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2022
- Messages
- 183
I'm relatively new to backcountry hunting and it amazes me how much I can learn from each and every trip. Like most lessons that actually stick seems I need to learn the hard way. I figured I'd start this post to discuss these hard knocks so maybe someone can save themselves some wear and tear.
I was hunting SW Montana late November with a big game combo in my pocket. Day 5 I set out from my hot tipi before daylight into a -20 degree morning. The plan was to hike up to timberline and glass across a valley to catch migrating herds of elk cresting the opposite ridge and or spot and stalk critters that may already by there. With about 2ft of snow it was slow going and very difficult to keep from sweating so when I reached my vantage I worked on getting a warming fire started before I popsicled. I literally had my lighter and Pyro putty in hand when I heard cow elk chatter. I glassed them about .25 miles already on my hillside working diagonally away from my position heading towards the top. At this time all I could see were dark figures. I grabbed my rifle and took off through the snow towards the ridge straight above. Once there I relocated them but could only see a few cows popping over a small spine still slightly headed away from me. I thought if I could get to the peak I might be able to cut them off but I had to really move. I got on my horse and found high gear in hopes a bull was in tow of this herd. I belly crawled onto the peak peering over to see the lead cow at 440 yards and the closest cow coming around the backside corner at 220. Steadied my breath and helplessly watched through my scope as cow after cow appeared into view. No bull. At this point the wind is blasting through me layed out on this peak and I'd sweat like a hooker in church getting there. I headed back towards the fire I gathered but never lit. My feet were completely gone and I had to watch them into my previous tracks having no feeling until my calves. I've never had frost bite but I feared I was close to it. When I got back to my fire I began warming up. After all that story here's the hard knock. My fingers came back first but my feet were still completely numb. Having no feeling in them I didn't realize I was cooking my toes inside my boot until it was too late. Once the burning sensation hit I had already received 2nd degree burns on both big toes and my 2nd toe on my right foot which really sucked pickled ass because I still had 4 days left to hunt.
Lesson I learned was stay patient and warm up slow. Call me an idiot that's fine I'm a lineman by trade and skin is thicker than a tick tok chick's thighs. I did get my bull on the last day so it wasn't all in vain I suppose.
So let's hear some hard knock stories!
I was hunting SW Montana late November with a big game combo in my pocket. Day 5 I set out from my hot tipi before daylight into a -20 degree morning. The plan was to hike up to timberline and glass across a valley to catch migrating herds of elk cresting the opposite ridge and or spot and stalk critters that may already by there. With about 2ft of snow it was slow going and very difficult to keep from sweating so when I reached my vantage I worked on getting a warming fire started before I popsicled. I literally had my lighter and Pyro putty in hand when I heard cow elk chatter. I glassed them about .25 miles already on my hillside working diagonally away from my position heading towards the top. At this time all I could see were dark figures. I grabbed my rifle and took off through the snow towards the ridge straight above. Once there I relocated them but could only see a few cows popping over a small spine still slightly headed away from me. I thought if I could get to the peak I might be able to cut them off but I had to really move. I got on my horse and found high gear in hopes a bull was in tow of this herd. I belly crawled onto the peak peering over to see the lead cow at 440 yards and the closest cow coming around the backside corner at 220. Steadied my breath and helplessly watched through my scope as cow after cow appeared into view. No bull. At this point the wind is blasting through me layed out on this peak and I'd sweat like a hooker in church getting there. I headed back towards the fire I gathered but never lit. My feet were completely gone and I had to watch them into my previous tracks having no feeling until my calves. I've never had frost bite but I feared I was close to it. When I got back to my fire I began warming up. After all that story here's the hard knock. My fingers came back first but my feet were still completely numb. Having no feeling in them I didn't realize I was cooking my toes inside my boot until it was too late. Once the burning sensation hit I had already received 2nd degree burns on both big toes and my 2nd toe on my right foot which really sucked pickled ass because I still had 4 days left to hunt.
Lesson I learned was stay patient and warm up slow. Call me an idiot that's fine I'm a lineman by trade and skin is thicker than a tick tok chick's thighs. I did get my bull on the last day so it wasn't all in vain I suppose.
So let's hear some hard knock stories!
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