The good, the bad and the ugly!

Attempt number 3 was a bit of a success in that we did get a bit further then we have in the past but then we still have not made it over the pass yet! We are stuck in Truckee again and not really sure why! We think that there was a tanker that flipped over somewhere near Nyeck, CA(sp?) on I-80 and that is the reason for the road closure! It truly is an "It is what it is!" type of moments because what else are we going to do. We thought about heading back down to Reno, NV for another night in the hotel. We spent 8 hours to get the 30 miles to Truckee, CA today and it just did not make any sense to head back to RENO.

We just got word that the road opened and we are headed out!

Attempt number 3

We are headed over Donner Pass again and I think we might have the odds in our favor! The sky is clear for the next several hours and as long as we can outrun the storm over Donner we should have the advantage! We will let you all know tonight. No matter what I am sick of casinos and hotels. I keep looking for deer in the mountains, hopefully today will be my day and some of the deer will be up and walking around. Spending the last week in Reno, reminds me how much I miss the west!

Archery Bull Elk Hunt for 2008!

I am booking in the next 30 days an archery bull elk hunt in Wyoming with Jake Clark for 2008! For those of you who do not know Jake is a long time sponsor and donor to the RMEF and a past board member! Every year Jake donates a wonderful mule to the RMEF auction and this year that mule sold for $32,000.00.

I have talked to Jake and I truly respect him and I have heard wonderful things about his operation! If you are interested in joining me, you will need to put in for preference points this year in Wyoming! This looks to be a really amazing hunt and I am hoping to have a cameraman or two there to film the hunt by then, but I cannot promise anything at this point! If you would like to join me on this hunt please contact Jake or Kaye Clark and talk with them directly! Jake can handle a total of 4 hunters in this camp, and I am booking the trip so that Jake can guide me personally! I know his guides have been with him for many years and they know the area intimately!

If you would like to check out his operation please go to Wyoming Wilderness Outfitters. I am not in anyway booking this trip for anyone and I am not in anyway receiving any kind of compensation or discount from this hunt! I am willing and choosing to pay full price to hunt with Jake and his team because I think it will be one fantastic hunt in one amazing example of elk country!

We rarely get the opportunity to hunt with a legend and in my world Jake is a true legend!

Day Two of the snowstorm of the month!

This morning was a very early get up to check out the weather report and the report was not good. I decided to run over to the Atlantis and play some tournament Texas Hold-Em and give the storm some time! I got 28 hands of crappy cards and played 4 hands and got busted out nice and quickly so we got on the road at noon after getting mom an oil change and some new wiper blades! We jumped on I-80 and headed west and got about 5 miles from Truckee, CA and spent the next 4 hours going a total of 3 miles! In that last 2 miles it snowed 6 inches in about 2 hours! Tahoe, CA is expected to get 10 to 18 inches and tomorrow afternoon I may end up trying to see if I can catch a flight out of Reno and leave mom to hang out for 3-4 days until the storm fully passes!

I have a ton of comments on all of the pictures and I am hoping to work on those tonight!

Snow Storm of the Month!

This morning we jumped out of bed a bit late and got some breakfast and then hit the road about noon. We stopped at an auto parts store and picked up a set of chains to head over the pass and got onto the road! We made it 12 miles before the back up headed over the pass! We then proceeded to spend the next 8 hours on the road going a total of 20 miles up the road to Truckee where at 7pm we learned that I-80 had been closed at Donner Pass! There were no rooms in Truckee so we are back in Reno, NV for the night to see if we can get lucky enough to head over the pass early tomorrow morning! Either way, I had to change my flight and now I am flying home on Wednesday! I have some good pictures to place up, hopefully tomorrow!

More Pictures from Saturdays Auction!

Saturday has been an absolute blast! The auction crew did a fantastic job and the crowd was wonderful and generous!



These guys were enjoying the wonderful beer provided by Budweiser for all of the auction attendees!

Here is the quilt that I bought yesterday at the auction! It is made from all of the ringleader shirts from the various auctions that I have attended!

Thank you to the Flagstaff, AZ Chapter for putting together such a fantastic Quilt! It will be cherished forever!

Thank you to Toyota who is really stepping out and supporting the hunting and conservation worlds!

I absolutely loved this painting! What a bull!



Some wonderful pencil drawings!

Kimber Rifles Booth






The White Mountain Apache Chairmans Elk Permit brought in $60,000.00 for the RMEF!


Mom on the phone telling everyone she knew about a pink 22 rifle that just sold for $21,000.

A beautiful Elk Ivory Necklace!

Leupold really made a strong showing this year! I really liked the looks of the new rangefinder and the scopes looked wonderful as usual.

Strong contributers bidding at the auction!


More great trips this year then ever before!

Walker (Buddy) Smith stepping up and selling the Chairmans Rifle which brought in $9500.00 at this years auction!


The Ring Crew did a fantastic job this year!

Dean from Washington having a wonderful time at the auction!


These four statues of the Grand Slam of Sheep sold for $8000.00 dollars and the winner of that bid was extremely happy!

Caroline(Tinker) Frazier past Southeast Region Volunteer Chair for the RMEF having a wonderful time!

The Clydesdale brought in $20,000.00 to the RMEF and will be taken to the RMEF home in Pennsylvania for long term care and will be a permanent fixture at the RMEF facility there!


Jay Dart the CEO of the RMEF! If you have not had the pleasure of meeting him, I urge you to do so! His enthusiasm for this organization is what keeps me motivated to work hard to make a difference in the conservation arena! The RMEF is lucky to have such a fantastic leader! Jay walks around the Auction floor and personally shakes the hands of each and every buyer! I really respect him for making that personal effort!

The Pennsylvania team of volunteers who worked to get the clydesdale to be sent to their state!

Mom getting her picture next to one big mare!

I cant say enough good things about this ring crew! What a great team!

Working the bidders!


The Arizona Elk Permit brought in $122,000!



The Ring Crew team!

One Beautiful Rifle!


A couple of wonderful Montana boys enjoying the Saturday auction!

Short Video from the World Calling Competition at the RMEF Convetion

Budwieser Cldesdale!

Busweiser donated the very first Clydesdale ever donated to any organization in the world today to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation! It just sold for $20,000 and will be donated to the new Pennsylvania Elk Visitors Center in Pennsylvania! Thank you to the buyer for this wonderful donation and Thank You to Budweiser and the whole Busch Family for this wonderful donation!

Arizona Elk Tag

The Arizona Governors Elk Tag just sold for $120,000 dollars at the RMEF Auction with all of the money going to habitat conservation! This sale is a fantastic opportunity for the hunter and for the RMEF! Congratulations to everyone!

Pictures from Friday and Saturday at the RMEF Convention

A really nice bull!


Now that is one fantastic cooler for your hunting trips out west!


Pee-Wee Division World Elk Calling Finalists!
Professional Division World Elk Calling Finalists!
Amateur Division World Elk Calling Finalists!
Youth Division World Elk Calling Finalists!
Thunder Bow Outfitters. Ron pictured here behind the booth took me on my very first elk hunt!

Brunton, A partner in Elk Country Conservation!
A partner in Elk Country Conservation!
Brunton, A partner in Elk Country Conservation!
Mom in front of the Elk Sculpture!


Roper, A partner in elk country conservation
CamoWest, A partner in elk country conservation
North American Hunter, A partner in elk country conservation!
Cabela's, A partner in Elk Country Conservation
Hunter's Specialties, A partner in elk country conservation!
The Cabela's Elk Camp Tent!

Dickies, A partner in elk country conservation!
Winners from the Elk Calling competition!

I love seeing good kids so enthusiastic about hunting and calling!

Happy Winners!



Wayne Carlton the father of modern day elk calling!


Team calling competitors!

Run and gun calling from the team competition!



Wayne Carlton!

Happy Competitors making it a family affair competing in the Team competition for elk!






Mom & Son getting ready for the elk calling competition as a team!




Pictures from the Volunteer fun night with the generous Terri Clark, a country music star! I listen to a bit of everything and never really know who I am listening to but I can tell you that I plan on buying this girls albums because she and her band were absolutely fantastic!






Mom dancing with Tinker and John Frazier!











Dancing and having a blast!




Terri Clark!






Up front and getting some great shots!















What an amazing violinist!


Terri Clark





My best shot of the night!