Base Camp Legends » Video

Hunting Mountain Whitetail

suzee — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:25:59 +0000

We just returned from our annual whitetail hunt in central Idaho. This is a hunt that keeps us coming back for more even though we’ve never taken a big buck … we see the big ones but just haven’t been able to make it happen. I can’t even seem to get any video footage of the nice bucks we’ve seen… they just appear and disappear so quick! Last year a very nice mature buck came running into our setup but before we could even react he did a 360 in midair and was gone. the swirling mountain thermals must have given him a snortful of our lovely scent! It all happened so fast we both looked at each other in dibelief… not too sure if we had actually seen what we thought we’d seen! But we’ve had all year to mull over the vision of him and anticipate the chance to see one like him again! This year we were later in the rut and the deer weren’t responding to rattling or calls… so made it even more of a challenge! We also seemed to pick the wrong week for deer movement. It would clear up around 1:00 am in the morning and the deer were out moving until daylight and then bedded back down about the time it was light enough to hunt. I did get an opportunity at a doe ( this hunt is a hair tag) but rushed the shot thinking she was going to disappear any second and shot right over the top of her! On the third day we did see some deer movement in the early morning and Gary got a shot at a very nice buck, but with the open sight in the dim early morning light he missed! On the last day of our hunt a little buck came wandering through our set up, and Gary wanted me to shoot. I told him to be ready to back me up, as I’m not very experienced with a rifle. It was a good thing he was there because I couldn’t find the deer in my scope… and the window of opportunity was very narrow! As soon as I told him I couldn’t find the deer, ” BOOM”, he lowered the hammer and we had venison on the ground! Unfortunately the camera was having a lot of difficulty with the cold and condensation, so I never got any footage of his deer. All in all we still had a great time… we really enjoy making a cozy camp, and the solitude of the woods in the winter.

End of September

suzee — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:49:13 +0000

Archery elk season closed the 30th of September, and once again we feel so fortunate to be able to experience the awe these amazing animals inspire! We could hear them, smell them, see them …. but to make it happen with a bow escaped us. In spite of often feeling frustrated we look forward to the challenge again come next September! Every time you are out there you learn so much… not only about the elusive elk, but also about your own fortitude!

Here’s a short little summary of our last two weeks of archery elk hunting!

First of September

suzee — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:09:55 +0000

It’s finally here! Bugles are begining to drift on the mountain thermals, tan bodied ghosts glide silently through the deep dark timber, and the adrenaline flows as we chase up the mountain after the majestic elk that call this mountain their home. The 2011 archery season has begun! Here’s a short video summary of how it’s gone in the first week and a half…

*Note - Tom filmed a very short clip on his little camcorder of a monster mule deer… footage is not real clear but you get the picture that this brute has some serious head gear! He never showed up again…

Antelope Appetizer

Tom Sorenson — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:50:21 +0000

With antelope seasons fast approaching, I thought it would be appropriate that our new featured video is an antelope hunt in eastern Oregon.

First Turkey Video

Tom Sorenson — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:04:28 +0000

My grandfather is 81 and is responsible, at least partly, for passing on the hunting genetics to me. Despite his love and zeal for hunting, he had never bagged a turkey, but he was looking to change that this spring. The following video is his hunt in which my mother (his daughter) filmed him on his first turkey hunt.

Filmed and edited by Sue Sorenson

Blogging About the Outdoors

Tom Sorenson — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:52:19 +0000

I posted this video a few years ago, but it bears repeating. I just finished watching it again myself and am reminded of some great blogging tips from Cory Glauner, owner of a great outdoor blog himself. Cory touches on some great points, and even if you’ve been doing this blog thing a while, you will learn something from him.

Some exit wounds:

*Content is king

*business owners must have a blog

*Perseverance and focus should be a blogger’s mantra

To the video!

Watch more tips from the experts.

Cory is owner of Web Dog Services and Outdoors International.

Sue’s Idaho Spring Bear Hunt

suzee — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:31:37 +0000

The last day of spring bear season was May 22nd… and I’m having a hard time getting back into the non- hunting mode… Turkey ended May 25th and slipped right on by without getting a hunt in. We got the notice from Idaho Fish and Game that Gary and I were unsucsessful in our application for Moose and Mountain Goat… so I’m just trying to tide myself over until Antelope and archery Elk and Deer season starts. To help keep the non-hunting blues from getting the best of me I put all the footage together of my bear hunt this spring. It really was an awesome time to be up on the mountain. It is so green ( except in early April!..it was still white with snow!) We had a special time with a young friend Zach, who’s been interested in hunting and anxious to experience a hunt. He was able to go with us several times, unfortunately both times he was with us we never saw a bear and the weather wasn’t the best… but he stayed enthusiastic and we hope it will work out to have him with us on more hunting adventures in the future!

We only saw one bear the whole season, but had a great time with trying predator calling. We used wounded rabbit, fawn in distress, and bear cub distress calls. It was so interesting to see how the deer reacted to the fawn calls. We started calling in this one canyon and after about 5 minutes of calling the canyon came alive with deer… they seemed to be coming out of every bush and rock! One time we had a herd of about 27 elk come within 100 yards of us, investigating the fawn calls… so even though there’s not much footage of bear on this video… there’s lots of footage of deer and elk, and the beauty of the mountain in springtime!

Kids Know How To Have Fun!

suzee — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:45:13 +0000

A couple of weeks ago our young friend Zach came over and we took the 22 out in the back pasture and shot pop cans… I’d forgotten how much fun it can be! Awhile back Arthur wrote an excellent post about getting kids outdoors and he made the point that it doesn’t have to be some extravagant dramatic outing…kids know how to have fun with simple pleasures! Thanks Zach for reminding me of this!

Idaho Spring Bear

Tom Sorenson — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00:28 +0000

The video:

So Close… Yet So Far!

suzee — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:00:54 +0000

I found the footage of the nice 6 pt. bull we saw in 2008. Gary and I had to watch helplessly as he paraded with his cows right under our noses! … Yes, it was Archery season… and we had just spent all day tramping up one ridge and down another looking for this very species! This big boy showed up right off the highway, on the edge of a rancher’s hay field… not only that, but he was in a unit that we didn’t have tags for! Ahhh welll… I guess that is just life sometimes! We did get a thrill watching him boss his cows around… and it does make one realize there are elk out there!