On Mogote Ridge, near El Rito, NM. Would you smile about being woken up at 5 in the morning? No? Well I do, and remember, I'm the alleged curmudgeon. Hunters really do keep some strange hours. The funniest thing is when they go by at 5 am with six hounds in kennel boxes in the back of the pickup truck, all baying at full volume.
One bear hunter stopped at my campsite today and told me that one of his hounds was lost or perhaps stolen. The dog had a GPS tracker on its collar, which went blank a couple days ago. He said the hound cost him $4000-5000, after training and other overhead. On top of that he has five other hounds, a thousand dollar rifle, a hunting license costing several hundred dollars, GPS gadgets, and a $50,000 four-wheel-drive pickup truck, which of course is a requirement for getting to the places the bears are or might be. That is getting to be one expensive bear.
So much for my stereotype of male consumers as sensible, no-nonsense sort of guys.
How strange and wonderful it was to be up there at 9500 feet in early October and to be comfortably cool and dry. Nobody was around, except for strange animal calls made by hunters; those calls wouldn't fool any bear! World War III (elk-rifle season) doesn't start until this Saturday. Maybe I should practice urban boondocking on that weekend.
Whether the hunters were having enough fun to justify the expense or not, I sure was on that 9000+ ridge, except for the lack of internet.
One bear hunter stopped at my campsite today and told me that one of his hounds was lost or perhaps stolen. The dog had a GPS tracker on its collar, which went blank a couple days ago. He said the hound cost him $4000-5000, after training and other overhead. On top of that he has five other hounds, a thousand dollar rifle, a hunting license costing several hundred dollars, GPS gadgets, and a $50,000 four-wheel-drive pickup truck, which of course is a requirement for getting to the places the bears are or might be. That is getting to be one expensive bear.
So much for my stereotype of male consumers as sensible, no-nonsense sort of guys.
How strange and wonderful it was to be up there at 9500 feet in early October and to be comfortably cool and dry. Nobody was around, except for strange animal calls made by hunters; those calls wouldn't fool any bear! World War III (elk-rifle season) doesn't start until this Saturday. Maybe I should practice urban boondocking on that weekend.
Whether the hunters were having enough fun to justify the expense or not, I sure was on that 9000+ ridge, except for the lack of internet.
Comments
Who are these guys? I sure have never met one! Or is that crisp, cool, mountain air making your thoughts a bit fuzzy :P
Maybe the hound got eaten by a bear, probably the very bear he was supposed to be hunting. Hmm... technically he caught that bear too. I mean does it count if you're on the inside rather than outside of your prey?
Kidding aside I do envy you. I'm still stuck in the city for a bit :/