Last Day All I Hoped For

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Climbed the falls and hunted the back of a huge tract of GL. Technically Falls are GL. Found some rubs bigger than my leg but only sat an hour. Had to get back down the falls before dark. Learning the lay of the land. After climbing back up 1100' on our side I found a few new runs in a different spot. I had an hour until dark and thought I had him figured out. Sat on a Rhododendron thicket resting under a Fir tree trying to recover from 4 hours of straight vertical in the snow with a 75 lbs. pack. A long way from 3 years ago when I couldn't even walk. I have slipped the last 6 mos. though and paid dearly for not being in shape. Anyway, back to the story. Right at dark just as predicted a deer slipped out of the thicket maybe 10' away from me. It was bald and the buck never showed. Plus, sitting for an hour in a snow bank after that climb was a bad idea. Limped home and right before pavement I saw where he crossed. Maybe 100 yards from where I was sitting. Thankfully, the last sit was only 500 yards to the house or I wouldn't have made it. Saw Bear, a nice 8-10, turkey, a pile of does, snowshoe hare, and even had a flock of some kind of tiny really fat birds hang out in the Fir bow with me. First season not drawing blood but still rewarding.
 

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gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Looking good at the base .... sucking wind after descending 1200' from house.
 

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gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Was hoping these would be a sign of good luck. Guess I found the monster rubs so good luck for next year or late Flintlock. Would have gotten some pics of the river with snow and the summit views but phone died. Mrs. Gremcat is not impressed with me tonight. She belly flopped off a flat section oftrail and nearly severed her liver this summer which was what Lee was referring to. I was going to drop my pack and tell her I was alive but no time before dark. It's probably better I didn't take pics of the climb. She's probably still mad about my last climb in the backyard sitting 1500' above the river. I will definitely post more/better pics now that season is over. Anyone thinking of hunting up here with me should look at crampons or at a minimum good supportive hiking boots. I had my well broken in Danner Canadians and it was pretty hairy. A bucket list hike I have been eying since I got here. 1 hour hunt but so worth it. Last two for this area are a rocky cliff past where I stopped and Ice Climbing the falls. A Local Business Owner is helping me with the second one. It turns out Ice Climbing is fairly hazardous and illegal but he knows a Guy and suggests early am for best ice😏Come on Winter let's hope it's cold enough. Need to get back into shape for Alaska anyway. Still have the DIY Moose itch that needs to be scratched. Thanks to my many Friends on here that contributed to my rehabilitation after the accident. I'm close to realizing that dream as well.
 

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gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I will also say the large buck the Neighbor killed was maybe 500 yards from my house and he and the 8-10 (I couldn't see brows but no cam so??) were both regulars in my yard along with the two bears. If I tried a bit harder and hunted more than 6 sits all season I would have drew blood. Heck I could have killed the big buck, turkey, and bear but didn't realize seasons were in. Second and fourth sit had the buck, turkey every time, and bear last day (plus every night at my house..) I found four groups of huge rubs and hunted a Logging road that had thirty plus trees rubbed from decades gone by. It really was all my fault this wasn't my best season but it happens.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
And if the muzzle of my gun looks funny it's because Inelevtricvtaped the muzzle it's an inline black powder since. Semis aren't legal here and the new to me pre-64 model 70 .308 hasn't arrived in time. I keep extra wraps of electric tape when getting into a rough area to keep the bore unobstructed.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
One I did get of the base of the trail. Next time I am camping there. On the climb down I saw another nice rub and down near the base a Hunter leaned against a tree looking up the elevation and giving me the evil eye. I may be out of shape somewhat and getting Older but He was a combination of both and I bet the poor Guy wasn't making it far.
 
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gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Doesn't look like much but when your clinging to a root for dear life or stepping on a clump of snow and hoping it's a steadfast rock or your plummeting 1000' to your death it is. This was the easy base of the hike.
 

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robertc

Eight Pointer
Man, that is some beautiful areas that you are hunting. The view should have been worth the trip.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
 

reds1

Button Buck
Gremcat wish I would have known earlier about your muzzleloader , would have given u a rifle to use for the season
 

smith-n-stokes

Old Mossy Horns
Looks and sounds like a good time up there. The deer are in trouble now that you’ve got them figured out.


Sent from wherever I was at the time...
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Gremcat wish I would have known earlier about your muzzleloader , would have given u a rifle to use for the season

Thanks, I didn't make it to NC to retrieve my rifles but with a short season and am accurate Inline I felt fine. I don't have the glass or rifle to reach across the valley anyway.
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Glad you were able to get out and have a good time. Those are some great looking pictures. Sorta feel like you would look more in place with some trad mountain man garb. LOL.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Thanks Lee, I am considering a change and just shaved the beard. I am seriously thinking the old Under Armour from my training days is good stuff but the fleece doesn't soak it up. I am considering going with the skin fabric like Under Armour, then a light layer of wool, then fleece, then either wind break or heavy wool and then wind break. This was a 'mild' season but I remember years in the Dax that it hit -30 with wind chill. My wind/rain layer did great. The fleece got clammy and the sweat dropped off. I packed my coveralls(cheap Cabelas deal Cathleen bought years ago) but wasn't cold until I sat an hour. Also need a new set of gloves but like open fingers. Used to use the rag wool deal but they don't break the wind and get soaked. My waterproof neoprene open fingers I wore in Alaska worked ok but fingers open got cold even with the fleece wrap around deal you slide hands in. My hands are to big so retracting is hard and can't climb in the snow and rock with it on. I almost need a fleece lined waterproof mechanics articulating glove that my trigger finger can slide out of easy. Used to cut a slice in the middle joint of my gloves. Heavy insulated gloves won't help me feel my way up the mountain though.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I like KOTM / Sleeping Indian for a stand coverall but couldn't get over the price. Think 8 years ago KOTM was 700 for bibs and Sleeping Indian is out of business. Found some others though that may work.
 

Aaron H

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Pretty country. I'd love a hunt like that but alas.... I miss my younger body and stronger muscles. Gone but not forgotten.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
BTW
It is so good to see the pictures and you hitting it hard.
I remember the days you were stuck in a Wheelchair. ...
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Enjoyed being a part of your adventure. You seem to be a whole lot happier up there than you were in the big city...that's a great thing. Your rehab was getting the heck outa the city and into the country where you belong.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
MG, I do to long ways from then. It was the last day of season and trying to break the streak so only "naked" one day of hunting season.

ER, it's hard not to be happy in the mountains. This particular area is some of the nicest I have been to. It's an added plus when it's literally outside your door. The hard part is driving through it going to work knowing the trout are biting or deer are chasing.

AL,

Jim Thorpe, PA on the east side in the park at the very top. Now that the leaves are down I can see the falls and can hear them all summer.
 
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