Well I'm getting ready for hunting season here in Nez Pierce and Clearwater county and soon after that when it starts cooling down coyote hunting begins in earnest. the hunting is pretty good.

Here is some pix. The first two are of my grand daughters sighting in the 243 and coming back from marking their targets at our shooting range/gravel pit. This is about half a mile from the house so we don't have far to go from loading bench to shooting bench.

The last three are pix of places no more than ten miles from the front porch. Lots of deer country and last year a friend and his dad shot two nice elk six miles from my house up big canyon.

I can't get into where they shot their elk, just to crippled up, but deer are all around. Our little town has a resident deer population of nearly a hundred or so. They seem to know that there safe here in town.

Anyway My little 280 is all sighted in, the 243 #1 is sighted in, just got to get the youngest grand daughters 308 loaded down to 30-30 velocity's and sighted in and were ready to go. My sons big 8 mag may or may not get used this year. He seems to have lost interest in hunting. It's already sighted in and ready to go so If I get the urge and there's any elk tags left near the end of the season It might get a chance anyway.

Hope all you guys are ready too.

Ready and hunting! Thanks for the great pics.

Here's some Elk country up out of Pierce, ID. sure is pretty and It's started to get down to darn near freezing at night at those altitudes.

This is mostly from the top of French Mountian looking toward Montana.

My equipment and mind are all ready, but my body isn't quite there yet! A few more all-day scouting trips should do it.

Our elk hunting crew hold 4 cow tags this year, no bull tags, so we decided we would set up our camp the second week of the season rather than the opener. We've never really had much pressure from other hunters where we go, but always wanted to try a little later in the season just to see how it would be and maybe get a little closer to the mule deer rut, and maybe improve that part of the hunting. Likely more snow and a little colder, forcing the animals to move around a bit more and be more visible.

Nice pics Bob.

Hey, Bob -

Trying to control the limp around the wife, but I think she still knows!

I'm set for elk on the 20th of Oct thru the 26th. My whitetail deer tag kicks in on the 27th thru Nov 5th in the same area. Got the motel reservations made and have been field position shooting the several rifles being figured into the trip (each species gotta have their selective cartridge, ya know!) over the shooting sticks.

Duds aren't packed yet, but doesn't take long for that chore. Been reloading a huge surplus of ammo for each rifle.

Yeah - I'd say I'm getting ready! :D

Yeah I'm ready! After the worst and craziest year of my life, (Katrina last year took both of my parents homes, primary home to 12 ft. of water, and 8" of mud trough out the whole house, the other took 5 ft. of water and an inch or two of mud.I had about $32,000 worth of damage on our home. Then the fun of dealing with Insurance Fools, FEMA, and trying to get ledgitimate contractors. My mom died in January to a lung disease, had to rebuild my Dad a new home, which is 95% complete, and my mother in law's home is still torn up, and trying to get that squared-up also. Oh yeah, the wife totaled the Tahoe , when someone pulled out on her when she was taking the kids to school last week. Yep, I'm ready!!!

Been hunting for over a month now....

Is it fishing season yet....haha!

Naw, I love it, 6 months of deer, month and a half of turkey (my personal favorite) and year round hogs.

If SC only had duck hunting like where I grew up in VA, I'd never EVER move.

Hey, Bob -

Trying to control the limp around the wife, but I think she still knows!

I'm set for elk on the 20th of Oct thru the 26th. My whitetail deer tag kicks in on the 27th thru Nov 5th in the same area. Got the motel reservations made and have been field position shooting the several rifles being figured into the trip (each species gotta have their selective cartridge, ya know!) over the shooting sticks.

Duds aren't packed yet, but doesn't take long for that chore. Been reloading a huge surplus of ammo for each rifle.

Yeah - I'd say I'm getting ready! :D

Sounds like your still recovering from that guy tboning you. I can identify with the limp. I'm really careful now about shooting anything that's on the downside of the mountian.

You be careful and take it easy out there in the woods.

I've always liked the bigger bores for elk, doesn't have to be a magnum, but those above 30 calibers just seem to work better. Gave up the heart lung shots years ago in favor of a front shoulder shot. Just find them in to steep and brushy country in this part of Idaho. Plus your either shooting fifty yards or less or several hundred across a canyon. It's nice to have something with some reach for those shots.

I'm shooting the new 280 this year for deer. I got it last year and a friend shot a nice buck with it last year.

My son's home off the road with some medical problems and says he's going to hunt with me this year. I've got to get some cases loaded for his 8 mag and get him up to the range.

I'm pretty much limited to stand/still hunting and also do a little road hunting. I'll Let them young folks move the animals to me instead of busting the brush anymore.

I've got two grand daughters that will be working on their first deer this year so I'll be more of a guide than a hunter probably.

Did a loop up on the praire this morning and saw two coyotes. Both made it over the hill before I could get the cross hairs on them. Them critters sure can make speed when they need it.

I started Bow hunting last Saturday here in MN. Took a shot at a medium size buck under my stand, forgot how close he was, much closer than what I had been practicing for, the arrow went right over him. Oh well.

My 30-06 is all sighted in for the early doe only season that will be October 14 and 15. About all that is left is to throw my toothbrush and paste in a bag. The rest of the duffle bag is set to go in the truck. I was out in August discing and planting rye in a food plot on the acreage. I use the plot to draw the deer. From my stand I can not see the food plot, baiting is illegal in MN. The rye is up about 4 inches so it is ready for the season also.

In November I will grab my 308 and head North for a couple of weekends in the deep woods. It is all sighted in and ready to go also. Last year I ran into two bears that camped out by my stand. I still got a nice buck, I wonder this year if the deer have moved out, not seeing much for sign around the old trails.

Boy am I ready. At this time of year work is something I do between hunting trips instead of the other way around.

Brad S
Hebrews 10:39

Still need to check my Guide Gun, that's this upcoming weekend activity. The 243, 7mm, and 25-06 are ready. Here in NY we have tons of deer. I'll be hunting on my own property right from the house. Just a short walk to the woods. Made two blinds, placed one in an open field looking over two well traveled tree lines. The second is in the woods where 5 heavily trafficed trails come together near bedding and a stream. Food plots, (sorgum, hay fields, corn, and orchards) are all within 300 yards of where the main trails converge.

I've seen Buckzilla 3 times. First on my birthday (July 22) then Sept 7 and again Sept 16. This is a Boone and Crocket class animal with long tines and his antlers are as big around as my wrist where they come out of his head. The last time I saw him he had gathered a significant band of does or was following them, too early for the rut (local prediction Nov 10 - 20). His buddy that hangs with him is a nice 10-pointer but looks small by comparison. Makes the crop of frequently seen 6 and 8 pointers look like babies. I hope I see him on opening day (middle of Nov). I've taken to counting the deer on a daily basis. I will see between 10 and 30 in the "hunt area" on any given day. Lots and lots of ladies in waiting.

Psyched and ready in NY. :)

My 30/30 is sighted in with my hunting ammo and I just 'upgraded' the daypack that I made20 years ago.I'm in the process of getting my hunting 'stuff'in order.
My main concern is the strength of my legs.I have to strengthen them.Yesterday,I took a hike in the area that I will hunt;got a mile uphill in and wil try again soon.
Frank

I was born ready!!!!

I got the load for the 300RUM dialed in. Still using the Swift scirroc II's. I went through and weighed them all and took the 35 out of 100 that weighed 179.8 to 180 grains. Shot a tight 1 1/2" group at 100 yards. The one flyer was "my bad".

The 7 mag, 35 Whelen I'll double ckeck "one more time", the 30-06 A.I. is always ready, just need to put some rounds thru it to make sure it will go off. :rolleyes:

The new .243 has it's deer load all worked up. A nice sub moa group that is very impressive, hopefully I'll get to see a deer that I want to take home and put in the freezer.

The deer have been moving in the last week or so. There's always some visible whatever time of day I happen to look out in the pasture or across the road. I haven't been out looking for elk yet, I'll wait till Hunting Buddies weekend on the 14th and 15 of Oct. to do my scouting.

I did draw the coveted "West Panel" this year so I will have a good chance at a good bull and hopefully a nice muley buck.

RJ