It feels good to be out of the mountains . But this picture says it all , this fall was a heck of a ride. Elk hunting was good. Deer were plentiful. Goats were abundant ! Saw 9 different grizzlies , 2 wolves, 197 goats, well over 150 deer, so many grouse that I not being a bird hunter was still very impressed. Elk I shall keep a secret . 3 moose . 2 cows and 1 bull . I can see a small change in the big game . It is looking up. I only saw 2 other hunters during the whole month . The bull buffalo have made it all the way up to east fork basin . 1 porcupine and fresh wolverine tracks in elk creek basin. We had a few snowy rainy days but for the most part it was a beautiful fall ! The horses never left camp and no serious injuries . I had the privilege of having a National Geographic photographer follow me around for 30 days . We will be in the May issue . With at least a few photos. He was a tough great guy . I took him on some long, long days! In the mountains there is literally thousands of little whitebark pine trees sprouting . These are from the clarks nutcracker stashing seeds and forgetting them or dying etc… They literally store thousands of seeds ! These are a main food source of bears. The trees have been dying of late due to pine beetles! Good to see all the seedlings . I have one semi funny bear story to tell later about Hannibal Lector . I also wanted to add that right after daylight one morning,7 of us rode by a big spruce thicket and I was on the end. My bay colt grabbed himself and jumped ahead . When he spun back there was a young mountain lion headed down the mountain . He sat in tree long enough to let us all ride by.
Respectfully Warren
