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Let’s Catch Up
Once all the hunting starts I tend to run short of time for updating my blog. By the time I get home and get the chores done then get caught up at the office it seems like it’s time for the next group of hunters to arrive. 
This week is different. We have no hunters arriving until September 23rd so I have a little time to catch up on the last couple of weeks events. Where to start.. Labor Day weekend at the Summit is always fun and camp is filled with hunters and many family members. Brady’s birthday is always celebrated at camp and every year an elk gets killed for Brady’s birthday. This year we had a very unique Labor Day Holiday. After killing my spike on Thursday evening we welcomed Paul, Michael and Brian to camp on Friday. After a long trip from Michigan the guys were chomping at the bit to get in a stand and let loose an arrow. The elk however were not cooperating. The combination of sheep and dogs on the property line along with a large amount of holiday traffic on the neighboring properties effected the elk herd and they were a no show for two days. We spent some special time on Saturday spreading our friend Jeff’s ashes at his two favorite stands, Hunter and Tank. Now a part of him will always be with us at the Summit. A big thank you to Jeff’s family for allowing us to have him there. I had an emergency at home and had to leave camp on Sunday afternoon. Sunday night Michael slipped while climbing down from a tree stand and broke his ankle in two places. The guys had to get him to Provo to the hospital where it was determined he would need surgery. He had to fly home with a broken ankle to have the surgery there. We wish Michael the best and pray for his speedy recovery. His brother Paul stayed in camp and as he usually does, killed his elk from the Tank stand. Brian had a couple of opportunities at Hunter with his Longbow that just didn’t quite come together for him this year. Also on Sunday Dakota killed a great mule deer with a perfect stalk and a 23 yard perfectly placed arrow. His first deer with a bow green scored at 178″. Congratulations Dakota.
Friday September 9th we had 12 year old Brody in camp to try his hand at a cow elk with his .270 while Tracy and Kevin would be using muzzleloaders. Saturday morning started with a shot from the big stand at Hunter and Brody had his first ever elk on the ground. Not long after Brody shot I watched Tracy take a nice cow in Tank at 17 yards with his .50 caliber smoke pole. I filmed the shot and you can see it here. This was the first elk for Tracy with a muzzleloader. Later that evening Mike took Kevin into Hunter and he was successful taking a cow with a 75 yard shot right before dark. Another fantastic weekend on the Summit in September. We’ll be back at it on September 23rd with Curt, Vic, Auggie and Patrick. At some point after that I’ll find some time to post and let’s catch up again.
Dakotas Archery Muley
Brady, Dakota & Mike with Dakota’s Buck
Tracy with his Muzzleloader cow elk
Great Beginning
The Utah archery hunt opened with warm dry weather. Just the way we like it at Hunt the Summit. Archery hunting over water holes has proven to be a very effective way to fill the freezer year after year up here and this year is no exception. So far everyone, yes everyone has been successful harvesting an animal with their archery equipment. From recurve to crossbow, men and woman, young and seasoned, all hunters have filled their tags with awesome elk meat and one great mule deer buck. Opening week we had Ken, Greg, Mark and Kevin from the golden state return once again. This year they invited Doug and Gary to be part of the fun as well. Thank you guys for another great year and all the fun times in camp. I must say that Ken and Greg’s rendition of the Good, The Bad and The Ugly was priceless. Russ from Provo, Utah joined us again the first week and killed his spike bull in the pond at Tank. Last year his spike died in the road, this year the pond. When he shoots they don’t go far. The Recovery One crew loves you Russ. Ken got the week started with a great 4 point buck in perfect velvet while Gary took a spike off Hunter. Greg, Mark and Kevin all took cows. Doug sat the Big Stand at Hunter and after a trying morning surrounded by elk where his trigger would not work on his crossbow he had to let them all walk out. Later after solving the trigger issue he got another opportunity and took full advantage that resulted in a spike bull for his freezer. Week two we had Joel from Stockton, Utah and John, Ryan and Caitlin from California. Joel is a crack shot and wasted no time in harvesting a cow elk while Caitlin was hunting her first ever animal with a bow and arrow. She made a great shot on a spike in the Tank blind and her first bow kill was in the books. Congratulations Caitlin. John was using his Hoyt recurve and took a nice spike bull in Hunter on Sunday evening. His first elk with a bow. Great job John. I apologize for not getting everyones photo, you know how crazy it can get. If you have photo email it to me and I’ll get it posted next update. Next week our friends from Michigan arrive for the Labor Day holiday and more archery elk hunting. I can’t wait to get back up on the mountain and maybe get a chance to put some elk steaks on my dinner table as well.
Ken’s awesome buck
The crew with Ken’s buck
Mark’s cow from Hunter.. Again.
Kevin’s cow
Greg’s cow from The Bear Blind
Russ’ muddy Spike Bull
Dougs Crossbow Spike Bull
Caitlin’s Spike Bull
John’s Spike Bull
Final Preparations
Every year I start packing my gear for the upcoming hunting season and every year I ask myself the same question. “Do you really need to take this much stuff ?” I guarantee you the mountain men and indians from 150 years ago never needed all this stuff to kill an elk! I’ve got an entire Cabelas store sitting on Soldier Summit by the end of October and usually only use a very small percentage of it. Now, if I leave most of this stuff home I guarantee I will need it this year so I guess I’ll just keep packing.
Yesterday was the last day to complete any projects on the mountain before the first hunters arrive later this week. Mike and I finished up brushing in the “Shoefly” stand, changed out some seating in the “Tank” stand and cleared the trail in to “Hunter”. Mike finished up his gravel project at camp and it looks great! All we need now is some camp chairs full of happy hunters sitting around telling their success stories. We’ve done all we can to prepare for this years archery season, the rest is up to mother nature and the ability of the hunter in the tree stand.
For all of you coming to hunt this year please buckle up and drive safely, we want you all arriving safe, happy, and ready to Hunt the Summit 2016.
Counting Down
After 11 days of temperatures over 100 degrees here in Salt Lake City we finally broke the pattern, turned the calendar to August and are looking at lower temperatures ahead. The change in weather at this time of year means the monsoon moisture from Arizona starts it’s yearly trek north and the chances for afternoon and evening thunderstorms becomes more likely. This was the case on Saturday as my son Josh and I arrived to setup camp on Soldier Summit. We arrived and got to work leveling the motorhome putting out the rugs, unloaded the Ranger and pulled out the awning with only about a minute to spare before the first thunderstorm hit. Hail and rain for 15-20 minutes before it cleared off. After a couple of small sprinkles early in the afternoon the rest of the day turned out delightful. A far cry from last Saturday evening when a lightning strike started a fire up the mountain. It was spotted by the neighbors across the highway and they ran over to help put it out. Luckily Brady and Mike were in camp and with help from all the kids, wives and neighbors were able to get it put out before it spread into a catastrophic forest fire. Very close call and it makes you think just how fragile our forests are. Josh and I did a little work and checked a few trail cameras before ending our day sitting by a nice (controlled ) fire roasting hot dogs and solving some world issues over a couple of cold Budweisers under a gorgeous star filled sky. As I lay in bed that night listening to the coyotes, I fell asleep counting down the days until my favorite hunting season begins again.. Archery season, you gotta love it!
One Month Left
Working on Bear Blind
By now you are well aware that the Utah archery hunting season is fast approaching. This year like years past we are diligently working to clean and freshen up the blinds. The sheep moved off this past week so now is the time to get serious with blind repairs. Today our emphasis was on Bear Blind and the big stand at Hunter. Fresh camouflage to help the shooter stay concealed at both. Now as long as you do your part you will never be busted by prying elk eyes! Mike has been working very hard in camp and I know you all will be pleased with his efforts there also. In the next couple of weeks we will finish up the final touches at the Shoefly pond, a bit of gate work and that should do it for the pre hunt prep. Time to kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labor with a cold beer, nice campfire and good friends for the next couple of months.
Our trail cameras have given us some great information on elk numbers in the area and this year looks to be another super elk year. The next 3 weeks should produce more than a few pictures of good looking bulls as their antler growth finishes and the velvet comes off. These bulls normally start to rub a week prior to the opening of the archery hunt although, I have seen a few over the years still in velvet during that first weekend. With the sheep ( and sheep dogs ) out of the area everything settles in and the elk and deer become more comfortable with coming to water in the daylight hours which makes for better trail cam pictures and one month from now great shooting opportunities.
Most of you know me as an archery first hunter. I’ve taken 17 different big game species with my bow and I always preach practice to every archery hunter. Practice, practice, practice and then when you think your good enough practice some more. Practice shooting from different positions. Crouched down a bit, twisted sideways, shoot while sitting on a bucket or chair. This may be your only chance at an elk and it will pay off if you have practiced shooting your bow in this manner. Study the anatomy of an elk. Be patient and wait for that broadside shot. I’ve shot my share of elk with a bow and I will tell you that a well placed broad head through both lungs is an absolute killer and a short tracking job. The broadside double lung shot on an elk is a pretty big target. In that moment of truth, when that elk appears from the trees and stops at 20 yards or so it is not always easy to shoot as precise as you do in a practice situation in your back yard at a yellow bullseye. A bigger target is better and and an elks lungs are pretty big! Respect the animal your hunting by doing your part and be prepared.
Until next time.
Bulls in the Tank pond
July 2nd
Checking Hunter Cam
I’m quite critical when it comes to trail camera pictures. I’m always looking for that one great picture. You know, where the light and shadows are just right and the animal is framed perfectly. I haven’t got it yet but I sure have a great time trying. This weekend my son Josh and I headed up to the Summit to instal new cameras and check the existing ones. We arrived at the Saddle Cam about 7:30 a.m. and found the card to be empty. After looking over the information on the camera it said the card had zero pictures and zero picture space available. I assumed the SD card was bad, replaced it and moved on to Tank. We installed a new wireless cell phone camera, fixed the tree stand from the winter snow damage, and changed out the card in the other camera then headed for Hunter. When we arrived at the existing wireless cell camera in Hunter I instantly noticed the antenna was missing. After a little investigating I found it a few feet away chewed up by the small bull that was there a hour earlier. I had to remove the camera and bring it home for repair. We changed the card on the Fence camera and moved on to place a camera in Shoefly. With the sheep moving in up high on Tank and Hunter the elk pictures will be a little sparse for the next 3 weeks. Next week when I return with the repaired Hunter cam I will place a camera in Bear Blind also. The sheep have moved out of that area so we can now monitor that area. All in all we ended up with a couple of hundred pictures to sort through and still that one picture eludes me. Maybe next week.
While we were working on cameras Mike was down in camp with Karl and the John Deere leveling out trailer spots, the fire pit / picnic tables /congregation area, as well as leveling out bad spots in the road to camp. Always working toward the betterment of camp, Mike is the man. A big thank you to Karl for his expertise and operation of the tractor. A skilled machinery operator makes all the difference in a project like this one.
We are looking forward to August and meeting our new hunters as well as seeing our returning friends for another great archery season on Soldier Summit.
I’ve added a few pictures to the Trail Cam page and also click here for a 1 minute video of the Hunter tree stands for the new guys to get an idea of what to expect.
Cows on the “Fence”
Tank
Summit Update June 19, 2016
Jeff’s Velvet Muley off Hunter
I spent Father’s Day on the mountain with my son cruising around on the Ranger checking trail cameras. It really doesn’t get any better than that. I did take a pause to think about how lucky we were to be in such a beautiful place and took a moment at the Fence Stand in Hunter to say a prayer for our friend Jeff Frasier who we lost this past week. Jeff tragically suffered heart failure at his home and left a huge empty spot in my heart and the hearts of many. Jeff loved the Summit and the Summit loved him. He would curse the afternoon sun on that Fence Stand but would sit it patiently, and over the years killed many animals from that chair with his Hoyt bow. He was a hell of a shot, an ethical hunter and my friend. Elk camp will miss him.
Everything looks great as far water, feed etc. And elk are frequenting the water holes. Mike and I have some work to do on the tree stand at Tank next week. The winter snow collapsed the roof on the Scaffold stand and we need to replace a post on the upper stand as well. Mike cut the trail out from Tank to the pole line to make easier access in and out in the dark. We have cameras set at Hunter and Tank as well as a couple up on top. I’ll get the Shoefly and Bear Blind cameras installed in the next week or so. I’ve started adding photos to the Trail Cam page so be sure and check them out before you head back out to practice your shooting. We always look forward to opening day of the archery hunt and this year is no exception. Only two months to go. For me it can’t get here soon enough.
Click here for a short video flying around the Summit.
Spring is Here!
I knew in my heart it was a couple of weeks early but I just had to try. It started a few weeks ago when I made the decision to purchase a new Ranger Side by Side UTV. I spent a couple of weeks adding some after market accessories and was chopping at the bit to get it out on a test ride. When I checked the weather report and saw Wednesday was going to be a perfect Utah spring day I loaded up and was off to the Summit. As we started up the graded road heading for the top gate it seemed like it would be a breeze to make it across the top and set up a trail camera or two. Ten minutes up the road we were faced with snow drifts across the road. They didn’t look too deep so we hit it the first one and blasted through with no problem. The next one didn’t go quite as smoothly. After 20 minutes or so of digging and piling rocks under the tires were out and headed back down the road for less snowy exploration of lower elevation roads near camp. It really turned out to be a gorgeous day and we were able to remove four trees that fallen across the road between camp and Bear Blind. We made it up the road nearly to the Shoofly turn before more snow drifts ended our ascent. Give it a couple of weeks and the drifts will be gone, the wildflowers will be blooming and we’ll be back getting trail cams installed and roads cleared to the Hunter and Tank tree stands. Here is a link to a short video from Wednesday.
Dead of Winter
I was in line at the Home Depot with my new snow shovel in hand when it hit me like an Ali jab, I really hate winter these days. We’ve been lucky the past couple of years here in Utah to have had very little snow to deal with in the valleys. Not the case this year. We have had snow on the ground since before Christmas and I’m getting real tired of it. Snow blower or not you still have to pull on your boots, find your gloves ( easy now thanks to Brady & Amy ) and bundle up to go out and clean all the white crap off the sidewalks and driveways. Not to mention having to deal with all the very “experienced” drivers on the Salt Lake City roadways. The bright side to all of it is the water the snow brings to our mountains and reservoirs. It’s been a dry four years up on Soldier Summit and hopefully these winter snows will help replenish the ground water and springs. It is needed. With the arrival of January I always start to look forward to the local hunting expos and the application periods for our big game hunts. This is the time to start planning and making decisions for the fall hunting season. The Western Hunting Expo is here at the Salt Palace in February and that really kicks it all off for me. I’ll put in on their lottery for a chance at a few different hunts as usual but, for me it’s all about the taxidermy showcased at this event. I can’t wait to see the new pieces this year.
We are all looking forward to another great year of hunting on Soldier Summit. Whether your weapon of choice is a bow and arrow, black powder rifle or high power rifle there is a hunt for you with the guys from Hunt the Summit. Elk, Mule Deer and Black Bear hunters were all very successful last year and with the effort and knowledge Mike and Brady bring to the table this year will be no exception. We look forward to hearing from you soon, spots are already filling quickly. See our 2016 Flyer for more information on this years hunt prices.
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