Nearly Snipin' Time

Slight Disclaimer; this was created in late September and in typical fashion I fell of the face of the writing/blogging planet for a time.  That being said please enjoy!  :)

This week started off with a bang!  I took the ole critter gitter to the range and checked her for reliability and what have ya.  The results are most agreeable.

I took two shots, the first at another target to make sure I was on then this one to confirm.  That's good enough for this fella!

Beyond that this week also resulted in the delivery of a pair of binoculars that have been anticipated for years as it is the first pair that I have ever owned that could be considered even decent.  I was delighted to find them at a heavily discounted price on the interwebs and with reviews touting that they rival the very popular Vortex Viper I took the plunge.  As their first real field test is rapidly approaching I may soon have more to say on the subject.  For now just feast you non magnified eyes on these beauts!

Note that I have taken the time to familiarize them with their prey!

Jump ahead to November 17th.  I do in fact have high praise for the new lenses!  With them I was able to spot a heard of high altitude Elkies across a vast mountain valley and the following morning an arduous hike let me to the doorstep of a nice heard of wapiti.  I watched the herd from a mere 30 yards retreat in to the distant aspens, while there was a beautiful mature 6 point bull, without the required spike to affix my tag too I simply sat and enjoyed the experience.  The down side to the whole adventure was that just prior to locating the heard I miscalculated my footing in a lava field and aggressively applied my substantial size into kneeing the point of a rather unforgiving bolder.  (In huntin' speak, I fell and smashed the dickens out of my right knee!)  The result was after a 3 plus mile hike back to the truck my bend-ability was severely hampered and as it was the predetermined day to embark for home, we packed it in and my snipin' ended with no more than a hole in a paper elk.

Forgive the quality as I was fully zoomed on the phone, but as the heard and I parted ways I snapped a shot at the bull.  He is slightly left of dead center and heading away.

So as you are certainly concerned about me (because if you aren't you have some splanin' to do as to why you are even reading this!) I am happy to report that 6 weeks later I am almost ready to say there was no lasting damage.  I'm still on the mend but feeling optimistic with nearly all articulation having returned and the pain receding, I'm planning on being 100% by next October so I can try again.