# Memories



## wyogoob

I made my annual pilgrimage to our old spike camp this fall and kicked the dirt some. As I sat and watched the sun set, thinking about the 25 years of hunting from that spot, I couldn't help but hear the sounds of laughter of old friends, a thousand elk bugles, horses whinnying, the sounds of domestic sheep, martens chasing each other in the dark, even wolves howling in the night. What a special place:










We took dozens of elk from that old camp; bulls, big and small; spikes, cows and a few calves; seldom further than 400 yards from the tents. The heads of some bulls were packed off the mountain on the backs of weary hunters or spirited horses. Many of the elk heads that were left at the kill sights and found later were picked up and tossed in a pile at the old camp.










Everyone started their day with a strong cup of coffee and by rubbing a "lucky" horseshoe nailed to a big old tree. Many a note, scribbled on a candy wrapper with a lead bullet, was left tucked behind that horseshoe telling others "I got One!"

One of these days I think I'll move that old horseshoe to my new camp:










Looking back I wish we would have left the skulls where they lay so when I stumbled on them in the woods I could pause and re-live, enjoy, the memories of hunts, and hunters, gone by. But now it's 'tradition' so last year's skull will retrieved from the dark timber and laid to rest up at the old camp. But the memories will quickly fade in the pile of skulls. Kinda dumb really, because in the end all you have left are memories.


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## dkhntrdstn

PRETTY COOL. great pic there.


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## sawsman

Memories are what its all about goob. I have some good ones myself. Thanks for sharing.


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## GaryFish

Sheesh Goob. That is freaky cool. Thanks for sharing.


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## stillhunterman

Thanks for posting that up Goob, pretty cool to say the least. When all is said and done, that is all we have left, memories...


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## BradN

Thanks for sharing the memories.

Why did you move from the old spike camp?


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## wyogoob

BradN said:


> ........................
> 
> Why did you move from the old spike camp?


1.) Sheepherders found the camp to their liking and for 2 years they parked their flock there for long periods of time, overgrazing the elk feeding areas around camp.

2.) The addition of wolves. (They keyed on the sheep I think)

3.) I'm getting older so I moved camp 400 yards closer to the road and a little closer to water.


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## yak4fish

Good read and good pictures. Thanks for sharing.


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## Nambaster

cool story. I have a buddy that told me about a spot where he had shot several bulls up in Idaho. One day I wandered into that exact spot and discovered that his heads had aged very well and after recalling his story I was even able to climb to a rocky out cropping and recover a spent .338 shell which now sits on his mantle underneath his biggest bull to date. 

I have spots on the North Slope that draw out the same emotions...


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## InvaderZim

Nice!


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## mack1950

yeah at age 62 i think back on all our old hunting spots and also the newer ones remembering the comrodery of my father brother uncles aunts sons daughters and there spouses the grandkids are just getting of age to go out on some scouting trips but not yet ready for the actual hunts. this year was a trip down memorty lane as my two life long hunting friends and i got together for a muzzleloader season since my son and nephews were going to help out a couple of there friends on the vernon unit that left us ole cogers to figure things out for ourselfs lol the prep for the hunt took longer than the hunt since i was the only one with a permit it was really fun to have my buds with me as i went out located bucks set up a nice blind got treaspass permission and left the bucks in there locatios the night before than sneaking in like a bunch of vandalls up to no good setting up and the day come to life again (i never get tired of the early morning s in deer country) waiting and watching as the deer filed out past us some of the does were as close as 20 yrds with no ideas the three amigos were watching than the smaller bucks went out and last but not least the 2 mature bucks know it was dicision time the big heavy two are the up and coming 4 after the shot quit echoing and the dust settle the 4 point was on his way to nevada while the big duece was taking his dirt nap i ll load the pics at a later date we walked to the buck took a few pics and sent my sone a one word text with a pic ( DONE ) while we were talking a man and his 12 year old son came in after admiring the buck his son asked why i didnt shoot the 4 i simply smile and said we
were saving the 4 for him his dad asked if his son could watch as i gutted the deer since that little guy sure was for helping out lol he got more blood on him than i did but it was all good know were all out on the vernon helping out alot of bucks seen but the big bucks were after while being seen are not coperationg very well lol but thats what this post is about memories.


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## stevedcarlson

I liked it it reminds me of stories my dad tells of tge old says were they would hunt in places year after year he hunted a area for thirty some years! The good old days!


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## wyogoob

Same place, 10 years ago:


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## wyogoob

Found a 2004 pic of the lucky horseshoe at the old elk camp:


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## stillhunterman

Pretty cool goob. Gotta love it...


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## Longgun

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Goob... GOOD STUFF!


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## Dunkem

Some of my best memories are from my early youth,my pa and his brothers would always go up Meadow canyon to a place they called Old Pig,there was a rock field that looked like a old sow nursing a litter of little ones. My dad never failed to get his buck there year after year.Kind of waters the old eyes up thinking of it.So long ago.


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## hound_hunter

That's awesome, Goob! Thanks for sharing


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## roper

Too cool Goob, with memories like that it makes one wonder "what are the poor folks doin".


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## gpskid

Nice Goob, always good stories, brings alot of good memories back.
Found this one from 41 plus years ago the other day, hope u don't mind me sharing on ur thread.

Deer hunting Nebo, my dads driving our 46 willeys, with the whole gang on the willeys, thats me on the hood at 16, my first year deer hunting.


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## Kingfisher

old men and memories - we will never pass this way again


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## Dunkem

Kingfisher said:


> old men and memories - we will never pass this way again


Very well said.


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## wyogoob

gpskid said:


> Nice Goob, always good stories, brings alot of good memories back.
> Found this one from 41 plus years ago the other day, hope u don't mind me sharing on ur thread.
> 
> Deer hunting Nebo, my dads driving our 46 willeys, with the whole gang on the willeys, thats me on the hood at 16, my first year deer hunting.


Man, ya gotta love that picture. Thanks for posting.


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## wyogoob

Kingfisher said:


> old men and memories - we will never pass this way again


A goodun.

Uh...old men? where? who? 

.


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## wyogoob

2001:


Made the annual visit to my old elk camp again. Not on purpose, but because we shot at a bull and walked around, and around, to make sure we didn't hit it. Doing so we just ended up there.

Everyone calls the place "Skull Camp" and for years we piled elk skulls around the base of a big tree; kind of a memorial of sorts. There were lots of them, big and small.

2012:









I don't feel the urge to go up there anymore; melancholy more than anything. The place reminds me of younger days when I was lean and mean and tough as nails.....happier days too.

I could still smell the coffee and hear the laughter of old friends........the laughter of friends that are gone seem to be the loudest.

2014:


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## Dunkem

Your last sentence sent chills down my spine.Keep on keepen on Goob.


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## DallanC

Good lord, look at the size of that hand cannon in that last picture. So big you need a shoulder sling for it. Awesome.


-DallanC


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## wyogoob

Went up to the old skull camp on the opening day of the 2015 rifle elk hunt. The tree that stood guard over the pile of skulls had tipped over, crushing a few skulls. 


The hunting was a little slow so I went over and rubbed that old horseshoe and went off to build some more memories.


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## Dunkem

Nice.


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## CPAjeff

Very cool, thanks for sharing!


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## deljoshua

Hands down the best thread I've ever read on this site. I sure hope that I will have the same type of stories to recall years from now. Very nice to read.


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## wyogoob

Memories 2016


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## backcountry

Thanks for a great thread, Goob. This is onlyy second year hunting but i have grown a fondness for the location. 
Starting to wonder about hunting solo as most of my cherished outdoor memories involve friends.


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## wyogoob

*Has our luck ran out?*



wyogoob said:


> Memories 2016


Memories 2017:

Backpacked into the old elk camp again this year with my son-in-law and grandson. The tree with the lucky horseshoe fell over:


Our hunt went OK. Seen a number of elk; we let some go, including a 5x5 bull, and had some put the slip on us. Great weather, we ate well and no one got hurt.

Maybe I'll take a shovel up with me next year and dig under the fallen tree and get the shoe.

.


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## wyogoob

The pile of skulls gets smaller each year; weather, varmints and time each taking their toll:
















Remington Model 141, .35 Remington pump


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## wyogoob

I nailed the horseshoe to the tree in 1988. The tree is behind me in these pictures:

1988 6x6 - Shot at about 250 yards while standing just a few yards behind the horseshoe tree. 









1988 5x5 - My friend was sitting at the base of the horseshoe tree having morning coffee and a smoke when he shot this elk. The bull ran through camp less than 50 yards away. His 270 was leaned up against the tree next to him. He grabbed it, not even sure if there was "one in the tube", pulled the trigger and the running bull dropped. Kinda of a hip shot really....and he didn't spilled his coffee. 









those were the days
.


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## Steve G

Cool Memory. But I can't help but think that the horse shoe belongs in the original camp. It wouldn't be the same and there would be one less memory there.

Thanks for posting this up.


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## LostLouisianian

Put it on a new tree


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## neverdrawn

Great thread, I'm just really surprised you haven't found a way to make something edible out of the skulls Goob. That has to be the only part of an animal you don't eat. And I admire that about you greatly.


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## middlefork

Nice memories!
I've been going to the same place elk hunting since 1989. Definitely not as many skulls laying around as you have. But always nice to see the next generation getting involved.


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## wyogoob

*2018*

Took a plastic trowel up to the old skull camp on the opening day of the 2018 rifle elk season and tried to dig out the lucky horseshoe. The ground was frozen...maybe next year.

2016


2017


2018


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## wyogoob

*skulls 2018*

Like every year I returned to the old camp to find that the skulls had been moved around...rodents, cowboys, sheepherders, other hunters perhaps. And like every year I rearrange them, holding each one, putting a few to my ear to see if that old skull will offer a clue to when, and how, it ended up in this pile.



The memories are fading faster now.


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## wyogoob

*Bears*

Doggone bears.

If the weather is decent I just sleep on the ground. I always carry a tent, but don't always pitch it. Told everyone "If I put a tent up the bears just tear it up". Ha, ha, ha....yeah, right, happened twice though.

Once a bear had to get into my garbage bag of food stash that was stuffed in my sleeping bag inside my zipped up tent. That was back in the day when I carried MREs. Geese, that bear made a mess out of my tent and my sleeping bag.

Another time I shot a couple pine hens the last day of the archery hunt. Cleaned them at the tent and washed my hands using a gallon milk jug of water. Put the milk jug of water in the tent and zipped it up. I noticed some blood on the cap of the jug. 10 days later I came up to camp for the rifle elk hunt and found my tent, and the milk jug, ripped to pieces. The sleeping bag and tent ground cloth was unscathed and I spent the first night of rifle hunt sleeping in 8" of snow. Oh well, got the sewing kit out and repaired the tent fabric. Replaced some broken tent poles with pine boughs.

One year there was a big cinnamon bear up there. I never seen him, everyone else did but me. I can't tell ya the number of people that said "Whoa, did you see that big cinnamon bear? He was up by your camp!" Good grief. It snowed that year for the first 2 days. I shot a spike down in the dark timber a couple hundred yards below camp on opening morning. I packed out each quarter up to the spike camp while it was snowing. A bear followed me, back and forth, for two of the four trips. I could see his fresh tracts in the snow. Once he sat on his butt not 40 yards from my camp and watched me have coffee and lunch. I never seen him. An adult black bear his hind feet were over 11" long. Kinda eerie let me tell ya.

This past year a black bear used a spruce tree in camp to sharpen his claws. By the height and depth of the claw marks I think he was a goodun. He straightened out the 1/4" diameter screw hook in the tree I used to hang my bow on. I slept on the ground, alone, for 4 nights. Noises would wake me in the middle of the night. My first thought was that old bear was coming in camp to say hello, make some memories.


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## colorcountrygunner

What kind of rifle you have in that picture, Goob? Looks like maybe a Remingon Game master maybe?


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## wyogoob

*blind in one eye*



colorcountrygunner said:


> What kind of rifle you have in that picture, Goob? Looks like maybe a Remingon Game master maybe?


Yes, good call.

I've lost my eyesight in my right eye. Happened in just a few weeks. My eye doctor retired and closed shop and I can't get in to another one for awhile. So I took a pump. Practiced shooting left handed.

It's a Remington 7600 Gamemaster in 35 Whelen 200 grain RN. It's a shooter.


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## Springville Shooter

35 Whelen!! Now that’s cooler than the flip side of the pillow.————SS


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## colorcountrygunner

Springville Shooter said:


> 35 Whelen!! Now that's cooler than the flip side of the pillow.----SS


Yeah, but he has a scope on it. Eww.


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## wyogoob

*Who doesn't hate scopes more than me?*



colorcountrygunner said:


> Yeah, but he has a scope on it. Eww.


Yeah, but it has shoot-thru mounts for the iron sights. Doesn't matter right now, I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other. A scope and shooting left-handed is my only option.

.


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## DallanC

wyogoob said:


> Yeah, but it has shoot-thru mounts for the iron sights. Doesn't matter right now, I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other. A scope and shooting left-handed is my only option.
> 
> .


Sorry to hear that goob, its amazing how fast the body falls apart at times. But on the flip side, welcome to the southpaw shooting club... remember, we have cookies.

-DallanC


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## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> Sorry to hear that goob, its amazing how fast the body falls apart at times. But on the flip side, welcome to the southpaw shooting club... remember, we have cookies.
> 
> -DallanC


I'll probably go to a spear. It's the only thing I haven't killed an elk with.

.


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## 2full

"The memories are fading faster now" 

I have been thinking about that since u posted it. It worries me a bunch. 
I have lost a couple of long time friends since April. Both were older than me. 
I guess in some ways there were mentors to me. Looked up to both of them. 
Big D taught me the way and the rules of the mountain. Big J was a good friend. Although cantankerous at times. I tried to teach my kids and now grandkids those lessons. 
AhlzheImers runs heavy in my family, I really hate the thought of not having the memories of family and friends. I guess I'll just have to hope they have good memories of the things we did together. 

Sorry to get so sappy, but that really made me think.


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## wyogoob

2019 Memories at the old skull camp.


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## BPturkeys

Goob, you'll work through your age related irrelevance. Do what you want, do what you can.


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## wyogoob

2020 Memories from the old skull camp


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## wyogoob

BPturkeys said:


> Goob, you'll work through your age related irrelevance. Do what you want, do what you can.


Gotchya


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## 2full

We have a little stand of oak just behind the cabin that my wife calls the tree of Death.
most of the heads that don't make it "on the wall" usually end up in that spot stuck in the branches or wedged between limbs. There is a lot of stories in that tree, it will bring smiles to faces thinking about those hunts long after I'm gone.


That may be sooner than I planned.....
I went in last week for my 9 month cancer checkup and scope.
It didn't go well. My cancer is back already. 
They are going to do another surgery in 3 weeks. There will be more chemo than last time. Not really looking forward to another round. 
Will beat this, no matter what I need to do. I want more hunts with the grandkids.


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## SX3

Best wishes for lots more hunts with the grandkids.


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## wyogoob

2full said:


> We have a little stand of oak just behind the cabin that my wife calls the tree of Death.
> most of the heads that don't make it "on the wall" usually end up in that spot stuck in the branches or wedged between limbs. There is a lot of stories in that tree, it will bring smiles to faces thinking about those hunts long after I'm gone.
> 
> That may be sooner than I planned.....
> I went in last week for my 9 month cancer checkup and scope.
> It didn't go well. My cancer is back already.
> They are going to do another surgery in 3 weeks. There will be more chemo than last time. Not really looking forward to another round.
> Will beat this, no matter what I need to do. I want more hunts with the grandkids.


Prayers coming your way.


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## CPAjeff

2full - sorry to hear about the return of cancer. You can beat it again! Prayers sent.


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## bowgy

2full said:


> We have a little stand of oak just behind the cabin that my wife calls the tree of Death.
> most of the heads that don't make it "on the wall" usually end up in that spot stuck in the branches or wedged between limbs. There is a lot of stories in that tree, it will bring smiles to faces thinking about those hunts long after I'm gone.
> 
> That may be sooner than I planned.....
> I went in last week for my 9 month cancer checkup and scope.
> It didn't go well. My cancer is back already.
> They are going to do another surgery in 3 weeks. There will be more chemo than last time. Not really looking forward to another round.
> Will beat this, no matter what I need to do. I want more hunts with the grandkids.


Man that really sucks, pulling for you 2full. You will be in my prayers.


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## shaner

Goob,
I wish I was half the man you are.


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## wyogoob

2020 was my 35th year up to my old camp. I packed in all my stuff, slept on the ground the first night and then in an ultralight tent for the remaining 5 nights. Seen a good number of elk. One a huge bull, his left side broken off just above G4.

5 raghorn bulls were taken within 500 yards of my stand in the dark timber. I've hunted out of that stand since 1987, archery and rifle. Family n friends call it "the bow stand" although I don't bow hunt much anymore.

My 14 year old grandson got a 5x6, his first elk.

At 69 I find packing elk quarters out a little uncomfortable.


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## wyogoob

*The Wave*

Almost every year since 1987 I've taken a selfie of myself, waving, like some goofy Forrest Gump, sitting in the stand.

By my count we've taken 36 or 37 elk from the stand.


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## wyogoob

2020 - Building memories from da Bow Stand.


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## Aznative

Awesome stories! Thanks for sharing. You were taking selfies when selfies wasn't cool lol


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## Catherder

wyogoob said:


> 2020 - Building memories from da Bow Stand.


Careful, Goob, he might take your gun.


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## longbow

GPS co-ordinance or it didn't happen.


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## wyogoob

Backpacked into my old elk camp again.








Reminiscing








Freezer was empty so I took the first branch-antlered bull I seen. The little 2 1/2 yr-old bull looked kinda like a female reindeer 

Placed the skull with some of the other memories.








Packing elk quarters out at 70 yrs old is memorable.


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## CPAjeff

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite threads on the UWN!!

Congrats on the success, thanks for sharing!


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## 2full

I hope I can still hunt at 70 years old !!
great pics.


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## pollo70

Looks like home away from home...the memories is what it's all about ! cool pics and story thanks for sharing. "Gods Country" ☮ & 💗


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## wyogoob

The wave from "Da Bow Stand"








This year's little bull was the 37th elk taken from this stand since 1987.....best of my knowledge anyway. I can't remember what I did to the sheath to my knife...or where the elk ivories are....elk tag, gawd, who knows? But I can vividly remember most all of the elk taken from this place; the frozen feet, the laughter, the whoopin n hollerin, the blood sweat and tears it took to pack the meat down to the road so far away....so many stories...so many elk hunting companions that aren't here anymore. I miss em...As I sit in the stand I can hear them, see them.......those were the days.


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## DallanC

Cool memories Goob. You should carve a plaque or something during the winter months, place it there on that spot. Call it hallowed ground and give thanks to the elk gods and give some minor details to the others that will follow in the years to come.

-DallanC


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## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> Cool memories Goob. You should carve a plaque or something during the winter months, place it there on that spot. Call it hallowed ground and give thanks to the elk gods and give some minor details to the others that will follow in the years to come.
> 
> -DallanC


Maybe I'll dig up around the tree that has the lucky horseshoe on it...put the horseshoe on a younger tree for my grandkids and great-grandkids.








2021








1988 The lucky horseshoe tree is behind me.


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## Packout

wyogoob said:


> Maybe I'll dig up around the tree that has the lucky horseshoe on it...put the horseshoe on a younger tree for my grandkids and great-grandkids.


Do you want to adopt my daughter next year when she draws her Wy Gen elk tag? haha 
Excellent memories. Thanks for sharing another chapter.


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## Brookie

Thanks for the memories every time I look through your pictures It makes me think of the Canyon I hunt and I get melancholy. We have similar markers and lucky spots. I have been hunting it for 36 years and my dad now 74 has hunted the same place for 55 years.


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## TheOtherJeff

Catherder said:


> Careful, Goob, he might take your gun.


Oddly enough, Bernie's first congressional campaign was democratic socialism and opposition to the Brady bill. Only in Vermont.


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## colorcountrygunner

This thread is a gem. Great stuff as always, Goob.


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## middlefork

You sir are an inspiration. I can only wish I could still do what you do. Congrats!


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## wyogoob

2022 - Makin memories








Grandson got a 6x7 bull.








38th elk out of the bow stand!


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## wyogoob

3 generations of us have taken elk from this special place. I'm only 71, maybe we can do 4 generations.









Until next year


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## one4fishing

Good job Goob. Way to pass it on


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## MrShane

Goob, 
Are you human, robot, or superhero?
Actually, I think you are a little of all three.


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