Covered Up

TerynItUp · Sep 14, 2020

I know this ain’t the CO thread but I typically only post here in NM because y’all are my peeps. Up in Southern CO last week and we got covered up!

Ltsheets · Sep 14, 2020

Jarhead · Sep 14, 2020

What a change in weather did the hunting get better?

live4muleys · Sep 14, 2020

That is crazy. Hope you were ready for it somewhat.

sbeard4 · Sep 14, 2020

Wow!
and the hunt, elk activity?

TerynItUp · Sep 14, 2020

We decided to head down once the snow hit. We had all the right gear but we were unsure about future forecast and decided to play it safe so we ended the hunt early. The morning before the weather moved in we got into em and called in a couple bulls but just couldn’t string it all together. I think the hunters that choose the 2nd half of September should do alright. By far the steepest stuff I have ever hunted. Made for a few pucker situations on the ride out. Aspens couldn’t handle the weight and were snapping and falling all around us. Had to clear 20-30 on the ride out, luckily the ones falling were the smaller immature trees and manageable with a hand saw.

mozey · Sep 14, 2020

Glad you all made it out safely.

I had the same thing happen to me in the CO San Juans on a cow elk hunt back in the mid-90s, so I know what that feels like, and it ain't fun.

That was back when I lived in TX and I took a coworker who grew up in Mississippi for his first ever hunting trip. We had packed about five miles in and our tent collapsed on us several times throughout the first night from the weight of the snow falling on it. To say my friend (who had almost zero snow experience) as he looked out at the two feet of fresh snow the next morning was in panic mode would be a major understatement. He was sure we were both going to die out there. It's still funny all these years later to hear him tell the story. Anyway, I was able get him back off the mountain and into a Pagosa Springs motel by that evening. When I got up the next morning and said I was headed back up the mountain he actually got pissed and told me I was a crazy lunatic (he was proabably right about that). I ended up shooting a cow elk that afternoon though, and to his credit, he jumped right up the next morning and hiked back in there and help me haul the rest of it out. I'm still amazed at how his attitude completely changed once I got an elk down.

And as if I didn't learn my lesson, it was t-shirt weather when I started up the Pecos a few years ago. Forecast said there was a chance of rain, but nothing that I thought I needed to worry about. First few snow flurries started just after dusk. This is me the next morning, after I'd cleared all the snow off the tent.

Biggest challenge was trying to find my trekking poles that were buried under the snow. At least this one wasn't a hunting trip...

ortegageno · Sep 14, 2020

Dang it, just another 2020 WTF situation.

NMPaul · Sep 14, 2020

Heading out to do a backpack muzzle loader hunt in 48. South of Leadville. thinking I will be as high as 12,500. Sure hoping that snow has melted. Any insight on that? Thanks

lovehunting · Sep 14, 2020

mozey said:
Glad you all made it out safely.

I had the same thing happen to me in the CO San Juans on a cow elk hunt back in the mid-90s, so I know what that feels like, and it ain't fun.

That was back when I lived in TX and I took a coworker who grew up in Mississippi for his first ever hunting trip. We had packed about five miles in and our tent collapsed on us several times throughout the first night from the weight of the snow falling on it. To say my friend (who had almost zero snow experience) as he looked out at the two feet of fresh snow the next morning was in panic mode would be a major understatement. He was sure we were both going to die out there. It's still funny all these years later to hear him tell the story. Anyway, I was able get him back off the mountain and into a Pagosa Springs motel by that evening. When I got up the next morning and said I was headed back up the mountain he actually got pissed and told me I was a crazy lunatic (he was proabably right about that). I ended up shooting a cow elk that afternoon though, and to his credit, he jumped right up the next morning and hiked back in there and help me haul the rest of it out. I'm still amazed at how his attitude completely changed once I got an elk down.

And as if I didn't learn my lesson, it was t-shirt weather when I started up the Pecos a few years ago. Forecast said there was a chance of rain, but nothing that I thought I needed to worry about. First few snow flurries started just after dusk. This is me the next morning, after I'd cleared all the snow off the tent.

View attachment 12958
Biggest challenge was trying to find my trekking poles that were buried under the snow. At least this one wasn't a hunting trip...

Yep grew up in Colorado and hunted elk their for 25years you don’t know how good we have it hear in NM however Mother Nature can through some nasty curve balls even in NM