Day 3

Up at 5:30 am, and headed out to do some more scouting. I set out to look at an area on my own while the other guys kept their focus on some high ridges. Slight chill, but it was nice, the kind that a face welcomes. I heard a couple bugles down below from where I was sitting, so I headed that direction. To describe the land a little bit. It looks similar to logging land back home in Northern California, where we have thick tree lines and patches of thick areas diced by clear cut patching of timber... The only difference being, there aren't any clear cuts, just huge patches of safe brush that divide the tree lines. So I am up high on a point, looking down through several big areas of rolling hills covered with sage and paying attention to the tree lines, hopeful that I will see something poking it's head out to catch some morning sun. That never happened. So after sitting for a great while, I headed back up the ridge to meet up with the other guys. On my way up, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye on an adjacent ridge. I put some glass on it and it was a cow elk, staring right at me. I watched her for a bit, until she bounded out. The direction she was headed was down, and down below her is where I kept hearing what I thought to be antlers rubbing up against tree branches, at least I hope. Well, that was the highlight of my morning. When I met up with the other guys, that hadn't seen any elk but they did get to watch a moose walk the ridge they were glassing. Back at camp we made some breakfast burritos and then I took a nap. The rest of the afternoon we formed some plans, prepped our packs and shot our bows. Wonderful way to spend the Friday before the opener. Will be up early, hopeful.