In case you thought there weren't any when you were out this year

[ss7mm]

In case you thought there weren't any animals left this year when you were looking for them during hunting season, these are still around.

Yesterday I went up looking for coyotes but didn't have any luck. Since the weather has been bad and the elk and sheep are usually down I stopped by where they feed them to see what was left over. These pics show just part of what was at one elk and one sheep feeding area.

This is typical of what was at the one elk area. This shot is of about 1/4 of the elk at one feeding station. Branched antler bulls everywhere you look.


This shows one of the cows with a tracking collar.


This guy is a 7x7 with top ends kind of like a Red Stag.


This guy coming up through the middle is a nice 6x6 but he has a couple of 3"-4" stickers on his left beam so technically he's a 8x6.


This is one of the bighorn rams that was down.


This is of another ram with one behind him.


This guy was really working over the chow.


No excuses now for next year. All I have to do is beat the lottery odds and draw a couple of tags and then I can go looking for one of these guys next year. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[goodgrouper]

Those are some super awesome pics ss7mm! Thanks for sharing them.

All these were taken in Washington?

Are the feeding depots common up there?

I suppose those are Rocky mountain sheep or are they Californias do you know?

[ss7mm]

gg:

These pics were taken about 30 minute drive west of where I live at the base of the Cascade range west of Naches, Washington. When the weather is bad and the snow level is down, you can go up just about any day of the week and see big bulls by the dozen and sheep by the dozen. There is an area very close to here where it is easy to glass bighorn sheep year round. Most of the time I don't take pictures because the elk and sheep are so common and numerous this time of year. I just thought someone might find them interesting.

There are a lot of designated feeding areas throughout the state and mainly the game dept. says they feed the animals, especially the elk, to keep them from coming down too far and damaging farmers crops and land. I like to think it helps the animals survival rate through bad winters.

It's my understanding that the sheep are Californias. But I believe they released some Rocky Mountain sheep somewhere down in the Blue Mountain area.

[goodgrouper]

Very good of your state to help these animals out during hard times.

I haven't been to Washington in a long time but I need to make the trip again very soon. Beautiful areas and great people up yonder. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[royinidaho]

ss,

What's the frequency of that collar? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

ID and WY do the same thing. Tex Creek in ID, Alpine and Jackson in WY are the hot spots.

[ss7mm]

Roy:

I think this is the collar you would want the frequency of. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Jimm]

7,

Yes , definitely interested , great pix !! How far away were you and what camera were you using ?

I know what you mean about wondering if there are any out there when you are hunting and not seeing zip. This year I used a trail cam quite a bit and the results were eyeopening . Areas that I had been watching day after day and only seeing does would have many different bucks after dark . Knowing that helped me stay with it know3ing sooner or later one would mess up and show before dark( and one did [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] )

Thanks again for the pix , post more I am in withdrawal since our modern gun seasons last day was Dec. 28.
Jim