Some journalists like to laugh at bloggers, as rank amateurs who have no idea of deadline pressures.

But as usual, I don't care. This Moccasin Telegraph is two days ahead of deadline, and produced under what should feel like considerable pressure, but instead it's Thanksgiving!!

Because as soon as I can wrap this up, and gather up some camping gear I'm out of here on what might be the best elk hunt yet. For me, anyway...

We are definitely non-traditional, and didn't even have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Buffalo swiss steak instead, which was vastly better, in my opinion. I needed the nourishment badly, as instead of watching football on TV I went elk hunting then too.

Fortunately my wife is used to this, and nearly welcomes it wholeheartedly.

I'd hoped to get out of here a couple of days prior, until mountains of buffalo robes in need of fleshing intervened. So Thursday I just took a "day" hunt, which actually involves notable amounts of night also, on both ends. Took a considerable ride/hike up into some country I've hunted a lot.

Ran into a considerable amount of deer, including some I'd have shot years ago, but not anymore. I'm after elk, and have reason to believe they just might be in there, as in truly epic ironies rumors have it the wolves may have pushed the elk into places they're usually not, this time of year.

And of course, back in the day it would have been winter by now up high, but now... Thursday I hunted sans coat and gloves. Downright balmy, it was. Gorgeous.

Except I didn't cut a single elk track! Bah. Humbug!!

No, not really, I still found plenty of reason for Thanksgiving. Visited an old campsite of ours, and was pleased to see the "tree-house" Cody built when he was just a tyke still there.

But now I find, that true to my suspicions, I just didn't make it quite far enough. It's just not really huntable on a day hunt.

This is going to turn into more nightime travel, as it's noon, but fortunately Cody has the day's buffalo business handled, so as quick as I can throw together a spike camp, manty up a couple of hay bales, hit the road and then the trail, by tomorrow those elk may have a visitor.

Wish luck, eh?