I wanted to share an observation I made while driving those mountain roads. The low growing oak trees up there I call scrub oaks were completely loaded with acorns. What is the proper name of those Oaks?
I need shared observations at this point, quercus gambelii, gamble oak. I have been confusing Mosca road for Mcmanus road. I hear that elk like those oak thickets on that hill side so I will try that area next week.
Yesterday I got out of the ride and headed north west for the ridge.
I found a pleasant forest on the way with fewer fallen trees so easier to navigate. I saw good muley sign and some elk sign.
I went over a hill, along a drainage, crossed the drainage, then followed it up to the top.
My side seemed a bit tame (the haze is from a prescribed burn west of my house)
compared to the Weminuche on the other side
To the west, the hills over by Silverton.
Big horn country to the north west.
I was moving faster on the way back down tooting a cow call and I bumped 2 muley bucks that I didn't get a good look at. Once I realized that I went too far down the drainage past my crossing point, according to the compass, I crossed and wandered around a bit when I bumped a big Muley up from right in front of me at least a 4 point, probably more, wide and tall. So I can find good mule deer almost everywhere that I go but haven't seen an elk since my first 2 hunts. Instead of being lost I trusted my compass, left the drainage, and headed south east where I realized where I was after topping a hill and found my ride down the other side.
G