Frank's outdoors...

So, here it is.  The long awaited trip to Colorado in search of a giant elk has finally happened.  Here are some details and thoughts on that experience. First off, a huge "thank you" to my father-in-law who took me on this hunt.  It was great to share that hunt and experience, and you couldn't have asked for a better more scenic location to be. We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and got settled into the ranch ( Smith Rancho in Hayden, CO ).  We stayed in a bunkhouse attached to a garage-like space with lunging area, freezer room, and such in it.  It actually doubled as a wintertime cleaning station!  Next door to that bunkhouse was a nicer, smaller cabin for 2 or 3 people to sleep in. It wasn't too bad at all, and the main ranch house where all the cooking and common area for watching TV and relaxing was had some real sweet mounts in it. First day and a half, we hunted hard in the morning and had many shot opportunities on 4x4 and small 5x5 ...

I am incredibly luck to have an elk hunt booked for the end of September.  I will be hunting with my father-in-law at Smith Rancho near Steamboat, Colorado!  I will write up a post about my experience after the hunt for sure.  We will be there for 4 days, and I have seen some pictures of some monster bulls from that area. I recently got a new Sako 85 Classique chambered in .308 and a Leupold VX3 2.5-10x50 scope.  In preparation for this trip I have been putting together my list of supplies to carry in my pack:  waterproof matches, whistle, compass, knife, para cord, rangefinder, binoculars, flashlight, electrolytes, water, snack food, space blanket, small first aid kit, ammo, extra socks, and rain gear.  I am sure there is more, but that pack is starting to sound heavy!  Need to figure out what of that is required, and what is just adding weight.  Let me know if you have any thoughts on what needs to be in my pack.  Most of it is "in case ...