Back from elk hunting

CJ scared us on the day we hauled up.  He got out of the trailer, immediately took a long piss and then he wanted to roll.  At first we thought he was just itchy but soon we realized he was feeling colicky.   I walked him around and rubbed on his ears which is supposed to be a LTJ trick to get horses feeling better while making sure he would stay on his feet and not just drop and roll again.   After he was starting to nibble at grass and not trying to lay down I did some  accu-pressure all along his midline since I don't recall what spot(s) are specific for horse stomach ache.   Pretty soon his guts were gurgling and he was starting to really graze.     I had given him a previcoxx in the morning with the thought that it would be good to help him from getting stiff and sore on the somewhat cramped trailer ride so I decided he was not getting any pain pills unless he was seriously hurting the rest of the trip just in case the previcoxx had upset his stomach.  Last year he had a colic and liver toxicity problem and dad and sis ended up hauling him to a vet clinic in Glenwood springs to get IV fluids. 

CJ was fine the rest of the season.  He ate and drank a lot.  I gave him the liver cleansing herbs he has been getting all year since that 2012 episode.   He never acted sore in his joints.  He did get sore backed on day three when he hauled 2 elk out.  I did not have any horse liniment stuff along but put some witch hazel on him and then some Unkers people ointment that has menthol, camphor, pine oil and etc.  and then put his blanket on him even though it was not cold enough for him to need it other than keeping his muscles warm.   That did get his back happy the next day so I rode him out instead of staying in camp. 

Dad did get a doe and we took an elk quarter instead of money for one elk CJ hauled out.   But as usual dad's lazy, start late in the day and just pick a marginal place to wait and hope other hunters walking around push elk by resulted in not seeing many elk.   I don't really care except that sis buys the $$$ out of state tag and I feel bad for her not even getting any almost shots at one.   She did see an elk up close this year walking around from where we had parked one day.  She was checking out a fresh track and scat pile and the elk jumped up from sleeping only 30 feet away on the other side of a brush patch.

  I didn't see any elk during my walking around, I was kind of trying to circle around and maybe push some past dad and sis rather than sneak up on anything.   If I got anything spooked out of a sleeping spot it either went the other way from them or sneaked past while they were napping though.   We did enjoy the nice weather and the quiet campground this year.