Due to work requirements opening day would need to wait this year? Anxiously watching the weather and radar every day leading up to Friday 8/20 it was once again going to be a crap shoot. That is the way it goes in north eastern Colorado, it can be dry all summer and come August 1, the monsoon season rolls through sometimes leaving standing water in every swell or depression.
Sometime around mid-July I erect a temporary blind around one of the water holes or stock tanks in the area I hunt. Several things go into this selection, however, the absence of livestock has become the top priority. Having a few good pronghorns in the area doesn?t hurt either.
Friday afternoon I continued to get gear and camp together. The plan was to head out around 3:30pm and get camp set up early, then after dark I would drive to the water tank, drop the temporary blind and replace it with my double bull. Then back to camp to get ready for ?my? opener. Unfortunately, at 3:30pm it was still pouring down rain at my place and I didn?t get packed and on the road until a little after 5pm. Still on track until I hit I-25 north bound. An accident somewhere north of Loveland had the slab backed up all the way to Longmont. Another delay.
For the next 3 hours I chased the rain and wind (or visa versa) as I made my way north then east to my destination. Stepping up on the rancher?s porch, wet from rain he greeted me saying ?come on in but you better get on up the hill before round 2 hits.?
I camp on a plateau above the ranch, something I look forward to each year. Very peaceful and relaxing.
I sat there in the dark with an ominous cloud spanning most of the south western sky. First it looked pretty bleak but after a few gusts of wind and a splash of a prairie downpour the clouds parted and the rain stopped. I was able to set up camp fairly quickly and after assessing the situation, I decided to go set up the blind for a morning hunt. Knowing it would still be wet for a few hours, the forecast called for drying conditions. So fingers crossed that is what I did.
Sometime around mid-July I erect a temporary blind around one of the water holes or stock tanks in the area I hunt. Several things go into this selection, however, the absence of livestock has become the top priority. Having a few good pronghorns in the area doesn?t hurt either.
Friday afternoon I continued to get gear and camp together. The plan was to head out around 3:30pm and get camp set up early, then after dark I would drive to the water tank, drop the temporary blind and replace it with my double bull. Then back to camp to get ready for ?my? opener. Unfortunately, at 3:30pm it was still pouring down rain at my place and I didn?t get packed and on the road until a little after 5pm. Still on track until I hit I-25 north bound. An accident somewhere north of Loveland had the slab backed up all the way to Longmont. Another delay.
For the next 3 hours I chased the rain and wind (or visa versa) as I made my way north then east to my destination. Stepping up on the rancher?s porch, wet from rain he greeted me saying ?come on in but you better get on up the hill before round 2 hits.?
I camp on a plateau above the ranch, something I look forward to each year. Very peaceful and relaxing.
I sat there in the dark with an ominous cloud spanning most of the south western sky. First it looked pretty bleak but after a few gusts of wind and a splash of a prairie downpour the clouds parted and the rain stopped. I was able to set up camp fairly quickly and after assessing the situation, I decided to go set up the blind for a morning hunt. Knowing it would still be wet for a few hours, the forecast called for drying conditions. So fingers crossed that is what I did.
