Nice, Bruce! We’ll be heading up your way and points beyond NW in a couple of weeks, returning to grizzly country after a long enforced absence. These photos get me even more fired up. Don’t rejoice overly much on the blocked ATV trail. Unless there are physical barriers sufficient to stop them, the idiots will go around. Here, there’s a massive gate across a FS road into bighorn habitat that over the years has been pulled off repeatedly–they bring up a muscle truck and yank it out. But it’s a start!

I see you have a Badlands pack. I just got one, a Diablo, and so far it’s far and away the best I’ve ever owned.

And those mysterious droppings … Bigfoot! Here’s a recent photo of Him from my game camera …

Bruce — Identifiable flowers in order of appearance:

Larkspur

Tent caterpillars (the opposite of flowers and great for shotgun practice; have no mercy)

Serviceberry blossoms, aka June berry, saskatoons

Richardson’s geranium

If the photo of the Mystery Turds was higher res and more close-up, maybe I could venture a guess. Almost appear to be porcupine droppings–cylindrical and woody–in some sort of goop, like a fungus of some sort.

I’ll be there in less than two weeks, heavy into morel-hunting mode. Great fresh in omelettes with white wine or filthy mimosas. 😀

One of my two favorite MT artists, Monte Dolack, shows below how I feel when in Glacier country.

Smithhammer –

Beautiful day on the montain –very clear pix– What camera did you use?

Guys, I use a Badlands Ultraday

[because of the suspension system] that model has the straps across the back for clothing, that I particularly like [and wanted]. Great day pack.

Scout

Great pictures !! It’s pretty much what I like about this site the most,is seeing other people’s habitats and your’s looks to have it all. I’m assuming there’s a trout stream there fairly close !!

Bruce

Smithhammer —

I just got a new phone, need to try out it’s camera!? Yours surely works very well! I normally carry a small pocket Canon. might not need to carry both, if my phone/camera takes as good pix as yours.

The Ultraday has the same suspension { looking at both in the store} and almost the same capacity – just more pockets and straps on the outside – which suits my style.

thanks for the showing off your backyard -haha

Scout

Good eye on the plant id Dave, but that last one isn’t a geranium. It’s one of many species of phlox. Not sure which one. In the next set of pics, the yellow flower is balsom root. The young flower heads and leaves are used pretty heavily by big game in some areas. Also, I think the nezperce cooked and ate the young shoots and roots.

On the poo, I’d guess it’s from some sort of bird. Probably a grouse. They will drop big mucusy masses called cecal droppings every now and then. In gamebirds they’re usually black, but that’s just my experience. You offen find them where sharpies have spent the night in the snow.

From the pics it looks like there is some smaller, “normal sized” droppings that look like ruff grouse, but I can’t really tell.

nice pics.

I’ve spent the last two weeks hiking around taking pics of “user created” ohv trails. I’ve got a good one of a busted gate with a road closed sign and an atv trail going right by. Classic.

ch

Smithhammer —

Nice Knife, a true classic! I looked over the BRKT line –

good selection. I am thinking of a fox river — fancy wood. I noticed they varied the way they make the different models. does one just order what he wants or find who is selling the variant one desires.

Is that sheephorn on yours—?

Scout.

Beautiful scenes and a beautiful knife Smithie – life’s sweet at times 😀

Smithhammer –

Thanks for the info and the show and tell — definitely going to pick one up. Familiar with the grind, but enjoyed the video.

Too bad it wasn’t fall, that grouse looked in range–haha

scout