Our newest edition to the family!

Ok the day finally came that we got the call that our new family member was ready to pick up. We had been waiting on pins and needles for weeks just waiting for the call....It finally came May 8th around 2:30 pm. We all loaded into the truck and drove the 10 minute drive to get him.

So here is the newest member of the family, Colby's bear! He had to wait just under a year to get it back. But it was worth the wait. The taxidermist did a great job! He looks amazing, and I was not thrilled to have a dead bear in my house, but I have to say that I like it and it is not as over powering as I thought it would be. We are still waiting on the bottom base to set the bear in, but that should be done shortly. We did some remodeling in the house (added a wall) so that we would have more room for the bear, I am sure glad that we did that. We would have not had enough room without the wall. I will post pictures of the kitchen before and after soon. Now that we have the bear I can start to decorate my living room and get things put back together.

I had to laugh the day we got the bear it was raining and Colby had borrowed a friends horse trailer to bring it home in. So when we got the bear all loaded the rain stopped and Colby had all of the boys ride in the back of the trailer with the bear to make sure that it did not tip over. Brock was in heaven, however the older two were not THRILLED in the least! They said it was cold and they now felt for the horses and cows. They said that they would never haul animals again because it was just too mean.
I have some what gotten use to having the bear in the front room, the first few nights I had nightmares about being eaten by a bear. McKaid came home one night and the lights hit the eyes just right and it scared him--- until he remembered that it was not a person.

Catch up!

Wow, life has really flown by lately! I thought I had better play catch up and get up all of the things that I want to remember. April started off with Colby's birthday, he had a great time and got to actually enjoy it because it fell on Easter so that meant that he had ZERO church meetings! I had an amazing gal make the cake for him--- I loved it! It was so cute that we did not even want to eat it!

She is amazing and I could not have asked for a cuter cake! Thanks Jana! Once Easter and Colby's birthday where over it has seemed that life has not slowed down for a minute. We have been getting all of Kaid's things done for his Senior year so that he can graduate. Brett has been busy with school and Brock is as well.

The Dove Hunt

Brock has always wanted to hunt, from the time he could walk and talk he would ask Colby when he could go hunting....Colby has always said once you can read and understand the hunters safety book you can take hunters safety and then you will be able to hunt. So this year Colby felt that Brock was ready, so Colby signed him up for his Hunter's Ed class and Brock did awesome! He passed both the written test and the shooting test. So the other day the older boys took him out dove hunting. They had not been out for too long and we got this picture text on our phones! Yep! Brock's first time and he gets a dove. He was so excited and so proud! I guess there is no turning back now, he has the hunting bug!

Good job Brock!

Erika

Labor Day 2009

Labor day was quite eventful this year. We decided late Saturday night to head out camping- so we loaded up the trailer and headed out first thing Sunday morning. Once we got to where we were going to camp for the night we unhooked the trailer and the kids starting exploring and all of the sudden I hear Brock say " I want to go see the bear!" I came out of the trailer and said what are you talking about? Colby tells me that Kaid had found a bear that someone had killed and then tried to cover it up. Colby told the older two boys to drive down to where they could get cell service and call the fish and game. So they did and a few hours later her came the DWR to investigate the bear's death. It was really sad that someone would kill it and then try to cover it up. It was a yearly bear- (I guess that is what they call it) the fish cop said that it had been booted out by it's mom this year. So it really was not that big- I am sure that it was not hurting anyone- they should have left it alone. Oh and by the way it was just right up Payson canyon, less than a mile from girls camp.

The next day we knew that we would get up and eat breakfast and then go cut wood! Well as we were eating our breakfast in walked a bunch of cows....these two just kept staring us down. It was really funny because they did not want to move.

So once we were done eating we headed out to cut wood, this is something we have done for years. Colby use to sell so we were constantly cutting some where but now we just get for ourselves. But he had a goal of cutting 3 truck loads. I told him that he needed to remember that I am a "PRINCESS" and I don't do manual labor. (That is a total joke, I work right next to him when we cut wood, it's just not something that we did when I was growing up) He just laughed and said he would see me there, so Kaid and I drove the first load down to the house and unloaded it and grabbed drinks and went back to get the next load, once we got there Brett, Brock and Colby had more than the one truck load already cut. So the boys loaded the truck up and then Kaid took it down and me and the the two youngest stayed to help Colby get the rest of the wood. We worked hard...Brett and Colby touched each and every piece of wood that we got. Brett is really strong he could lift some of the pieces that where HUGE I told Colby that there was no way that I could have even moved them. Once we were done we had to wait a few minutes for Kaid to get back with the truck we looked over and we saw this: Brock was dead asleep on the ground. He had worked right along side both Colby and Brett all day long. He was wiped out. Once we loaded up the truck we decided it was time to head back home, along the ride Kaid stopped the truck in front of us and came running back to our truck and said did you see that badger? Colby hit reverse and sure enough there was a badger, they asked if they could kill it and Colby told them yes, so of course they got it and brought it home.You can see just how dirty you get from cutting wood, Brett had pine sap on his arm and I think a week later he still has it. All in all it was a nice relaxing time away. Now if I could just talk Colby out of going and getting more wood!?!?!

Erika

Bear Hunt Part IV - IT'S OVER!!

First off, if you don't want to see photos of dead animals- JUST STOP READING and come back when there is a new post! For those of you who stayed you will enjoy! There is going to be quite a few photo's BUT I can do it, this is my journal!

So I have to start at the beginning on Friday while we were waiting for Brett to get out of surgery Colby sent Kaid and Trevor up to the bait site to change out the SD cards and to set out more bait. Kaid called and said that there were 116 photos- Colby said that he would wait until later to come home and see them, he wanted to wait until Brett was a little coherent. So about 10:00 Colby headed out and said that he would be RIGHT back, they saw this bear! He called Shad and Jared both of them came over and were shocked. They both told him that it was HUGE and that he needed to try and take this one. So Saturday he went up in the morning- NOTHING while he was in the tree stand, but the bear had come back in and was on the camera. He was bummed but Brett was now out of the hospital so he hung out with him.

On Sunday morning Colby had church meetings and so he sent Kaid out again to get the SD cards and set bait. I was a nervous wreck, Kaid was by himself so I kept trying his cell phone and once he got service he called. He proceeds to tell me that he saw the bear and that it was HUGE (he could have NOT told me 1- that he saw the bear and 2- that it was HUGE.) The bear watched him put the food at the site and watched him walk out.

So on Monday Colby and Kaid went up first thing in the morning (2am) they sat in the stands for hours- NOTHING! So they came home and Kaid went to school and Colby got the trailer and headed back up. I was at home and just had gotten Brett settled and Colby called the cell phone, it was all static and I could not get everything he was saying....I kept hearing Kaid....At....Time....Kaid...then I lost the call. He called back more of the same, he called again and was farther down the canyon and had better reception I hear......I got a bear, where is Kaid I need help getting it out.....I said you got a bear? My house erupted in screaming! (you would have thought that Brock won the world series on HIS OWN!) he was screaming and jumping up and down! Brett called Kaid and said you need to get home NOW!

Once Colby was home there were several people waiting to head back up the canyon to help him bring it out. Brett decided that he wanted to go up so I went up with them so that I could stay behind with him. The entire way up Colby kept saying I got the little one. Shad was saying either way you got a bear- don't worry. We finally made it up the canyon to the river where they had to cross at about 10:00pm- they all headed out and said they would holler once they were back so that I could turn on the truck lights for them to cross the river. Brett, Riley (his friend) and myself went to the trailer we played games for awhile and slept. We decided around 11:30 that the guys should be getting back soon so we went back to the river. We waited....waited....and I think finally fell asleep. At 1:05am I heard them, I fumbled for the lights and once I turned them on I saw the bear on the edge of the river Jared was one of the first ones to cross the river, once he got to me he said "That's going in the record book" each person that came across told me the same thing.

With the river being as fast and as deep as it was they decided that they would hook a rope up to the truck and have the truck pull the bear across the river, Colby was holding on too a set of ropes and about mid way across the river the bear flipped and Colby went in head first, I was worried that he and the bear were going to go down the river! But everything was ok.

They decided to bring it out whole so that we could get photo's of Brett with the bear, he had gone up there so many times with Colby during the hunt. It was really nice that the guys would do that for Brett, I know it meant a lot to him and myself.

Colby took the bear to the taxidermist and in about a year I will be adding a new addition to the family! He also called the University of Utah to come get the carcass, they came out last night and the weighed the fur and the carcass and it was 412 lbs. that was with out the guts. So they say that if the bear would have made it until the fall it would have easily gone to 525-550 lbs. It was a HUGE bear. They measured around the bears front forearm and it measures 22 inches. Colby is so excited and I am really glad that he could kill it with out any one getting hurt!

Sat's on this : 15 yard shot with a bow

1 dead bear

4 happy guys at our house

This is the group up at the site back row: Shad, Kaid, Scott, Brady, Ryan Front Jared, Brock (yes Colby was true to his word that he would carry him across the river once the bear was dead) Vern and Colby. We finally made it home around 3:30am. THANKS to all of you that helped! It was so appreciated. We know that you all sacrificed your time and muscles! Thanks again!

Erika

Bear Hunt Part III

Colby is so excited. On Friday he went up to check the bait site and he knew that he had been hit, there where tracks on the ground and there was lots of food gone. So he did his thing up there and changed out the SD cards in the cameras and came home to see what was on there........

There were something like 100 photos of this bear! It makes me crazy, it scares me too death. But Colby is on a high like you have never seen. So are the kids, Brock keeps asking if he can go with Colby and he is told that the river that you have to cross it to high and fast right now that there is no way that he can go. Brock does not like that answer and repeatedly tells Colby that he is a big kid and should be allowed to go!This one is taken at night, it amazes me that the bear looks like he is getting comfortable to just eat. Colby has been keeping a journal of what time he comes in and Brock about has the thing memorized. He went up again yesterday and the bear had been back in and eaten a bunch of the food, so he will go back up tonight and swap out the cards in the camera again, so I guess we will see what he has on those.

Erika

Bear Hunt Part II

Let me just say that this totally FREAKS me out!!! I am not going to try and hide the fact that I am totally terrified by this! Colby went up to put out more bait for the BEARS and to swap out the SD cards on his tree cameras. When he got home he jumped on the computer and this is what he found....... Yes your seeing this right! A MOUNTAIN LION!!!!! All night I kept dreaming about Colby and a mountain lion, I told him about it this morning and he told me there is NO need to worry.

You can see the food on the ground, those are donuts which are out in the open and then under the logs, that is pumpkin pies. On the ground there is meat that Colby takes up and burns and then leaves for the bears.

Do you remember that I said I went up to the bait site with Colby the other day? Well right by the donuts is where I was sitting! I told Colby that I am NOT going back up there with him. All of the kids thought this was the coolest thing, I really don't understand what is so neat?!?! It just scares me! Colby missed seeing the mountain lion by only about an HOUR! He is hoping that next time he sees it or a BEAR!

Wish me LUCK!

Erika

The Turkey Hunt

Well, Kaid got a turkey tag for the Beaver area this year. He was so excited. When he drew out he realized that there was one small problem. The hunt started on Prom, he decided he would go to Prom (which I promise I will get photos of that soon) and then head out on Sunday to see if he could get a turkey. So he an his friend Scott loaded everything up in the truck and headed out for Cove Fort to set up camp. On Sunday they said that they saw a few but did not have any luck at getting close enough for a shot. So they got up bright and early on Monday to head out, they found the one that Kaid had seen on Sunday and they waited and waited, they decided that they would go back out after them in the afternoon, late evening. Kaid was where he wanted to be and he started to "call" in the turkeys. He had this one talking to him and he got it in closer to him so the shot was about 55 yards, and he decided to take it.

He was so excited, this is the best picture I have because it (the turkey) is now in the freezer waiting to head to the taxidermist. Yes, I will be adding to the collection at my house of dead, stuffed animals.

The stats on this kill are as follows: Kaid called it in, a 55 yard shot, and a 9 inch beard. And a happy child. What more could a mother ask for?!?

Erika

The Bear Hunt

On Easter we decided to head up with Colby to go check his tree cameras and see if there had been any bears come in to the bait. So Brett and Colby headed up on the hike, and Brock and I stayed in the truck. I was trying to study for a test and Brock was decided that he was going to get out and play with his trucks in the dirt. I told him that was fine. He lasted about 10 minutes then he jumped in the truck and said that he was bored... Great I did NOT want to get out. We are in BEAR territory. I tried to distract Brock with games on my cell phone and on the palm pilot, he was totally BORED! There was no escaping it, so I told him that we could go for a little walk, but not far because I did not want to see a BEAR!

We walked just down the trail about 100 yards to the water, and Brock wanted to see if we could walk across it like Colby and Brett had done, I told him that we were not going to get wet but we could stand on the rock in the middle of the water and take a picture, so we did. Brock wanted to get one of me, I think he was hoping that I would fall in and then he could get wet.

After we had spent enough time at the water I told him that we needed to start back to the truck. He was kind enough to make a trail for me in the snow, he would stomp around so that I did not have to get snow in my shoes. In some places it was still 6 or 7 inches deep. As we came up the trail I saw a............

I bet you thought that I was going to see a Bear. We saw a bunch of turkeys, so we started to walk closer to them to see if we could get a better picture of them. As we were walking towards them, Brock was telling me all sorts of instructions on what I should do to sneak up on them. As we got closer to them the toms all took off and there was this one and one other that stayed around. Brock was determined to get closer so I stayed where I was and he decided to go around and see just how close he could get. He was so cute, he would walk close to the ground and then he would get behind trees and then do his turkey call and he had the patience to just wait it out. It took about 3 minutes for him get this close.That is right, that is Brock's hand on the turkey's back he was petting this turkey!

I can't figure out the last photo to make it big it was done on a cell phone. He was so excited just as he had made his way to the turkey and was petting it, Colby and Brett came back and got to see it. These were not tame turkeys but Colby said that there might be something wrong with it to allow humans to come that close and to touch it. But Brock did not care, he was so excited and he KNOWS that it was all his own hunting skills that he has gotten.

Erika

What Time of Year is this?????

If any of you are wondering what the answer to the above question is.. In our house it is hunting season! With 3 boys and Colby the season starts somewhere in early August and ends......I don't know when. It seems that they are always out hunting something or out scouting for something else. But whatever it keeps them out of trouble. (for the most part) This weekend was the opening of the rifle deer hunt, so out we went. We went with the Koller's and meet in the Walmart parking lot to head out to get some deer. We were up way early and when we got to where we were going to hunt everyone split up into groups. The first being Dave, Lisa, and Ryan. 2nd group Kaid, Matt, and Brett. 3rd Colby, Me, Brock, Jared, and Ty. The first two groups were on 4wheelers and we were on foot. Did I forget to say I have asthma which is typically activity induced asthma?!?!? We started on our walk-hike I kept making Colby slow down because I was dying....We finally got to our destination or so I thought! We found a bunch of deer just eating and guess what there was a BUCK!!! but could we get any one with a tag to answer the radios or cell phones? NO. so Colby said he was going to go higher on the mountain and we needed to stay there and watch the deer to see which way they go if they leave, and remember to be quite!!! did he forget it was me and the "little boys" quite is not in their vocabulary let alone their beings... So we sat there and waited watching the deer that was just looking at us not really concerned with our presence, I felt like a broken record saying be quite. So we decided that we should all close our eyes and just relax for a few minutes and apparently it worked. This is what Colby came back down the mountain too.

Yes this is everyone of us asleep. We did not even make a sound. Aren't we the best hunters around?

So after a morning and part of the afternoon we decided to head back toward the group and see what they wanted to do. We made our way down the mountain and found the group and Kaid and Matt had decided that they did not want to hunt out there any longer and they wanted to go somewhere else. Colby called a friend to see if he could get a key to get them on to another piece of property. His friend said "tell kaid to pull up his skirt and get back out there and hunt" we all laughed at this and Kaid replied back that he would get a deer before us....so the pressure was on, Kaid and Matt went and took the little boys with them and the rest of us went back out to see what we could do. We had been out about 2 hours and we get a text from Kaid saying he needed help lifting up his skirt while he cleaned the deer, we told him that we needed photos before we would believe that they had gotten one........

The is Matt with his first deer, the second is the "little boys" Brock, Ty, and Jared. They were all pretty excited. Kaid was happy to be able to help Matt get his deer, he only had one day to hunt so it was exciting.

Since the race was now officially on for us to get a deer we headed into town to get some gas and some shakes...We decided to celebrate we got double bacon cheeseburgers as well.

I know that this is a little bit blurry, but Colby took it on his phone. I don't know if we were just starving or what but this was the best food I have eaten in a long time.

This is Dave, Lisa, Brett, Ryan and me. Lisa was a trooper she was just getting over an accident and she did not complain, even though she was in a lot of pain. So all in all it was a good weekend. We only got one deer but it was not for lack of effort. Hopefully we can fill the rest of the tags this week.

An Average Weekend

This weekend was full of fun and memories. It started out on Friday with Kaid, Kayden, and Brett heading out to Ephriam to kill varmints. This was wildly successful they all had fun and we did not see them until late Friday night. On Saturday Colby and Brett went out hunting to try to get Brett's first deer... No luck.

But Kaid and Kayden went back to Ephriam to hunt waterfowl, boy oh boy they hit the jackpot!

This is Kaid & Kayden's Geese. This was Kayden's first duck hunt and first goose.

This is Kaid's goose or as Kayden says "it's not a bird, it's a baby plane!" This goose had a 5' 10" wing span. So needless to say this is another one that is going to be gracing the walls of my house! Lucky me.

Then it was Brett's turn to try and get his deer, Kaid took him out and with in a half an hour they were texting me pictures of the deer he got. This was the muzzle-loader hunt (black powder) and Brett's first big game tag.

This is a great first buck, it is a 2 X 3. This was about 110 yard shot, with open sights. He must take after his mother!

So all in all it was an eventful weekend, the freezer will be full, as well as my walls.

Enjoy,

Erika