Monday, October 13, 2008

This one time - in deer camp...


Deer season opened up October 4th this year in the zone we like to hunt, which is X1, all the way up in Siskiyou County by Mt Shasta. I got to work on Friday the 3rd at 6am, got off at 3, got my crap together and headed upstate.
13 hours and 720 miles later I pulled into camp right at 6am where my buddies (who had come up the day before) were getting ready to go out. I had just enough time to change into some warmer clothes and grab my .308.
Saturday rained all day, so we spent a lot of time in my friend's truck, just cruising the lonely dirt roads way back in the forest. Saw plenty of does and fawns, but no legal bucks.
The next few days the weather cleared up so we could break out the ATVs and the Rhino - much fun!
I stayed till Tuesday, but struck out as far as deer are concerned. No matter - the Shasta-Trinity forest is incredibly beautiful and the company was great. I heartily enjoy my forays into California's northern forests, and look forward to these trips every year.
The highlight of my trip...
My friend Shane and I were walking along a remote road, looking for sign of deer. I was ahead, looking into the trees on our left, when Shane let out with:"Bear!"
Since this guy is a jokester, I turned back towards him to say something like "Yeah, very funny," when he pointed past me with a stricken look on his face.
Sure enough, there was a middlin' sized Black Bear ambling down the road towards us about 80 yards distant. The bear turned into the trees on our right, still ambling along at an easy pace, until he drew about even with us. Finally he caught sight of us and took off running. You don't see that every day, at least not down here in the brown valley...
OK - some pics...

A gap in the forest from up high - the trees go for miles and miles. Fantastic. I think this was Saturday, because it looks a bit gloomy.

Mt Shasta through the trees. You have this vast green carpet of trees with a stark white cone sticking up out of the middle of it all. There's snow on there year round, I believe.
Some of the "ATV militia" on the prowl...
Motor pool back at camp...

Dew-dusted trees...

Mt Shasta from the McCloud gas station on the way back home...

5 comments:

NotClauswitz said...

COOL! The Trinity Alps Wilderness area has a good number of bears, but it's the Browns that are to be feared since they know no fear - blacks tend to run-off (so I've heard) - unless you're between a a she and her cubs, then watch out, they can move real fast.
Take 299 over to Helena and then up to Hobo Gulch, and hike to Grizzly Lake and Thompson Peak for an outstanding view.

Kevin said...

Yup, I think we'll be hunting the Trinity Alps next year - out by Lewiston... I was there a few years back and was really taken by the views...

FHB said...

Cool! That first shot looks like paradise. Love the rest too. Wonderful.

Anonymous said...

hey homie...i got deer in my front yard all thru out the day! they're like alley cats out here! come on down! hehe =0)

phlegmfatale said...

COOL!
Cool post, cool pics.
I LOVE the Cascades. It's so beautiful up there. A little envious!