Prep for the hunt is started.

[cynthialee]

I have started my prep for this falls hunt.
First on the list: Get back into some semblance of shape.
To this goal I went on my first of what will prove to be many hikes this year.

To prepare my sorry ass for the hunt I grabed my possibles bag and the heaviest rifle I have, my CVA Mountain Stalker that has a lot of lead under the butt. Comes out to just over 10 Lbs.
The hike didn't last long but it was the first of the year, and I will assure you that the last hike of the year will be much more chalengeing.


Oh yeah I have a question also:

On the hike I came across some poo that looked like super sized deer poo. I broke a couple pieces apart to see what the critter was eating and it was plant material.
What in the forests of NE Washington state makes such a poo?

 

[George T.]

You inspire and shame us lazy guys! Come to Texas we ride to the stand and climb a few feet to sit in a nice chair to watch a corn feeder and the deer and hogs slipping in the corn. If they run off the road you may have to walk a hundred yards or so. Life is good for lazy hunters. Oh yeah you can shoot out of a truck as long as your not on county roads and on private property. Do not know the droppings but doesn't the ape man hang out up there? Geo. T.

 

[stinkyfeet]

Keep up the good work, we all need plenty of excerise.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

CL, you are wise to start early...I also got out today and started to clear some of the brush and downed trees behind the cottage...unfortunately I twisted ankle and will be laid up for few days till swelling goes down...damn stumps! By the way that poo you found, could it be elk or moose droppings? I know it's not shasquash poo cause it would have had dried jerky pieces in it. :wink: You seeing any of them chicken feed thieving turkeys...could be they heard you was gonna be after them and planted that bigger poo to scare ye off! :shocked2: :rotf:

 

[cynthialee]

Sevan and I just looked at images of moose and elk poo and considering it looks like older winter poo it could be either. I am leaning to Moose, Sevan is leaning to Elk.

 

[Bill Hall]

If you have any green vegatation around your place this time of year, that's what make the big droppings. We have the same thing around here with elk in the spring and summer. The grass is usually green and moist, so the elk poo (ha ha, I said poo) looks more like small cow patties rather than those Whoppers candy I love. Same with deer, when the vegatation gets dry and chewy, like in winter, it makes little "raisonettes" shoot out their behind.

Then again, you got any elk around your place? :hmm: Bill

 

[cynthialee]

we have elk a couple miles back and further up the mountain acording to my neighbor

and I have heard plenty of reports of moose and I saw a moose about 20 miles from here one day so I know they live around these parts also

 

[David Grout]

Most probably moose. They are all over the place North of Spokane. We have them in the yards and on the golf course quite often. Same with the deer. They visit almost every night and leave poo everywhere. Elk pretty much stay up and away from people.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

An old coger once told me about how he could taste test between different droppings for specie and sex of game that left em! Said that since his taste buds got worn out with old age he was willing to take on a young'n to teach them all his secrets about taste testing...I believe he still lives out your way...let me know if you want his e-mail address! :shocked2: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Vaino]

To start...you're preparing for the fall hunt the way it should be done. Congrats.

Asre the "poo" that you saw...it could be either elk or moose...I'm not "up" on the game in your area.

Here's a couple of worthwhile "bits of information" asre "poo". In northern Wisconsin there's a thriving industry making fishing surface "poppers" from dried deer pellets. A hole is drilled into the center of the pellet, a hook is inserted and glued and then the "popper" is paint sprayed in appealing colors...both to the fish and the tourist.

Have elk hunted quite a bit and noticed a difference in "cow poo" and "bull poo" during the rut. The "cow poo" is shaped like a miniature football whereas the "bull poo" is flatter on one end and this end has a dimple. Reason....due to the stress of the rut, bulls become constipated and the pellets kinda back up and the nose of the pellet to the rear, flattens and dimples the pellet in front of it. Have seen evidence of this many times.

Of course, if either a bull or cow feed on lush meadow grass, a somewhat smaller, runny "cowpie" is produced and this also reveals where the elk are feeding.

Happy hunting.....Fred

 

[hanshi]

If you watch tv at all then you know it's Sasquatch.

 

[Bill Hall]

Do they call them pooper poppers?

 

[Vaino]

"Pooper Poppers" should be copywrited...perhaps it already is. The bad thing about this name is it reveals the "secret ingredient".... :grin: .....Fred

 

[cynthialee]

I have been trying to maintain a higher activity level.
Got the hunting regs for this year last night and lo and behold...it is curently statewide tom turkey hunting season until May 31. (male turkeys and bearded only)
And here I am with a proper turkey gun but no hunting license or tags...
That gets fixed tommorow. Then Sunday I hope to practice some with the smoothbore; provided the wind isn't too strong. Supposed to have sustained winds tommorow.

So I have until the 31 of next month to get a bird. Limit is 2 but I only want one as I only care to buy one tag and it is mainly practice for the fall hunt. I will most likely go for the full limit this fall on turkey birds. If I show up to my brothers house with a wild turkey or two on Thanksgiving it will probably go over rather well.

 

[cynthialee]

One thing I forgot to add:

They left it at a 4 pointer or better for this falls hunt for white tails. (that is an 8 pointer for you east coast guys) 3 point or better for mule deer, but I have zero desire to go up that mountain and chase after them when white tails are poliete enough to live my property.

So no change in what I can harvest. Crud monkies!

 

[Little Wattsy]

One thing I forgot to add:

They left it at a 4 pointer or better for this falls hunt for white tails. (that is an 8 pointer for you east coast guys) 3 point or better for mule deer, but I have zero desire to go up that mountain and chase after them when white tails are poliete enough to live my property.

So no change in what I can harvest. Crud monkies!

Just curious to how close you are to the busting metropolis of Colville, WA? Ive whacked a deer or two up there in days gone by... might be taking the kids up there this year for a try as well...

 

[cynthialee]

It is about 21 miles.

I am thinking about buttering up grandma and asking to stay out at her place for the last weekend of the hunt come fall if I am comeing up empty handed. Her property is pretty big and just across the GMU line. They can take 3 pointers at her house. Just a few hundered yards south and it is 4 pointers.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Its all about getting it done when its time to put meat in the freezer..

 

[bigbore442001]

Cynthia Lee:

I wish you well on your early preparations. As I sit here this morning I became aware of a sad and dangerous fact. I lost a great deal of wieght but over the past two years I gained it all back. Damn Bass Ale.

You said you can hunt spring turkey now until the end of May. Why not go out and hunt turkey as part of a get in shape regimen? It is great to be able to get out and do something different during this time of year.

Find a good load for your smoothbore and then get a simple box call. If you can make some simple yelps and clucks, not call too much, you have a chance of calling in a gobbler.

 

[cynthialee]

that is part of the plan!
:grin:

I plan on getting my hunting license and tags today. Sunday-Thursday I want to do some load development. That leaves Friday and onward open with nothing better to do but go find that gobbler that has been makeing alot of noise down the road.