October 18 through 23, 2011; Tuesday through Sunday - Hunting in Montana

We had a very successful hunt so far this season.  Keith got his Turkey.  I was on my way into town so we just breasted it out and it is in the freezer waiting to be canned.

Wild Turkey taken by Keith

Nice long beard

We got to Keith's sisters on the evening of the 20th and went out scouting on the 21st; Friday. We thought we had 2 days to scout but we found out hunting season started on Saturday the 22nd, not Sunday the 23rd.   Hunting in Montana always has started on a Sunday since we have lived here but they changed it to Saturday while we were gone last year. Anyway, we found a spot that looked good to us and Bill (brother-in-law) said he had seen a group of about 50 Elk there about a week or 2 earlier. Karen and Bill picked their spot out and we decided we would split up and call each other; if or when, we got something.  Out on top of a mountain and our cell phones worked; go figure!

Sun rise on 10-22-2011 in the Centennial Mountain range

It was a pretty cold opening morning; about 30 degrees with a breeze. We were out there sitting in our spots by 07:00. I saw a Red Fox first thing. We had a beautiful sun rise so I took some pictures while waiting for some Elk to show themselves. 08:00 came and no elk, but about 08:15 I saw two hunters on top of the ridge across from us. They talked for a while and then split up so I thought they might have seen some elk and were going to try driving them out in the open so I waited. It was almost 09:00 and Keith had already started walking over to where I was sitting and then we saw them; one Bull with 6 cows.  They came up and over the ridge in front of us and started walking straight towards us. They were still to far from us to shoot. When we saw them Keith was already on the path and just dropped to his knees and didn't move. They were doing a fast walk or trot and it was hard to get a good shot but all of a sudden they stopped and looked around. The bull turned sideways and Keith took his shot. It was a good 350 yards and up hill; a beautiful 5 x 5.  Now we had to get up there, which wasn't easy as the side of the mountain was covered with sage bush with big roots.  It was very hard to walk through it;  I fell twice just getting up there. When I got there I called Karen to let them know we got one. Bill got one also; he shot his 5 x 5 just after day break and was in the process of gutting and quartering it. I helped Keith gut his and we got two quarters off but he was still too heavy for us to turn him over because he was on the side of a hill. Karen and Bill finished with Bill's Elk and left him there and went back to the house to get the horses.

While waiting on Karen and Bill with the horses we saw a cow and her calf.  They were very close to us and I could have shot but didn't take it because of the calf.  A while later we saw the heard of 50 + elk Bill had told us about.  They were all walking single file just to the left of us.  It was a spectacular sight and there were several bulls in the heard.  By this time we had been working for several hours on Keith's elk and we decided one was enough so I didn't shoot.

When they got to us it was about 15:30.  They helped us finish quartering the Elk and we put then on the horses to carry it out.   I don't know what we would have done without their horses; very rough terrain.  The 4 quarters were put on the horses and Keith and I carried the rack and head down to the car.  It was very heavy.  Needless to say, all 4 of us were exhausted by the time we got to the house; about 18:30.   I had supper already made and we just had to heat it up; we ate, shared stories, and early to bed.  What a day, two large Bull's on opening morning, it doesn't get any better than that.  Karen, Bill, and Keith went up to get Bill's Elk the next morning with the horses. I stayed home and soaked in a bubble bath and in the afternoon I started cleaning up the back straps and hanging loins. 

More to come tomorrow.

CO's comments:  So far this year it has been a great hunt.  It is making up f or my missing hunting last year.  Now we have our Montana deer to harvest and the middle of the month we head to Wisconsin to hunt Whitetail.  However; I do miss being on the boat.

5 x 5 Bull Elk taken on 10-22-2011

Notice the rough terrain

Nice rack

I was sitting up in the trees to the right and Keith was in the trees to the left

This is the ridge the Elk came over

October 7, 2011; Friday - To Wisconsin, Minnesota, and home to Montana

Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to home in Montana:  We had a wonderful time getting re-acquainted with our grandchildren in Wisconsin.  We could not believe how much they have grown since we were gone.  On our way back home, we stopped in Minneapolis to attend a Wedding of our friends from our old marina.  We are very happy for Andy and Nora; it was good to see them and also all our friends from Bill's Bay Marina.

I've been going to update our blog since we have been home but we have been very busy.  We just got our Internet hooked up and this morning is the first time I could use it.  It was hooded up yesterday but "Wild Blue's" satellite was down all day.  I am so glad it is up and running.  The first week and a half I spent washing walls, floors, bedding, towels, and clothes that we left here while we were gone.  The worst were the cobwebs and dead bugs all over the house.  Thanks to our neighbor, Roxy, the worst was vacuumed and cleaned up before we got here.  We had a few mouse droppings; but all in all it wasn't bad.  I still washed every thing just to be safe.  We had put bar bate out all over the house, in the cabin, outside, in our vehicles, and in the hunting trailer and that is what saved us from being invaded by mice.  I pretty much have things in order now.  My next project is getting ready for Montana hunting season which starts October 23rd.  We will be going to Keith's sisters and hunt with them.  They are located just out side of Yellowstone National Park and we are looking forward to the hunt.  We will keep you posted as to how the hunt went.

Our road into our place was pretty bad before we left but now it is even worse because of the flooding last spring and summer.  Our neighbors are working diligently trying to get it drivable and we appreciated all the work they have done.  But, you definitely need 4-Wheel drive to get out to the highway.  We were supposed to go into Billings today but because of all the rain yesterday, last night, and this morning, we decided to put it off for a while.

My camera didn't work at the wedding but at the reception I was able to get a few candid shots with my telephone.

CO's comments:  I had 2 trees die while we were gone and they were falling over my range so I cut them up for fire wood.  I have my range back in order and now we can sight our rifles in for hunting season.  It's good to be home but I am missing the boat already.

N46 17.8618
W108 32.3957

Craig, Keith, and Troy

Nancy, Jen, and Kim

Dave and Len

September 11, 2011, Sunday - Still in Pebble Isle

Pebble Isle Marina, New Johnsonville, TN:  We have been here now for 12 days and are as settled in as we can be at this time.  We do not have our permanent slip yet; we are still waiting on the other boater to decide when, or if, he is leaving.  So for the time being, we are staying in our temporary slip.  Randy, the owner, said not to worry and when our slip opens up he will move us and it will be ready for us when we get back.

We are leaving for Wisconsin and our son's early in the morning (Monday).  We are renting a car but we have to go to Nashville, TN, to get it as there no car rental agencies in this area.  So, we will use the courtesy car from the marina and drive to Nashville (72 miles away), get the rental car, come back here with the courtesy car, and load up the rental car with all our "stuff"!  It is a round about way of doing it, but, you do what you have to do.  We will spend some time in Wisconsin and then head for Montana and our home.  It has been a long time since we were home and we are looking forward to getting there.

CO's comments: What a rat race!

Pebble Isle at sun set

Beautiful sun set on 9-5-2011

August 28, 29, & 30,2011; Sunday through Tuesday

Sunday, Kentucky Dam Marina, KY, to Anchorage in Panther Bay/Spring Cove at Mile 60.2 on the Tennessee River:  After a very enjoyable evening of drinks and dinner at Mr. Bill's/Patti's last night with our good friend Craig from Minnesota, we were on our way down the Tennessee River again.  The river was a little choppy all day and we got to our planned anchorage; Heiman Cove at Mile 62.6, and found it very busy with local boaters.  There had to be at least 8 boats anchored out in the cove.  It was a Sunday and our guess was that by about 17:00 or 18:00 most of them would be gone but it was only 14:30 so we looked for another anchorage.  It didn't take long because there are so many little coves on the Tennessee.  We back tracked about 2 miles and found a beautiful, peaceful, little cove called Spring Cove and put our anchor out and enjoyed the rest of the day.  There was only one other boat anchored there.  After dinner we were enjoying the cool night breeze and we saw 2 guys on a pontoon boat carrying trees on it and dropping them into the cove.  They did this several times and finally Keith waved them over to talk with them.  Keith was concerned that we might hit them with our props when leaving.  They said they do this all the time and not to worry that they were put in 10 to 15 feet of water in order to keep fish in the area.  They were very nice men, said they were finished and told us to have a nice trip.

Monday, Anchorage in Panther Bay/Spring Cove at Mile 60.2 on the Tennessee River: We enjoyed this anchorage so much we decided to stay a 2nd day. We put the dinghy in the water and did some exploring.

Tennessee Fish Bate

The entrance to Kentucky Dam Marina in daylight

The "Red" light that doesn't light up in the dark

Doe and her fawn

Kim Jo III at anchorage in Spring Cove

N36 31.530
W88 00.817

CO's comments:  I bet this is very good deer hunting country.  Both days we saw deer scampering about at the waters edge.  On our dinghy ride we saw deer in several different areas.  Most of them were does with fawns.

Tuesday, Panther Bay/Spring Cover on the Tennessee River, to Pebble Isle Marina, New Johnsonville, TN:  We had a short day so we didn't get going until 09:00.  The river was very calm and smooth, the sky was blue, and there was a gentle breeze; just perfect.  We feel very fortunate to be back on the Tennessee River.  We got to our marina by 13:30 and our annual slip was not available yet so they put us in a temporary covered slip until the other boater moves out.  A covered slip in this heat makes a world of difference.  It is at least 20 degrees cooler under cover.


N36 03.673
W87 57.007

Co's comments:  The XO is in dire straights.  We are under so much metal that our TV antenna will not work.  This will be a few days of reading books, which is OK with me.