"The Season"

[les welch]

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[orionsbrother]

Les - Best of luck to Hunter, Mike and you. I'll be checking this thread for updates.

Short bloodtrails boys!!!

 

[les welch]

Even though my Encore was shooting really well I elected to play around a little. I pulled the rear sight off and installed a Turret model Williams peep sight. It was clear with the first shot that I was going to like this system much better!! Target clarity is so much better and target acquisiton is fast! After an hour of shooting I'm really excited about this setup!

Generally we don't basecamp hunt. Our usual hunt has us backpacked in 5-7 miles where we branch out and chase the elk. That will be the what the ML hunt will be like, but it looks like we will be basecamp hunting in WY. At least to start as we are not familiar with the area and need to cover some ground scout hunting. I bought a Cabela's Alakanak tent that we will start hunting out of. From there we will likely spike in to a few different areas to see what we can come up with.

Started truck packing the last couple days. Pictures to come.

 

[les welch]

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[orionsbrother]

Hunter is acquainted with the tradition that the newb picks up the tab for meals on the road, right? And dishes in base camp...and...

You're going to have a blast Hunter. I'm sure that you are well on your way developing and honing your skills. Pay close attention to your dad and Mike. You will learn a lot. When things start happening quickly and you're not sure what to do, watch their body language. It'll help clue you in.

My kids will be following this thread with me. The little people in our household are wishing you the best.

 

[les welch]

A little shooting, lots of packing tonight.


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[les welch]

Fat bike is going to Wyoming with me.


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[hunterwelch]

"The Season"

Hunter is acquainted with the tradition that the newb picks up the tab for meals on the road, right? And dishes in base camp...and...

You're going to have a blast Hunter. I'm sure that you are well on your way developing and honing your skills. Pay close attention to your dad and Mike. You will learn a lot. When things start happening quickly and you're not sure what to do, watch their body language. It'll help clue you in.

My kids will be following this thread with me. The little people in our household are wishing you the best.

Thanks this will be my first elk hunt



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[les welch]

Once we got the muzzleloader tag I had to hurry up and scramble in an order to Sitka. We need a little orange for this trip. They didn't disappoint in six days here it is.


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[les welch]

Got my new threat bugle tube from Corey at elk 101. I really like the sound of this new tube. I'm a little torn though that I won't be toting my custom Sitka tube. I don't have time to get a new cover made for this one. Those elk are a nice touch though.

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[elkyinzer]

"Like" for your custom license plate...good stuff! Good luck guys, especially Hunter! I would've killed to do something like that at your age. My first few years I couldn't sleep for a week before the PA archery opener, can't imagine what you must be feeling like now.

 

[les welch]

This morning I put 12 brand-new slick tricks on to full metal jacket 400's. I put them all on the arrow spinner to make sure they were good and put five of them in the quiver ready for Wyoming.


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[les welch]

We don't usually base camp Hunt so this big tent stuff is new to us. I picked up this over the summer and set it up tonight to make sure all would go well.


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[les welch]

New Lowa Renegades ready to go west.


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[5MilesBack]

We don't usually base camp Hunt so this big tent stuff is new to us. I picked up this over the summer and set it up tonight to make sure all would go well.

You'll appreciate the large base camp as you get older. Sleeping on the ground even with a pad pretty much blows compared to a nice comfortable cot with lots of foam. Add in a full size cook stove, table, and heat with room to roam and stand and it gets addictive.

Heck, just having a place to come out to from packing in makes it nice.....especially when you're packing an elk out to the truck. Only way to roll IMO.

 

[orionsbrother]

We don't usually base camp Hunt so this big tent stuff is new to us. I picked up this over the summer and set it up tonight to make sure all would go well.


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Holy cats! You're going to have the three of you in that Tent Mahal?

 

[les welch]

No for Colorado we are going to pack in about 6 miles and bivy Hunt. When Mike and I leave there and head to Wyoming it'll just be the two of us at base camp. We'll still spike in some, but we will have this set up as a base camp.


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[les welch]

les welch - Rokslide(14006794) on Vimeo

So I'm not sure how well this will work but I'm trying it out to see if I can do some video feeds while we are out west. This is the bear bait I will hunt Wednesday night before I leave for elk hunting.


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[orionsbrother]

No for Colorado we are going to pack in about 6 miles and bivy Hunt. When Mike and I leave there and head to Wyoming it'll just be the two of us at base camp. We'll still spike in some, but we will have this set up as a base camp.


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Well, you guys are going to have some righteous space. Enjoy the luxury!

Did you and Hunter do any mobile and bivy style hunting in the CNF as prep for this trip? And are you guys going to run with tarps and bivy bags or a tent?

 

[les welch]

No trial runs. I've done more than enough to know so I just told him he will like it

We are going to run a small tipi. No stove. We always hunt cold. We'll be using a Western Mountaineering Antelope with extra loft for a ° bag, and a Kifaru 0° bag.

More Gear:

I will be running an AMR and Hunter the Tahr, from Kifaru. Both will have Guide lid, lash kit, and Grab It.
Sawyer filter + drops for water
Jetboil/MH/PBB and Honey tortillas/Cereal Mix/Jerky/Nuts/Bars/Chicken in a Biscuit
Bugling Bulls Threat Tube and Yellow/Orange/Blue Reeds. Red/White Primos reeds
Havalon and Gerber knives
Kifaru and TAGS meat bags
Exped and Big Agnes pads
Swaro optics and Leupold rangefinders
TC/Traditions ML shooting Bighorn 209 and Powerbelt 295 Aerotips
Tikka Headlamps
Garmin 64st GPS units
All Sitka clothing
Lowa, Hanwag, Danner, Rocky, and Kennetrek boots
Smartwool Socks

Hunter is at 35# right now with everything but Trekking poles and ML. I'll finish loading my pack tonight.