Elk Finally Bugling

There has been a lot of discussion at the lodge by the elk archery hunters about how the season this year has been one of the toughest. There are two factors mentioned. The first is that the archery season started one week earlier this year, and the second is that the weather has been warmer than usual. That means that the rut (mating season) was delayed and therefore the elk haven't been bugling as they normally do at this time during the hunting season. There are a couple days left in the season and it is estimated that about half the animals have been taken this year versus last year. We have been hearing the elk bugle, finally, for the last two evenings. They sound like they are right next to the lodge property. It is also beginning to cool down. This should help the hunters have a good ending to the season.

We are getting close to the time that our managers, Chi Chi and Jamie, take their 5 day trip to Las Vegas for their motorcycle rally. The dates are Oct 1-4. That means we have to cover the lodge alone for the time they are gone. They have suggested that we will probably have three days off in a row beginning on Sept 28 so we are trying to decide what we should do for those three days before we do the marathon work schedule. It will be somewhere we can relax, that's for sure.

The days are beginning to get cool as was mentioned earlier. Yesterday was a perfect day with a high of 77 and a low of 41. We have been turning on the heater for one cycle in the morning but it sure is good sleeping weather. We are still running on our first tank of propane since we arrived so that is a sign that it hasn't been too cold. It appears that the monsoon is probably gone for the season. It was a very mild and dry monsoon in this area. Our total rainfall this summer has only been 2.2".

Later...