elk flight

That's a bad thing.

As usual, we found the first five elk fairly quickly. It helps when you find a couple together in the same herd, like this one.

From the rather blurry images, I estimate there were at least 350 elk bedded down in that low swale, still in the sun, but out of the wind. That's probably close to half the elk in that entire hunt area. No wonder the hunters had trouble finding them.

Then we moved on south for the other five radios. Passing by the county's newest reservoir,

already full for next year's use. That arm of water taking off to the northeast in the middle of the picture is where the kokanee salmon were spawning this fall. Really wish I could have made it down to see that sight.

The fish boss, when asked about all the reports I had received about the hundreds of bright red fish filling the stream below the road, said "Wait until they see it next year, when there'll be thousands."

Gonna have to make the trip, then.

We also passed over the BLM's latest sagebrush eradication burn.

The scale of which was greatly reduced because the pilot complained about them trying to burn a sage grouse lek, and lo and behold, my neighbor to the south confirmed yes, there is a lek right in the middle of what they were planning to scorch.

So they scaled back the acreage of the burn. Only because they knew the public was watching.

If you're curious, elk 664 was in this draw.

I can tell you that now, since it's been at least 24 hours since I flew. Otherwise, it would be illegal to do so.

Really.

And now I can legally tell you about these elk, too.

Although I no longer remember where we saw them.

Passed over this stone wall a little before spotting those elk.

I had no idea that rock structure existed. And I still don't know where it is.

Our emigrant elk was still in Colorado, and had, after over a month of not going much of anywhere, actually moved further into that state. So I got to see some of their mountains again,

though, in truth, since we spent most of our few minutes in the Green State circling and dipping to pinpoint her radio signal, most of the time the mountains looked like this.

Or this.

Then it was back across that imaginary latitude degree line to find our last elk. Passing over the tiny island youngest son had visited and enjoyed so much this summer.

And, too soon, we were done. Ten for ten again. Pilot radios dispatch to let them know we're headed for home, and there's nothing to do but watch the countryside pass below. Wishing we were only 30 minutes later, to catch the red glow of sunset from the air.

The evening shadows gave depth to the marks and patterns mankind has made on the land,

and those Mother Nature has made herself. These looked like some giant rover or ATV had crossed the land.

And, then a quick pass over home,

and we were at the airport. As we arced in for our approach, the pilot grumbled the sun was probably going to be lined up right exactly with the runway.

It wasn't, but it was close.

As we dipped towards ground, he suggested "Maybe we should just close our eyes, and hope for the best."