Gonna be a long day.

No check station today. The eighth of October is the opening date for the elk season on the Ferris Mountains.

The Ferris wilderness.

Actually, it isn't technically a wilderness. It is a "Wilderness Study Area", a chunk of ground that is believed to be wilderness, but has not yet been designated as such by Congress.

The Ferrises have been a WSA for over 15 years. And I suspect will be for at least another 15 years before Congress will act. But the effect is the same. Rugged country with few roads.

To be truthful, there is probably not a lot of reason to work this opening, other than to let the hunters see us around, and know we are there. It is hot and dry, we are just coming off a full moon. The elk will have been feeding all night, and will spend the day bedded in the dark, cool timber.

Not going to be much harvesting going on.

But the heeler sisters and I will spend the day beating around on old, rough two-track roads. Visiting tired hunters and empty hunter camps. Asking them to save teeth.

Maybe get to visit Ninebuttons and her kin.

Sage grouse season is over, as of 19:05 hours yesterday, so I will also pick up a bunch of my wing barrels on the way home. That'll add a lot of hours and miles.

Long day. The water for coffee should be hot by now, so I better get to it.