And then there's the variation of the weather up where the elk roam---
I'm from Texas, and our state pride is such that we assume people should be impressed even by our weather, which does indeed have a wide variety of conditions, ranging from 110+ in the summer to under 10 in the winter. So you run into people who say all the time, "One that about this Texas weather-- if you don't like it now, wait 5 minutes, and you'll get something completely different"
To which I respond,"Horse puckey. Go to the Continental Divide in the fall, and tell me about variation of weather."
We arrived at the campsite at about 7:00 in the evening on Oct 9th. It was about 50, and I was impressed at how chilly that was, having just driven up from the Dallas-Ft. Worh area. Our campsite was at about 8,000 ft. The next day, when we woke up, it was a lovely day that got up to 85 degrees. One hunter lost some meat trying to pack it out of a wilderness area by himself in plastic bags [sad]. By the end of our scout, we knew this was going to be cake. Mountain hunting, surely, is a snap!
The next morning, crisp but comfy. Dusted with snow, then 65 degrees. Then 4-6" of hail came down and nearly destroyed the tent!!!
Then hard rain for 2 hours. Then no clouds. The ground begins to freeze as the temperature plunges.
The next morning, it was 08 degrees in Pagosa Springs, which was way lower elevation than us. One foot of snow, and 2" of ice crystals on the inside of the tent ceiling, where our breath had condensed.
This went on for the duration, and when I was taking down the tent at the end of the hunt in mid to late October, I took off my shirt to pick up some rays. It was in the high 70's!
When those fronts spill over the mountain passes, the temperature will drop 30 degrees in 10 minutes, and a pleasant day is fast become your worst nightmare.
Starting point for Elk Hunting? Satisfy yourself with the rifle, and then concern yourself with the finer points of keeping warm and dry!
I still wish I was going!
I'm from Texas, and our state pride is such that we assume people should be impressed even by our weather, which does indeed have a wide variety of conditions, ranging from 110+ in the summer to under 10 in the winter. So you run into people who say all the time, "One that about this Texas weather-- if you don't like it now, wait 5 minutes, and you'll get something completely different"
To which I respond,"Horse puckey. Go to the Continental Divide in the fall, and tell me about variation of weather."
We arrived at the campsite at about 7:00 in the evening on Oct 9th. It was about 50, and I was impressed at how chilly that was, having just driven up from the Dallas-Ft. Worh area. Our campsite was at about 8,000 ft. The next day, when we woke up, it was a lovely day that got up to 85 degrees. One hunter lost some meat trying to pack it out of a wilderness area by himself in plastic bags [sad]. By the end of our scout, we knew this was going to be cake. Mountain hunting, surely, is a snap!
The next morning, crisp but comfy. Dusted with snow, then 65 degrees. Then 4-6" of hail came down and nearly destroyed the tent!!!
Then hard rain for 2 hours. Then no clouds. The ground begins to freeze as the temperature plunges.
The next morning, it was 08 degrees in Pagosa Springs, which was way lower elevation than us. One foot of snow, and 2" of ice crystals on the inside of the tent ceiling, where our breath had condensed.
This went on for the duration, and when I was taking down the tent at the end of the hunt in mid to late October, I took off my shirt to pick up some rays. It was in the high 70's!
When those fronts spill over the mountain passes, the temperature will drop 30 degrees in 10 minutes, and a pleasant day is fast become your worst nightmare.
Starting point for Elk Hunting? Satisfy yourself with the rifle, and then concern yourself with the finer points of keeping warm and dry!
I still wish I was going!