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Hunting Illustrated Magazine Volume 11, Number 2 www.huntingillustrated.com Subscriptions and Questions 1-435-287-7368 editor@huntingillustrated.com
Columns 8 16 18 20 22 28 32
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Fresh Sign — Editorial Staff News, Facts and Fun
Celebrity Hunter — Team H.I. JD Drew
Ask The Pros — Team H.I.
All You Ever Wanted to Know
The Dueling Duo — Grange & Spomer Bears Over Bait
Mule Deer — Steve Alderman Best of Memories
Big Game—Doyle Moss Big Bad Bears
Elk — Steve Chappell
The Ultimate Elk Guide
HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
36 40 80 82 86 90
Predators— Les Johnson Spring is in the Air
Shooting — Greg Rodriguez Bear Busters
Just For Fun
Fun For the Whole Family
Braggin’ Board
Bringing Home the Bacon
Mule Deer Watch — Michael Burrell (Not So) Unfamiliar Territory
Nuge Factor — Ted Nugent Think Deer
Features 44 48 52 56 64 68 72 76
Photo Story — Javalan Redd & John Mogle Siberian Ibex in Kazakhstan
The Finger Bull John Koster
Hunting the Mescalero Dick Crossley
Curly
Carl Stubbs
The Ghost on the Strip Casey Carr
The General Season Tags Trent Leavitt
Roosevelt Giant Tim Carpenter
My Once in a Lifetime Bull Kristy Belding
WARNING!
Some of the photos in this magazine portray action performed by professional hunters or riders under controlled circumstances. We encourage safe practices in all outdoor activities. Hunting Illustrated withholds all liability for any damage or injury sustained while duplicating actions in photos.
Cover
Cover photo: Casey Carr pg.64, John Koster’s Shiras Moose pg.48, Celebrity Hunter JD Drew pg.16
Spring 2012
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EDITORIAL What is Your “Best of?”
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hank you for supporting Hunting Illustrated magazine. This is our “best of “issue which in times past has focused on many of the largest animals harvested here in the western hunting world. Don’t worry, we still have plenty of big trophies in this edition like John Koster’s muzzleloader World Record Shiras Moose, Casey Carr’s 266” Arizona Mule Deer and Tim Carpenter’s archery World Record Roosevelt Elk. “Best of” can mean many things, as we all know. To some it could be a two-point buck or a spike elk or even the one that got a way. To many it is the experience that makes it the hunters personal “best of”. What about the father that gets all of his boys to hunting camp for the first time in twenty years or the twelve year old boy that bags his first big game animal? These quickly become the “best of” in many hunters’ memories. Yes, pictures of big animals sell magazines but there are plenty of “best of” memories for all of us to reflect on. I recently had the chance to participate in the 2nd Annual Glendon Johnson Wounded Warrior Cast & Blast event in Utah. This quickly became one of my “best of” outdoor experiences for 2012. This event is put on by retired war vet William Hansen and Jim Fauver from Castle Valley Outdoors. William called me in 2011 and asked if I would help out with the long-range shooting course for a group of Wounded Warriors. Most of the soldiers were suffering from traumatic brain injuries. It was such a great event that when he asked me to help out again in 2012 I was quick to accept the invitation. As I got to know some of these guys and learned about their war stories from their time in Afghanistan or Iraq I was very humbled and amazed at their courage and strength. Several of these war veterans had either been shot in the head or suffered injuries to the head from mortars and somehow miraculously survived. Just being around them strengthened my spirit and lifted my soul. Donating some of my time to teach them how to shoot long range was the least I could do for these heroes. It is amazing to see what our troops go through to provide us with freedom. Next time you see a young person from the armed forces please extend your appreciation to them for what they do for all of us. They truly are the “best of” America.
Editor/Co-Owner: John Mogle Art Director/Co-Owner: Matt Mogle Columnists: Steve Alderman,Ted Nugent, Scott Grange, Ron Spomer, Doyle Moss, Steve Chappell, Les Johnson, Michael Burrell Contributing Writers: Casey Carr, Tim Carpenter, Kristy Belding, Trent Leavitt, Carl Stubbs, Dick Crossley, John Koster Illustrators: Courtney Bjornn, Richard Stubler Advertising: 435-287-7368 ads@huntingillustrated.com John Mogle Subscriptions / Questions: 435-287-7368 or 801-368-8374 Submissions: Send your hunting stories and photos, Picture of the Week / Braggin’ Board photo contest and parting shots to: Hunting Illustrated PO Box 1045 Gunnison, UT 84634 editor@huntingillustrated.com ©2011 Hunting Illustrated LLC PO Box 1045 Gunnison, UT 84634 Hunting Illustrated is published quarterly with additional bonus issue, $24.95 U.S. /$34.95 Outside U.S. Printed in U.S.A.
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HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
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The Latest News and Insights
New Pennsylvania State Record Elk Confirmed
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ISSOULA, Mont. (April 19, 2012)—The largest elk ever recorded in Pennsylvania, a bull taken by a lucky hunter in 2011, has been confirmed as the new state record. The official declaration was made today by the Boone and Crockett Club. An official measurer determined a final score of 4426/8 B&C non-typical points, which ranks 9th among all non-typical elk in Boone and Crockett records. The bull has nine points on the right antler and eight on the left. The antlers tally 190-3/8 on the right and 188-1/8 on the left, with 47-7/8 inside spread and 29-7/8 in abnormal points. The antlers are unusually wide—an impressive 69 inches at their widest point. The Boone and Crockett scoring system is based on antler 8
HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
size and symmetry, and accepts only trophies taken in fair chase. Since the early 1900s, the Boone and Crockett scoring system has been used to measure the success of wildlife conservation and management programs across North America. Elk are native to Pennsylvania but had been extirpated by the late 1870s. Hunters and game commissioners in 1912 began discussing the idea of reintroducing the species. The following year, a shipment of 50 elk arrived by train from Yellowstone National Park. Half were released in Clinton County, half in Clearfield County. It was the beginning of a long elk restoration and habitat conservation effort that by the late 1990s would begin to generate significant tourism, wildlife watching and, of course, hunting opportunities. Today there are 10 Pennsylvania bulls recognized in Boone and Crockett records. Seven are non-typical elk with a minimum score of 385; three are typical elk with a minimum score of 360. All have been taken since 2003. The new Pennsylvania record holder, William Zee of Doylestown, Pa., was hunting in Clearfield County, Pa. “Congratulations to Mr. Zee, and especially to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for its work
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building one of America’s most upand-coming elk herds,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game committee. The previous Pennsylvania state record for non-typical American elk was a bull scoring 441-6/8 taken in 2006 in Clinton County by hunter John Shirk. Since the Zee bull is a Top 10 entry, its score will be panelverified during the Boone and Crockett Club’s triennial awards program in Reno, Nev., next year. About the Boone and Crockett Club Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the PittmanRobertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.
by Editorial Staff
1.7 Million Acres Proposed for N U M B E R S National Monument Land 4 Million
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here is currently a proposal going around to certain government agencies authored by the Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club and the Grand Canyon Wild lands Council. The proposal is to make 1.7 million acres in Northern Arizona, National Monument Land. The land includes the entire north Kaibab and the east side of Unit 13A. The proposal talks about eliminating logging, shutting down roads, eliminating grazing permits, and cutting off mining inside the proposed Park. Of course to the hunter, it means no hunting as well. Their proposal is all in the name of conservation. They claim the following; wild habitat protects our water supply, conserving wild places conserves our wildlife, protecting public lands provide hands on learning for citizens, conservation of wild places offers us places for spiritual renewal, and finally that protected landscapes nurture a human connection to Arizona’s heritage past. This area is home to some of the biggest mule deer in the world. If this proposal becomes a reality not only will people loose hundreds of jobs but also Arizona may loose a Crown Jewell of mule deer hunting.
Number of NRA Members in the United States today.
80 Million
Approiximate number of gun owners in America. Nearly 50% of the US Population owns a gun.
260 Million Approximate number of guns owned by Americans
6 Million
Approximate number of Americans who have concealed carry permits
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Spring 2012
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Gun Owners Out in Big Numbers for 2012 NRA Show Make Sure to Get Out and Vote in 2012 to Assure Your Second Ammendment Rights are not Altered
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he NRA Show this year was in St. Louis Missouri. With the chance of President Obama regaining the White House, gun owners were out in record breaking numbers. 73,740 NRA members turned out for the 141st annual meeting and it was one of the largest conventions the city of St. Louis has ever seen. It was quit a testament of devotion the NRA members have for the organization to turn out in these kinds of numbers during trying economic times. The NRA is pushing their “All In” message to try and get Obama out of the White House. Their message is to get five people to join the NRA and to get five more people to join them to vote Obama out of office. The gun industry fears that with Obama in a second term he will have nothing to loose and will continue with his aggressive liberal policies. These liberal policies very well could include an anti-gun agenda. When government gets too involved with the American people it usually means we loose rights, freedoms and privileges. This is why the NRA is continually fighting to keep our 2nd Amendment rights. Still despite the sluggish economic times the consumer also realizes what is at stake and has been taking to the gun stores to purchase guns in record numbers. Sales of handguns and ammunition are booming and retailers say it is all about the November elections that are driving the push. Sturm, Ruger & Co. of Southport, Connecticut has had to suspend new orders after taking orders for more than one million new guns in the first three months of the year. Many other gun and ammunition manufacturers are reporting similar results. Obama’s controversial statement that many Americans “cling to guns and religion” has been the best marketing campaign the gun industry could have asked for.
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Brought to you by Boone & Crockett’s On-line Trophy Search www.boone-crockett.org Did You Know...in 1975 the world record B&C black bear skull was found in the Manti Lasals of Utah (Sanpete county). It was so big (beathing the previous record by a full inch) that it was sent to the Smithsonian Institution to verify that it was, in-fact, a black bear.
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John Mogle
GO BALLISTIC
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hen most hunters think of a .375 caliber the first one that comes to mind is the .375 H&H. The .375 H&H has become a staple for the African hunter. Most PH’s in Africa are either packing or have a .375 H&H close by. In 2007 Hornady Manufacturing introduced their answer to the popular big bore cartridge, the .375 Ruger. The idea from Hornady and Ruger’s engineers was to come up with a cartridge that would give similar velocities of the .375 H&H but by using a shorter case that would fit in a .30-06 mid size action. This would allow Ruger to build their dangerous game rifles in the .375 Ruger on a standard size magnum action, instead of the big super sized magnum action that the .416 Rigby is built on.
.375 RUGER
The case would still utilize a magnum size bolt head and since the case was beltless it allowed Hornady to make the case a little fatter. This allows for loading more powder. The end results actually ended up exceeding the .375 H&H cartridge by more than 100 fps with most grain bullets. This increase in velocity is actually out of a shorter 22” barrel.
For the brown bear hunter who squeezes through the thick alder’s of Kodiak Island in pursuit of his trophy or wounded prey, for the African hunter that sneaks through the tall grass of the Sealous game park in Tanzania in pursuit of a giant Dugga Boy, or the Western hunter that hikes miles in the Rockies in pursuit of a bugling bull elk, the short barrel has it’s advantages. For the hardcore hunter your rifle is an extension of your arm and the shorter it is, the easier and quicker it is to use. The .375 Ruger with a 22” barrel gives you a shorter overall length on your rifle and still delivers 100 fps more velocity than the .375 H&H. Who knows the next time you make the trek to Africa your PH may be packing a .375 Ruger and for good reason.
Spring 2012
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JD Drew
.D. Drew was born in 1975 in Valdosta Georgia. He played college baseball with Florida State University and was named the Collegiate Baseball Player of the year as well as ACC Player of the year in 1997. He was the first college baseball player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. J.D. was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies second overall in the 1997 MLB draft. During his 14 year career in the big leagues he played with the Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers and last the Boston Red Sox where he earned a championship ring. He comes from a family of baseball players. Both his brother Tim and Stephen have also played on Major League Baseball teams. Now that J.D. is retired he hopes to spend more time in the hunting field. Let’s get to know J.D. drew a little better and learn about his passion for the outdoors. When did you first start hunting?
Jason Hornady strikes a pose with John Mogle after taking down this monster muley in Colorado
I began hunting when I was around four or five. One of my earliest memories was being the designated ‘bird dog’ for my granddad on dove shoots. Those early experiences with him in the field forged a love for hunting that’s a strong as ever. I became such an avid dove hunter from those early trips to the field with my granddad that it wasn’t until 1997, my slipped off my string! I grasped it before it trickled out of junior year in college, that I hunted big game. I credit this the tree down to the deer but nevertheless, he broke and ran first deer hunting experience to a guy by the name of Bob about 30 yards. I quickly reloaded and got a shot off. Of Brower. He had several places to hunt in North Carolina. course I missed by a mile but was an avid deer hunter from that day forward. What can you tell me about one of your first deer hunting trips? You’ve shared some of the things that drove you to hunting at an early age. So the next question would be One of my first deer hunting trips with Bob in North Carolina ended up being one of those pivotal events ‘why’. Why do you love to hunt? that fueled my passion to continue hunting today. That I grew up hunting with my granddad and uncle, early morning found us hunting on the side of a hill that fishing with my grandma and deer hunting with family proved to be a transition area between a creek bottom and friends. All the while I grew up in church and have bedding area and a bean field the deer were using to feed. been a Christian since I was 16. There is no place I feel Bob put me in a lock-on stand and went about 70 yards closer to God than in the outdoors. Some of the places away to climb a tree that offered a good vantage point to I’ve had a chance to hunt are just a true confirmation to video. me on how awesome God’s power is. Sitting in the stand for a good portion of the afternoon offered up no movement at all. When 5:30 rolled What is your favorite weapon for hunting? around Bob decided to rattle. At the time I didn’t know deer would respond to calling. But five minutes later I saw By far, my favorite weapon is my Matthew’s some deer legs moving slowly through some brush around bow. There is just something about the preparation 20 yards away. Instantly I felt my heart would burst from my chest and at that point, it didn’t matter if it was a doe or and dedication that it takes to get an animal at close distance to seal the deal. However, over the last couple a buck. I was just pumped for the chance. of years, I have shot a few deer with my rifle and there As the deer wound its way toward me, it ended is something to be said about making a super long shot up being a small 8-point and with adrenaline flowing, I as well. But honestly, if I had to choose, I couldn’t go remember drawing my bow back. As it made its way without my bow. directly under my tree, my aim was so steep the arrow
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What is your favorite species of game to hunt and why? My favorite species is whitetail. The main reason for this is the fact that I really haven’t had time to hunt anything else. With the baseball travel schedule, when I get home in the off-season, I look forward to having time with my wife and kids making it necessary to pick and choose hunts. Right now, I hunt deer in Kansas and Georgia but am really looking forward to the future where I’ll have more time to chase elk and mule deer, a few moose and hopefully some red stag. What other impacts has baseball had on your passion for hunting? Playing baseball has made hunting easier in a lot of ways but harder in others. The fact that baseball season ends before November is a huge plus, seeing how some of the best deer hunting happens in that month. I have also had the chance to meet some great people in the hunting industry because of my career in baseball. The one thing that I’ve found to be a little tough is being gone on hunts away from my family in the offseason. I spend eight months on the road playing ball and to plan two months of hunting trips in the fall doesn’t really sit well with me or my family. So I have to plan in a way that we can all go together or just not go at all. Thankfully, my wife has been great at spending time at hunting camp with me all these years.
How do you feel about our second amendment rights to keep and bear arms? It was put in at the foundation of our country to keep and bear arms so without a doubt that’s what we have the right to do. I feel that one of the most important things we as sportsman need to do is step up to the plate and make sure we vote for the people that stand behind this amendment. What is one of your greatest memories from your career as a professional baseball player? I have had a great career in Major League Baseball. Probably the fondest memory was my opening night, September 8, 1998. I had just got called up by the Cardinals and as I sat in the dugout I watched Mark McGwire break the all-time home run record. Little did I know, but I would play in the same game. The next night I replaced McGwire in the line-up in Cincinnati and got my first hit and home run. Another great memory would have to be helping the Red Sox to the 2007 World Series. It was a tough year for me on and off the field but I was able to put together a strong post-season and take home my first World Series ring.
Spring 2012
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ASK THE PROS Got a Question for the Hunting Illustrated Team? Q. I have a hunt planned for whitetail in Saskatchewan Canada this fall. What rifle and caliber would you recommend for this hunt? Jeb Bronson – MO A: Hunting whitetail in Canada is normally from a box blind or tree stand in thick cover. Your shots will generally be no more than 150 yards away. For this reason there are many calibers that fit the bill. I don’t often say this but even a standard .270 Winchester or good ol’ .30-06 will do the job at these ranges on a whitetail. My two oldest boys have both shot several whitetails in South Texas with just a .22-250 with out loosing a single animal. Obviously the Northern Whitetail is much bigger than there brothers from the south so I would recommend at least a .243 Winchester or bigger for your hunt. Make sure your rifle is sighted in for dead on at 100 yards and you will be prepared for the most common shot. As far as what rifle to use, I often here from Canadian hunters that a rifle with a good detachable magazine system is a must when hunting North of the border. Canadian laws do not allow you to have ammunition in the magazine of your weapon when in a motorized vehicle of any kind. The ease of popping a magazine into your rifle quickly once you are out of the vehicle is a big plus and increases your odds of bagging 18
HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
your game. It is also nice to have an extra magazine already loaded for that just in case experience. You never know when you may need to shoot several rounds at game whether it is buck fever or a pack of wolves that gets your gander.
your game before they have shed their horns. Once you have found them you need to keep your eyes on them right up until they do shed. Some times you may get lucky and actually see their horns fall right off their heads.
I would recommend a Sako 85 or a Tikka style rifle. They are very accurate and both have very good reliable detachable magazines. I would say the Sako 85 has the best detachable magazine system on the market. The key when looking for a rifle with a good detachable magazine is reliability. There are many systems out there, including high dollar custom systems, that are not reliable or worth the money. You don’t want to have a monster buck starring you in the eyes while you struggle to get your clip into your rifle. – John Mogle Q. I tried shed hunting for the first time this year. I didn’t find a single horn. Do you have some tips for the beginning shed hunter?
Elk generally shed their horns from the middle of February to the first part of March. As the weather warms up elk actually will come down off the mountain in search of green grass that is just starting to sprout up. Many people think as it warms up that you need to go higher on the mountain but that is not the case for elk.
Philip Stewart – CO A: Here in the West and namely Utah shed hunting has become more and more popular over the years. If you are going aimlessly into the hills to find sheds you will have a hard time. It will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Shed hunting is really no different than hunting for your quarry. To be effective you need to do plenty of preseason scouting. This means finding
5ASK THE PROS5
Mule Deer on the other hand are a little different animal figuratively and literally. They can start to shed as early as Christmas but as late as the middle of March. This three-month window makes your scouting much harder. You may have to keep your eye on a big buck for months in order to pick up his shedded treasures. One thing I have found with mule deer is that they generally will shed their antlers in the same spot year after year. So once you have found the honey hole it makes your life as a shed hunter so much easier. You know his sheds year after year will be in that same vicinity. Shed hunting is a growing sport that is a lot of fun and gives you a chance to get out into the Outdoors during the time of year when there is not much going on. Grab you wife and kids or ladies grab your kids and
husbands and get out there. Who knows what you will find. – Doyle Moss Q. I had a fantastic hunting adventure this year and am thinking about writing a story to submit to your magazine. What are the requirements? Marnie Petersen – CA A: I’m glad you’ve asked about submitting your story. We would love to see it once it’s complete! For a story to work well for any magazine, it needs to be well written both in context and grammar. Find a way to keep your story unique and interesting. Many hunting stories sound or are written the same as others and lose the interest of the reader. Have a few people proof read your story and have them give
you honest feedback. Another element that really helps make a story great is the pictures. I would suggest that when you’re out on your next hunting adventure to take plenty of pictures. Pictures can tell the story sometimes better than words. If all you have is hero shots, your story will lack visual excitement. Take pictures leading up to the kill, to the hunt and to the journey back home when the hunt is over. With a digital camera and storage on media cards, you could easily take 100-300 photos (sometimes more) and still have space available. Don’t be stingy in clicking the shutter button. Just the opposite--use it as much as you can. If you drop an animal, take pictures of it at all different angles. You might be suprised at what shots turn out the best. Also, set your camera to use the highest quality setting possible.
Most cameras are set to 72 dpi by default. Change it to 300 dpi if the option is there. High resolution images are essential for use in magazine printing. Make sure that when you decide to send your pictures that you don’t use software that scales the size or quality of the pictures down. Send in the actual raw digital images from the media card/camera. I also suggest submitting any additional information you have about your hunt, including location, days hunted, equipment used, ballistic and gun info, yardage of kill shot, B&C and net score, outfitter information and whatever else you can provide. We look forward to seeing your story! All submissions are welcome. –Matt Mogle
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Scott Grange
Ron Spomer
THE DUELING DUO Views from both sides of the fence
Bears Over Bait
PRO?
By Scott Grange
Control the Bears
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y brother Randy is what you’d call a bear freak. He loves bears. He loves to hunt them, chase them, film them and just be around them in their environment. Last year, he had six trail cameras set up in one of his favorite black bear spots on earth. After a week, he returned to find bears on every one of them! And if I told you where it was, in Utah, you’d call me a liar. If folks knew how many bears there were, not just in the west, but throughout the country, many would avoid venturing into the wilds all together. Just two years ago, a young boy was hauled off and killed by a black bear not far from Salt Lake City and his parents had the audacity to blame everyone…but the bear. There are hunting units in Idaho and Montana that have gone to a two bear limit simply because of the numbers of bruins that inhabit these areas and the toll they are taking on deer, elk and moose populations. I have just presented three examples that indicate we have a mess of bears in this here country and like any big game species, they need to be controlled. However, for whatever reasons, people, especially the out-of-touch animal activists, 20
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We call coyotes by imitating place the bear in a category of its own when it comes to management. It’s kind their food source. Many hunt deer of like raptors. When I was a kid, we over food plots or near feeders. We shot owls and hawks. Heck, we were kill a zillion geese a year in fields even paid to shoot magpies! And guess they come to, to feast. We fool fish what, there were tons of pheasants and by plopping a tantalizing bug or quail. And rabbits? Ha, I could stand in worm in front of its nose. The list one spot out in the Nevada desert and goes on and on and that’s okay, but shoot a carton (500) of .22 shells. Today, hunting bears over bait is not? Give yeah right. If I walk all day, I might me a break. shoot a box (50). Here’s my point. Like any wildlife species, bears, like it or not, must be controlled. And as with all game animals and birds, hunters are the By Ron Spomer most economical and effective means of accomplishing that task. Hunting methods include spot and stalk, utilizing Where’s the Challenge? dogs and hunting over bait. The later Look, I believe in maximum method is a point of contention with many, including some sportsmen. They freedom FOR the individual coupled feel it is unfair and unsportsmanlike to with maximum responsibility BY the sit in a stand overlooking bait, waiting individual. But I think if you sportfor the allusive ghost of the woods to hunt black bears over bait you’re show his face. This is where I start to get short-changing yourself. anxious. In case you were sleep reading Ouch. I’m going to catch a lot when I stated bears must be controlled, of heat over this, so let me reiterate and let me say it again. Bears must be clarify: I think hunting over bait should controlled and one very affective method be legal. I think it’s a great way to selectively harvest. You can study the is to hunt over bait. Still struggling with the ethics bears that come in and make sure you of such a method? Let me help. There don’t shoot a young boar or a sow with are legitimate reasons for hunting cubs. You can wait for that massive, over bait. It affords the hunter the ornery old boar that’s been killing and opportunity to get a close-up look at eating cubs in the neighborhood. You a bear thus allowing him to size the can even erect a blind or treestand animal up as not to kill a juvenile. from which to take the perfect, precise, In addition, it all but eliminates a killing shot. This is all good. But you’ll be missing a real, mistaken identity situation on a sow challenging, wild hunt. with cubs.
CON?
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exciting bear caught a salmon from a creek, disappeared into the brush with it and emerged within spear poking range, looking right at me! Glass-and-stalk hunts aren’t quite as intense, but hiking and scanning hills, meadows, mountains and clear cuts from Montana through British Columbia has enriched many of my days on this delightful planet. I’ve taken my biggest bears this way, several bettering 6.5 feet and one topping 7 feet. Bait hunters argue, persuasively, that in many habitats baiting is the only way to lay eyes on a bear. I think I’ve been there. And done that. And they may well be right, in which case, have at it. In these situations baiting is a lot like trapping. You scout, read sign, select the most likely baiting site, pack in the bait, build the blind – it’s all hunting. The shot is just the final act. Well, the grilling and eating of backstraps is the final act.
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But, if you really, really want to short-change yourself and minimize your bear hunting experience, hire someone else to bait your bear for you. This is the ultimate in hired-gun hunting. A guide does all the scouting, selects the bait site, hauls out the bait, builds the stands and even drives you to the site. At most, you are expected to climb a short ladder, sit, wait, choose a bear at the dinner table and shoot it. In many bear camps you’re instructed to stay in the stand and wait for your guide to come retrieve the dead bear. Then he’ll take you back to the lodge where someone has cooked you supper. I guess at the classier places they pour wine for you, too, and provide massages while the guides skin and process your bear. Now that I think about it, hunting over bait this way is a lot like hunting as conducted by the aristocracy for hundreds of years. Kings and monarchs from China to Europe to South America have “hunted” animals that were pre-captured by the real hunters and turned loose in small enclosures or “deer parks.” They say that by the time Europeans discovered the Pere David’s deer in China it had already been confined to the royal game park within the Forbidden City for generations. None lived in the wilds, so no one to this day knows what their natural habitat is. I don’t know about you, but I’m not royalty (although I’ve asked my kids to treat me as if I were.) But even if I were, I wouldn’t want others to do my hunting for me. If you let them do virtually everything but pull the trigger, why not just mail it in? Send your outfitter the money and have him send you the pelt and meat. Save a bunch of time and gas money. Stay home, work and make a few extra bucks to pay for the “hunt.” To lend more authenticity to the event, you can sit in a stand in your backyard during the appointed hour. Import a few mosquitoes for authenticity. Spring 2012
ILLUSTRATION: COURTNEY BJORNN
Ouch again. Rotten tomatoes are surprisingly painful when they hit you upside the head. Look. I’m not saying you have to do it my way. Wolves run down prey. Mountain lions stalk it. Rattlesnakes lie in ambush. They’re all predators, as are we. And we have every right to hunt in all those ways. I’m just suggesting my way – glassing and stalking or still-hunting -- is the most challenging, satisfying and fulfilling. (Well, maybe that distinction goes to wrestling a bear to death, but you get my drift.) If you’ve never hunted, glassed, tracked and stalked a bear, you’ve missed the most excitement in the bear hunting world short of calling one in. And calling can be an adjunct to glassing and stalking. Here’s an example: We were glassing clear cuts when we decided to sit on the edge of an old logging trail and call. Black bears are the number one predator of elk calves in many parts of Idaho, so they darn well know what prey in trouble sounds like. This makes spring calling quite effective. As it was this time. I’d squalled and screamed for just a few minutes when a big, black boar loped out of the forest, looked around and paced straight uphill toward us. Believe me, we had as much time as any tree stand bait hunter to study and size-up that boar. It was a close call, but we let him walk. Well, we actually encouraged him to walk by standing and giving him a verbal suggestion that he might find life a little more pleasant in another location. As for still-hunting, it’s not the quickest way to a bear, but it can surely be done, even in mature conifer forests. I’ve pussy-footed through such woods in several states and caught black bears in compromising positions. One was walking across a Doug fir log that had fallen to create a bridge over a roaring creek in Washington’s North Cascades. Another was feeding up a faint trail cloistered with an overstory of alders and western cedar boughs on Vancouver Island. My most
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Steve Alderman
MULE DEER Best of Memories Looking Back on My Favorite Moments
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best hunts or his five best animals, so I figured I would write about my four or five best learning experiences produced from a hunting mature mule deer. Hopefully, you will be take something away from these short stories to improve your odds for having one of those “Best Of” seasons. When your thumbing through your favorite hunting magazines, whether it be on the newsstands or sitting in your easy chair, there are people that seem to have a knack for harvesting large animals on a yearly basis. A few individuals that come to my mind are Randy Ulmer, David Long, Lance Kronberger, and Dan Evans. For the most part, all of these experts
hunt different species of animals, but the one thing in common with their success is the amount of patience it takes to harvest these animals year in and year out. If you were to sit any one of these gentlemen down and ask them the key to their success, they would inevitably tell you patience. Patience in locating the animals, patience in determining the right time to stalk the animal and patience when it comes to waiting on the animal to make the right move so they can seal the deal. Probably the most important lesson I could try to instill in any beginning hunter, or as far as that goes, experienced hunter, would be
The author suggests waiting for a buck to rise up and move on its own merits no matter if it takes minutes or hours. Patience is essential.
PHOTO: VIC SCHENDEL
W
hen asked to sit down and write a story for the “Best Of Issue”, most writers are going to put to paper or the key board their best experiences in the field. It could be their biggest buck, bull, or even their best hunting experience. Sure, I’m no different, that is what popped into my head first while pondering this story. Then I wondered, how do I narrow down all of my wonderful experiences down to four or five experiences, let alone one? There are too many individual things that stand out on every hunt to pick one over the next. Every hunt I go on is the best, no matter if I’m behind the camera or pulling the trigger. They are all better than working the nine to five as a tile contractor. In all honesty, I feel the best is yet to come for most of us. What I’m trying to say is that for the average guy reading this trying to learn as much as he can about hunting mule deer, it is inevitable that you will be creating your own “Best Of” in the near future. Sure, I have my favorite memories in the field, but I would be taking you on a journey from the time I was ten to the present. It is not possible for me to lay it all down in one short article. It would fill a book to touch on the “Best Of” hunting experiences for me. As the Mule Deer Editor of one of the fastest growing outdoor magazines, my job is to teach, give learning experiences, and or entertain you, the reader. There is not much to learn from a guy bragging about his five
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patience. Patience is by far the most important part of hunting mature mule deer. It’s the hardest lesson to teach people because each experience hunting mule deer varies and thus does the amount and type of patience needed to get the job done. The best way to learn patience is to pick up a short range weapon and hunt with it for a few years. Bow hunting, in my opinion, is the fastest way to learn patience. Granted, I learned most of my patience while muzzleloader hunting since I was a teenager, but filming for the last 12 years has also sharpened my stalking abilities and my patience. Give bow hunting a try for a few years. Trust me when I say it will make you a much better hunter. If you are against picking up the bow and arrow, your second best bet would be just to spend time in the field getting to know mature mule deer and their habits. Practice some stalking off season and see how you do! MOVING IN CLOSE JUST TO WAIT There are many times in which a hunter needs to be patient. To me the most important area often over looked is the final stalk! Most hunts are blown during this time. Trying to get to close, trying to make the deer stand for the shot, or not playing the wind properly are the three most common factors in a hunt being a failure. Out of these three, trying to get to close and making the deer stand are the leading cause of most hunters going home with tag soup. Take your time and get within your comfort zone for the shot. Don’t try to push things and whatever you do, don’t try to force the deer to stand. Let him do it in his own time. He will stand up slowly and stretch which will present you with your shot. If you try and make him stand by throwing rocks or whistling you have a greater than 50 percent chance that he will blow out of there. Take your time and let him make his move. You will have more than enough time to get the shot.
The author waited three hours before the buck stood from his bed and gave him a shot. His buck ranks number two all time in Alberta with a bow. Being patient does pays off in the end.
You might have to be patient and wait him out most of the day. Your odds of success will greatly increase if you keep these techniques in your bag of tricks. One of my most memorable hunts was my 2007 hunt north of the border in Alberta. That hunt is proof that patience is learned from past experiences. My thousands of hours in the field regardless if it was behind the camera or the trigger of my smoke pole (muzzleloader) had taught me years of patience that paid off. Getting close with a camera or muzzleloader is a must to get the job done properly. Hundreds of blown stalks with camera in hand has taught me when, where and how to get in close for the shot. This became apparent on my second mule deer hunt with a bow! On the first day of the hunt, a huge bodied Alberta bruiser was located. There was little discussion as I knew this buck was worthy of me knocking an arrow. We located him at first light, watched him feed, bed and re-bed two hundred yards from the first before the stalk was planned. I was confident that I could get within bow range. The grass was tall and there was a slight breeze helping cover the sound of our final approach. Getting close to
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a monster mule deer is one thing, but getting close with three guys present was the challenge. I had to be on my “A” game to make sure everything was done perfectly and deliberately. It was earlier September, the weather was warm and partly cloudy, which was to my advantage. After a cool, wet night, the deer were damp and cold. That morning they bedded in the open trying to catch some sun to warm themselves and dry off. A two hour stalk had led us to within 56 yards of my quarry, then all we had to do was wait the deer out. As soon as the sun popped out of the clouds, the deer began to warm up and started standing to change beds once again. Four hours after setting eyes on this majestic buck, the arrow found its mark. Yes, this is patience. Maybe not what the experienced bow hunter would call “sitting in the saddle”, but as far as rifle hunting goes, this is longer than they would ever think of waiting. Five years earlier I would have pushed the stalk and or tried to make the deer stand from his bed by making a noise. Most of us would and that is were the problem lies. 9 out of 10 times this ends in failure. Spring 2012
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Patience and experience taught me when and how to make the stalk and when not to push things. It makes no sense to hurry up and push things, everything must be right or you need to back out and try again. My good friend, Jake Shea is one of the most patient guys I know. In 2002 he laid on the ground in numbing 20 degree temperatures at mere 70 yards from the buck of his dreams. With the wind and snow blowing Jake laid there from dawn to almost dusk within twenty yards of bedded does. Freezing and cramping up Jake knew he couldn’t afford to move an inch or all of his hard work and patience would be blown. He sat there freezing, thirsty and cramping for over 8 hours when the deer finally started to stand and feed in Jakes direction. At 40 yards Jake let the arrow fly and was rewarded for all of his determination. The biggest buck Jake had ever shot lay before him at his feet. Most of us would have had to move to get rid of the cramps, get something to drink or even try and sneak in closer to the buck. Again, 9 out of 10 times, this will result in failure. You can learn from failure, it will teach you what not to do the next time you’re in that situation. However, success will teach you what you did right and learning by doing things right is the fastest way to success year in and year out. PATIENCE CAN BE MEASURED IN DAYS There are a multitude of times when patience is important in hunting. Probably the second most over looked time in which a person should be patient is when they are behind their binoculars or spotting scope. Too many times I watch people drive to an area known for big deer, glass for a max of five minutes and then drive away. Meanwhile, I’m on the hill above them hoping they don’t see the deer bedded 500 yards from them. Ninety nine out of one hundred times they drive off without seeing the deer. Sure, I’m guilty of
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Jake Shea with his 2002 archery buck! Jake laid motionless for 8 hours till the buck presented a shot.
this myself. Sometimes trying to cover to much ground in a day forces a person to not be as patient with their glassing. You need to slow down and take your time. Look at those other places on a different trip. More time in the field will always work to your advantage. Being patient behind the glass is one of the most important times to slow down and take your time, especially if you want to go home with a monster buck in the back of the truck. You can’t hunt them if you can’t find them. It’s best to spend most of the midday glassing. Move around and cover ground early in the morning and late in the evening until you find your buck. Once you find him, most of your days will be spent behind the glass learning everything you can about him. Many days you won’t be able to find him, but if it is August or September he is there. Don’t give up on him. He will show his face again. A perfect example of one of these bucks was my 2010 monster muzzleloader buck from Idaho. He was spotted in August by a good friend of mine, Jim. Jim called me during the first part of August and said “you need to grab your camera and get down here on the mountain and take a look at this buck.” As I loaded up my tile equipment and headed out, he described the buck point for point. He was watching the deer at a distance of 75 yards and he could see
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everything as plain as day. By the time I made the two hour journey up on the hill, the deer had vanished off the face of the earth. I searched for hours. Hours turned into days and days turned into months. I never saw the buck until I put my tag on him the fifth day of the hunt. I harvested him less than 800 yards from where Jim had seen him eight weeks earlier. He was there right under our noses the whole time but had just turned nocturnal on us. The day that I was lucky enough to harvest him, a good friend of mine, James, was putting a stalk on another great 200 inch buck when he had jumped my buck out of the sage. The buck was lying right in front of us and we never even saw him. We had watched these other bucks for seven weeks and never turned up the really big boy. More than likely, he was one of those early to bed and late to rise bucks. James was kind enough to let me have the stalk on this great trophy that I had spent hundreds of hours looking for. After James bumped the deer on his stalk, it took five plus hours of patiently stalking and glassing every nook and cranny on the mountain until he turned up again. We were deliberate in every movement we made. Every step was calculated
The memory of this buck, laying in his bed looking away, will forever be etched in to my mind. The 21 inch G-2s are the longest I have ever seen let alone harvested
with the wind and the deer’s location in mind. Five hours after jumping this deer, I was crawling to the edge of a rock outcropping for my shot on this majestic animal. While crawling into place, I jumped another buck that was bedded under the rock ledge, which I had not seen. This buck ran straight at my quarry causing him to stand to see what all the commotion was about. I knew from experience as soon as the spooked buck got close to mine they were both going to high tail it out of country. I had less than four seconds to get the shot off. I took a deep breath, settled in and pulled the trigger. The smoke covered the target, but from the distinct sound and the fact that the buck turned and ran straight down hill, I knew the lead conical had found its mark. Standing over this spectacular 224 inch trophy, I knew we had played our cards right and beaten the odds. We could have gone after him like mad men, but we would have more than likely jumped him again and blew him out of the country never to be seen again. You see, you can bump a deer once and still have a 50 to 60 percent chance at him again if you let him calm back down and bed. However, if you jump him again within the same day you cut your odds down to less
than a five percent chance of finding him again. This great buck laying there looking away is something that will be etched into my mind for the rest of my life. With 21 inch G-2s, this deer had the tallest rack I have ever had the chance to lay my eyes on, let alone have the chance to harvest. A sight I would have never gotten the chance to see without being patient and deliberate. PATIENCE CAN BE MEASURED IN YEARS If there was one more thing I could teach, it would be the never give up attitude. It’s truly more than an attitude; it’s a way of life. You need to live your life or at least your free time around the mule deer. Never give up on your goal. This became ever so true to me in 1995 when I joined the Deer Hunters of Idaho, a non profit organization dedicated to restoring Idaho’s deer herds. When I joined, I vowed never to shoot a young mule deer again. I guess this is the point in my life when I became a trophy hunter, at least in my mind. I went five years before I found a deer I wanted to hang my tag on. After two weeks of pursuing that deer, my chance finally came. At 125 yards the muzzleloader hit its mark! As I walked up on this deer, my whole life changed. This was the first deer hunt
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that I had filmed and my biggest buck to date. I was officially hooked on trophy mule deer hunting and capturing it on video. It took me five long years to harvest this buck and every hunting season that passed only made this deer more special. A true never give up moment. Most never give up moments don’t take this long. Most happen within one hunting season. Most of the deer I have had the opportunity to harvest have taken anywhere from 1 to 19 days with the majority on the longer side. This doesn’t include the scouting, just the time during the hunting season. On the short hunts, we had the deer patterned before the season even started but on the longer hunts, we had never even seen some of the deer. We were chasing ghost stories. Fortunately, a few of the ghost stories have come true. With that never give up attitude, my 2000 mule deer took over two weeks of searching high and low for one of these so called ghost bucks. Finally, on day 19 I jumped a buck 20 yards from me. He startled me as he stotted from his bed. In one quick look I knew it was the buck I had been hunting. The droptines on either side of his rack made him unmistakable. He ran out to 60 yards stopped and turned broad side to investigate what had pushed him from his bed. By that time, I had gotten the gun off of my back and settled the front bead on my target. That is when the smoke from my Remington 700 muzzleloader filled the crisp, cool morning air. Never giving up on this deer is the only reason he hangs on my wall today. These two hunts in 1999 and 2000 are two of my most memorable for the sheer fact that I never gave up, and the time I spent chasing my dream. PATIENCE = SUCCESS In 2010 I was able to film good friend, Rick Meritt, on one of his Texas hunts. He had waited five long years to get the chance to finally hunt a ranch on the west side of the state. For five years
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After five years of waiting, a buck was finally captured on camera that would break the 200 inch mark. If you look close you can see the 15 inch dropper going down the side of his face.
he had been selling them protein feeders and water guzzlers with the intention that one day he would get to harvest a 200 inch deer off of the property. Finally, after many years of great management the 104 thousand acre ranch was ready for Rick to bring out his canon and get the job done. Five years, hundreds of thousands of dollars in feed, water projects out the kazoo and finally the deer herd had more than doubled. We were more than excited to hunt the ranch because one of the
Rick Meritt admires his 2010 West Texas Mule deer that he waited five long years to get the chance to hunt. Rick’s buck gross scored 208 non-typical.
many trail cameras had captured a giant muley lurking in the arid Texas desert. It took Rick five years and four days to finally lay his hands on an awesome West Texas muley. The four days we hunted this elusive deer was spent scouring the desert floor. We only had a starting point. You see the trail camera had hundreds of pictures on it, but only two of the buck that Rick was after. Did the buck just stop in for a snack on his way by? There were too many variables when looking for this deer, but we never gave up and patiently searched within three miles of the feeder. Morning and night we sat as high as we could to glass the heat
Five years and 24 days of patience and that never give up attitude rewarded me with this awesome mule deer!
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waves until our eyes couldn’t take it anymore. We would give them a rest and then get right back to glassing. Finally, on the morning of the fifth day we decided to go low and look high. This was all it took. We caught him 20 yards from his bed under a tree. If he would have made it to the tree we would have never seen him. He had a hole dug under it with the trees and bushes in a 360 degree radius around him. One quick shot from Rick’s 30-378 and the buck hit the Texas dirt. Everybody would love to harvest a monster buck. It can take years of patience to reach your goal and sometimes, if the stars align, you can get it done on opening day! Regardless of the time it takes to get your dream buck, it’s going to take you being deliberate and patient in every factor of hunting. From the glassing, to the stalking and even waiting for the right shot, patience plays the major role in your success. Every situation is different and the only way you are truly going to learn to be patient is by spending time in the field. As we all know, big deer are not around every corner. Learning mature mule deer habits and being patient this year will help you bring home that “Best Of” buck for your wall.
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BIG GAME WHITETAIL Big Bad Bears Get Educated
Get Aggressive Black Bears The Widespreadfor Western Whitetail
them up close and personal with Brandon, an avid whitetail hunter, a predator call and the good ol’ discusses their widespread appeal and spot and stalk method. extensive habitat Spot and stalk is my favorite method to hunt bears. There is no better feeling than being on the ground face to face with one of these big bruins at a mere 30 yards knowing that you are now in his world. Just the thought that he could be on you in a second, is really freakishly exhilarating. The First method, hunting over bait is the most common because bears usually live in very thick forests making it difficult to hunt them any other way. How many people have actually seen a bear in the wild? I am sure out here in the west that number is not very high. They are elusive creatures that like to stay
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in thick cover as much as possible may this them is theout case. but ifspeculate you wantwhy to draw set Perhaps whitetail’s up someit’s baitbecause stationsofinthe bear country intelligence, them a and you willwhich see makes what happens. demanding prey. it’s bait for Many hunters willOr, fillmaybe up there the bounty of such tasting barrels with bread,delightful doughnuts, or wild game.and If most us itwere be dog food then oftop off towith honest, admit a large syrup towe’d reallyhave drawtothe bears in. It part the most attraction whitetail seemsoflike hunterstohave their hunting is chasing euphoria felt own secret recipes the to lure the bears when hanging a tag a trophyin. I had a buddy whofrom would go to a sized set shop of antlers. is not Subway everyYet, dayreality to pick up so The reason whitetails the romantic. left over bread so he could use are hunted more than The any variety other big it for his bait station. of game North America is subwayanimal breadsinwas enough to bring simply there arecheap morebait; of them in.because It was also very them free. in more places.
an area to set up your bait station look forAllen’s Rulecanyons states that good deep because northern live have a nice breezewhitetails in them. This in will colder allow thetemperatures wind to carrytheir the extremities typically shorter smell of yourare goodies to the bears than the nose southern in the those area. A of bear’s is his subspecies, which to appear greatest tool for tend finding food. longer andbears lankier. Once the start Bergmann’s coming you Rule that animals tendwill to betterstates keep bringing it, they increase in size keep eating and the morefurther bears they will are from equator. This is follow. Thethe word gets out quick especially evidentwhen in thethere disparity in bear country, is a between thegoing body good buffet on. size of a northern Alberta buck Hunting over versus bait is one the found the Texas and Gulf itCoast. most on predictable allows The northern most you to put your trail cams to work. subspecies of white-tailed deer Once you have the bears coming thewill ochrourus. These large When you are ready to select are in you be able to tell if there is SUBSPECIES bodied, heavy horned bruisers “When you are ready to select an area to set up your bait station look for good deep are found in British Columbia, canyons that have a nice breeze in them. This will allow the wind to carry the smell White-tailed deer ofare found in Alberta, Idaho, northern your goodies to the bears in the area.” all 48 contiguous states, Canada Washington, western Montana and Mexico. They have been and western Wyoming. Their transplanted in numerous other habitat includes high plains and regions- as far away as Hawaii and mountainous regions. New Zealand. With such a range, it’s In a small region just easy to understand that quite a bit of south of the northern whitetail disparity exists in the subspecies of range, we have the subspecies Odocoileus virginianus, the scientific leucurus, better known as the name of the White-tailed deer. Columbian whitetail. These In terms of whitetails varying deer are found along Oregon’s by subspecies, nothing compares to Umpqua River, and throughout the western half of the United States. the Columbia River drainage I’m not a scientist, nor do I go around along the Washington and Oregon calling animals by scientific names. border. But in order to explain the diversity The subspecies made of western whitetails, I believe it’s famous by Michael Waddell and necessary to name the specific deer of his “Bone Collecting” buddies, each region, and explain their traits. which is found in eastern Two scientific rules, largely evident Montana, eastern Wyoming, the in the subspecies of whitetails are: Dakotas and central Canada is Allen’s Rule and Bergmann’s Rule. the dacotensis. This subspecies
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ears are one of the most ith elk, mule fascinating and deer, fun antelopetoandhunt. so many animals The big bear game hunting species beauty ofother black roaming the can west,come most inhunters is that they many don’t enough or differenthave shape, size andtime colors. money chase all squatty the animals Fat, tall,tolong legs, nose, they’d like.cinnamon Whitetailssocks, often red, get big butt, overlooked big sky states, brown, andineven blonde aresince just so many other big a few of ofthethevarieties yougame can species held in Ifsuch find in aare black bear. you high look esteem. While they maythat not is grow close there is not a one the as largeYou as their cousins, same. neverMidwest know what you western are goingwhitetails to find. deserve to be on who hunt the the radar The of fourallmain methods west. of black bear hunting are as are follows;White-tailed hunting them deer over bait, the most big and game hunting withpopular hound dogs my animal North America. One personalin favorites are calling
GPS systems are so handy. You can tell the direction the bear and dogs are going and it give you a chance to get out in front of them. Many times you can hear the dogs coming your way. This is when you get the chance to position your self for a shot. As I mentioned earlier bears are all different. Some people think that giant bears don’t tree, but I can tell you from personal experience that is not the case. Many years ago we treed a giant bear, and the hunter killed him with a muzzleloader. The boar ended up scoring number one in the world, so you just never know what you are going to find in the tree when you do Bears have an amazing sense of smell seven times greater than a bloodhound. catch up to the dogs. Sometimes This allows them to track food that can be miles away. it is a very nice surprise. anything worthy of hunting from the dog sounds off. This will send Now lets get into more your pics. To save time you can tingles down your spine. This is of my kind of hunting, calling check your trail cams often to see something to behold as a hunter. bears using a predator call, and if the type of bear you are after Once the dogs are turned out the a fawn decoy. This can be a great whitetail Colorado houndsman is part of the macrourus produce large antlered bucks. is hittingThis your bait. found Also,in when can keepsubspecies track ofwhich theircanexperience, but you must be you are setting up your stand or dogs with GPS collored tracking prepared for what can happen. is better known as the Dakota state, and their population densities blind make sure you set up where systems. This keeps them in there The bears are coming to the call whitetail. These deer are found are unparalleled. So even though you can take a clean shot. Clear owners digital care at all times. for one reason and one reason primarily on the plains, in river Texas can’t claim everything is all branches, grass and what ever Once the chase is on some bears only and that is to eat. Be prepared bottoms and along foothills. bigger down there, they can brag else can deflect your bullet or will not tree or even bay they just for some intense situations. This They thrive in the Black Hills, about having their own subspecies keep on is whyhuge the technique will not only work on arrowsometimes from your shooting lanes. which is running. known forThat producing and make surprise Remember all bears look bigger and lots ofcall, them. And appearances in mountainous area, racks, By using a predator Doyle and Texas his team lead Angie Ryan to this 11-foot brown up close. Your tree might shake a can second subspecies, bear.also At 25claim yards,ashe was able to take this bear down with one shot from her bow. too. little from your excitement but be the mcilhennyi. Found along the Kansas, Colorado, patient and wait for the big Oklahoma and Nebraska boy. are Gulf Coast of Texas, these small deer The second is hunting sleeper sates method for monster bucks. closely resemble whitetails found with when along the Gulf Coast all the way If youhound head todogs. one ofThis theseis trophy the houndsman is in all his glory. whitetail destinations, you’ll be down to the Florida Keys. They’re This is his chance to see if all the found around marshes, beaches, hunting deer of the macrourus countless hours of training subspecies. They’re also foundhis in swamps and forested inlands. dogsTexas havePanhandle paid off. and If the dogs You know how they say the northern are good and they get turned out dynamite comes in small packages? New Mexico. These whitetails on a fresh track you can usually call the wide-open spaces of Well, this certainly holds true for count on seeing a treed At couesi. Coues deer, originally agricultural cattle land bear. home. the very leastout you should They spread and grow hear big. or pronounced “cows” but commonly witness aEverything fight. is bigger in pronounced “coos,” are found in the Onesoofmuch. the The cool bodies parts desert landscape of the southwest. Texas? Not hound whitetails hunting for bears is Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico of texanus aren’t nearly seeing thetheir striker dog work his are the only places to find these little, as big as northern cousins. nose antlers as the however, houndsman drives tactics. Their are another methodically the story. These areup theand deer down that make roads. famous The striker usually Texas for dog hornishunting. on the hood of across the pickup. When They’re found most of the he smells a fresh scent of a bear
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black bears but the big Brownies as well. I remember an experience hunting on Kodiak Island with friends, Jimmy and Angie Ryan, and master guide Tom Kirstein. Tom was blowing a predator call while I was right behind Angie running the video camera. Before we could realize what was happening a giant boar charged in and stood up at 25 yards. That will make you think twice about what you are doing, trust me. That bear was huge! He had to be over 11 feet tall when he stood up. Angie, who is an experienced hunter, held her ground and made a great shot with her bow. The giant brown bear whirled around with a very loud growl and was done quickly. Now that’s hunting bears. All bears can be called in; it’s just a matter of getting them turned on. You can sneak into the thick woods and sit down and call or you can spot a bear and then stalk in a little closer. Once
you have closed the gap, set up where you can and watch him. A couple of years ago I was hunting with a client in Montana. We stalked in fairly close to a big boar that was following a sow around. We began a calling sequence but we did not get much response from the bears. After watching them for a while they started to head our direction. They were just walking but as they got to within 60 yards they were in a full on sprint towards us. The bear stopped at 17 yards and stood up. We were waiting for the client to shoot when the bear whirled and took off. With one great shot at the running bear it was down. That experience was unreal and reminds me of how fast these animals can move. They have speed and power that is scary. No wonders they are at the top of the food chain. Now to my favorite method of hunting bears, spot and stalk. Springtime is the all-around perfect time to be hunting bears. There are no other hunts taking place and the bears are just coming out of hibernation. Obviously, after being asleep all winter the bears are starved and are looking to fill their bellies. They will first start eating the green vegetation that is sprouting up on the south facing slopes or green valley floors. Once their digestive system gets back to normal they will eat anything. Like most spot and stalk hunting good optics are a must. For long range, I use my Kowas 32 wide-angle binoculars. I then move to the Swarovski 15X56 SLC’s as they get closer and then to the10x42 EL’s as they move even closer. I feel this is the best glass on the market. Once I have spotted the bear I will study his size,
color and check for rub marks with my 20 x 60 Swarovski spotting scope. I really put the glass to work at this point by sizing up the bear. I look for that long body and extended length on his neck to help size up his head. By looking at where his ears are placed on his head helps me determine his age. Younger bears will have more pointed ears and more towards the top of their skull, the older bears ears will be more to the side of their head. Watching the bear walk helps me determine its size and if it’s a boar or not. Boars will walk more pigeon toed than sows and are much bigger through the chest and shoulders. They will straddle small bushes and stand up against trees marking their territory. The females, most of the time will have cubs, and normally have a bigger butt. If TZ CH-Illustrated-1-2pg-Tenzing you glass up a bear and little ones
are following behind, it’s most likely a sow with cubs. If you see a smaller bear out front and a bigger bear trailing behind its more than likely a sow being trailed by a boar. The boar is just looking for some company. Most bears will mate in June and it is quite a site to see those big boars roaming the mountains looking for a mate. They will cover miles and miles of ground to find a sow. Once the bear is spotted and determined to be a shooter the stalk is on. Whether you’re a bow hunter or rifle hunter, it is always a rush stalking in close on a bear. I have seen great hunters fall to pieces at 30 yards on a bear. There is something about hunting an animal that loves meat as much as we do. The wind is the most important thing to watch when moving in on a bear. There eyesight is not that good but there sense of smell is incredible. Since they are at the top of the food chain they don’t look up a lot when they Ad.pdf 1 3/19/12 11:11 AM are feeding. This gives the hunter the
opportunity to be very aggressive when stalking. When you find a bear out feeding get in quick and take the shot. When he is finished feeding he will move and they move quick. Once he starts walking you cannot keep up with them. Here is my greatest tip to you for hunting bears. Hunt all day! If your not glassing between noon to two, you could miss the chance of seeing one of the biggest bears of your life. We have killed some of our greatest bears in the middle of the day. Bears love the sun especially when the weather has been bad. If it is sunny the often will stay out all day. Don’t give up, glass, glass, glass. Remember have fun and enjoy the spring. If you hunt bears once and have success you will be hooked forever. Take your child or friend along. Glass long and hard and you will discover there are a lot more bears around than people think.
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Steve Chappell
ELK The Ultimate Elk Guide What Does it Take? And How to Choose a Guide
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hat does it take to be a great elk guide? If you asked around, you would probably get an array of different answers to this question and each one would most likely have some truth to it. As an elk guide myself, many things come to mind. The skills and personal traits that I think really count may or may not be what you had envisioned. Let me first say that I am very much a proponent of huntingperiod. Whether you are the do it yourself type or you go guided, I am in support of your hunting ventures. I personally have never been on a guided hunt even though I have guided for over 20 years. So why am I writing this article? First, is so that young men aspiring to be guides might glean from it, and second, so that those considering a guided hunt might have a better understanding of what to look for in a guide from a guide’s perspective. While there are many traits that could be mentioned in the discussion of a quality elk guide, here are my top 5 qualifications for a top shelf guide that are not negotiable so to speak.
Consistency between what you say you will do and what you actually do. Who you are and what you do when no one else is looking. I mention integrity and character first because without them, nothing else matters as a guide. I have heard many horror stories from hunters that I have guided regarding other hunts that they have been on. I listen closely because I never want to make the mistakes that could turn
Hunter Jon Sarver of Illinois overcame hunting pressure and difficult terrain to tag this late season bull with the Author. The hillside that the bull was taken on was so steep & thick that field photos were impossible!
1. Integrity/Character: One definition of Integrity that I found is as follows; adherence to moral and ethical principals; soundness of moral character; honesty. Character is defined as The action you take to carry out the values, ethics, morals that you believe in. 32
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a great hunting experience into a nightmare for one of my hunters. One thing I find consistently is that the issues are not usually about success on the hunt, but more about honesty. The stories always seem to revolve around being mislead about things such as trophy expectations, abundance of animals, accommodations, and who is actually guiding them on the hunt if not the outfitter.
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My approach has always been to stick with the facts during phone conversations and emails, because hunters are always going to be more satisfied at the end of a hunt if they are given an accurate portrayal of the hunt going in. Just this last year I booked a hunter from Illinois for a late November elk hunt on public land in Arizona. During our initial conversation, we visited about his hunt and the reality of there being about 400 other hunters in the field during the hunt. I also explained to him that in addition to the high level of hunting pressure that we would be dealing with post rut bulls which are very reclusive and hard to find. I added that even though he had drawn an “Arizona Elk Tag” that this hunt was much different than the archery, and early firearms hunts that occur during the rut and are much harder to draw. Despite my honesty and painting a not so rosy picture of the hunt, this hunter still booked with me! A few months later we met in Williams Arizona and hunted together. Even with the tough conditions and tremendous hunting pressure, we were still able to carry out our well devised
hunt strategy and tagged a beautiful, heavy 320” class bull in a remote area. The pack out was an adventure, let me tell you! Even though the bull was not 400”, was my hunter happy? He absolutely was because he had realistic expectations about the hunt based on our prior conversations. He knew that we had overcome the odds and tagged a mature bull together on a tough late hunt. Had I blown a bunch of smoke in order to book him, I believe that the outcome & his feelings about our hunt could have been much different. Now we both have a lasting memory of a great hunt together because honesty makes all the difference. 2. Elk Hunting Skills: As a guide, I can’t think of anything more awkward than if I were to guide someone that had better elk hunting skills than me. With that said, over the years I have guided some very accomplished hunters. Looking back, what I appreciated most about these skilled hunters is that they yielded to my judgment and leadership during the hunt. This is one of the most paramount aspects of hunting together as a team. Someone has to lead and someone has to follow. I always make it a point to politely ask my hunters to allow me to “lead” on
Hunter Ron LeBaron made a long, difficult stalk with Guide George Garcia to seal the deal on this awesome Arizona Bull.
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the hunt. On the flipside, there is nothing more frustrating than hunting with someone that is not coachable and questions your every decision and move. If you are planning on going on a guided hunt, I am going to give you a huge piece of friendly advice; empower your guide and build up his confidence by verbally stating to him that you are there to follow his lead and that you will trust his judgment. Follow up by actually putting your words into action during the hunt, and I promise you that 99% of the time you will have a great hunt by simply adhering to this advice. A guide’s elk hunting skills are developed and honed by experience in the field, time spent around elk, learning from mistakes, and having an open mind to learn from other great elk hunters. I wouldn’t dare go into someone’s place of business and pretend to know more about it than they do the minute I showed up. The elk woods are your guide’s place of business so keep that in mind as you hunt together and you will enjoy the hunt so much more. 3. Calling Ability: Elk are a unique animal because of their vocalizations. That is what dramatically sets them apart and makes them so special to me. I believe that a skilled elk guide should be an accomplished elk caller- especially on archery hunts. There is a difference in calling to elk in the woods and being a “competition caller.” Can someone be good at both? Absolutely, but there is a big difference between the two, and a good caller must know how to adapt his/her calling to the elk from the stage. I mentioned that being a good caller is especially important on archery hunts and here is why. A guide must be capable of creating quality shot opportunities for his hunters at less than 40 yards. As a guide, Spring 2012
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Hunter Dave Mount hunted hard, logged many miles, and held out until day 8 of the hunt to tag this trophy Arizona archery bull with the author.
I pride myself in calling bulls in close for my hunters. Not every single bull is going to be callable, but a quality elk guide should be proficient enough with the calls in order to make things happen for his hunter. I make practicing and improving my calling abilities as a priority in my life. Make sure that your guide does too and your archery hunt will be much more enjoyable and successful. 4. Physical Ability: For anyone that has ever hunted elk you would have to agree that most of the time elk hunting is physically demanding. Elk are an incredibly strong, resilient, and rangy creature. There are many different types of habitats that elk call home and some areas are certainly steeper and nastier than others. One thing is constant though, when elk decide to move they don’t mess around. If you or the guide is not in top condition come elk season, how you hunt and where you hunt will be affected. A common occurrence for out of shape elk hunters is finding yourself left in the dust each morning as the elk move away from you effortlessly! I always stress to my hunters that nothing will affect the outcome of their hunt more than their physical conditioning. 34
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A hunter expecting a big bull should be capable of keeping up with the guide by walking at a steady, fast pace for 3 to 5 miles in moderate terrain without stopping to rest every 100 yards. I have to be honest, the most frustrating thing that I do as a guide is dealing with folks that simply can’t walk. Elk hunting is not riding the Bad Boy Buggy to the tree stand and waiting for a buck to walk in to your food plot! It is most often physically demanding and will test your body to its limits. Be sure that you are prepared for this and your hunt will be much more enjoyable. If you have limitations, your guide should appreciate your honesty in explaining your true abilities. I truly understand that not everyone can climb mountains like a goat and do my best to hunt according to my client’s conditioning level. And since we are talking about guides here, as you consider your options, you may want to ask each one that you visit with whether “conditioning” is a priority to them and to what degree. That way you are not stopping to wait for your guide! 5. Specialty: Have you ever heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, and master of none.” I am a firm believer in the meaning of this statement as it applies to hunting. All too often I see guide’s ads that read something like, “Specializing in all species statewide.” As a guide myself, I know this is impossible. I thank God that we are all wired differently and have been blessed with various talents. With that said, I
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The author with an Arizona bull.
don’t even pretend to be a sheep expert. I don’t personally guide sheep hunters because I don’t have an intense interest in sheep. If you are going to be a great elk guide you can’t be a pretender. You have to love elk and have a burning desire to hunt them. As a hunter, you should determine if your guide is a specialist for elk or the species that you intend to hunt versus a “jack of all.” In your quest to be a great elk guide or choose the best elk guide consider wisely these 5 traits. Hunting skills and passion go a long ways, but remember without Integrity even the most hardcore guide is bound to disappoint. I hope that you are all counting the days until this year’s elk hunts. Whether you go guided or choose to do it yourself, I wish you success and incredible memories on your hunts.
Les Johnson
PREDATORS Spring is in the Air Calling Alaskan Black Bears
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s soon as the coyote season is over for me I am usually hunting spring turkey in Kansas and fishing for slab crappie in the nearby lakes. This year was a bit different though. I had an outfitter from Alaska that wanted me to come spring bear hunting with him. I told him that would be great but I wanted to try calling in a bear with a calf moose in distress mouth call. I wanted to use my voice to sound as natural as possible. It only took me a few days to get the trip planned and then it was Alaska, here I come! This was going to be primarily a spot and stalk black bear hunt with the occasional chance encounter of a bear. I wanted to try and increase my odds by calling. After landing in Anchorage, I was greeted by the outfitter. We quickly grabbed all of my gear and headed to Wasilla. We were going to be flown in and left for 5 days. We spent the day organizing gear, getting the necessary food and supplies gathered and meeting with the other hunters that were going along. The anticipation of the hunt was awesome! The next morning seemed to come quick. Before long we were loaded in the small plane and on our way. The weather was fabulous for our flight and we made it with no delays to the riverbed where we were to set up camp. Camp was in a great vantage point in which we could set around the campfire and use spotting scopes to glass the mountainside for feeding bears. 36
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The Alaskan scenery from the flight in was breathtaking. My bear hunting adventure laid in wait somewhere out there.
The alders were starting to bloom and I was surprised at how tall they were. They were any where from 10-15 feet in height. This limited our visibility and it was becoming apparent that if we saw a bear, most likely he would be in the wide-open areas. In Alaska, you cannot hunt on the same day in which you fly, so the first day I enjoyed our time setting up tents and relaxing in the beauty of the country. It actually takes you back in time, or at least it does for me. Just sipping on a hot cup of coffee and taking it all in suits me fine. We saw a few moose, Dall sheep, and a mountain goat right from camp and on the first day we saw several black bears from our camp chairs. I was pumped with the thought of what was to come. As we sat around the campfire
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that first night there were many hunting stories told. I could tell the more stories that were told the more tall tales that were coming out. The Alaska air and the campfire was filling us all with a little BS. The days were long and the nights were very short and one of the nicest attributes of the hunt was the fact that there was never a rush to do anything. It was a very laid back hunt, and a couple gears lower than what I was used to running in. We stayed up until midnight watching the Northern Lights while hunting stories still filled the air. The next morning was cool and lazy. By lazy, I mean that some of the guys slept in until 10 am while a couple of us were up much earlier scanning the mountainside for hopefully
a glimpse of a feeding bear. We actually did spot a few bears, but as luck would have it the weather changed right as we were planning a stalk. It’s Alaska, so you know the weather was bound to change and from my brief experience there I would say it usually changes for the worst. It started misting and raining at times, so we found out very quickly that this was going to be a morning for glassing, and possibly a day that we would not leave camp. Throughout the day, the rain continued and all we managed to get done in the way of hunting was to walk down the riverbed in search of a bear cruising the rivers edge. We actually did spot a bear that looked good and deserved a closer look. We tried to get in on him but we could never catch up to him as he disappeared into the thick cover. That put the total number of bears seen from camp at 16 for the day. There were a lot of bears on the mountainside, but the cover was so thick and tall that it was going to make it very difficult for a bear encounter. The end of day one was just like the night before. We sat around the campfire and admired the
stars and Northern Lights and we were already having high expectations for the second day of the hunt. Waking up to frost on the tent and hearing the calming sounds of the river water rustling over the rocks is as peaceful as it gets. For me it was so fun to sit around the campfire and watch bears on the hillside as I sipped on my morning coffee. We would not get too excited until we saw a bear that we could actually hunt. This meant we had to find a bear in an open area that we could get too. Once that happened
we would start our planning and our “what if” scenarios. The biggest challenge we had was getting elevation. Several of these bear were hundreds of feet above us and it would take some time to get to them. Excitement would fill the air when we spotted a shooter but it would quickly leave, as we would watch the bear disappear into thick cover. Man, bears can move fast and I could tell it would be a challenge to try and catch up to one once he was on the move.
Can you see that black spot below? We’re in bear country now! 16 or more bears had been seen just from camp.
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Les is not limited to just calling coyotes. On this hunt he was able to moan and use his own voice to call in this fantastic Alaskan black bear.
While sitting around camp and fixing breakfast, pancakes from a can and bacon, the guys talked about previous hunts and one specific bear. In this part of Alaska and this particular spot, there wasn’t much of a color phase in the black bears. Meaning that most of the black bears were black. Chocolate or cinnamon colored bears in this area were very rare. The guides talked about one particular chocolate bear that had been seen for the past five years. It always came out of hibernation from the same drainage. This bear had been the target of many hunts but had always managed to elude the hunters. The drainage where this chocolate bear spent most of its time was ¾ the way up the mountain, right above our camp. We were in a great place to glass this drainage and actually on the first day of the hunt we watched several black bears walking a trail that ran through the bottom of the drainage. This particular morning, after talking about this elusive chocolate phase black bear, we actually spotted it browsing along in the rocks of the drainage. You could say that the excitement in the hunting camp elevated quite a
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bit! As we watched the bear, it began feeding down the mountain, which was giving us much more confidence in our opportunity to actually hunt this big bruiser. The bear made its way down the mountain to where I thought there might be a chance of setting up and calling. We decided that it was time to make a move. After grabbing all of our gear, we began the trek up the mountainside. After finding a nice clearing in the brush and with a slight breeze hitting me in the face, I decided to try a stand to see if I could call this bear in. I was calling using only my voice and trying to mimic a calf moose in distress. We stood at the edge of the clearing due to all of the tall alders. After about 20 minutes with no response, I decided it was time to work up the mountain and try another spot. We climbed another 200 yards and once again found a nice clearing that would give us a little bit of visibility. We had to stand in the brush due to all of the swampy conditions. After calling for about five minutes, my cameraman pointed into the alders directly ahead of me. I began calling again very softly and tried to muffle my distress cries. A couple soft moans later, I spotted what looked like a shadow moving around in the dense brush. As
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soon as I spotted the dark object, I quit calling. I didn’t want the animal to pinpoint my location since I felt like I was out in the open. Once my calling stopped, the object appeared to lose interest and slowly disappeared into the cover as if it was leaving. As I lost sight of it, I quickly began to moan again and the object appeared again and was coming straight toward me. I then saw that it was indeed the chocolate colored bear and as soon as I spotted a small opening in the cover, I pulled my gun up and shot the bear in what I could see was its shoulder. The bear ran about 2030 yards and was done. On the second day of my Alaska Black Bear hunt and on my second stand using my voice to mimic a calf moose I had a nice, thick-furred chocolate colored black bear on the ground. When I flew to Alaska, I knew in my heart that I could call in a bear with my voice. When I told the guys in hunt camp what I was going to do, it was as if it was all bologna and that the only way to get a bear was by spot and stalk. I think I made a few believers that trip. This black bear hunt proved to be a very laid back and relaxing end to my hunting season and will never be forgotten. My bear’s fur was unlike anything that I had ever seen. It was very, very thick and beautiful. The age of my bear was nine years old. He had definitely heard a moose calf in distress sound before and wanted to investigate it for a closer look. That is what did him in. Confidence before I went out into the field led me to having a successful hunt. Have faith in all that you do and your abilities and you will succeed! You can watch this great hunt by visiting www.youtube.com/predatorquesttv and it is titled “Bear Hunt.” You can also go to www.predatorquest. com to listen to or purchase my digital mp3 calls. Let’s Get To CALLIN!!!
Greg Rodriguez
SHOOTING Bear Busters Finding the Right Bullet and Rifle for the Job
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efore my first black bear hunt, I trolled every errornet forum and studied every bear hunting article I could find for anything I could find on bear guns. Most of the stuff I read counseled big guns and tough bullets, and those stories were punctuated with anecdotes about wounded-and-lost bears and hairy, up close encounters with angry bruins. As you can imagine, I was more than a little nervous when I finally headed to Arizona that fall to call black bears with a predator call. Because of those articles and because I knew I stood a chance of calling a bear in close, I chose my custom .375 H&H from Hill Country Rifles with a Zeiss 1.75-6x42. My hunting buddies made fun of me for bringing such a big rifle, but when a burly black boar came charging in to my call, my .375 felt awful small. Nevertheless, it did the job, rolling the bear as it stood on its hind legs staring at me from 50 yards and then dropping it mid-stride with a Texas heart shot when it regained its feet and turned to run. I’ve shot eleven more black bears and a huge grizzly since that first bear. I’ve also seen another 15 black bears and three grizzlies shot by friends and clients with cartridges that ranged from the little .260 Remington all the way up to the .458 Win. Mag. I’ve seen bears drop as if struck by the hand of God when shot with a deer rifle, and I’ve seen others run off as if nothing happened after taking heavy slugs from an elephant 40
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rifle. There’s no rhyme or reason to their reactions, but you can bet that any bear shot well with a reasonable cartridge and a good, controlled-expansion bullet will be on its way to the taxidermist in short order. The following are some of my favorite bear guns, cartridges and bullets. Bear rifles and optics I’ve carried some sort of scoped bolt-action rifle on the majority of my bear hunts. I like the accuracy, safety and reliability of the design, and I see no advantage in designs that offer a faster follow-up except in certain situations. After all, if you place your first shot accurately, you don’t need that fast follow-up shot. My favorite rifle for big bears is my Proof Research .375 H&H with a Nikon Monarch African 1.1-4 scope. The scope’s wide field of view
allows me to make quick shots at close range, and its four-power magnification allows me to zoom in to make an accurate first shot out to my self-imposed maximum range. In low light, its illuminated reticle stands out brilliantly against a dark bear hide. I’ve done the majority of my black bear hunting with bolt guns, too, including a Steyr SSG, Browning A-Bolt, Sako 75, Remington 700, Winchester Model 70 and custom rifles from Hill Country Rifles and Proof Research. I’ve used the .308, .338 Win. Mag., .338 Federal, 9.3x62, .375 H&H and .45/70, but the rest of my bear guns were chambered for one of the thirty-caliber magnums, and each was topped with a quality variable scope with a 36-44mm objective lens. I prefer compact variables in the 1.5-6 to 3-9 range because they
Some of Greg’s favorite bear cartridges for driven hunts are (l-r) the .338 Federal, .35 Whelen and 9.3x62. Greg says these cartridges will usually punch through both shoulders of any black bear and put them down quickly.
Greg with a beautiful B&C-class grizzly he took in western Alaska. Greg chose a .338 Win. Mag. because he knew he might have to make a long shot. It was a smart pick; when he finally got a chance at this bear, it was at 350 yards.
have enough power to make long shots. With good glass, even a 36mm objective is bright enough to get the job done late in the day, which is when I’ve shot the majority of my bears. Driven, baited and hound hunts are the only hunts on which I leave my bolt guns at home. On driven hunts, I prefer a fast-handling repeater like Remington’s pump-action 760, Browning’s BAR or a good lever gun. Baited bear hunts are not my cup of tea, but just about any rifle chambered for a reasonable cartridge with a quality scope is just fine. For chasing bear dogs over hill and dale, it’s hard to beat a compact lever gun with a ghost ring or Aimpoint.
One issue shared by black and grizzly bears is that blood trails are rare. As they run, loose skin and fat seals up the wound, and long, thick hair soaks up what little blood does leak out. By the fall, black and grizzly bears easily increase their body weight to as much as double their post-hibernation weight, further exacerbating the problem. There isThe also a very real danger when author is pictured readying hisyou shot thepissed Vortex off, Extreme relay.bear By follow 500 pounds or during more of gut-shot shooting in field situations into the woods. Deeperpracticing penetration and the resulting exit Andy hasand learned his limitations. wounds result in more damage quicker kills. That’s why I lean towards cartridges with a minimum of 1,200 foot-pounds of energy for black bears, and 1,500 footpounds for grizzlies. Two seasons ago, I watched my son absolutely flatten a BC black bear with his .260. I’ve taken a few black bears with a .308 over the years, and I know folks who swear by their .243s and .270s for black bear. Those cartridges will get the job done, but they leave no margin for error. That’s why I prefer one of the magnum thirties for open country, spot-and-stalk hunting. I like the .338 Federal and 9.3x62 for black bears in the timber, but I
Cartridges for black and grizzly bears Black and grizzly bears are very different animals. Two huge boars I shot recently exemplify that perfectly. Both bears squared exactly eight feet and had Boone & Crockett-qualifying skulls, but the grizzly was much bigger than the black bear. We didn’t have a scale, but the grizzly was roughly twice as heavy, and it was much thicker and more solidly-built through the shoulders than the black bear. Bears’ sizes vary according to the seasons and locales, too. An early season spring black bear might weigh 150-180 pounds, but the same bear could weigh 300 pounds or more in the fall. In BC or Alaska, 300-400 pound bears are common, and black bears in the 600-800 pounds aren’t terribly uncommon in agricultural areas in the lower 48. Inland or tundra grizzlies can weigh as little as 300 pounds, while a coastal brown bear in Alaska or Russia can weigh 1,000 pounds or more. A really big, mature brown bear can grow to 1,400-1,500 pounds on a steady, high-protein diet of salmon. Even a 300-pound grizzly, however, is a much more formidable creature than any black bear.
Standard deer cartridges work well if you choose the right bullet and shoot them perfectly. Greg’s son, Cole, dropped this BC bear with a single 120-grain TSX from his Hill Country Rifles’ .260 Remington.
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Hornady, Cor Bon and Buffalo Bore are but a few of the ammunition companies enhancing lever gun performance with hotter loads and better bullets.
prefer flatter shooting cartridges when the ranges get long. Standard deer cartridges like the .270 and .30-06 work just fine for driven bear hunts in the Pennsylvania woods or baited hunts in the North Country, but I lean towards medium-bores like the .338 Federal or .35 Whelen in Remington’s pump-action 760. The .338 Federal was never a catalogued item, but custom gunsmith Nathan Chesney of Hillbilly Custom does a brisk business in custom .338 Federal 760s for eastern bear and deer hunters. I love those mild-mannered mediums because they hit hard and, with a good bullet, they often leave a blood trail that can make the difference between a successful hunt and a wounded-and-lost bear. A hot-loaded lever gun chambered for the .3030 or .45-70 is an equally good choice in a tree stand, on a driven hunt or for knocking treed bears out of a tree. I don’t need a scope to shoot a treed bear, so my custom Marlin .45-70 and .30-30 by gunsmith Lew Bonitz of Grizzly Custom sport ghost ring sights. Stoked with ammo from Buffalo Bore, those sleek, easy-carrying lever guns flat-out hammer blackies. I’ve carried several bolt-action .300 WSMs Rodriguez chose a CZ 550 in 9.3x62 when hunting BC black bears with Abe Dougan of Big Boar outfitters. It proved to be a wise choice for the monster Greg shot on that hunt.
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after the smaller mountain grizzly, and I’ll do so again this summer when I head to Alaska for barren ground grizzly. But the closer you get to the coast, the bigger the grizzlies get. That’s why I packed a .338 Win. Mag. on my western Alaska grizzly hunt a few years ago. I almost took my .375, but I knew I might need to make a long shot. The .338 proved to be a wise choice because, when my chance came on day 10 of my 12-day hunt, the only shot I got was from 350 yards. Fortunately, I was holding the perfect tool to put an end to my three-hunt string of unsuccessful grizzly hunts. I’m heading back to Alaska for a spot-and-stalk brown bear hunt in the fall of 2013, where we’ll hunt streams and pools for big-bodied boars fattening up for the winter on spawning salmon. The shots can be as close as 30 or 40 yards, but a 100 yard shot is also possible. A magnum .416 or .458 would be a good choice, but I’ll be carrying a custom .375 H&H from Proof Research. I’ve shot the .375 H&H a great deal and am very comfortable with the gun, as well as the cartridge’s ability to punch through both shoulders of a big brownie with the right bullet. The right bullet Choosing the right bullet is far more important than your rifle or cartridge selection. That’s because traditional cup-and-core bullets and the newer breed of rapid-expansion bullets don’t offer the penetration you need to reach the vitals on quartering shots, nor will they punch through both shoulders on a broadside shot. To ensure adequate penetration and sufficient expansion to drop a big bruin quickly, you need a quality, controlled-expansion bullet. I use two types of bullets for bears – bonded bullets and expanding solids. Bonded bullets feature thicker jackets that are mechanically or molecularly bonded to the core so the bullet stays together to drive deep. But because they have an exposed lead tip or, in the case of the Tipped Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, a hollow point with a polymer tip, they open quickly so they cut wide wound channels and deliver the shock you need to drop bears quickly. But their bonded construction means the bullet stays together so it It’s hard to tell from this photo, but this bear squared eight-feet and had a B&C-quality skull. It isn’t near as massive as his eight-foot grizzly.
retains 90-97% of its weight and drives deep. Some other good choices are the Swift A-Frame, Nosler Partition and Winchester XP3. Expanding, solid-copper bullets like the Barnes TSX have a hollow point and, in the case of the Tipped TSX, an expansion-initiating polymer tip. Solid gilding metal bullets like Hornady’s GMX and Nosler’s E-Tip also have polymer tips, but they’re gilding metal construction seems to expand just a hair more than the all-copper TSX while offering similar penetration and performance. I’d trust any of them to put the smack down on any bear that ever walked. Traditional lever gun cartridges don’t have enough velocity to get tough bullets to expand reliably, and their tubular magazines mean hunters must shoot flat-nosed bullets or Hornady’s LeverEvolution ammo. LeverEvolution is a great choice for bears, but many shooters opt for hot-rodded, hard-cast bullets like those offered by smaller ammo manufacturers like Buffalo Bore. Those tough, solid bullets will penetrate a mile. They don’t expand, but their large frontal area and
through-and-through penetration get the job done when you place your bullets right. Shoot straight Shot placement is the single most important factor in quick, humane kills. Bears’ vitals are right where you’d expect them to be – between the shoulders. To kill them quickly, simply shoot them one-third to halfway up the body, right in line with the foreleg. You’ll take out the top of the heart, the bottom of the lungs and, if you’re shot is true, both shoulders. The bear may bolt at the shot, but it will go down quickly. Trouble comes when you shoot a bear too high or too far back. I’ve seen clients shoot them both places, and we only recovered one of those bears. Trust me, there is nothing on this continent scarier than a gut-shot bear, be it black or grizzly. Both have sharp claws and big teeth, and neither is apt to want to cuddle when you come upon it in the thick brush after poking a hole in its paunch. Shoot straight with a good bullet and a gun you’re comfortable with and you’ll stay out of trouble.
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Photo Story
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SIBERIAN IBEX IN KAZAKHSTAN
Javalan had long waited for the chance to hunt the coveted Ibex and couldn’t be happier with his trophy. Photos – Javalan Redd/ John Mogle
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Photo Story
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SIBERIAN IBEX IN KAZAKHSTAN
John Mogle strikes a pose with his large Ibex. Do you have a Photo Story to share? Submissions can be sent to: Hunting Illustrated PO Box 1045 • Gunnison, UT 84634 editor@huntingillustrated.com
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The Finger Bull PHOTOS: AUTHOR
John Koster’s Pending World Record B&C Muzzleloader Shiras Moose 48
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BY JOHN KOSTER
I
t must’ve been about 3 years ago that Tory Brock suggested I go for a Cache Moose tag in beautiful Northern Utah. I managed to get the tag. He introduced me to a local Moose enthusiast and guide and the excitement built. Andy lives near Ogden, Utah, from memory. He really knows about Moose hunting and is the best “caller” without a call I’ve ever seen or heard . He really can call in a moose without a call. We were after a bull that I think he referred to as the “ Plywood bull “ . It was the early part of the hunt. I had brought along my Matthews bow as well as my Christensen barreled .30-378 rifle. He had seen the bull and had a recent report of the bull ‘s location. We were headed out to try and locate him. We had no luck that first afternoon and we’re heading back to the truck on the same trail we came in on. Low and behold, we ran directly into a big bull ! The bull was standing right in the middle of the trail we were headed out on! But the light was really fading and we were probably on the ragged edge of legal shooting light. I got a good look at the bull in my Swarovski binocs and then through my Zeiss Diavari scope. Both gather allot of light so there was no doubt this was a big bull. Andy later confirmed that this bull, who at times was no more than 70 yards or so from us, was probably the Plywood bull. But I think he made the right call in restraining me from shooting. I then came back for the later season moose hunt. He ended up calling in a small bull that I arrowed in a bit of a snow storm. It’s great to harvest any wild game animal with a bow. So I was pleased but also a little disappointed we hadn’t got the Plywood bull. That bull was believed to be in the 170 B&C class . The bull I harvested wouldn’t make 140. Oh well, I thought I was done with moose hunting for awhile. Tory called me early in ‘11. He said that there was a banquet auction coming up that had a Utah State wide Moose Tag available. Would I be interested? I asked if he knew of any big bulls running around in Utah. He said he new of a couple and one in particular outside of Park City. I said great, I’d try and get the tag. As luck would have it, we got the tag. It’s now the beginning of September . I’m thinking of going elk hunting in Arizona. Tory calls me on September 6 and tells me to forget about Elk hunting for the moment . I need to come to Utah asap. He has some pictures of a bull that’s not the “ Park City Bull “, but a potentially bigger bull. I take one look at the pictures and quickly book a flight for Salt Lake for the next day. There is no question this bull is a monster. He’s on private land and interestingly enough, Andy has made Tory aware of this bull. I fly to Salt Lake on September 7 . Tory picks me up and we haul up past Park City. We’re supposed to meet the land owner and some of his friends by 4pm or so. We then hook up with Spencer Richins . He has also moved rapidly North, from I believe St. George, to meet us . Spencer’s family owns land in the Grass Creek area of Utah. This is North East of Salt Lake. Spencer and his friends advise us that they’ve seen the big bull in the morning. They are really nice group of guys. We talk about the moose for a bit . They have seen him quite a few times. Apparently he stay’s on Spencer’s land up to about the rut and then can wander off into the surrounding area. So time is of the essence. Before I go on, a bit of background. I’ve known John Mogle for about 6 years now. I met him back in 2010. He’s a great guy, a gentleman, has a great family and is a true professional. I have now had 3 rifles and 1 muzzle loader re-barreled with Christensen Arms barrels. My latest “retro-fit” was on an Ultimate Muzzle Loader. I really like the Ultimate Muzzle Loader. But I’m also a huge fan of Christensen barrels. I think I was at the SCI show in ‘11 when one of John’s associates made me aware of the arrangement Christensen recently signed with Ultimate Spring 2012
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John Koster and Torrey Brock hold up the monster moose nicknamed the “Finger Bull.”
PHOTOS: AUTHOR
Muzzle Loader. They now have the rights to place their barrels on Ultimate ML’s. I had my Ultimate re-barreled and then sighted it in for 200 yards. It grouped wonderfully. It also grouped very nicely at 300 yards. Back to the hunt. We make our plan. Spencer, Tory, John Mogle and I would move up the mountain to where Spencer thinks the bull is. The rest of the guys will scout another pond that the bull occasionally frequents. It’s pretty warm out and we’re all breaking a sweat as we head up the mountain. We see plenty of moose sign in this beautiful country. But the bull is not where we thought he would be. So we head over the side of the mountain out to a dirt road and catch up with some of the rest of Spencer’s group. They are very excited. They’ve seen the bull. He’s at one of the lower ponds. He’s apparently still there. We decide to move to a point where we can see most of the area around the pond. We have a nice vantage point slightly above the pond. I range the left side of the area around the pond and it’s around 200 yards to that side. That’s where the guys think he’ll come out. So we settle in for the
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wait. Meanwhile I borrow John’s camera tri-pod and put my Muzzle Loader on it. Then comes the always looked forward to statement: “I see him”. One of our group has spotted the bull beginning to move. He’s moving out of the pond and he’s heading to where we think he’s going to come out in a group of scrubby oak. I start to breath and try not to let the adrenaline cause too much of a shake. Then I see him. I range him. 198 yards and not yet in a good position for me to get a shot. Tory advises patience until I can get a clear shot. He’s nestled into the scrub oak, but looks like he’ll be clear in a few more steps. Sure enough, he steps up and to our left. I now can see most of his front left shoulder and figure he’s right around 200 yards. He’s a massive bull. The biggest Shiras Bull Moose I’ve ever seen. I try and get myself under control and take a few more deep breaths. I settle just behind his left shoulder, flip the safety off and tell everyone I’m going to shoot. I never wait long after I make the decision to shoot. I take 1 more deep breath, let out part of it and begin to squeeze. I’m surprised by the gun going off. For me, that’s usually a good sign. But I can’t see a thing. 3 Pyrodex .50 caliber magnum pellets go off flawlessly pushing a 275 grain Ultimate Muzzle
Loader “Fury” polymer tipped bullet at probably over 2,300 FPS. This entire process also creates allot of smoke! The Christensen Arms muzzle break reduces the recoil but not the noise. The smoke blows towards John who has the camera rolling. As the smoke begins to clear I see the moose moving to our left in a bit of a trot. Tory tells me to “Re-load and shoot him again”. I begin the reloading process. Normally I can “speed load” without any cleaning in probably something around 30 seconds. I drop one pyrodex pellet. I curse. I’m still shaking but I also can’t believe I missed him. I reach for another speed loader to get a full charge as I’m glancing up at the bull. He’s now facing us and angled a bit down hill. I see him begin to sway. I then see his rear haunches go down. He then falls on his side. He’s down for the count! All this since the shot has probably been less than 2 minutes. There follows the usual high fiving, whooping, back slapping and general celebration that any hunter and his friends know about when any animal goes down. Especially with 1 clean shot. The bull did not suffer and expired rapidly. We hustle down through the brush and then up to where he is on the side of the hill near the oak brush
thicket. I can’t believe how big he is. He is truly a majestic bull moose! He’s still in velvet and we can see where some of the velvet is starting to fall off. It didn’t appear like he had begun any aggressive rubbing yet. What is truly amazing are the length of his points! They seem unnaturally long. We count 12 points per side with 4 great fronts on each side. The length of his palms appear well above average and his overall width looks way over the average based on his long “Finger” points. We start referring to him as the “Finger Bull”. Tory puts a quick tape on him. He believes he’ll score close to 185 B&C! That would be knocking on the door of the State record. But more impressively is his SCI score. Unlike B&C, SCI gives credit for the length of the points on a bull moose. His extremely long points will move this bull way up in the SCI book. The quartering starts and we quickly see that my 1 shot had double lunged the bull and actually exited on his right side! This was a 200 yard plus shot with a muzzle loader that exited a huge Shiras Bull moose. Pretty impressive ballistics and no doubt the reason the bull expired so quickly. We now have the quartered bull back to the trucks. I must say the guys did a great job making quick work of such a large animal. In all the excitement I lose my Blackberry in the brush. We back track and one of the guys finds my phone. I think I had it on vibrate and I don’t think I had signal there so I was really a happy camper. By the way and speaking of camping, I brought some of the moose back strap on the elk camp later in September. We cooked it up and it tasted great! I’m been advised by a Master SCI scorer, Darin Collins, that he scores just over 428 SCI! The current SCI Muzzle Loader world record for Shiras Moose is just over 359. My bull will beat that record by around 70 inches! He should also be the new SCI number 8 overall. In addition he’ll be the Utah State record for
Shiras Moose with a Muzzle Loader and will probably be very close to the State Record via any method. As I look back on this hunt I think it’s safe to say that they don’t all go like this one. As any serious hunter knows, rarely does everything work out so perfectly. I really want to thank Spencer Richins for allowing us the opportunity to harvest the moose on his property. What a great guy and a really good group of friends and family. Thanks to John Mogle who filmed the hunt and hopefully it will be on televised on Christensen Outdoors sometime in the near future. This is the first hunt we’ve been on together. I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last! Christensen Arms and their fantastic barrels has been a great way for me to improve my accuracy on some very good products go begin with. I didn’t see Andy on this hunt. But I spoke to him on a cell phone after we harvested the moose. Naturally I thanked him profusely. We laughed about how our missed potential opportunity in the Cache unit had brought us to this tremendous result. If we’d harvested the “Plywood” bull a number of years ago. I’m pretty sure I would not have gone Shiras Moose hunting in Utah again. Instead, as fate would have it, he pointed Tory in the direction of this once in a life time bull moose. Finally, Tory Brock, Tory and I have now hunted together for 7 or 8 years now. He’s a quiet legend in the hunting/guiding world. He is understated and never wants to take credit for how good he really is. Nearly every time we’ve hunted together, I’ve been really lucky to get a chance at a tremendous trophy. But maybe it’s not so much the luck as the effort the man puts into doing what he does best. Another true professional and just a nice guy. I can’t wait for the 2012 season to start! I’ve been on a bit of a roll since 2009. I know I shouldn’t be greedy. I’ve had more than my share of good fortune. But we only get one chance at this, at least I think we only get one chance!
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HUNTING THE MESCALERO O
ne of my nightly routines is to sit in my recliner, and go through my mail that hopefully has outdoor magazines and catalogs with the potential for new adventures. On one of those evenings, I received a Hunting Illustrated catalog. I wasn’t sure what to expect inside but much to my delight, the catalog had hunts in several states. I thumbed through the pages thinking that maybe I could find my next adventure. This is where I found the hunts on the Mescalero, during the rut with a rifle, a perfect hunt for a 67 year old man that loves elk hunting. The biggest problem with elk hunting today is that you have to draw a tag in most states, and in order to be successful you had better have lots of points for areas that have Boone & Crocket bulls. My theory is, if you are 67 years old, do not plan on drawing unless you started applying 15 years ago. What I am saying, is that at 67, don’t wait to be drawn, you may not be alive in two years. Buy your tag thru outfitters or from the Indian Reservations like the Mescelero. Doing my research on the Mescalero shows that they have the potential for B&C bulls, and 500,000 acres to hunt. My only doubt about the hunt at this point is the elk camp. I have hunted an Indian Reservation before and did not like sleeping in a dorm with 12 other guys. Much to my delight, the elk
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camp on the Mescalero is their very own Casino, Inn of the Mountain Gods. Two queen sized beds and a bathroom all to myself, with a maid that came in and made the bed every day. This will spoil me on other elk camps forever. I called in to the Hunting Illustrated staff and asked if I could have a tag for first season, and a tag for second season on the Mescalero Indian Reservation. I was sent a contract, which I promptly signed and sent back with my check. Now came the hard part. I had to wait until September 9th, 2011 to hunt. Finally September 6th arrived, which meant it was time to start driving solo from the Oregon Coast, to Ruidosa, New Mexico. The first day’s drive was 14 hours, the second 13 hours. I was very impressed with the country, lots of trees and mountains. Perfect elk country. I found the Big Game Management Building, and inside was the manager Herman along with the person that keeps everybody going in the right direction, Marilyn. At the introduction meeting and dinner, I was introduced to my guide, Patrick Hiles. I’m not sure what Patrick thought when he saw me for the first time, but it probably went something like, “Why do I always get the old guys?” Opening morning, breakfast is served at 4:00 am. On our way to the truck, after breakfast, we grab our box lunches (each lunch is enough for 4 people). Patrick picked me up and it was not exactly the time he told me. When he arrived, he said, it
was “Indian Time”. Not sure what he meant by that, but I was not about to upset the guide on our first morning by questioning him. We started driving, East I think, it’s very dark still. We get about 3 miles from the Casino, I mean elk camp, when Patrick stops the truck and rolls down the window. What do we hear? No less than 12 bulls are bugling. The hair on the back of my neck is standing straight up, and I am drooling. I think to myself, this has to be heaven. To my surprise, Patrick says “Get in the truck, we are leaving”. WHAT, but there are bulls here! We drove, change that, Patrick drove away from the bulls, while I pouted. We drove another 15 minutes and parked. When daylight came, I got my first look at Mescalero elk country. WOW. Everyplace we glassed there were bulls, and I mean every hillside we saw bulls. That first day, we saw no less than 40 bulls. No 1st day shooters. Maybe tomorrow. The second day we went to another portion of the Reservation, with more timber and brush. Lot’s of bugles and close calls. The elk were not quite hot enough to stay and fight, it was bugle and run. The third day brought more timber and brush and more long hikes. That evening, I heard a bugle, and it was close. One call on the cow call,
BY DICK CROSSLEY
Dick Crossley steadies for a sure shot in the rest of a nearby tree.
and here he comes. I am ready, laying on the ground at the edge of a 100 yard meadow, with my bipod down in the ready position. This six point bull steps out of the brush, he is wide, heavy and tall. My crosshairs are on this bull, waiting for him to turn broadside so we can make a quick decision. “Patrick, I am ready” I say. Patrick says, “wait”. The bull turns and starts walking closer when he stops at 50 yards. The bulls turns. Patrick tells me not to shoot, that he is short on his G-4 and G-5. That was fun! I didn’t stop smiling for three days. Day four was very much like the others, lots of bulls, but they just weren’t ready to dance yet. The last morning of my first hunt on the Mescelero was a little slower than the other days. We came back to camp at about 1:00 pm. Patrick said he would pick me up at about 3:30 for the evening hunt. I took a nap in my beautiful room at the Inn, rough camp right? At 4:00 we are on the hill and find two herds, but neither has a shooter. We move on to another ridge, where after about 30 minutes of glassing Patrick finds a nice six point by himself raking
Although rare, the Mescalero does produce 400-class bulls each year, as evident here with the Crossley bull.
the hell out of a tree. Now, I have to make a decision. This is not a B&C bull, but we think he will score between 320 and 330. The bull is 375 yards down a steep hill, and it’s getting dark. I made my decision. It was time to lay down with my 300 WBY Christensen Arms, and pull the trigger. I find a comfortable spot, put one in the tube, and change the power on the scope to 18 power. I put the crosshairs high on the shoulder, push the safety off, take a deep breath, exhale half and squeeze. The bull drops to the surprise of my guide, and does not move. The Black Mamba strikes again.
Now we have to get to the bull before dark, and get the hard part done. I leave from my shooting place and work my way down thru the steep ridge. Patrick says he will meet me at the bull with the truck. We loaded the bull into the back of the truck in a full on thunder storm with lightening directly overhead. We got back to the Big Game Management Building at about 9:00pm, soaking wet, very cold and hungry. While Patrick and I ate, three great guys did their thing unloading the bull with an electric hoist. They skinned, washed, and quartered the meat which then went Spring 2012
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Dick’s bull had good length on every tine and was exceptionally wide.
into the cooler. They then caped my bull. Did I say that I love this elk camp? Now with first season over, I have nothing to do until second season starts on Saturday. Did I mention that the Reservation has a championship 18 hole golf course and that I brought my clubs? What a beautiful course, 7200 foot elevation, perfect greens , water and lots of trees. Patrick calls me Friday night and tells me that I am going to like what he found on his day off. He had done some glassing just before dark, and found a B&C bull with about 15 cows. He said we would have to leave early as it was a long drive and walk and that we needed to be there before daylight. The only thing I have to do is try to sleep, while trying not to think about what the morning will bring. Patrick shows up on time, I take this as a sign that this is going to be a good morning. We talk about what the plan is. We wait at the bottom of the
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hill until 15 minutes before shooting time. Patrick turns off the truck, rolls down the windows and listens. It sounds like one hell of a party out there! I am not sure how many bulls are bugling, a wild guess is a bunch. With packs on our backs, we start walking up the mountain. Patrick thinks our bull will be on the East side of this mountain and says we need to be ready because they are on the move. We creep to the top, a deep canyon on the South and a ridge down the West side. There are two herds, with satellite bulls all over the ridge. There are too many things to look at all at once, it is overwhelming. Patrick point over to the East and says “There’s your bull and he is leaving. You’d better hurry.” At this point, I got very lucky. Two things happened, I found a tree with the perfect rest with me sitting on my butt, the rifle came down on the only limb on that side of the tree and with a little adjusting,
I was on my bull. Second, the bull stopped at 325 yards to look back and left me with a hole in the brush to shoot thru. Patrick asks “Are you going to take him?” I answer with a boom. Patrick tells me he is down. I can’t see the bull. He is in the brush so I am not ready to celebrate until I have my hands on his rack. It takes about 30 minutes to reach where the bull was standing. We get close to the spot and Patrick gets a call on his cell phone. One of his buddy’s is watching from another ridge and tells us that the bull is standing up and looking around. He is 100 yards below us and we still can’t see him, there’s too much brush. I move down 50 yards and a little West. The top half of his antlers are in sight. I move a little more West, now I can see his neck. This is going to be a an offhand shot downhill. When I find his neck, he looks up the hill just as I pulled the trigger. The bullet made a perfect 30 caliber hole in his main beam just above his G2 and then into his neck. Now he is mine, and the main beam is still in one piece. Did I say I love this elk camp? We work our way down to the bull, still not knowing just how big he is. We finally make it down to the bull and all I can say is, “Wow, what a bull”, he’s a perfect 6 point. I’m guessing that the G3’s are over 20”, and the main beams over 50, we will score it later. How do we get this bull out of here?” I say. Patrick gets on his cell phone and calls for three horses. Now, it’s time to get our knives out and prepare this bull for the horses to pack out. One and a half hours later, the horses have worked their way to us. We load up and start the pack out to the truck, then it’s on to the Big Game Management Building for the stories and celebration. As soon as the animal was caped out, Norman and Herman started to score the bull. The G3’s were 24”, and the main beam was 55”, for a total B&C score of 389. Did I say I love this elk camp? My Christensen Arms 300 WBY, which I call the “Black Mamba”, performed without fail. The shot I made on this bull was one of the most difficult I have ever made, and could not have make it with a lesser rifle. Thank you Christensen Arms. As for the Mescalero Indian Reservation and its people, thank you for sharing your piece of heaven with me. I tried very hard not to piss anyone off, so maybe you will let me return for the 2012 season. Did I mention I love this elk camp?
T
he first year I remember deer hunting was when I was about 8 years of age. My dad had hunted since he was a very young boy and he still enjoyed it for many years as I was growing up. I remember those first few years dressing in Levis, simulated leather boots, a few jackets and maybe a yellow or orange sweatshirt. It was a bit different back then, no Goretex, scent blocker, or ATVs. It wasn’t quite the Blaze Orange of today; it was more like the burnt orange of changing autumn leaves. I do remember a few of those years hunting
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in the mountains of Utah where the view looked a lot like a pumpkin patch. I can still recall the excitement of riding in the plywood box of our converted late 60’s Volkswagen Dune Buggy. Me and my brother, two years older than me, always got stuck in the back and it wasn’t that bad first thing in the morning, but that ride back to camp with cold, wet, feet, always seemed to take twice as long. The sock driers back then consisted of taking your socks off and placing them on the exhaust of the dune buggy and making sure you pulled them off before they burnt.
BY CARL STUBBS
McKenzie learns a rule of patience as she eagerly awaits a shooter bull to come into range.
I have always dreamed of finding that huge mule deer and visioning something 36 inches wide that everyone just goes crazy over. For many years I thought those deer were just something of the past and they just didn’t grow like that anymore. Then in my 20’s as I started dating my late wife, I sat in her parents family room starring at a huge, perfect four point muley that her Grandfather had killed many years before. This monster muley is thirty six inches wide and is impressive to look at. That was the goal; to some day kill something like that. Something my Grandkids can sit and stare at and dream of hunting some day. June 14, 2011 was the Arizona deadline for Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Bison, and other Big Game Animal hunting applications. I spent the few weeks before the deadline with my good hunting buddy, Russ Jacoby, going over the draw odds and trying to determine the best Hunt Units to apply for. Russ’
theory, and of course mine also, is to put your first choice hunt as the coveted 13A Arizona Strip Unit. Russ always says, “You just never know, you may draw it.” I filled out the applications for my family and put 13A as the first choice for all of us. Second choice was, well it really didn’t matter. There are those that don’t share the same view as Russ and I. I even had one associate comment that it is crazy to put in for 13A because the odds are against you of ever drawing the tag. I dropped off the applications at the Arizona Game and Fish Headquarters in Flagstaff on June 13th, the day before the dead line. I am not as superstitious as many of my friends, but I sure wish I knew exactly what time of day it was, what I was wearing, and what song was playing on the radio as I dropped off those applications. It was now the middle of July; approximately a month after the application deadline and I was busy at work tracking the progress of a remodel project going on in the building I work in. I wasn’t thinking
much about the draw results, but there was talk, anticipation, and a bunch of guessing about when the results would be coming out. One morning during this time, I was sitting in my office at about 10:00am and I was checking the AZGFD web page for draw results and low and behold they had just been released. I started inputting my family’s information one at a time. My two daughters were first, “Not Drawn”. My 15 year old son was next, Drawn – 1012. That was unit 12A East Early hunt. I was pretty jealous of Tanner especially because he had already drawn a late rifle elk tag for the year. Then I checked my wife’s results and again, “Not Drawn”. Then I plugged in my information and to my great surprise it read, Drawn – 1020, Tag 49. I knew that I had put in for 13A, but I could not remember the hunt numbers and I did not remember what my second choice was. With my heart now pounding much faster, I pulled the regulations down off my shelf and
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started looking up the hunt numbers. I scanned down the hunt number column and there it was, Hunt No. 1020 – Nov 11 – Nov 20, 2011, Unit 13A. I had to look multiple times and then highlight the row, because I knew it was impossible to draw this tag. A few minutes later it still had not sunk in and another associate walked into my office and asked if I had any draw success. I told him and he could not believe it and congratulated me. This is not always the reaction you get when you tell someone in Arizona that you drew 13A. In fact, I got the twohanded fingers from one person. A few minutes later Russ called me and asked if I had drawn anything and I told him Tanner, my son, had drawn a Kaibab tag, and I drew 13A. I think he was more excited then I was. Later that evening as I was talking to Russ on the phone, he said, “I don’t think you realize what you are sitting on.” He was absolutely right. The next morning I was checking on the remodel project, and going over some details with the contractor’s superintendant Chad Woodruff. Of course, he and Russ are well acquainted and I knew Chad obviously from this project. I first met Chad when he had gotten out of bed at midnight during the 2010 archery elk hunt and helped Russ and I skin the elk we had both just harvested. Of course I recognized Chad mostly because of his relation to his dad, John Woodruff, who had harvested the well known monster mule deer, Bullwinkle, the previous year in 13A. Chad already knew, from Russ, that I had drawn a 13A tag. He asked if I would like some help and you could tell from the look in his eyes that he could not wait for an excuse to spend some
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Varying trail cams revelaled that this buck was a real toad! Carl’s luck of drawing the coveted Arizona 13A tag would soon give him a chance at stalking this bad boy.
more time on the Arizona Strip in 13A. I was more than happy to accept his help and we started talking of all the preparations from there. One of the first questions Chad asked me was, “What rifle are you going to use?” I was not sure as I have a few, but realistically I only had two that would qualify and only one that I would consider at that time. When I discussed what I had, Chad said he had a brand new rifle he had purchased the year before and would sell it to me for the hunt if I was interested. He said it was a Christensen Arms Rifle in the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum caliber. As he described the carbon fiber barrel, the Leupold scope with a turret, the tooled action and trigger, I could not wait to get my hands on it and shoot it. The first time I picked up that beautiful rifle, I was sold just on the weight. After shooting it I did not want to let it out of my hands. After a few rounds I already knew the rifle was much more accurate then what I could shoot. The astounding characteristic was the lack
of recoil. Chad’s arms are a bit shorter than mine and normally that would have caused me to have a nice semi-circle above my eye after the first shot. After a few shots, I could see that anyone in my family could shoot this firearm with no problem and they since have. The next weeks went by very fast and I had a lot to do to get ready for what is equivalent to a “Once in a Life Time Hunt”. The second weekend of September I finally made my first trip to the Arizona Strip. I had never been in Unit 13A before and had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. I had talked to Chad and others to get ideas of where to spend some time and I was on my way. After the first 20 miles of dirt road I was thinking this is more of a lizard and rattlesnake habitat and that Chad must have got me mixed up with an Antelope tag holder. After approximately 30 miles of dirt I finally started running into some Pinion and Juniper trees and then some sagebrush. I headed toward Mount Trumbull (doesn’t everyone) and drove around for some time and found some areas to hike and glass from. Driving to the glassing area I had chosen, I saw a doe and two fawns. Little did I know that was the only deer I would see in the unit for the next three trips. Chad’s and my schedules did not line up very well until the middle of October. He would go scouting one weekend and come back with pictures and stories of deer, and bobcats, and snakes, but I would never see anything. I learned quickly that it makes a huge difference scouting only a few weekends rather than a lot of
weekends over the course of six or seven years. I finally connected with Chad on a weekend when we could both go scouting and I finally saw some deer. One was a really nice 30 inch typical deer and then I was getting a little more excited. Chad had pictures of five deer that we were having a hard time narrowing down as to which one to hunt. I finally told Chad that I would like to hunt the one he had named Curly. It was a 42 inch wide deer that had deep forks and was in the neighborhood of 40 inches of mass. It was not as massive and not quite as wide as Bullwinkle that John Woodruff, Chad’s dad, had killed the year before, but anyone that set eyes on Curly could not help but be Wowed. There were two other deer we agreed that we could not pass on if we were lucky enough to run into them. Both were nontypical deer and both looked to score in the 230 range. Chad had named one Righty and the other one, that had one eye missing, he named Warrior. Then a couple weeks before the hunt, Chad was in the unit scouting and was able to take pictures of an unbelievable typical four point. This deer was incredible with back forks that never ended and fronts that you just don’t see. It was very
difficult to try and pick what deer to try and go after, but we kept our plan to hunt Curly. Some time back in September I had sent a text message to Chad and told him that this had to be my lucky year and that I had to kill on the opening day of the hunt because the date was November 11, 2011 – 11-11-11. That had to be a good omen. Chad agreed. On Thursday November 10, 2011 I headed to Northern Arizona with everything I needed, hoping that I had not forgotten anything. I checked multiple times to make sure I had the tag and I looked at it even that last day just to make sure it read “Unit 13A”. It was still hard to believe. The only thing I really left behind was my wife and kids. My wife, Eileen wanted to go so bad that she could not stand it. She had killed her first ever deer, a nice four point, the year before on the Kaibab. That experience hooked her for life. The biggest mistake I made was not bringing her along. I was worried about the walking and the cold. She would have been by my side the entire time and I know I would have never heard a word of complaint. I think that is what worried me the most. The combination of cold temperatures and hiking long days results in cramps (Charlie Horses) in her legs. They get so
bad, that she can’t sleep and has a hard time walking for days. Selfishly I just did not want to see her in that much pain. So I left Flagstaff alone that day and headed to 13A to meet up with Chad, John, and Shane Woodruff and of course my hunting buddy Russ Jacoby. I found Camp late in the afternoon and we were ready to plan the activities for the morning of the opening of my dreamcome-true mule deer hunt. That evening we talked of where John, Shane, and Russ would set up and glass from and where Chad and I would start hunting. It was easy to see that Chad and Shane were brothers and they both knew what the best plan was. It was interesting watching John sit back and let them dispute about where to start and what direction to go. John was the master of not saying much except to add a little fuel to the discussion at just the right time. Chad had spent the most time on the Strip in the last six months and had the most data of where the deer were. It was still impressive to me that Chad always offered what he thought we should do and then respectfully ask his father what he thought. John has spent more time wandering deer habitats then most of us have spent sleeping. John
This author had his good fortune and luck with him on the strip but he wasn’t in Vegas. He was in one of the top producing trophy buck locations in the world, unit 13a of Arizona.
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never disagreed with his son; rather he added his experience to bring credibility to the plan. November can bring a chill to the Strip that could make many a hunter think twice about getting out of a nice, warm sleeping bag. It was in the teens on the morning of November 11, 2011 as we started the trucks and got ready to head to our predetermined spots. It was dark as we drove out of camp. There was some snow on the ground, but it was a week or so old. We came to a fork in the road and it was time to say good-bye to John, Shane and Russ. They headed off in different directions as Chad and I headed to the area Chad had decided we should hunt. We drove down the road maneuvering between the juniper and pinion trees and we finally came to a spot where Chad said, “I think this is where we should start.” I wasn’t going to argue, I had only seen about 10 deer in the whole unit over the last few months. We donned our packs, I got my rifle, and we headed out. We were walking mostly in frozen snow that crunched with every step, so we were taking our time. We walked down the ridge a few hundred yards and crossed a draw to gain some advantage of elevation on the other side. We navigated through the PJ until we came to an opening where we could see most of a large drainage. We started glassing the drainage and hill sides hoping to find one of the notorious Strip Mule Deer. We glassed for what seemed 30 minutes or so and we didn’t see anything. We started walking again and Chad found a nice little four point shed. We kept walking along the drainage glassing the entire area. We finally came to a point where we had to make a decision of where to head next. We stopped and Chad indicated we could go off in the direction toward the next drainage or we could go back and glass from the area where we were earlier. I told him I was open to either one and we should do whatever he felt stronger about. He decided we should go back to where we first glassed that morning. We arrived in the opening about 20 minutes later and started glassing. Chad immediately picked up some deer. There were four does and large buck across the drainage. I spotted them in my binoculars and the buck was a really large three point with
a number of cheaters. It was not a deer we were interested in, but it was still one of the largest deer I had ever seen while hunting. The buck bedded down, but it and the few does kept looking down the slope in the trees. We kept watching and then all of a sudden the three-point got up and started down the slope. We soon found out why. The three-point started into a small clearing and coming out of the trees on the other end of the clearing was Righty. The two challengers passed each other and the three-point turned and started following – chasing Righty. Chad and I were ecstatic to say the least. He said we need to shoot him. Chad proceeded to range Righty and he indicated the distant to be 680 yards. I did not have a very good rest so we stood a pack up and I used it for a rest. I turned the turret on the scope to 675 and steadied the best I could with my heart pounding almost out of my chest. I fired the first shot and it missed. Chad said I shot about an inch under him. I jacked another round in the chamber and started the process again. The three-point was still chasing Righty all over the hill, in and out of trees, up the slope, down the slope; it was hard to keep on them. Of course, Chad kept saying, “Don’t shoot the three-point”. I was not so pumped up that I couldn’t keep track of Righty and it wasn’t hard to tell them apart. The problem is that after that first shot, I
was worthless. I took four more shoots before the two deer disappeared into the trees and we did not see them again. Chad had spent enough time studying the deer in 13A that he could intimately identify many of them. He knew this 200 inch framed, four point deer was the huge muley he had branded as Righty. This was a young, four or five year old Strip Muley with some incredible genetics. Righty had multiple cheaters sticking straight out on his right antler and at least one on his left. His right antler appeared to be more massive than his left, thus the nick name. Chad watched Righty close enough on the slope as I was lobbing copper at him, to see he had a six inch gash on his left side. He wasn’t cut, but he was missing hair, most likely due to combats over does. Chad and I walked over to the area where I had shot at Righty and walked along the top of the ridge. We could see the deer did not come out of the drainage and Chad figured they were still in that area. He said we should go back to camp and get some lunch and we would come back in the afternoon and see if we could possibly get a second chance at a deer of Righty’s caliber. Chad and I did not talk much going back to the truck. I
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The author poses with his buck of a lifetime.
was sick that I had missed the deer of a life time and Chad knew that you just don’t get that many opportunities at a deer like that and especially on the Strip. Once we were in the truck and headed back to camp, Chad looked at me and said, “You know that you are going to get a bit of razing back at camp.” Of course I knew that was true, but what I didn’t know, is that John Woodruff stays up nights thinking up ways to give you a hard time (actually I think it comes much easier than that for John). It was all in good humor and I knew I deserved some of it. While we ate lunch, I heard all kinds of comments about the copper mines that would be opening up next year, about getting additional help to carry ammo, and many more creative pokes. We finally headed out of camp at about 1:30pm the afternoon of Friday 11-11-11 and I could not wait to get out where we needed to be much quieter. We parked in the same place we had earlier that morning and started out in the same direction. Chad led off with me close behind, but this time we had John bring up the rear. John said he would stay close because he didn’t want me to get too far from my extra ammo he was carrying. After hiking for about 20 minutes Chad stopped dead in his tracks and turned and looked at me with a look that could not be mistaken. He had just spotted Curly. The 40 plus
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inch wide buck was bedded down behind a huge Juniper tree 20 yards in front of us. Of course, Curly didn’t stay long. He was up and off before either John or I could catch a glimpse of him. We started tracking Curly and the few does that were with him down to the bottom of the draw. At that point, Chad asked John to start tracking Curly and indicated that he and I would go to the top of the next ridge and watch for Curly to come out on the other side. When we got to the top of the ridge, John called on the radio and said that Curly had turned and headed away from us. Chad and I started walking down the ridge when John called again and indicated that Curly had turned again and was coming our way. So we stopped and started looking up the drainage. Within seconds I spotted a buck walking up the drainage away from us. I could see it was a really nice buck, but had no idea how big he was. I immediately took the covers off the scope and went to one knee. I asked Chad the range and he said, “300 Yards”. I cranked the turret to 300 and put the cross hairs on the buck. He had just crossed a small clearing that was about 30 yards across and was now moving quickly away from us. As Chad started to say, “Shoot that …” there was a loud boom followed by a whack. I knew I had to take that shot, because with just a couple more steps the deer would disappear in the trees.
Chad said, “You hit him good, his whole backend dropped when you hit him.” John was immediately on the radio asking what deer I had shot. Russ and Shane quickly followed because they had heard the shot and the whack from almost a mile away. I had no idea what Chad was saying on the radio, but Shane and Russ were on their way to our position and John was being directed to where I had shot the deer. After waiting a few minutes, I just could not wait any longer. I indicated to Chad that I was going to head over to the last spot we had seen the deer. I found this enormous set of tracks in the bottom of the drainage and followed them to the clearing. I could see the deer’s tracks at the spot where I had shot, but there was no blood. Before going any further, I waited for John and Chad to get to where I was. The three of us started following the tracks and John said, “He is hit, he is dragging his back leg.” Now I was worried that I had only wounded the deer. Then John said it again, but stopped half way through the sentence and said, “Holy Crap”, or something like that, followed by, “Here he is.” There laying in the snow and sagebrush was a huge non-typical mule deer. The thing that surprised us the most was that it was Righty, the same deer I had missed that morning. It is unbelievable how a deer like this can just keep growing as you walk up on it and keeps growing admiration as you continue absorbing the experience What an incredible deer. I finally had the deer, that maybe one day, I will have grandkids that can stare at and dream of hunting. I was very excited and could not believe I had just killed one of the three deer we had really wanted to harvest. At the time it all seemed too easy. I knew the odds were against me, but it was still the opening day of the hunt (11-1111). We were able to find and harvest one of the top three deer Chad had identified. And we had seen, at this point (we saw a third the next day) two of the five monster deer scouted. I was extremely fortunate enough to have hunted the Arizona Strip, kill one of the three deer we were hunting, kill on the day I was hoping to, and to experience it all with some great friends and phenomenal hunters.
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The Ghost on the Strip BY CASEY CARR
y first hunting experience on the Arizona Strip occurred when I was 24 years old in the fall of 2003. My father-in-law and brother-inlaw, Rex and Marc VanWormer, had each drawn tags so the three of us headed up north from my hometown of Prescott, AZ to test our mettle against the legendary bucks of this massive and wild area. The three of us had been hunting together for quite some time but we had never taken on a challenge like this before. We were on our own and truthfully, had only begun to amass the intimidating amount of knowledge and experience that it takes to successfully kill a big deer in such untamed country. Rex was not what I would call a committed trophy hunter but rather, someone who was able to keep the undertaking in perspective. He was able to separate the often-conflicting priorities of pursuing big game from what was most valuable to him, spending time with his family and friends. This is a quality that I have come to respect more and more now that my wife Corrie and I have two daughters of our own. We may not have had the chops that some people say it takes to find and kill a big buck on the Strip in 2003 but through hard work, and dedication we were successful when Marc killed a deer that grossed over 220 inches. More importantly however, for the first time,that hunt showed me the Strip’s potential to produce massive deer. Marc’s buck was the largest I had ever seen. It ignited a passion and honestly, an addiction that consumed the next decade of my hunting life, killing a huge buck of my own in a due it yourself fashion. I spent the next ten years in the
PHOTO: VIC SCHENDEL RECREATION: MATT MOGLE
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dedication and days spent away from my family finally bore fruit in the fall of 2011. I finally drew my first tag for the Arizona Strip. I was excited to say the least and can honestly say that never once was I concerned about the outcome of the hunt. I knew what I was getting into and more importantly I had a good idea of what it was going to take to get it done. So the planning began. The first priority was to put together a group that would The author watched his brother-in-law Marc take this 220+ leave it all on the field no matter inch bull on the strip in 2003 what. After a few phone calls were made, Arizona Strip’s requisite apprenticeship I assembled a team of friends consisting program. By hook or by crook I was up of Josh Gross, Mark VanWormer, Billy there in some capacity almost each year and Stephen Vohs, Mark Benitone, Mike from there on, familiarizing myself with Pace, and Waz. The only one missing was this Mecca of North American mule deer my father in law Rex. The experience, dedication and hunting knowledge of this country. Now plenty of hunters that know group was priceless on a DIY hunt of this the Strip will agree when I say that ten kind. Believe me when I tell you that a years up there does not even give you a successful outcome was not possible bachelor’s degree at this school. The tests without the help of each of these friends are tough and the curriculum changes and the support of my wife Corrie. Hunting solo on the Strip every year. The country is big and remote and turning any deer, not just the big ones,can be extremely difficult. One of the first things I learned on that 2003 trip is what the Strip is not. It is not a place for the hobbyist or weekend warrior. It is not a place for people that don’t deal well with failure in pursuit of giant deer. Your expectations are and should be high but that place will swallow them up as fast as a crabbing boat in the Bering Sea. You can go days and not see a deer, let alone that mystical image of a giant you have registered as your pick of the litter. Cell phones are almost useless. Scouting is a must, but you have to be prepared for the worst. The north stretches 100 miles or more over remote and wild country and the south, although closer to civilization, poses a problem due to that big ditch in your path known as the Grand Canyon. You can go days scouting and never see another soul. Success while hunting this country hinges on your ability to accept failure in your pursuit without resentment or the sacrifice of expectations. Attitude will make or break you in this unforgiving country so staying positive is not just a suggestion it is a requirement. That decade of hard work,
without game cameras demands a full time commitment to the scout, so I spent 20 days over two trips covering the country. In that time I turned three great bucks, 2 of which fit the criteria. So now we would formulate a plan. I arrived 9 days before the hunt and the rest all filtered in a couple of days prior. After some discussion a plan was formed. We decided that we needed to pursue one of the bucks I had seen a few days before the hunt. He had huge frame with at least one inline on the right and was paling around with a couple other bucks that he certainly made small. We all agreed that we better work him first because of the mere fact that he was living in a piece of country that see’s a lot of pressure and would probably not evade to long before expiring to some fellow hunter. That day we covered the area as best we could with no luck in finding the buck. I am sure the pressure of other hunter’s was no mystery to him and decided to flee the scene like mature bucks often will do. Over the next couple of days the boy’s were putting in work. We found a couple of other bucks that
In all its glory, this monster muley comes in at 260 inches! This is why the Arizona strip tag is so coveted.
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This elusive buck almost got away but now it hangs as the author’s favorite trophy.
certainly would have been respectful to any hunters standard but it was not until the fourth day that the excitement was really turned on. On the fourth day Stephen had glassed a few good deer, one of which looked to have a pretty good frame. VanWormer and Billy came up to help judge and some more bucks showed about three miles away, bringing the total to about six. By the days end we were all assessing the deer and trying to make heads or tails of what we had. The next morning we were back in there and found them that afternoon. There were clearly a couple of hot does in the group and the lead buck appeared to show some potential, although he remained frustratingly difficult to judge. It was clear he wasn’t super wide but looked lead heavy with deep forks and plenty of extras. After some discussion we decided that the only way to really know would be to work in on the deer in hopes to get a better look at him. Josh and I began our trek and we were able to get within 400 yards of him before trouble started setting in. He was in a feeder canyon leading into a large, choked out gorge. I knew that if the buck turned the corner into the main canyon he would disappear into the undergrowth and we’d risk never seeing him again. Josh and I glassed picking up bits and pieces of him for the next 45 minutes as he moved
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through the stands of juniper trees, but not yet a good look at him as he approached the entrance of the gorge. I knew time was running out on this buck and by three o’clock I had to decide if it was worth a shot before he turned the corner of the feeder canyon. As Josh and I moved in closer I finally saw the side of his rack and told Josh, “I’m gonna hit that deer. That thing’s just a pig.” Josh hadn’t gotten quite as good a look at him and wasn’t quit convinced yet. However, I felt confident and committed and started moving in closer to close the deal. As Josh and I started to close the gap on the giant buck one of the other bucks was walking right at us and stopping at about 60 yards, forcing us to stop. I crouched there motionless, trying not to startle him and flush the others. Although the other buck remained still, mine continued further up the canyon toward the corner of the gorge and began to disappear into the brush. After a few torturous minutes, the other buck finally turned and started walking away so I followed, crawling as quietly as possible and craning my neck to find the lead deer I was after. Eventually, the tips of my buck’s antlers reappeared above the junipers trotting toward the choked out gorge of the main canyon. I was out of position in that spot but about fifteen yards further ahead a rock formed a place to shoot.
As the buck neared the corner of the canyon I had no choice but to sprint for the rock and try to find a shot. I understood the risk involved but I refused to miss this buck because I was overcautious. I reached the bench and got into position with my cheek welded and the buck in my scope picture moving dead away I wait, with the buck nearing the gorge he finally quartered enough and I took the shot. He dropped immediately and my instincts said he was a monarch of his time, but we all know the doubt that enters your brain at this moment that makes you question what you saw. Josh was posted a little ways behind me with his binoculars on a tripod and gave a yell of triumph as he got his first good look at the deer as the shot rang off. When I heard that I exhaled a giant sigh of relief at the confirmation I had taken an absolute giant buck. We walked up to the buck. In my decade hunting the Strip I had never seen anything like it. Josh and I stood together in awe staring at him as the others, hearing the shot came running over. It a was moment of pure excitement shared together. The buck totaled out at 260 inches with 47 inches of mass. Not only is it the largest deer I have ever seen in ten years of hunting the strip but a moment that has no expiration for all of us involved. As we field dressed the buck, packed up camp and headed home to our families I realized that it was almost the perfect hunt. Just like my first trip up to the Strip in 2003 with Marc and Rex, the process of scouting, planning and killing a deer with a group of friends is what made the culmination of ten years of hard work and dedication so worthwhile and memorable. The time spent with companions and the unconditional support of my commitment and obsession from my wife Corrie and daughters Kennedy and Cammerann back at home created the perfection of the moment. The only thing missing from this perfect hunt was the presence of my father-inlaw Rex who passed away in early 2011. However, Rex was out there with us on that hunt and will join us on every future adventure as well because he is the man who ultimately taught me that at the end of the day the real trophy is not the one on your wall but the memories captured in the process.
've been putting in for several western states hoping that someday I would draw a good tag to hunt big bucks. I've always wanted to harvest a buck that would score over two hundred inches, as do most trophy mule deer hunters. After getting the results back from my applications I was getting very use to the unsuccessful response letters. Once again it looked like 2011 would be another year hunting the general season in hopes of
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finding a good buck. At least this year, my 12 year old son Jagun would be hunting deer for the first time with me. Hunting here in Utah with Jagun, was the only thing I was looking forward to. Hunting season came quickly this year and Jagur and I returned to our familiar hunting area. The hunt had been very unproductive so far but on the second to the last day of the hunt things changed. I was hunting by myself one afternoon in one of
my favorite hunting holes. After slipping over to look into a big bowl I was able to spot a few deer feeding in a burn area. After thirty minutes of glassing I was able to find a 4x4, a 3x4, and a couple smaller bucks. I texted my son Jagun, to see if he wanted to go hunting and try to kill one of these bucks the next day. He told me "sure", so my hunting plans for the last day had just changed. That night I texted my brother Trent and told him I was going to
the general season tags
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BY TRENT LEAVITT hunt with Jagun in the morning and try to get him on a deer that I spotted earlier that day. I've killed plenty of deer in my life and I wanted Jagun's first year hunting to be one that he would remember for a long time. We decided that Jagun, Ajay ( my other son) and I would get to the same location the next morning before light. Trent would stay on the north end of the bowl, keep his elevation and be on look out from there. Once it started getting light I spotted a few deer right below us at about two hundred yards away. There was a nice 3x3 that I thought would be perfect for Jagun to shoot. Before we started to get into position, I glassed around for another couple minutes. As I looked to the south I located another buck towards the rim of the canyon we were in. As I looked at this deer, I could tell he was a nice buck but something just didn't look right. He was probably close to fifteen hundred yards away and all I had were
my 10x50 Swarovski's binoculars. I knew he was a nice buck, but I was not sure how nice. I told Trent to keep an eye on the buck and we would try to slip a little closer for a better look. After getting our gear together I looked one last time to see if he might have dropped into the big bowl. I lost him and asked Trent where he went. Trent told me he lost him too. I started to get worried. Trent dropped down into the bowl to hopefully relocate the buck and get a better look at him. I told him to keep his elevation for better glassing. After looking for a couple minutes I found him once again. What a relief. He had dropped down into the bowl and I knew now we had a chance at this buck. We gathered our gear, pulled back off the rim, and started heading south to get into position for a good shot. Once we made it to where I thought the buck had dropped in, I asked Trent if he could see us
Twelve year old Jagun had great success in connecting with this wonderful first-time buck.
on the south end of the bowl. He told me he couldn't, and that seemed a little odd. When I put my binoculars up to see where he was sitting he was no longer there. I asked him where he went and he told me he had dropped down into the bowl for a better look. I told him once again to keep his elevation so he could see better, but by this time it was too late. As the three of us approached the edge of the rim where I thought the buck had dropped in, I spotted a few deer feeding just below us. I asked Trent if he still had the buck spotted and he told me no. As I was glassing around to find the buck, a couple of does right below us had spotted us. Luckily for us they didn't seem very nervous as the moved on out of the area. I continued glassing and found the 3x3 that we spotted at first light right below us. This was good but I wanted to find the bigger buck. Within a few minutes I relocated him. I told Trent where he was and he said he'd been looking at that deer the whole time, he just didn't think it was the same buck. I could tell he had five on one side and some trash on the other. He was only three hundred and fifty yards away from us. I told Jagun that he was going to get a shot at a big buck. I told him I would give him one shot and if he missed I would shoot, so make sure the shot was a good one. As we dropped down into the bowl to get a little closer the big buck started heading our direction. We were trying to take off a hundred yards so Jagun would have a better shot. As we got to the spot where we were going to shoot from, the big buck started heading north away from us. The big buck was with a few does and a nice 3x4 that all stayed together after the big buck left them. As the big buck continued north away from us, I told Trent that he should take a shot if he could and who knows maybe if he missed they would come back our way. I had Jagun ready to kill the 3x4 if the big buck didn't give us the shot. Everyone was ready and Trent took the shot. As I watched to see if the big buck was heading our way, he didn't, he just held his ground. The 3x4 started heading for a big draw to the West. The does all bailed off into the draw and the 3x4 buck stopped just at the edge. I Spring 2012
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he was that big but the more we looked at him he just kept getting bigger and bigger. Trent made his way down to where we were and once he saw the buck up close, the excitement started all over again. Trent was so
The author’s brother, Trent, placed three long distance shots on this giant buck before he dropped. Good thing...because other hunters were almost on top of him.
could tell the big buck was holding his ground so I told Jagun to shoot the 3x4. Jagun was already prepared to shoot, so when I gave him the ok, he let it fly. When the 150 grain bullet from the 7mm Magnum hit the deer, he dropped in his tracks. Ajay with excitement said, "NICE SHOT JAGUN". I couldn't believe he hit him at 270 yards with his first shot. We were all pretty excited when the buck dropped. We came to get Jagun a buck and it worked out perfect. It could have ended there and the hunt would have been a success, but we still had the big buck three hundred and fifty yards away holding his ground. Trent could still see the deer, but all I could see were his antlers. I told Trent to take another shot at him to see if he we could make something happen. Trent fired and the buck turned and started heading away from us. I could still see the deer’s head and antlers from where we were sitting. After that shot, I noticed two hunters coming from the west. As the hunters were getting closer, I could tell they were after the same buck. They were equipped with a spotting scope, rifle and shooting sticks. Trent was ranging the deer from where he was and had him at over eight hundred yards. I told him we needed to get this buck killed or the other hunters that had just joined us would. Trent shot again and this time the buck took off up the draw towards us. I was ready for
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the buck to come out, but he never did. My experience with big bucks is that they will hold there ground until the last second until they finally bail. I thought that might be what this guy was doing. I had Jagun head down to the bottom of the draw where the buck was holding up in hopes tht he would push him our way. The terrain was pretty open so he had no way of escaping with out us seeing him. As Jagun began up the draw I noticed the other hunters getting into position to take a shot if the buck came out. This made me a little uneasy with what was about to take place. I hurried and gathered my things and told Ajay to follow me. I had decided to go right towards the buck, to the highest point so I could see everything once the buck took off. As I approached the edge of the draw, I was ready for the buck to bust out of there. Jagun had just passed through a couple of big boulders as I topped over the edge. I noticed the buck looking at Jagun when I put a bullet right through his front shoulder. The buck was dead, and as the three of us approached, I couldn't believe my eyes. I never really tried to put a score on him while trying to get Jagun a shot. They talk about ground shrinkage and believe me there was none that day. This buck was something! I never thought
excited that he could hardly control his emotions. After a bunch of photos and just admiring the deer we put a quick tape to him and found he was 32 inches wide. When we caped him out, it had become apparent Trent had hit this buck 3 times. Trent was shocked because his closest shot was 825 yards and his longest was 1,000 yards. He was shooting a 300 RUM with a 168 grain Berger VLD. Jagun’s buck was a 27 inch 3x4, not bad at all for his first deer. Looking back, I wished that big buck would have given Jagun a chance for a shot. That would have been something special for his first buck. We took a few pictures so we would all have the memory of this incredible day as a hunting family. There was a lot of work to do with two big bodied deer on the ground but we had plenty of adrenaline in us to get the job done. This day will be one of my best days hunting. With my two older sons there and Jagun bagging his first buck this hunt will be very hard to top. My brother Trent and I have spent many days in the field and this day will go down as the best so far. The buck was a 9x9, scoring B&C 228 5/8” gross and 219 2/8 net”, not bad for a couple general season buck tags.
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PENDING ARCHERY WORLD RECORD ROOSEVELT ELK
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hooting a monster Roosevelt elk with my bow flooded my thoughts every day in anticipation of my hunt. Hunting elk in my home state of California has been a dream of mine since I started hunting at the age of 12. For the last 14 years, I have religiously applied to hunt all species of big game in California. I never miss a single year. Each year, the big game draw has left me disappointed, until this year. A friend of mine called to share that the draw results were up early in 2011, so I finished up work and went home to check the results. I could not believe my eyes. I had drawn one of the few and highly coveted Roosevelt elk tags in California. I was so excited! When I was 18, I moved to northern California to study wildlife management at Humboldt State University. I was excited to be on the
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north coast where I could capitalize on my love for the outdoors. I selected my classes and adjusted my schedules to allow maximum opportunities to hunt and fish this beautiful area of Northern California. Students earning a degree in wildlife management are expected to complete a senior project. I chose to base my study around the dynamics with in Roosevelt elk herds. During the time I was in school, and especially when working on my project, I realized that one area in particular had the potential for producing big Roosevelt elk. The herd genetics are first class, and I spent the last six years videotaping and taking pictures of these magnificent animals. Most of the land in the unit is
under private ownership, and the area where I spent so much time observing and photographing was private. There are a number of landowners that allow hunting for a trespass fee, but their rates were higher than I could really afford or justify paying. I never considered access fees when applying for the hunt, and once I got the tag, it quickly became a stressful reality that I may not be able to hunt the area I knew held the largest bulls. I spent two very stressful months talking with numerous landowners and checking out every inch of the hunt area. My good luck continued and I was able to secure access to a great piece of ground. It seemed as though everything was too good to be true. Things were panning
BY TIM CARPENTER
out just as I had always envisioned. My hunt area wasn’t a large tract of land, but I knew the odds of taking a magnificent bull where high. My tag allowed for any legal weapon of choice to hunt with and since I had twelve days I decided it was the perfect opportunity to try with my bow. The thought of harvesting my first elk, in an area with such great genetics, using archery equipment, was an exciting prospect, and my anticipation and excitement was very high. I began scouting well before the season started. The hunt area was relatively close to my home, so I was able to spend a lot of time photographing and videotaping. I wanted to know the area like the back of my hand and have
the bulls patterned as best as I could. Mornings in my hunt area were typically cold, foggy, and wet. The terrain consisted of open meadows leading up to a spruce and redwood forest with patches of alders, thick salmon berries and blackberry thickets. This was the perfect terrain for ambushing a big bull. Game trails and elk sign were everywhere. While scouting, I observed two bulls that were of the caliber I was looking for. One was an absolute giant 6x7 with a 22� crown point and main beams that were pushing 55+�. He was not heavy, but had incredible length and character. He had been the herd bull the week before I started religiously scouting my hunt area. The second bull was a heavy 8x9 with
unbelievable character, and had displaced the 6x7 as the dominant bull in the herd. It was very exciting and almost surreal to contemplate that I might be presented with opportunities to choose between these two. At times I felt greedy, as I tried to talk myself through the pros and cons of each of these two bulls, either of which anyone would be rightfully proud to take and would be the bull of a lifetime. I scouted daily the week before my hunt. I tried to keep tabs on the herd and wanted to be in a position to predict their next move on opening morning. I found the main herd three times that week with the 8x9 tending his cows. One foggy morning, just days prior to the opener, I found the herd, but the big bull was nowhere to be seen. Satellite bulls were herding the cows and sparring with one another. My heart sank as I pondered the fate of the big bull. Had he been poached? Spring 2012
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The author had circumstances align in his favor and he was able to get a solid shot with his bow within 12 yards. This bull scores a whopping 406 6/8 gross - a new pending Roosevelt P & Y record.
Gored by another bull? Regardless, I thought he was dead for sure. After a few hours of desperate glassing, he rejoined the herd out of nowhere, and the smaller bulls quickly assumed their position at the periphery of the herd. The evening before the opener, the herd was feeding just 300 yards from my hunt area. I felt confident that I had patterned them well enough to predict their location in my area opening morning. I contacted my brother, Don, and told him to make the trek north. He arrived at 2:00 a.m. after a six-hour drive just to make sure he was there with me on opening morning. What a great brother. Needless to say, neither of us got much sleep that night. Opening morning arrived and it was foggy and wet. Just after first light, I saw the herd moving from where I had last seen them the day before. My friend, John, and my brother Don were with
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me. Don was running the video camera, as we were hoping to get everything on film. Things were happening much faster than I had anticipated, but I quickly got into position. The entire herd, over 50 animals, was within 40 to 100 yards of where I set up, but the herd bull was obscured in the middle. Two 300-class 6x6 satellite bulls came within 20 yards trying to get near the cows. It was very exciting to have that much action on the first morning of my hunt! I never had a clear shot at the herd bull before they fed out of range and eventually bedded down. Unfortunately, Don had to head back to work after just the first day, so I lost my main hunting partner. My friend, Mike, joined me on the second day of the hunt. We were able to locate the bull, but he along with the entire herd never gave us an opportunity for a stalk. We got close to a few smaller bulls in a bachelor herd, and we spent
the day videotaping, photographing, and strategizing. We were enjoying every minute of my hunt. On the third day of the hunt, my friends, Kevin and Chris joined me. We did a small hike, glassing meticulously and calling occasionally. By 10:00 a.m., we hadn’t seen any elk or heard a single bugle. We sat down and decided to cow call for a little while. Out of the brush came a large black bear, he was moving along a trail and eating blackberries. I had a bear tag, and the season was open for archery. We all got excited and I decided to make a move. He was a pretty big bear, and looked to be between 300 and 350 pounds. With the camera rolling, I started the stalk and got within 25 yards. He was just on the other side of an alder thicket, and decided to take a different path than I had anticipated. As quickly as he came, he was gone. We got the entire stalk on film, and in hindsight, watching the bear take the upper fork in the trail was almost comical. It was an exciting twist to a relatively uneventful morning. I think people under estimate the amount of game that roam the hills in California. You never know what you are going to see when you take to the hills. That evening, my girlfriend, Heidi, came with me. We located the herd, and closely watched every move the herd bull made. As we were sitting behind a log glassing, yellow jackets started swarming around us. It turned out that we were sitting on a ground hive! Luckily, neither of us got stung. Unfortunately, the herd spent the remainder of the day safely out of reach. On the fourth day, I hunted alone. At sunrise, the lead cow showed the herd the way. I quickly took position behind an old growth redwood log. As the cows started funneling past me at twenty yards, I knew the herd bull wouldn’t be too far behind. He was in full rut, letting off bone-trembling bugles and chasing off other big bulls. I knew that my chance was almost here and I would have a shot between five and twenty yards. I peered over the log and saw him running at me in a full sprint. In a flash, he covered over two hundred yards. He stopped just twenty yards from me, and as he grunted, steam
bellowed from his nostrils and mouth. Wide eyed, he looked to the left and right, and then put his head down and started thrashing the ground with his huge antlers. Dirt and grass were flying everywhere. I slowly lowered myself, knocked an arrow, and hunkered down, waiting for him to cross between the log I was hiding behind and a patch of impenetrable blackberry brambles just twenty yards away. I waited for a solid minute then peered through a crack in the end of the log. He had ran back the two hundred yards and was standing with the other half of the herd. In the process of the sneak peak I took, I had spooked all of the cows and calves and blew my cover. I thought that I had totally ruined what could have been my only shot. I watched the drama unfold in the herd. When the satellite bulls tried to get near the cows, the herd bull would chase them off. The herd was on the move now and they seemed to be on edge and full of tension. The rut was in full swing from the first day of the hunt to now and you could tell the elk were jittery. The
lead cow was uneasy, and wanted to make her way back toward my direction. To my amazement, the herd started to cross back, this time, a couple hundred yards from where I had set up. I knew that I had to move quickly or they would disappear into the thick salmon berries and into the forest. Most of the herd was making their way back around the base of the hill. The herd bull stopped pushing the cows around, put his head down, and started to feed out of sight. I knew that he wouldn’t be feeding for long, so I decided to make a quick and risky move. I had no way to get within range without moving through an opening in plain view of some of the cows. It was my only shot, so I took it. As I moved through, I startled a dozen or so cows and calves, hoping to get to the bull before he realized that I was there. I quickly closed in the distance, and got into a position, just twelve yards from the quartering bull. I didn’t have time to range him, but I knew that he was close. I drew back, settled in my pin and released. I made a solid hit, and the shaft of my arrow was buried up
to the fletching. The bull didn’t know what hit him. He trotted off and started herding his cows for the next few seconds. That was the when the reality of my arrow piercing his heart took its toll. He was down within thirty yards from where I had shot him. I couldn’t have asked for a better hunt and I think I am still in shock as to how it all went down. When I finally got my hands on the bull the moment truly set in. I am still in awe and can’t believe that I was able to harvest this amazing animal with a bow. He was officially measured at 406 6/8 gross and 397 3/8 net. That makes him the pending new world record P&Y and pending #2 all time B&C Roosevelt elk! I want to thank all of my friends and family that put up with my passion for hunting and for all their support over the years. This was such a rewarding accomplishment. I was able to study this species in college and had dreamed about taking a trophy Roosevelt since I was a boy and now it was a reality. Spring 2012
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a n i e c n O y M l l u B e Lifetim
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I
c an remember from the time I was about four or five years old having a love for elk. I remember coming home from the RMEF show with my parents and trying to bugle like a big bull in wrapping paper rolls. I still loved them after a cow elk tried to attack me through a fence in the Denali National Forest. It took me a while to get over that cow, but I definitely had a place in my heart for elk. The first time I told my Dad, Mel Belding, I wanted to hunt elk, he looked at me and said, “it’s not easy hunting and it gets very cold out in the field, are you sure you want to do this?” Looking back now, I wouldn’t have been ready for a hunt like I this if I had drew this tag at the age of 15. My Dad, like a good father, put me in each year for seven years straight with out being successful. He even looked into purchasing us hunts outside of Nevada, but no great opportunities came up. Things changed for us in 2011 though when the Nevada draw results came out. On Friday May 27th, I was in a meeting finalizing my student teaching when I realized the draw results would be posted that day. After the meeting I checked my phone and saw 16 text messages and four voicemails. I knew I had either drawn a tag or someone was dead. Thankfully, I had drawn a tag. Not only one tag for elk but also a deer tag as well. The elk tag I drew was something special. I drew an early rifle, Table Mountain/Monitor Range tag, which
BY KRISTY BELDING
Kristy’s love for hunting elk started at an early age thanks to her father, who started putting her in for several years until drawing a tag for this hunt. A supporting cast of family with experience assured her success.
is one of the most prestigious tags in Nevada. I worked hard all summer at the gym. I loaded my backpack full of weights, put my hiking boots on and hit the stair master hard. I hiked the trails and would even sprint up the hills behind my house as much as I could. I knew that this hunt would not be a cakewalk, nor did I want it to be. Hunting is not just about the animal you harvest, it’s about the work you put into it and the people that help you out. It’s an amazing experience all around. I didn’t scout that summer for my elk, which is not usually a wise choice. I prepared in other ways. It was now a week away from my hunt. My father called up some good friends John Stone and Dave Finley who had horses. Horses are a good option when you may have to pack a bull elk out of a hole. He also asked two biologists out of Fallon, Nevada Jason Salisbury and Kyle Neil to help me locate some good bulls. My good friend Christopher Swanson, who is from
Round Mountain, had brought over a map to show us some great places to look for elk. Joe Sellers, Jimmy Jackson, and Steve LaForge who are longtime family friends and who I consider uncles of mine also offered to help on my hunt. My dad called my cousin Thomas Baker, who is a very experienced elk hunter, to see if he could come too and help. We had quit possibly the best elk hunting crew ever assembled. Now all I had to do was wait patiently for opening day. Dad left before the rest of us on Wednesday morning around 9 am to scout and set up camp. On Thursday me, my mom and her good friend headed for elk camp. We received great news on our way that Thomas would indeed be there to help opening morning. Thomas is a guide and outfitter and the best hunter I know. I was so blessed to have the group of people I had with me to help. I arrived in camp at 7:30 raring to go for the hunt in the morning. I got all my clothes packed, went to bed, and
listened to the rain outside the trailer all night long. 4:30 am came quickly on opening day. I hurried and got dressed loaded my stuff into Thomas’ truck and headed up the mountain to where Kyle and Jason had heard two bulls bugling the night before. We drove up in the rain and waited inside the truck listening to the pouring rain pounding against the windshield. The moment finally came when we could get out of the truck and glass. As we glassed we heard two shots go off. That was not a reassuring sound to hear when you aren’t seeing a trace of elk on the hillside you are glassing. I had a feeling it was one of the bulls we were looking for that was being shot at. After glassing over a few more mountains we drove a little further south and came upon a group of four bulls (three spikes and a small five by five). We heard a bull Spring 2012
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bugle further down the canyon, and it was there that we met the hunter who had just harvested a nice bull. We talked to him for a while when the game warden pulled up. He had spent a lot of time in the area looking for elk and said this was the biggest bull he had seen in this territory. I felt a little sick thinking my chances of a good bull were fleeting with every gunshot I heard. The game warden did give us a tip to try a different area where he thought there might be a good bull. We took him up on that tip and ended up glassing all evening without seeing a single elk. It was a long trip back to camp that night wondering what we were going to do the next day. After dinner we all turned in for the night with a little bit of uncertainty for the next morning. I was not as spry as I pulled myself out of bed on day two. Thomas said that we were going back to the place the other hunters shot the bull the first day. He said he thought that the game warden was trying to mislead us and he thought there was something there we needed to look at. We loaded up and headed up the mountain. When we arrived on the ridge the hunters had shot the bull on the day before, Jason looked above us and spotted two small bulls. Thomas thought there had to be a heard bull up there because those were satellite bulls and they were acting like there was a bigger bull in the area. We decided to head up the
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ridge for a closer look. We kept the wind in our favor as we snuck to the top of the ridge. When we finally got to the top of the ridge we could hear bulls bugling everywhere. My heart started to pound and we could hear one bull that sounded considerably bigger than the others. When we peaked over the top we could see a nice 330 bull just under us. We could hear at least 3 other bulls and one deep-throated bull straight below us in the mahogany. Hearing and watching the bulls was an experience I will never forget. I was praying the big boy would step out soon because despite all the excitement it was very cold and the chilling temperatures were starting to take their toll on me. We waited and waited but still he would not show himself. He screamed and tore up trees but still would not break cover! My cousin told me that he was acting just like a huge bull and we needed to be ready when he came out. We decided to send Jason around to the other side and make some noise to see if he could get the bull to come out. Thomas and I were sitting there waiting when all of a sudden four cows came out on the hillside feeding. Thomas made me practice finding the elk in the scope so I would be ready when the big boy came out. He walked me through the yardage and where to hold. This gave me confidence and I knew I could make the shot if I got the opportunity.
As the cows fed out of sight the big bull went crazy, screaming and tearing up the brush. Jason and Christopher started cow calling and that made the bull that much more excited. Thomas whispered, “get ready he is going to come out.” Just like magic the bull walked out. Thomas wasted no time and said he was a shooter. The bull was walking quartering away from me and I did not have a shot. When he finally stopped, just before he was out of sight, I let one fly. Thomas yelled, “you hit him but you need to shot him again!” That is when I fell apart. I did not pull the bolt back far enough to put a bullet in and click, nothing. I thought I was out of bullets. I turned to my pack to look for more when Thomas said, “calm down you are not out” and he chambered a round for me. He told me to take my time and make it count. The bull was one step from being gone when I fired again. Thomas started hugging me and said, “you did it, you did it!”. “Do you know what you killed?” I had no idea, but from his excitement I could tell he was big. When I walked up to him I could not believe my eyes, he was huge! Thomas looked at my bull and said, “Kristie, you have no idea what you just got do you?” He was right I had no idea how amazing the bull I had just shot was. I hugged every one and we waited for every one else to get there. When my mom and dad arrived it was moment I will never forget. Thomas was a big help, but so was everyone else who came along for my hunt. I am so blessed to have such giving and great people in my life. The party back at camp that night was light hearted and as easy going as you can imagine. We included an honorary “Gentlemen Jack” toast by the campfire, thanked everyone again for all their help, and enjoyed a fantastic meal thanks to Mom, Dad, and Judi. Life doesn’t get much better than elk camp. I want to first and foremost thank God for allowing me this opportunity to hunt in such beautiful country and harvest a bull like this. I would also like to thank again everyone in camp that helped out on this unforgettable experience I knew there was a reason I loved elk so much growing up. They are truly amazing animals. This Monitor Range unit is such gorgeous county, with quality wildlife living in it. I got a once in a lifetime bull, and experienced a once in a lifetime hunt. Thank you for reading this and God Bless.
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2. The Shiras moose is also known as the __________ moose 4. Another name for the whitetail deer 6. This species is the smallest of the moose family 8. Another name for cartridge is 9. Cousin to the lynx 12. A permit that allows you to have a pistol on your person
1. Name of male black bear 3. This mule deer hunting area in Arizona is being threatened by a possible national monument 5. Harvesting the desert, rocky, dall and stone sheep is referred to as this 7. Name of a female mountain goat 8. Type of pistol that has a cylinder that rotates as the gun is fired 10.Last name of the hunter who harvested the world record typical mule deer in 1972 11.Referred to when an animal loses its antlers
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By Courtney Bjornn
Just For Laughs
Spring 2012
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Michael Burrell
(Not So) Unfamiliar Territory
PHOTO: VIC SCHENDEL
A
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t that moment, disappointment never tasted so bitter. I wiped my forehead with my sweatstained cap trying hard not to vomit from disgust or huck my muzzleloader down the mountain... I enjoy the idea of hunting areas I’m not real familiar with. It presents new challenges while taming the exploratory spirit. This last season I pulled a muzzleloader buck tag in an unfamiliar part of Utah that is managed to hold a strong buck to doe ratio. It’s mostly inaccessible to motorized vehicles, plus it’s known for some interesting antler genetics. This combination together can mean old-class bucks and not much hunting pressure. My kind of hunt! I became proficient enough with the smokepole that any buck within 180 yards was in trouble. I bought maps and searched satellite images. I called foresters, ranchers, hunters, and outfitters to get different perspectives on buck potential, water
HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
availability, trailhead access, and any other advice they might have. Overall, my homework taught me there was very little water up high, the mountain’s extreme terrain is hard on the body, soul, and
boots, and although overall deer numbers are fairly low, there are some great bucks if a guy looked hard enough. I couldn’t wait. I bounced my pick-up up the winding canyon in the dark three days prior to the opener. When the morning light touched the landscape, the harsh jagged canyons were downright intimidating. I have my own familiar haunts I hunt
5MULE DEER WATCH5
regularly, but to start at the bottom of a strange canyon and look up at its spacious nooks and crannies gives energy like no other. I hiked my way into the mountains hungry to see the other side. For two days I hiked and glassed key areas I had highlighted on the maps previously and found a few nice bucks including a nice 4x4 with back forks that reached the stars. I may be off a little but it looked like a true 180” typical to me. It was the day before the opener and it was time for me to buck-up and hit the backcountry trail with 70 pounds of supplies. “Is this even fun?!” I whispered while limping my way up the final stretch of the 2500’ climb to my camp spot. I packed in 250 ounces of water since I hadn’t found a fresh water source. I had 7 days to hunt and I couldn’t help but wonder how it would end. My friend Tyler was to meet me later that night and as promised, he hiked into camp around 1am. The hunt began and as quick
“The coyote is the mule deer’s most significant predator whacking fawns at extremely high rates before they can even grow up! “
as the rising sun warmed the morning air, it would sink in the west leaving us begging for a little more light to glass one last deer. Time flew. We would hike to elevated perches and pick apart each ridge and canyon spotting at least 5-10 bucks each day, including some great bucks. There were a few bucks that on most hunts I would have killed without hesitation, but this time I decided to hold off. Not only because I hoped for a little bigger but even more, I was just getting used to having an entire mountain to explore for ourselves away from the stresses of everyday reality. I enjoyed waking up in my bivy tent, spending the day behind my binoculars field-judging bucks, and breathing in the smells of mahogany and fir. I wasn’t ready to leave. As days rushed by I wondered once again how my hunt would end. Would holding off on some of these great bucks pay off? I’ve never been one to hold off for the biggest buck on the mountain, I typically shoot the first nice buck I’d be pleased with. I went against my own hunting style… but then again sometimes you need to step-out of your comfort zone–and into unfamiliar territory–in order for something extraordinary to happen, right? Before I knew it the hunt was half way over and I wasn’t any closer to killing my dream buck. I snuck to
20 yards from a bedded heavy 27” 5x4, but while trying for a shot opportunity through the heavy mahogany cover; a scrub jay swooped right by the buck’s head, jumping the startled buck from his bed which then startled me, which in response startled the buck and the jay. Before I could shoot, the buck pinned me and, swinging his heavy headgear underneath the overhead limbs, blasted off. I shot a prayer anyways...and missed. Twenty yards with a muzzleloader? Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. This mountain was made for long-range shooting, not short-range hunts; you either see a buck from way across a canyon or from in-your-face
bow range in steep impenetrable buckbrush. It was day 6, Tyler’s last day before going home. I really wanted to kill a buck while he was around; kind of as a token of appreciation for taking time off to come and help me find my dream buck. In the late morning sun I picked apart the few shaded spots remaining on the steep western-facing slope when I spotted a buck. We put the scope on him and realized we were looking at a really, reeeaaally nice buck; he’d stand motionless watching his backtrack for minutes at a time. The mile distance between us made it hard to know how big he was precisely, but now and again I’d catch a glimpse of some huge back forks. Then…he’d move slightly and I’d catch glimpse of some huge front forks. Could he really be as big as he looks? The buck bedded under the thickest mahogany patch on the ridge down towards the pick-up, so Tyler loaded up his entire camp on his back and we closed the distance to within 1000 yards of the buck. From there, the stalk was on while Tyler stayed put to watch the show until four o’clock... at which time he would have to drop off the ridge and go home. Whether I killed or not. The weather was warm and the stalk unhurried. In wool socks, I
“The coyote is the mule deer’s most significant predator whacking fawns at extremely high rates before they can even grow up! “
“The coyote is the mule deer’s most significant predator whacking fawns at extremely high rates before they can even grow up! “
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crept across the mountain face getting closer and closer. When I guessed that I was within 70 yards above the buck, I had the wind right and knew now I had to make a big decision. Do I calm down and wait for the buck to get up and feed or do I close the distance? I knew the right answer, but patience never has been one of my virtues, and I really wanted Tyler to be part of the kill. If I wait for the buck to get up, Tyler would most likely miss the action. I made the decision to press forward. I was absolutely silent slinking in from above. For a brief moment I forgot to breathe catching the first glimpse of him through the trees 30 yards away. A small window of an antler, then a flash of legs as he arose from his bed and began to slowly feed. I was 30 yards from a dream buck and I couldn’t thread 250 grains of bullet through the branches which lined themselves perfectly shielding the buck! I could just see bits and pieces of the buck as he stepped out of sight behind the steepness of the hill. I slowly crept closer. Should I wait him out? My throat was parched and my senses on full alert. This is what I live for. Each step forward was meticulously positioned. I can’t believe I’m within minutes of killing my dream buck. And those forks…so heavy and deep. My mind rambled as I stepped forward and for a split second I lost focus. A blur of antlers and buckskin sprung from the backside of a mahogany 20 yards away jolting me from the gazillion thoughts racing in my head. I swung and shot a prayer through the thick forest, but the buck disappeared unscathed. ...The sun beat down on me more intense than ever before. A
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high-pitch ringing amplified in my ears, I became light-headed and in absolute disbelief. I worked so hard to get to this pivotal moment only to rush the action and overlook this old buck bedded right under my nose, on the back side of a mahogany. How can I get 20 yards from a buck and not kill it? I interrogated myself. I can’t think of anytime being so disappointed in my life. Tyler reminded me how big the 7” in-line points on the back forks were making him at least a big 190”+ class buck. Tyler left for home and I was physically beat and mentally distraught after failing to connect on my dream buck.
And now I was alone, with one more day to hunt. The weather was calling for snow at 6,000’. Camp was set at 9,000’. The incoming weather pressure pushed winds, occasional flurries, and me to kill a buck and get off the mountain ASAP. The next day started slow with high winds and few sightings. In the afternoon I glassed a familiar friend; the heavy 4x3 that I seen multiple times throughout the past week. I decided to go after him. The buck was over a mile away so I needed to hustle. Like the other stalks, I easily closed the distance with a stiff wind in my face but I couldn’t find a vantage spot to shoot the buck from a reasonable distance again. Instead, I crept closer and closer until finally I saw him and he saw me… at 20 yards in some
5MULE DEER WATCH5
thick oak/mahogany. He snorted and sprung like a rocket. The wind grew fierce and snow flecks pelted my face. I was physically and mentally done; to get within bow range from several great bucks without getting shots from my smokepole was more than humbling. The sky darkened with every minute that passed, I was running out of time. I quickly spotted two white-faced bucks 1,000 yards away browsing along an open cliffside and across the canyon A strip of firs flanked the hillside 150 yards below the bucks. I raced the darkness hoping that I could make it to the firs and have one more chance at a buck. Heaving in exhaustion, I stepped out of the timberline rifle-ready with little light to spare. I halfexpected the bucks to hear me and be on their way toward safety, but I was wrong. 190 yards away stood the figure of a buck looking back at me. The larger of the two bucks fed out-of-sight. I swiftly sighted the rifle on the smaller buck and squeezed the trigger. It stumbled forward falling from its rocky throne. I boned the buck out, and began the 1,500’ ascent towards camp. I was proud to take the hunt to the last day, extending my stay in some great country. I felt a sense of accomplishment for picking a mountain range, learning it, to have so many experiences up on the mountain and harvesting this buck; but I couldn’t get over the feelings of missing my dream buck. I limped into camp, the winds calmed and the forest was awkwardly silent. I lit a campfire and celebrated the kill by eating all my backpack food, and a chunk of fresh venison. With a full belly, I fell asleep next to the fire as comfortable as a child nestled by the
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ou can’t really close your eyes and read this, so instead, concentrate as you read and pump images of deer into your brain. Envision all those stunning beasts you have been so blessed to encounter over so many hunting seasons, and burn that beautiful picture deep into your cranium. Imprint it on your psyche, make it an actual element of your being. Now, doesn’t that feel good. I am typing this little ditty in my Ranch King deer blind on a cold December afternoon, and I have eight whitetails in front of me right now, all within twenty yards. I sit spellbound. An old matriarch doe is crazy alert, two doe fawns and a very handsome button buck with huge pronounced nubbins could care less as they nibble away. There is a yearling doe, a yearling three point buck, and a fat stud of a three year old eight point beast. They own me. My heart is racing rather predictably, and I only keep typing because I am trying to convince myself to not shoot the handsome eight pointer. Steady Uncle Ted. Steady as she goes. For all the right reasons, I should kill that old doe as part of my Texas Parks and Wildlife Managed Land Deer Permit plan. We figure eight more does gotta go off our ground, and she’s an old gal that would be perfect to take out to better the herd. We shall see. I really love hunting, ambushing and killing deer, love watching and videoing them, love being a natural part of their world, love grilling and eating them, really love sharing their sacred flesh with the regional Hunters for the Hungry program and the families of the US Military, but what turns me on the most is the intelligent, stewardship system by which we manage deer and all wild game for healthy, thriving populations and properly balanced 90
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homes throughout the year, whitetail deer are knocking the living bejesus out of each other, including killing each other a t a much higher rate that anyone really understands. T h e button buck is way out of his
le a g u e
haranguing
ILLUSTRATIONS: COURTNEY BJORNN
conditions. By doing so, I can forever enjoy and celebrate all those other ways that I love deer. I just looked up again from my laptop, and now there are ten deer. Another shooter doe and a scrawny spike horn buck arrived, and they are all bulking up on feed in the cold weather. They constantly look around and flinch at every bird, every breeze, and for many unknown reasons. What an amazing creature. I would propose that for millions and millions of us, our lives would be dramatically less enjoyable without deer. I know it has always been a powerful force of joy, inspiration and awe for me and my family. The two big does just stood up on hind legs and went into that flurry of cartwheeling punches with their front hooves. That is some violent behavior right there, and any one of those cloven hooved blows could kill you outright. I am sure that while we are all co nven iently tucked away in our cushy
the
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PHOTO: TRENT LEAVITT
old girl, as the rut is up and down for the last couple of months. I am real tempted to kill the puny spike and forkhorn, but at only one and a half years of age, their first set of antlers in no way provides a meaningful indicator of their genetic potential. Have you ever noticed that once we decide to not shoot a particular animal, that they pose perfectly broadside with their leg forward for the longest periods of time? I just gulped a deep breath of freezing air, for a dynamo buckaroo just arrived on scene to take any deer hunter’s breath away. This majestic stag has ten perfectly defined points on his tall, wide, sweeping rack, and represents the kind of monster buck I would never have dreamed
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of coming in contact with growing up in the Midwest deer woods. This incredible beast has no idea that a blood thirsty venison addict is only fifteen yards away in this dark blind, with a bow and arrow and razor sharp broadhead and the tags to go with them. He noses the does and the other bucks give him lots of room, and with all the commotion, you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to get to full draw on such a great deer. But I just gaze, video it all and type away, for though this buck’s antlers are very impressive and highly desirable, I can tell by his trim neck, brisket and body that he is only two and a half years old, the very definition of a quality deer management specimen to let walk. I am so proud of myself. I am learning, and his presence literally
“General Season is in Session”
increases my excitement just knowing such quality bucks are around. It wasn’t that many years ago that I would have killed him in an instant, but like so many other hunters these days, I know I can get all the venison I need by killing the right deer and letting the right deer grow to their potential. Shooting light is gone now, all the deer have moved off, so I put away my vidcam, attach my quiver back on my bow and get ready to shut down my laptop, absolutely thrilled beyond words that I am a deer hunter. I head home with my soul filled with allthings deer. Tomorrow in another day, and tomorrow is another deer. I will now fill my belly with some scrumptious backstraps and keep the spirit of the deer alive in everything I do.
K R P T E K
“BATTLEFIELD
TO BACKCOUNTRY”