Back from D7

[clovishunter]

I returned from the field tonight and am completely exhausted. I covered a lot of ground, and saw some nice country.
On Sat. I hunted w/ GLGST and had an enjoyable time in spite of ignorance induced dehyration that had both of us taking our chances w/ drinking creek water. (Tasty!)
WORD TO THE WISE; never underestimate how much water to pack into the backcountry.
Too tired to post details now, will write more tomorrow........lots to comment on, especially the friday night disturbance at the Badger Flat campgrounds.

Special thanks to GLGST, I would still be clinging to the side of a ridge at 9k ft. w/ out your help........forget the fact that it was your idea to climb up there, I was dumb enough to listen. I look forward to future hunts w/ fewer blisters and more bucks.........don't forget I promised to show you that honey hole for hogs.

Brian

[FresnoHunter]

A person can never reasonably pack enough water. Just too much darn weight. A water filtration/purifier device is lightweight and will keep you hydrated without having to worry about getting diarrhea from giardia. Moleskin is worth its weight in gold to help prevent blisters and to help hot spots from progressing into blisters. Lightweight and doesnt take very much room in a pack.

[easymoney]

FH hit it right, get a filter and if there is any water you can have an unlimited supply.I too was up in the Kaiser Wilderness for the opener, backpacked in by myself, saw several does and fawns below 8000 ft, two bears- no tag, had a great time but no legal meat... Yet... I'll be back.

[glgst]

Clovishunter--I cant wait to hear the details of the whole story. Were you able to move on sunday???

And your welcome, I had a good time.

now lets hear the whole thing

glgst

[jackrabbit]

Hey CH, you weren't perhaps stuck at that little set of cliffs just a few hundred yards northwest of Upper Twin Lake were you? Years ago, I tried to take a short cut downhill from there to the foot-trail down below and got into a tough situation while I was backpack camping solo. Luckily I had packed enough nylon cord with me to lower my pack, then my rifle, and then climb down myself, with a wee bit of help from the cord looped around a rock every now and then. Needless to say, I don't take too many "short-cuts" anymore. But I least I had enough gear to sleep on a ledge if I had to.

[clovishunter]

J/R
That sounds a lot like what happend except that I was following GLGST up a ridge to hopefully drop down on some unsuspecting buck further down the way. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-shootin-green.gif
Trouble is I was not bright enough to use the same footing he used succesfully (I blaze my own trails), so I found myself on shaky rock covered w/ needles at a very steep (wall) angle http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-hair-raisin-blue.gif w/ GLGST looking down at me http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-help-green.gif ........ I had to pass my rifle up to him so that I could use BOTH hands to climb out of death&#39;s grip.
You&#39;d think I would learn, but this had to be repeated 2 more times in the next 20 min.........It was almost an example of Darwinism at its finest; genetic selection they call it. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-hitting-self.gif
We were not near upper twin, I don&#39;t have my topo in front of me but I think we were south by s/w of lower twin.
Wherever it was I won&#39;t be retracking those steps anytime soon............and there were no bucks waiting for us either, they were all too busy pointing and laughing.

G. thanks for the help. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-bowdown-purple.gif
Brian

[glgst]

The rough section was on the back side (NW of Potter Pass from coordinates (37,17,17 N : 119,08,25 W) to (37,17,14 N : 119,08,38 W) or round abbouts. Come on CH, need the whole story...

glgst

[Orygun]

in addition to the moleskin I recommend a roll of athletic tape. I always cover my blister prone areas of me feet when breaking in new boots, or heading in to the high country with a heavy pack.

[Cda55]

What happened at Badger Flats? Did it have anything to do with a guy and his barking dogs? Cincoflats and I were up there last year and a guy turned his dog out on us only to get a bow at full draw (on the dog) and almost getting his dog stuck.

[clovishunter]

OK- where to start ........ I did hunt the K/W for 4 days, but I hiked in and out each day as I was camped at the Badger Flat campgrounds. ( I would have backpacked in & camped there, but I do not have all the lightweight packable stuff required.....yet.) I racked up some frequent hiker miles, especially on sat. hunting w/ GLGST.
Friday night I met up w/ GLGST who drvoe up and camped that night so we could get an early start sat. well before dawn. We checked our topo maps and drew up a battle plan. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-rant-mode.gif As we were trying to finally get some sleep a collection of mental midgets in a small 4x4 truck began driving throughout the entire campgrounds yelling, screaming, and singing, over a loudspeaker ( and I mean LOUD). This Mickey Mouse behavior brought me to the boiling point quickly, but I was reluctant to confront them because their belligerence was apparently alcohol induced. There were dozens of hunters camped up and down over a 1/2 mile section that they were "trolling" for over an HOUR!
Hard to believe someone did not confront them. I&#39;m sure all hell would&#39;ve broke loose if anyone had intervened. I hope these A**holes were not hunters.

Finally made it to sleep before !:00am, I have never experienced anything like that in all my camping/hunting trips. This made for a long day sat. which was made worse when I only brought a small amount of water. We covered a lot of ground both on and off trails, but only saw 2 does for our troubles.
GLGST went home that night to work on his Masters thesis (Geology), I sat in camp wondering if the A** holes were going to perform again.

Sun. I went down the Idaho Lake Trail at a snails pace ( my dogs were barking from the previous day), something that sounded an awful lot like a big cat growled at me at point blank range from w/in some thick brush that was just above the trail........a perfect ambush spot for whatever it was, I didn&#39;t stick around to find out. I saw the search helicopter more than once, I also passed 3 female Red Cross Vols. searching on foot.......if you have to be rescued what better way than by some females. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-cool-shades-down.gif
Mon. I spent most of the day off trail scouting locations and spoting sign. I found a few places that I will definitely go back to, maybe this weekend. I much prefer to avoid the weekends and all the pressure and road hunters waiting for buckzilla to jump in the back of their truck.
On the drive home that night I spotted deer (mostly all does, but a few legal bucks too!!) along the road at no less than 9 spots, over 30 total.

I am somewhat frustrated, but I still look forward to another shot at &#39;em.
Brian

[dreaminhogs]

Clovishunter, keep it up you will get one. I am in the same boat as you but with the time put in I feel the rewards will follow. My dad and hunting partner both scored last weekend in D7 on the only day I was unable to go. Best of luck and keep us posted. Brian

[Rookies]

Read the Arcticle about D7 Report, Some nice bucks taken. Was this your camp? http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif