Monday A.M.
Got up the mountain this morning by an alternate, more moderate trail. Got up right as shooting light was breaking. Spent the morning glassing. Unfortunately, again I saw no elk. I saw some 2-3 days old scat and tracks, but nothing real fresh.
I did see an adult black bear and a cub, which was neat. They were digging under logs for something to eat. I also saw something I haven't ever seen before. I saw Pronghorn Antelope at over 9,000 feet. I'm not talking about a high elevation sage flat. I'm talking about the mountains. Strange. I guess they were wannabe "Mountain Goats".
Monday P.M.
This evening I glassed all the same areas, and then some, and still found no elk. Different day, same story. Tomorrow morning is my last hurrah.
Just pretty mountains
The black bear I saw, running away
My motel for the night
- Go to Day 6 of the Hunt -
Trip Notes
This hunt takes place in central Idaho, roughly between Salmon and Idaho Falls. It is a self-guided hunt on National Forest, which is public land. It's my first hunt in Idaho - and it's always exciting hunting a new area. My pre-hunt research helped me to decide on hunting Idaho, and narrowed it down to a particular unit (which will have to remain un-named for the time being) in the central part of the state. Biologists and Forest Service officials have told me there are good numbers of average 5 and 6 point bulls in this unit, with the definite chance to run into a really big bull. This area is completely limited and draw-only for rifle hunters, so the bull:cow ratio is good and the bulls have had a chance to get big.
Equipment
I'm shooting a Martin Jaguar bow, set at 72 lbs. Arrows are 29-inch Easton 3-60 ACC's, with Wasp 125 gr. 3-blade SST Hammer broadheads. Depending on the terrain, I'm wearing almost exclusively Predator camoflauge. I have Fall Gray, Spring Green, Fall Brown, and Evolution with me on the trip, and will probably use all of them. Predator is awesome, and particularly in the Rocky Mountain West. I've also got a new Master Guide backpack made by Crooked Horn Outfitters that I'm eager to try out.
Equipment
This section is to tell you about some equipment that I've used extensively and highly recommend. I'm not a paid representative of any hunting product manufacturer, so these are honest-to-goodness reviews of quality equipment. In case you're interested in trying out some of this equipment for yourself, I've made links to places on the Internet where you can buy them at good prices. Just click on the photo or the name of the product.
 
Bausch & Lomb® 7x42 Binoculars
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I've had a pair of B&L 7x42 Discoverer's for 5 years and have given them a real beating in a large variety of climates and conditions. I am very impressed with the overall quality. Compared side by side with Swarovski Binoculars in the field, the only noticeable difference was the price. They will cost you about $500 less than Swarovski's.
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Garmin® GPS 12
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Buying a Garmin GPS 12 was one of the best purchases I ever made. It has so many uses, and is so easy to use. In unfamiliar hunting areas, just mark your vehicle, hunt anywhere you want, and at the end of the day, get back to your vehicle with no problem. It's also great for marking downed animals to return to later. My GPS goes with me on EVERY hunting outing.
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Wasp Hammer SST 125 Gr. Broadheads
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I've used probably 10 different makes and models of broadheads in the last 10 years. The Wasp SST Hammer is the best Fixed, Replaceable blade broadhead I've ever used. I used to use Thunderheads, and took several animals with them. On a friends recommendation, however, I tried the Wasp. That was 2 years and a dozen or so animals ago, and I haven't tried another broadhead since. The Wasp has given me better blood trails, by far, than any of the other heads I've tried. They are tough, penetrate well (complete pass-throughs on all but one animal) and fly great. What more could you ask?
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Double Bull Titan I.C.E. Blind
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There is no question that hunting from my Titan blind has made my success rate as a bowhunter much higher. The Predator Deception pattern fairly melts into the brush. I've shot animals less than 5 yards from the blind. Also the best thing for Turkey Bowhunters since the Box Call. Light, very portable, strong, and conceals movement very well. Great for increasing the amount of time you spend in the woods.
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Olympus D-450 Zoom Digital Camera
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If you're interested in getting a very high-quality Digital Camera, the Olympus D-450 or one of it's successors is a great choice. I've had my D-450 for about 3 years now, and have taken all of the photos for all my Live Hunts with this camera. It's not cheap, but this is one instance where you definitely get what you pay for. I highly recommend this camera.
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e-mail Joshua Flournoy
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