I'm still here...

I'm still here.  I have seen elk six of the eight days I have been able to hunt.  I would like to point out that one of the days that I didn't see elk, my husband and I could smell and hear them.  That is how close they were.  To add insult to injury that we hiked back to the jeep only to find tracks 10 feet from it.  Elk have a sense of humor. 

For any of you considering bow hunting elk, I would just like to mention patience is a requirement. Anyway, today was the same as the others.  My impatience caused me to miss another opportunity this morning.  On my way to their wallow this evening I am pleased to find it was all tore up.  If you are not familiar with elk wallows, they are muddy water holes that the elk urinate in and then roll all over.  The goal is eaud de stink.  Bulls hit the wallows on hot afternoons, before an evening of wooing the ladies.   This is a hot evening.  There is hope. 

I get to my hiding spot and sit under the spruce tree pondering my unsuccessful hunt.  Spruce needles fall all around.  Those darn Black Hills pine squirrels are ruthless.  I figure soon he would be hurling pine cones at me.  Back to my thoughts.  I'm hoping that if I don't get an elk at least I have learned the value of patience, after all my birthday is coming up and I'm supposed to be getting wiser. 

More needles fall.  "Don't look up."  I warn myself.  A needle in the eye could mess things up.  A doe comes to the water hole.  I hold my breath.  She drinks, flips her tail and walks off.  All is quiet except the robins in the wallow.  They are splashing like crazy.  Again with the needles. 


Then I hear a grr...  GULP! I look up. 

My pine martin has returned!  In fact he must have been sleeping up in the spruce.  When sleeping beauty woke up and started down the tree ACK.  There was some strange camouflaged thing at the bottom.  Oh my he hissed and ran up and down the tree trying to figure me out.  I forgot all about hunting, grabbed the camera and had so much fun taking his pictures.  He couldn't figure out

what that flash was, what I was, and how he was going to get out of that tree.  He got so close I could have touched him.  Finally, he made a flying leap and headed out.  

What a treat.  I didn't get an elk again tonight, but I do have some wonderful memories of a cute little curious fellow who lives in the woods.