2009 in perspective

2009 has been a challenging year from a real estate perspective as Durango, as much of the country, saw a pinnacle year in 2005 continue through 2006 but began a sharp decline through May of 2009. The good news is that transactions and volume are again ahead of previous year and on the rise. Most feel that those seeking excellent buying opportunities in the area are now acting on this impulse which should spur the sideliners into action causing an uptick in the market. However, this may be delayed as winter snow has arrived as of yesterday and the holidays are just around the corner.

Meanwhile, a majority of the hunting season has ended for 2009 and all indications show a tremendous year in both numbers and quality for the SW Colorado area. Personally, I was blessed to take a 6X7 bull elk during the first rifle season. This is the first year I did not archery hunt since 2002 and although I love September hunting the change was exhilerating. Instead of my usual backcountry wilderness hunt, I stayed in a small cabin with some good friends and hunted a strategic portion of national forest close to home that proved to be successful. It was a tremendous hunt as my Kiwi friend, Jason Kidd, and I found a small herd with 2 or 3 bulls and followed them for an hour or so, 2nd morning at dawn. It was straight uphill and took all I had to keep in hearing distance. Fortunately, they kept bugling which allowed me to slip in undetected by protection of a few Kiwi "cow calls" from 80 yards back. The herd bull was smart and no where in sight but, like all unsuspecting males, revealed himself to check on the cows and I was able to bring him down with a 120 yard shot out of my .3006 with 150 grain heavy loaded bullets. Quite a different reaction to the last 6 bulls I've taken with my bow! Anyway, there's a lot of good stories we need to discuss on the 2009 hunt...from my friend's high country archery deer to a 3rd season unit 76 elk hunt coming up.

Fishing...another story and I haven't done enough this year although I was lucky enough to catch my best Brown out of the Animas River on a black wooly bugger from a raft. It was quite the moment as my two partners scrambled to help me with the 24" hen that drug us downriver first and then back upriver until finally we were able to compose the raft and net her. There were a couple of close calls of falling in the river, breaking rods, etc...good fun! The salmon are running now so I must go but only after I make a few calls to some real estate prospects!