Accuracy Sports

NO ELK {crap-o-rama}

2011-10-17T21:15:00.000-06:00

We were covered with snow from the beginning. Our usual hunting camp at 9,700 feet elevation was under 2 feet of snow and access was super hard. We didn't see any elk around our traditional areas. Basically, there was no elk feed available, and the cold snow was even more incentive for the elk to migrate down the mountain on to Ute Tribal lands. The only bull elk I saw, actually the only live elk I saw, was trotting along the road in tribal lands just behind the fence maybe 70 yards from our truck. He knew he was safe I knew I couldn't shoot. Can elk sneer? How does a 4X5 bull say or sign "neener, neerer, neerer" in elkanise. Maybe next year outside the fence I'll show him who is toughest?

I still had a great time seeing the beauties of nature and camping with my son. I had a great time with his family at a low country alternate camp. We had a fire and foil dinners one night. Ending a fun family outing we made roasted marshmallows and the sugar high for the four kids was intense.

I am glad I went hunting. I would like to have taken an elk, but still a ~~bad~~ cold day hunting is lots more fun than a day working.

Preparation for the Elk hunt 2011

2011-10-01T22:30:00.002-06:00

I am getting really excited for the up coming elk hunt. I have an 'any bull' tag for open bull areas in Utah. My son also has the same type tag and my other son is going to come to the camp and help us. I am truly blessed to have two great sons. The adventure of elk hunting in the high mountains with my sons is what life is all about. I am hoping my daughter-in-law and some of my grand-kids can come too. Even if we don't get an elk it is a wonderful experience to all be there together in God's majesty and enjoy the crisp air and the smell of pines and quaking aspen trees. The hunt opens Saturday October 8th!

I made an extra small blaze orange vest for my granddaughter who is just one 1/3 years old. I hope she can come to elk camp again this year. She came last year at age 1/3 and didn't complain. This year she can walk so maybe we can scout out a 6X6 together? {I wonder if she can clean an elk by herself or if she will have to get her dad to help her?}

BEAR HUNT 2011

2011-05-29T19:49:00.000-06:00

It all started in January 2011 when my son called and told me to submit my name on-line for the spring black bear tag drawing in the Book Cliffs area of the Unitah mountains. I had actually never thought of hunting bears in Utah? in the spring? {Crap-o-rama there is snow up there, think about it -- I have been living in the desert for over 25 years.} My son had been putting in for the bear drawing for 8 - 9 years and thought he had a good chance to draw a tag with his 8 + bonus points and all. There were only 16 tags issued for this hunt. I think he wanted me to put in to let me feel part of the adventure even though neither of us though I had a snowballs chance in HECK to draw a tag. He was confident he would draw a tag and wanted me to come hunt with him. I am always up for a hunt even if I just got out of the hospital from a heart problem. I can hold binoculars and watch for bears as well as the next old man.

I got a major surprise when I received an e-mail from the drawing agency in Nevada that I had indeed drawn a spring black bear tag! I felt more lucky than a vampire working in the Red Cross blood bank. I called my son and told him I drew the tag. He cautioned me to not over react as I was probably reading the notice wrong, "really there was no way I could draw a tag with zero bonus points." Heck, lightning had struck and I was holding a five-iron up high in the air when it happened.

I immediately went into hunt planning mode. I was wondering what gear to take, how many sets of thermal underwear I could wear at the same time and still have mobility, and what caliber rifle I needed to handle the bruin. I decided I could wear only one pair of thermals and still get my pants to zip up. Check. I thought my good old "go-to rifle" a Ruger .338 Winchester Magnum with a Burris 4.5-14X 44mm scope combined with 225 gr. Hornady hand-loaded bullets would be the best set up for the job. This rifle has handled bison, kudu, oryx, red hartebeest, springbok, warthog, jackel, coyote, and Utah elk. I was confident it would do the job if I did mine. The Book Cliff bears usually are between 180 - 280 pounds so the bullet would be a soft tip expander loaded to about 2,800 feet per second muzzle velocity. Gosh, if the 250 pound bear could take a heart/lung shot with 3,500 + foot pounds of energy and still come over and bite me or make deep bear tracks on me I deserved it. I sighted the rifle in to be 2" high at 100 yards so I would be dead on at 200 yards and only 8" low at 300 yards. I felt black-bear-confident when exploding two liter pop bottles filled with water in three out of three shots at 250 yards. I also took a Ruger .30-06 light weight rifle for backup. When I travel more than 100 miles from home to hunt I always take a backup. The .30-06 has taken mule deer, antelope (prong horn), coyotes, jack rabbits, and various other critters. I know it shoots straight. I hand-loaded some new Hornady 165 gr. GMX bullets that left the 20" muzzle at 2,950 ft. per second. I figured if I had to walk very far it would be good to have a rifle that is 2 pounds lighter for me to carry. The bullet trajectory is almost the same as the .338 Win. Mag. so no big deal there.

We arrived at camp in a big time frog-drowning rain. The mud was seriously deep and all over the place. The roads, especially the hunt area roads, were like parallel Grand Canyons rutted to the max. I think I could smell chow mien cooking coming from the bottom of some of them. We were 4X4ing all over the place and saw several hounds men but no bears. I didn't see any bears hanging in camps or in the back of trucks. The bears are not idiots, they were staying warm and dry in their dens and we were the ones getting significantly mudded up and wet all day long.

We encountered a group of very fun hounds men my son knew and we hunted together for two days. We "rigged" up on some bears and let the dogs go investigate with their noses but didn't come on to any treeable bears. The third day my son had to go back to work so I went out on my own. While glassing a recent forest fire burn in the early morning I was approached by some more friendly hounds men that also knew my son. They offered to take me hunting with them. They had fine dogs and we crossed over lots of territory without getting onto a true bear. These guys were friendly as could be and I enjoyed the day with them. I like this bear hunting thing, even though I hadn't seen a bear yet after three all-day-longs looking. I was just enjoying the comradery and the beautiful country. These fellows let me off at my truck at the burn I was watching at around 3:30 p.m. They went back to their camp and home to work rather discouraged. I sat down to watch the burn as the afternoon progressed toward sundown.

After an MRE for lunch and dinner, linner, I thought of Tred Barta who says "90% of life is showing up." I thought I should move to a likely confluence of three canyons about 2.3 miles further east and watch for bears to come through as the sun goes down. I had taken a photo of a reasonable bear track near there the day before with my phone. (No cel. service but the camera is easy to carry in my pocket.) I parked on the road 100 yards east of bear track and changed from my .338 Win. Mag. to my light weight .30-06 for the up coming hike and maybe to change my luck. I walked very slowly into the convergence of canyons. I only moved a few yards at a time. I tried to not make any noise and stay in the darker treelines so I wouldn't be seen. It took me about 2 hours to make the hike from my truck 3/4 of a mile up the aspen filled canyons convergence. I was looking at all the spring grass, the abundant water flowing, and the beautiful trees when I noticed a blond or tan calf walking down a game trail about 100 yards ahead of me to the east. I did a double take and realized it was a bear. I looked for cubs and didn't see any. I watch the bear walk along biting some grass here and there not knowing I was in the area. He seemed to be pigeon toed as he walked and had the attitude "I'm Bad, oh yeah, I'm bad." The bear and I were face to face a football field away from each other. When he bent his head down for some grass I raised my rifle and put the cross hairs on his neck just behind his head knowing he couldn't see my movement. The wind was at my back my scent would betray me any second. I took steady aim and flipped off the safety. I was standing and hadn't even taken my backpack off. The rifle went off and it was a surprise to both me and the bear. The GMX bullet flew true and the bear collapsed. I lazered the range for my mental notes, 90 yards even. I walked to within about 30 yards of the downed bear and sat on a log on the side of the game trail. I was ready for him to get up and come bite me or run away or something. His eyes were open and I wasn't going to approach him quickly in case he had some more fight in him. I sat on the log and thanked my maker for allowing me to harvest this beautiful bear. I was impressed with the beauty of the area and the beauty of the bear's coat. It was so quiet. The sun was going down, I looked for the time and it was 7:09 p.m. I watched the bear until 7:30 p.m. or so then ever so cautiously approached him with my rifle fully loaded and off safety. I touched him on the eye brow and he didn't blink then I knew he was gone. WOW! I GOT A BEAR. It was a boar, and I think he weighed 230 - 250 pounds and was around 4 years old.

I got to work skinning and transporting the hide and skull to the road where my truck was parked. I got near the road at about 9:30 p.m. My son had come back to camp from work and not finding me at there came looking for me. He saw my truck and looked up the canyon a way and saw my head lamp working on bring the hide and skull down to the road. He hiked up to me and had a incredulous time recognizing I harvested a bear without bait and without dogs. Just lucky I guess. He helped me haul the bear trophies down to the truck and we went back to camp.

The next day we went out and he too found a bear but you will have to check out his blog for the details. http://www.huntingdax.blogspot.com/

Latest Photos from Beryl

2011-05-04T21:26:00.000-06:00

I went to Beryl to unwind a moment, my heart was kind of acting up. I found the various vermin critters running from cave/burrow to field in raids on the alfalfa and the poor farmers profits. I just had to do something about the situation. I guess nothing does a heart better than some good old fashioned wholesale Chizzler carnage. A .22-250 can really make a difference on a varmint who likes to eat up the profit.

CHIZZLER HUNTING MINIMUM AGE??

2011-04-11T19:02:00.000-06:00

Bounty Hunter 6 and I went to save agriculture again and had a great time doing it. I took my son and my grandson along. They had a great time. I think as soon as a kid can hold a rifle on his own and isn't in diapers he is old enough to hunt chizzlers with adult supervision. Actually, 7 - 8 years old is pretty good age for hunting varmints in a real controlled environment.

Chizzlers round 2

2011-03-20T18:21:00.000-06:00

Bounty Hunter 6 and I went to hunt varmints again and this time we were prepared for the vermin. BH6 took his customized and super accurate heavy barrel 10-22 in .22LR and his Ruger KM77-17R in .17 HMR. I took my good old Marlin 781 in .22LR {about 30 years old} and my heavy barrel Howa .22-250. We were in the center of an alfalfa field with about a 30º field of view north and east from the center pivot for shooting. There were two other hunters in the same field parked about 35 yards to the south from us shooting in another 90º arch south and west in orientation. We arrived in the alfalfa field around 10 a.m. and proceeded to render harmless chizzlers for about 3 1/2 hours. We shot until our fingers were sore from reloading. We shot as fast as we could go trying to make every shot count. We used the .22LR's for the closer shots at around 20 - 70 yards and the longer distance rifles for shots beyond 70 yards. BH6 went through about 250 rounds of .17HMR ammo. and 200 rounds of .22LR. I used 60 rounds of .22-250 and around 200 rounds of .22LR ammo. All in all we connected with about 75% of our shots. The wind finally came up and started blowing around the .22LR and .17HMR bullets around so we decided to quit. {A guy can only dish out so much carnage in one day anyway.} I really enjoy hearing the maniacal laugh of BH6 through my ear plugs and ear muffs when he connects at great distance with his little .17HMR. We didn't stop for a snack or lunch, we just kept after our duty.

I already want to go back and do it all over again. I am sure there were plenty of chizzlers left for "seed". I have attached a photo of one burrows mound from my Marlin .22LR. The .17HMR and the .22-250 leave little to photograph. The crows and ravens were glad we had come to hunt varmints. They were circling the field as we drove out - Nature's Undertakers.

CHIZZLERS 2011

2011-03-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY 3-10-2011 I wandered up to Beryl to see if the chizzlers were out of the snow yet. It was a reasonable day weather wise, about 60º in the afternoon and no wind. Bounty Hunter 6 was driving and we saw one or two of the little vermin on the side of the road while driving past Enterprise.

Bounty Hunter 6 was really disenchanted because he had only brought a .22 rifle in the back of his truck and no squirrel-o-matic. I had brought my heavy barrel .223 with 100 rounds of ammo. and a .22 pistol for the "sappers" that might try to get under the truck as we surveyed the fields. After visiting our pals, the squirrel farmers, we set up on a road leading through a hay field that hadn't showed green or started to grow this early in the year. There were chizzlers everywhere. I even got some with my .22 pistol. I fired about 50 rounds of .223 ammo. at chizzlers at 125 - 250 yards and connected about 75% if the time. Bounty Hunter 6 fired about 200 rounds of .22 ammo. at chizzlers between 10 and 125 yards and connected about the same percentage. In two hours of shooting and loading and shooting as fast as we could we did our best to clear the field of varmints. I don't think we impacted the quantity of chizzlers much. The ravens, crows and a few eagles were glad for the buffet we served though. The wind finally came up and Bounty Hunter 6's thumbs were sore from loading his 10-22 magazines so we came home. On the way home we were already making plans to come back next week to hunt.

I haven't hunted anything except paper targets, 2 liter soda bottles with water in them, and clay pigeons all winter and am so glad to have the varmints out. One farmer we talked to had just been spraying weeds in his fields and he commented he wished there were a "chizzler spray", I am so glad there isn't and I can do my best to do my duty to preserve agriculture with a firearm. Ya-Hoo!! for varmint hunting.

Elk Hunt 2010

2010-10-16T22:09:00.000-06:00

My son and I had a plan to go elk hunting in the Unitah mountains this year. He and I have hunted there before and we know there are elk in the area, we just hadn't seen one. I think we were both ready for some success. I took my alpine camper and he used a friend's full-on 28 foot trailer. We made the camp in our usual spot and it was just beautiful, as it is every fall. This year was special because my son brought his entire family. Even little Quinn who is just 3 months old made her first trip to the elk camp. Dax's oldest son, Hunter, is 6 and he went out with the big boys this year in the early morning on opening day. My other son, Matt, came along and camped with me. It was so great as a father and grandfather to be with my boys hunting in such a beautiful area.

Saturday, opening morning, was great and aweful at the same time. Dax and Matt and Hunter were going to a spot where we knew there might be elk. They got close to their hunting position almost at first light. While they were walking toward their pre-decided location they heard a shot maybe 200 yards away. Sure enough, there were elk in the area and another hunter and his small son shot a 5 point bull very close to the area where they were headed. Dax is such a nice guy he helped the fellow clean and transport his elk to the road. The poor guy had shot the elk but hadn't the foggiest idea how to clean it. He was up to his elbows in blood and only had maybe a quart of entrails out of the elk carcass. {Sportsmen realize there are probably 20 quarts of entrails in an elk so the poor bugger had a long way to go.} Dax, Hunter and Matt didn't see any more elk that morning. Nor did I in another area kind of close.

We hunted the remainder of the opening day and in the evening. Dax's wife Tristie and the kids all went home around noon. Quinn had come ill prepared and only brought herself 5 diapers for the elk hunt. It was her very first elk camp so I don't harbor any preparation feelings toward her this year. That night after dark the big boys drove back to Roosevelt we spent the night in soft warm beds at Dax's home. Sunday morning Matt went home to Bountiful and his family. A day of rest and good food at Dax's was the order for Sunday.

Monday I returned to the elk camp as did Dax. He had to work at snagging a bear in someone's back yard in Vernal before he could come up to hunt. I hiked around in lots of likely spots and found lots of elk tracks and poop. I was getting excited as an elk had been shot in the area and I was finding lots of sign. Monday evening Dax and I went for a hike to a small meadow he had found on opening day. I sat in the western end of the meadow and tried to look like a bush in front of a tree. I didn't move and watched the meadow for movement and the trees surrounding it for elk passing through. Dax went on a short hike {100 yards or so} to the west and north of my position to look for elk and see if he could spot some mountain goats he had been watching on opening day. Around 6:45 p.m. I saw a 5 point bull elk walk into the meadow to graze. He was a fine looking bull for me. I moved my left arm ever so slowly to pick up my rifle. I put the crosshairs of my scope on his rib cage just behind the front shoulder. I clicked off the safety and pressed the trigger gently. The rifle went off and it was a surprise for me and Dax and the elk. The bullet went right where it had been aimed and the elk staggered and jogged off to the south east. I was shooting a .338 Win. Mag. so I doubted the elk could go far.

Dax came running when he heard the shot. He said he was maybe 20 yards away in the trees and thought it might have been me shooting -- then he smelled the gun powder and knew it was me. We both shoot the same rifle and ammunition so he knew the smell from practice sessions. I was not up on my feet yet and thought it wise to let the elk have a minute to lay down and bleed out. We went to where the elk was standing in the meadow to look for blood on the ground. Dax asked me, "you couldn't have missed could you?" I said "No here is some blood on the ground" and I started to track the elk drop by drop. The elk was bleeding lots so the trail of blood was not hard to follow even in the dimming sun light. Dax walked into the forest of trees thinking like a wounded elk. He walked down paths and between trees looking for an animal lying down. I was following the blood spoor. Last thing Dax said as he was entering the thick trees is "Where is George {the Namibian tracker} when you need him?"

I heard a shot ring out in the trees about 35 yards ahead of me. Dax had seen the elk lying down and his head was still moving so to prevent him from getting up he shot him again in the neck {to not waste any meat.} The elk was dead now. I walked quickly to Dax's position and we congratulated each other excessively. It is rare to harvest a 5 point bull elk on public land on an open bull tag. We have been hunting in this general area for three years for this guy and we finally got one! We took photos and were proud of ourselves in the dark. My shot had been right where I aimed and had trashed the elk's liver and some of his lungs. He was pretty closed to his last bite of grass when Dax saw him. He couldn't get up but Dax didn't know that and rather than risk chasing a wounded animal in the dark, he just put him down. Fine by me.

We field dressed the elk and cut it in half. We lashed a cross pole to two pine trees and hung the halves up to cool in the night. I think it was around 35º that night and the elk meat was fine hanging at that temperature. We didn't want to invite any bears to share in our harvest so we had to hang it up. We hiked back to our transportation and then drove to a small peak where we had cellular service and called family to let them know we had success.

We calmed down from the hunting rush and went to sleep around 11 p.m. We were up early, 6 a.m., to hunt our way back to the elk hanging and maybe get Dax an elk too. We didn't see any elk on the way in and we packed the elk out to a spur in the road in two trips. Dax did most of the packing. I did however carry out the backstraps and a front quarter. We loaded up and went back to camp to make another cross bar to hang the elk meat on. Dax had brought some game bags to protect from flies and the elk hung there rather well in the shade.

We hunted for another day and a half for Dax an elk. We didn't see any but were in an area where there are lots of elk tracks and poop. I know there are more elk in there. Dax is going back next week to hunt a day or two and pick up the trailer he left there. I packed up my camper and hauled the elk meat down to a processing plant late Wednesday. I got to sleep in a soft bed and eat real good food again at Dax's house. Thursday morning I started for home 400 miles away.

I look back on this as another of the greatest hunts of my life. My sons were with me, my daughter-in-law was there and the grandkids. PLUS, we got to harvest a nice 5 point bull. It doesn't get much better than that, thanks to the Lord.

Namibia 2010

2010-04-16T20:10:00.000-06:00

My son and I just returned from a week hunting in Namibia. We had a great time and bagged several fine animals. My son had never been over there before so this was all new to him. I was so happy to share the experience with him. Our guides were great, the food was good, and the hunting was outstanding. We ended up with a kudu, a hartebeest, a springbok, a warthog, 3 oryx, and a bonus of a big old male baboon.

Chizzler Season 2010 starts

2010-03-18T10:37:00.000-06:00

Bounty Hunter 6 and I went out to see if the chizzlers made it through the winter. They were running all over the farm when we arrived in Beryl, Utah. We did our best to rid the farm of the little profit stealers but I doubt we made much of a dent in the population. I dropped some peanuts on the ground as I was reloading and shooting as fast as I could. A chizzler came over on the "bait" so I had to stop that with a .22LR. I think the chizzlers are really hungry and lonesome after their long winter nap. I am so jazzed to think of the coming months hunting the vermin. (This is not the big hunt, the BIG HUNT is going to take place in Namibia real soon.)

Guess What?

2010-03-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have a big hunt coming up. I can hardly wait.

Antlerless Elk Hunting 2009

2010-01-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

My last lucky tag drawn for the hunting year 2009 was for an antlerless elk on Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch, CWMU. Dax has worked on various elk projects there for several years in the past so I enticed {begged} him to come help his old dad and guide me on a fine hunt. We met in Bountiful, Utah on the evening of December 18, 2009 and had a good visit with my other son Rusty and his family. We had some fine food then when to sleep for a few short hours. Dax had arranged for us to be at the ranch at 7:00 a.m. I was driving up to the ranch via Evanston, Wyoming so we ended up leaving Bountiful at 5:30 a.m. and unfortunately with me driving -- arrived at the ranch at around 7:30 a.m. All the guides and hunters had already gone out hunting so we signed in at the guide shack and went for a look around the 250,000 acre ranch for just one antlerless elk. Dax drove us just about 3 minutes to the southwest along a main road and we saw a small antlerless elk running away from us down a road to the east. I think it was just a calf. We watched it for a few minutes and were pleased that there were still elk on the ranch. Dax said we could fill the tag and get some veal-elk. I said not now it is so early in the hunt. I thought I could see milk around its mouth from sucking on its mother. Maybe it was frost around the mouth as it was about 0º outside the truck. I didn't want to get out of the warm truck, stalk, shoot, track, clean, and get all that cold yet. It was only 8 a.m. and we had all day.

Dax drove us around many roads and locations where there were usually elk. I saw lots of snow and really cold things. We never got stuck in the snow but I am sure it was because of Dax's driving skills in the 18 inch deep snow here and there. We saw and photographed 5 bull moose. We saw many pronghorn antelope, and mule deer. We could not seem to find out where the elk were. We crossed the main elk traveled "highway" path at least 3 times yet we could not find the elk. Finally, around noon I said do you want a sandwich? Dax looked at me like I was never going to ask. He was starving. We drove to the top of a moderately tall mountain and I made some sandwiches with extra good bread, cheese, and best meat Dax had brought. He even brought me some Diet Coke. What a kid! He got out his spotting scope and proceeded to look around the ranch all the way to Wyoming for elk. I looked also between bites of sandwich and swigs of Diet Coke. I spotted 10 -12 head of elk at a distance of maybe 1 mile to the east of where we were. Dax moved the spotting scope over and said "good spot Dad, but they are all bulls." Sure enough at the distance I could tell they were elk with my binoculars but could not see the antlers. I looked through his spotting scope at around 50X and they were all trophy elk. I would be proud to harvest any of the big brutes but not today. Today I was a "Ladies Man" and going for an antlerless animal. We started to drive to the north off the peak of the mountain and down into some sagebrush rolling country. There were lots of small little coolies where elk could hide. Around 1 p.m. we finally found some of them.

Down in the rolling sage flats Dax said, "There they are!" Off to the west of us were a couple of rag-horn bulls, a spike, two calves, and 3 - 4 antlerless large animals. We stopped the truck and tried to get a better look with binoculars and I tried to get a range on them with my laser range finder. I could not get the range finder to read. Dax tried the range finder also without luck. I think we had earlier been looking over 1 mile away at animals so some elk "just" 400 - 500 yards way looked close. My range finder only reads animals to about 500 yards. I slipped out of the truck and turned my scope up to 20X to check out the elk. I could see a fine cow in the northern most lead position. I put the crosshairs on the upper part of its front leg and moved the safety off. I held my breath both to steady the shot and because of the cold. I pulled the trigger, boom, and it felt like a good shot. It hit low under the cow so I worked the bolt to reload and shot again with the same hold. I hit low again. My .300 Win. Mag. is sighted in to hit only 20" low at 500 yards so I easily could have been shooting under the cow elk. The elk could not see us very well and the wind was in our face so they didn't smell us. They started to run right toward us. I thought why not let them come right to the truck if they want to. At about 200 yards they saw us and stopped moving. Dax had put up his spotting scope and was watching and I tried another shot at the lead cow. I heard the "ploop" of the bullet striking the elk. Dax said "You shot it in the butt". I couldn't believe I did. I was a reasonable shot and had practiced just three days before with the rifle and the loads. I thought I was sighted in perfect. I was sick. I wanted the elk to drop from a heart shot. Not so. The cow laid down and had its head up. One of the rag horn bulls went over and stomped around it to make it move. Finally out of desperation he actually stomped on the laying cow. She didn't move so he ran off. Dax started to move over toward the downed cow from the south to make her run toward me if she got up. She didn't move so I started to sneak up on her straight on in the sage brush. I got to within 60 yards or so and shot her again, in the head. It was over. My original shot was a perfect double lung shot not the butt. Dax was just pulling my chain to get me worked up. He also told me to not shoot it in the backstrap when I was shooting for the head. {When I was prepping the hide to dry it I found the perfectly mushroomed bullet stuck in the hide on the far side of the elk.}

Dax and I took some photos and we went back to the truck to see if we could drive to nearer the downed elk. Dax found a gate and we drove to within 10 feet of the elk. He more or less cleaned the animal for me. He is such a help. We dragged her up the removed tailgate of the truck for a ramp. Dax drove us out to the ranch shack and we weighed her in at the scales. Then off to Bountiful. It was only around 3 p.m. Of course we had to stop at our favorite Mexican cafe in Evanston on the way home. We went in to the cafe with rifle cartridges on my belt loops and blood on our clothes but no problem in Evanston. We had great food and good service then home to Bountiful.

Dax had to head home to Roosevelt that evening. I imagine he was way tired. I went down to Rusty's house to show him the elk and see how they were all doing. I slept in the next morning and then took the elk to be processed. It was all-in-all a great hunt. I got to visit with both my boys and harvest an elk. We all look forward to the elk steaks and elk burgers to come this winter. I hope we can have some meals all together from this adventure.

More BISON photos

2009-12-06T20:51:00.001-07:00

BISON HUNT 2009

2009-11-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

BISON HUNT 2009

Drove to Roosevelt on Wednesday 11-11-2009 in the later part of the day. The journey was kind of an adventure in itself. Went to bed at 11:00 p.m. with a major league cold and cough. Hard and exciting night so sleep was a rare commodity. I was up at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday 11-12-2009 and on the road to Ft. Duchesne in time for a meeting with the Ute Indian Tribe guides at 7:00 a.m. The guides are all fellows in their early 20's and seem like real nice guys. They are Manny, Brandon, Jay and Coby. They drive two large heavy duty Ford pickup trucks. Manny and Brandon’s truck needs fuel and they go off for fuel. I drive my own truck following Jay and Coby in their truck for 2 ½ hours east on a fairly good dirt road out on the north slope Book Cliffs area of the reservation. We are hunting free ranging bison on the Ute Indian reservation. We end up on top of a mountain more or less at 9,000+ feet elevation. It is rather windy and cold. Real cold for a desert boy like me. I am sure the temperature was above zero but with the wind chill it seemed REAL COLD. We park the trucks and glass around. We spot some bison in a small valley to the west of the mountain peak we are on. Jay, Coby, my son and I start to stalk down through the quaking aspen and snow on the east side of the valley to get closer to the bison. The bison are laying in the sagebrush on the west side of the valley to rest and let the sagebrush break the wind storm some. As we get closer the bison see and/or wind us and start to stand up. They aren’t excessively disturbed for a few moments, just getting up and ready to move away.

NOTE: During this decent into the small valley I didn’t know if we were going to shoot or just look or scope the bison out or what. I didn’t bring my pack with extra clothes, food, water, knifes, rope, ammo., matches, camera and GPS. My son brought his camera and a hat for me and I am so glad.

When we get about 210 yards from the bison they start a meandering exit the valley to the north. The guide Jay, sets up some shooting sticks into a tripod configuration and tells me to shoot the most north of the bison. I verify with him which one and load up my .338 Win. Mag. I have one round in the chamber and three in the magazine. I turn the scope up to 9X and put the cross-hairs just behind the front shoulder of the bison now trotting to the north near the bottom of the little valley we are in. I constantly apply pressure to the trigger while keeping the cross-hairs on the vital spot. The rifle goes off and the distinct sound of a 225 grain Barnes triple shock bullet hitting hide, bone, and lungs is heard by all in the party. The bison just keeps jogging. I am told to shoot again. I do and we hear the slap of a hit again. I keep shooting and keep hitting the bison. My last shot is at the bison kind of hiding behind a larger sagebrush and I aim for the neck vertebrae just behind the head. The bison finally goes down.

I can’t believe how tough these big old beasts are. I am shooting a rather powerful rifle and have hit the bison in a definite mortal fashion but the animal didn’t go down. I have knocked elk over with one shot and large kudu and hartebeest also with one shot incorporating the exact same load in this very rifle. BISON ARE TOUGH. I reload my magazine with three rounds just in case.

There are handshakes from the guides and congratulations from my son. We are all happy about the size and prospect of the big beast finally harvested. We watch the bison for a few moments and pay our respects from a distance to a wonderful animal that has given us a hunting opportunity and now lots of excellent meat. As we ponder the magnitude of the animal at 210 yards the beast raises up on its front feet and starts to make way to the north again. Not able to use its hind feet it is slow and awkward but still moving. I take careful aim and fire again and again and again. Three more hits from a .338 Win. Mag. Am I shooting at a zombie bison? One more head shot and the cow with six lives goes down for good. I can’t believe it. I am usually a reasonable marksman. This rifle and these particular handloads have preformed well for me in the past on many animals. We walk down to the animal and I notice it has been shot 6 out of 7 times. One shot was a heart shot that hit too low having pierced the lower chest cavity but didn’t hit the heart. Other connecting shots were all reasonable for a serious injury or a kill but the bison didn’t think so. All projectiles completely passed through the bison.

We try to turn the animal for photos. NO WAY. It is so big and even with 5 men working on it we cannot move it. The guide guesses the animal weights around 1,000 to 1,100 pounds. It is sooooo large I can’t believe how massive it is. We take lots of photos as it lays. I am extra happy about how fine a bison it is. The best thing in my heart is that my son is here with me. We are both real grinny. He made it all possible. Thanks to him and his family for all they are to me and all they do for me.

Coby and Jay start the huge cleaning/gutting task. They each have about 4 knives and by the end of the ordeal all 8 or so of the knives are dull. Bison hide is tough and there is lots of it on this giant old beast. The gut pile is about the size of a Volkswagon beetle. As Jay removes the liver he tells me there is a Ute tradition that the successful hunter eats a piece of liver fresh from the animal. He cuts a small piece the size of a postage stamp and holds it out to me on his knife. YES, it is dripping blood and YES it is raw. I ask if he is tricking me and he just pokes the knife closer toward me. I take the liver and eat it. I doubt I would order this type of meat at a restaurant. My son asks me how it tasted and I said “kind of livery”.

It takes four men and about 2 hours to gut clean and quarter the bison. The guides are not wasting any time and they bring out a cordless saw-z-all to cut up the rib bones and quarter the animal up. We can’t carry the heavy quarters to the trucks so Jay drives one of the big old Fords down through the sagebrush over some real rough terrain to where we are. NO road – NO problem. It takes two men to lift a hind quarter into the truck. The hide and the head also take two men to lift into the truck. It is real cold now and the weather looks like some snow is going to blow in. We 4X4 hill climb out of the sagebrush and back to my truck. We load the meat, hide, and head and motate to a major fork in the road. Brandon and Manny are already there with the other big old Ford truck and we have some sodas, sandwiches, and chips on the tailgate for lunch at 2:30 p.m. Then my son and I start the 2 ½ hour drive back down the mountain off the reservation to the asphalt road and home. I can’t stop grinning. The pickup handles as if there is a moderate load in it, you know it’s just 500+ pounds of meat, a large hide and the head of a great beast in the bed of my truck.

Beauty, flat tire, and more Beauty !

2009-10-25T21:37:00.000-06:00

I AM A LADIES MAN 2, !!!

I went muzzle loader deer hunting in Washington county several days. I went to the north near Central and Pine Valley and saw no deer. I hunted in areas where we have harvested deer before and really expected to see something. NO WAY.

I later went several more days with my rifle and found the deer more or less. I found 28 head one afternoon. 26 were does and 2 were little spike bucks. The spikes had antlers long enough to be legal for harvest but they still had milk around their mouth from sucking their mothers. I just couldn’t shoot the little buggers. I think they need 3 more years to mature. Next time out I went to a "for sure" spot I discovered years ago. I got there and found deer "for sure" but they were 10 does the first day and 12 does the second day. I saw one little spike buck with the does the first day and his antlers were small enough that he wasn’t legal for harvest. He too had milk around his milk from sucking his mother.

I hiked some and took photos. I really enjoyed my time in nature. It is so calming and the air is just that much more clean. I got a bit sunburned and that’s great for deer hunt time. I have pals up north that put up with rain, mud, and snow. I put up with no sunscreen. {Actually, I didn’t want the scent to alert the deer so I didn’t use any sunscreen.}

Yes, I am a Ladies Man. I can really attract the female deer and elk. Guess what? I have a cow elk tag for December. I hope I still have the animal attraction factor when I go to fill that tag. I’ll let you know. {I must have had lots of fun as I had 3 flat tires while deer hunting. Two stones through the tread and one sidewall slice. You know what I mean? Even the Super Trooper got a flat tire!}

LADIES MAN !!!

2009-10-25T21:29:00.000-06:00

I AM A LADIES MAN !!!

The first week in October I went elk hunting in the Unitah mountains and really looked forward to seeing at least one little spike. I really believe the spikes cook up the best on the "barbie" but alas I all I could get within eyeball range of was 7 fine looking cow elk. They came into a high mountain meadow just around sundown and I was hidden in the trees completely upwind from them. They didn’t even know I was in the county. I watched them for 45 minutes or so as they grazed on the grasses within 150 yards of me. I just knew at any minute a little cousin bull or even a brute macho bull elk would come out to join the girls as they bulked up munching grass for the upcoming winter. No way amigo. The girls came and mowed the grass with four legged combine efficiency then wandered back into the forest timbers and never even bothered to wave or casually snort at me. It was amazing to be that close to 7 fine animals. I just wish I could have seen a bull with them.

I was camping with my son for the first night and we had a great time together. He helped me find likely spots to look for elk. He had to go back to work so I stayed on alone. Guess what, it was the Unitah mountains at 9,700 + and it snowed. Not a light pretty snow, not a mere dusting of white powder, it was a real snow storm. I am a desert guy and the white stuff scared me to think I might be up there for the entire winter. I was worried I would not be able to get my camper out of the mountains so I packed up and came home. Yes, I was in 4-wheel drive most of the way out of the mountains.

I returned to Washington County and home. I went camping again looking for elk on the Utah - Nevada boarder in northwest Washington county. I saw tracks, sign, and lots of coyotes but no elk. I think they are in the area but hang around later in the year.

All in all, I had a great time hunting elk. I camped with my son, saw my daughter-in-law and the grandkids in Roosevelt. I camped in the mountains and the desert and hiked around some looking for the bull elk. No I didn’t harvest but I had a great time.

Deer Hunt 2009

2009-09-24T13:26:00.000-06:00

Deer hunt 2009 has started. Wednesday 9-23-09 was the opening day of muzzle loader season. I went out and saw a lone doe, and a doe with two fawns, and as I walked back the "Forever trooper II*" at sundown I saw another doe with two fawns. I think the deer looked healthy and seemed to have lots to eat around the mountain. Just no bucks to be seen. I think the bucks are still up high even though I was at 7,900 feet above sea level according to my GPS.

I feel so limited with a muzzle loader. My .54 cal. Hawkin style muzzle loader can only shoot 100 yards +/- and with my bifocal glasses I can only see clearly between 20 and 80 yards. Closer than 20 yards and more than 80 yards I have to rely on "the FORCE" to help me with targeting. I promise to not wound as many deer as the archery hunters. If I can't make a clean shot I won't take one. Besides it takes about 3 - 4 minutes to reload for me.

*check out the photo of the "Forever Trooper II" This red rocket raider is just perfect for a hunting car. I really only drive it about 300 miles a year and all the miles are going hunting or going to the dump with a trailer full of trash. NO, IT'S NOT FOR SALE so don't get any ideas. Pres. Obama wanted to sucker me in with a $4,500 cash for clunkers deal but he didn't get me.

Medical Leave

2009-08-08T19:05:00.000-06:00

SORRY, for not much news on the blog. I have been a little sick and now feel I am getting better everyday. I was in the Timpanogos Hospital last week for treatment on my heart. I was talking to my nurse, Trevor, before my procedure and mentioned I had only drawn an antelope tag in Wyoming last year {2008} and yet had time and reasonable health to hunt lots that fall. This year I am kind of sick and drew 1. a Utah southern region mule deer buck tag for late October, 2. a Utah any bull elk tag for early October, 3. a Utah cow elk tag on Deseret Land and Livestock for December, and 4. my son had procured me a Ute indian tribe cow bison tag for November. I needed to be better for the fall hunts! I think we will have lots of meat for the freezer this fall. I hope to get some real brontosaurus size ribs for the barbie from the elk and the bison. I am feeling better everyday. I hope to start target shooting in September to get practiced up. The Goddess Diana maybe is smiling on me some this year? !!

STILL MORE CHIZZLERS

2009-04-21T22:47:00.000-06:00

CHIZZLER SEASON IS ON !!! Bounty Hunter 6 has been so convincing I have neglected home, work, family, and other hobbies and gone chizzler hunting several times over the last few weeks. We have had super success most days. Bounty Hunter 6 has fired about 2,200 rounds out of his new Ruger KM77/17 rifle in the last few weeks. He had one day last week when I was absolutely forced to work where he fired 598 rounds in one day all by himself. He usually connects with about 80% of his targets so that is roughly ?? -- a whole lot of dead varmints in one day {480}. The crows and ravens came to do their job as Nature's Undertakers and probably couldn't fly away being so stuffed with chizzler meat. It would be interesting to see crows and ravens waddling around an alfalfa field with pot bellies and unable to fly. Maybe they would look like black ducks or something? The farmers are really grateful for our efforts. I have attached some photos from our trip to Beryl today. We shot for just about 2.5 hours and harvested about 300 chizzlers. Check out the lactating mammal photo.

It doesn't get much better than this !!!

2009-03-25T18:20:00.000-06:00

Bounty Hunter 6 and I went to one of our favorite chizzler harvesting spots this morning in Iron County, Utah. It was a bit cold and somewhat windy but the chizzlers were out in force. The alfalfa on the farm was still in a semi-hibernation state so it was just 3/4" tall which means -- no cover for the chizzlers. Bounty Hunter 6 had a new Ruger KM77/17 .17HMR caliber rifle he was trying out for the first time. Crap-o-matic the little .17HMR really did a number on 100+ little varmints. He was shooting as fast as he could load clips. He had two nine round clips and the only pause in the shooting was to reload. I had my usual .22-250 heavy barrel and a .22 L.R. for the sappers. I think I ended the grazing future of maybe 60 critters or so. All-in-all we had an excellent hunt for about 3 hours. The farmer who owned the field was so pleased he drove out to where we were shooting to personally thank us. This was one of those days that will be remembered for a long time. Check out the photos.

CHIZZLERS ARE OUT ! ! !

2009-03-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

I know March 3rd is a bit early to go to Beryl and hunt for Chizzlers. It has been over 75º in the neighborhood so I figured it was warm enough for the little critters to be out up there. Bounty Hunter 6 went up on a scouting mission yesterday with good sightings -- so today we went on safari. We arrived in a mild to less-than-mild hurricane wind but still set up the squirrel-o-matics and went to work saving agriculture. Oh it is so fun to blow up little varmints with .22-250 rifle rounds at distance. I, of course, also had my .22 L.R. also ready for action incase of "sappers" and there were a few "sappers" that needed a 40 gr. h.p. round in the worst way. {I wonder if they get 40 virgin chizzlers in the bossom of alfalfa?} I look forward to a long and fulfilling spring season helping American agriculture. I'll keep the photos coming as I can.

Antelope in Wyoming 2008

2008-12-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

My son convinced me to put in for the Wyoming buck antelope draw. I put in with him in Febuary and more or less forgot about it. Guess-what? We both drew tags! I am sure my son's bonus points put me in the running for a tag and I really appreciate his help and sacrifice.

By the time Fall rolled around we had very little time to hunt as we were in the heat of building his new house. We didn't get to go up for the opening of the hunt in September. We were so busy framing the house we couldn't get away even for just a few days. Late in October, like the 27th, we crept out of Roosevelt, Utah and drove up to Pinedale, Wyoming arriving after 9 p.m. (extra dark) I had my little pop-up camp trailer behind my truck and we followed a dirt road as outlined on a BLM map way after dark and camped on a flat spot just off the road we found.

In the morning we awoke camped on top of a small plateau. We had a good view of the country for several miles in every direction. We drove about one mile to the top of another plateau to the west at 7:45 a.m. From this new vantage point we could see some 10 - 12 antelope further west and a bit north of our location maybe one - two miles away. Dax had his high powered spotting scope with him and he zoomed in to see if there were bucks in the small herd. There were, so we made a plan to drive about 3/4 of a mile toward them and then stalk up to within shooting range.

We parked the truck and walked as quiet as possible toward where the antelope were last seen while keeping down in the little ravines and ducking below the sagebrush. At one point we were within about 450 yards of the herd who had not seen us yet. Dax wanted to get closer. We had to actually belly crawl on the dirt for about 80 yards over the top of a small hill to the next ravine to stay out of the line of sight of the antelope. Dax was anxious to get closer and decide if the bucks were "shooters". We got over the rise on our bellies and then were down in a ravine again. We walked silently but quickly toward the antelope. As we rose up the next hill and out of the ravine we were hidden in we could see the antelope and they didn't know we were watching them. Several were still laying down from their night's rest. I raised my binoculars to evaluate the bucks. There were two small bucks and one fairly large older one. I was looking through my binoculars and said in a quiet voice "the one on the right is a shooter". No sooner had I said "shooter" than Dax's .30-06 rang out loud and clear. He was not looking through his binoculars he was looking through his 9X scope setting. I heard the telltale "ploop" as the bullet hit the largest buck antelope in the chest. He stood up weakly and then gave himself the last rites and fell over dead. It was a 204 yard shot according to my range finder. Ya-hoo! We got one. The other antelope were so surprised they only ran about 75 yards away and stopped to look back at us. We were still laying down hidden by the sage and they really couldn't see us even after the shot.

We walked up to the antelope and took photos and I congratulated Dax on the stalk and the excellent shot. I went back to get the truck and drive to as close as possible to the downed antelope. I wandered around looking for the truck for about half an hour and then walked back to the downed antelope and Dax and told him I couldn't find the truck. He said he knew where it was and went to get it. Yes, I was looking way foolish to have lost my whole pickup truck. I waited near the downed antelope and in about 15 minutes or so there appeared on the horizon my Chevy Silverado. Dax was so kind to not make too much fun of me for loosing my truck. We took photos and loaded up the meat and trophy. We went looking for some snow to store the meat in and keep it cold. NO PROBLEM on the shady side of a low peak we drove up and tied the meat in a tree just out of coyote reach. We returned to camp to eat and relax before the next adventure. We picke up the cold meat before heading home.

Later that afternoon we found a herd of about 20 antelope about 3 miles east of our camp. We tried to figure a way to get close enough to glass them but they were skittish. They had seen us and were constantly smelling the wind and watching for us. We decided to come back tomorrow.

Next morning we went on a big circle drive to the west and saw some antelope. We parked in a valley made an excellent stalk with the wind in our face and keeping low to not be seen. As we finally raised up over the sagebrush hills to evaluate our prey we noticed the animals were all does. We watched for awhile hoping the girls would attract a buck or two but no luck. We stood up and scared the bee-geebers out of the girls. The antelope ran off to the east as fast as their legs could carry them. We went back to the trailer for a camping lunch.

We went for a drive to the east side of our area after lunch. We parked the truck near the asphalt road. {I marked the location on my GPS.} We started a stalk to where the large herd of antelope were the day before. We didn't know where they were exactly but we knew they were in a long north to south running valley 3/4ths of a mile east of where we parked. Dax kept us low and into the wind. We walked a long way it seemed. Finally, we spotted the herd. They were laying about chewing their cud and sleeping out in the flats of the valley. They had no idea we were near. Dax got me to belly crawl again for about 50 yards at the top of a hill over looking the valley. We seemed to not be able to get any closer without exposing ourselves to the antelope. I put up my bi-pod and started to scope out the animals. I saw a maure buck some distance out at 2 o'clock. Dax saw another buck about the same distance at around 11 o'clock. I was setting my scope and targeting on the 2 o'clock buck and Dax told me to wait. We both had dropped our packs for the belly crawl. He belly crawled backwards to the packs and got his 40X spotting scope. He crawled back and we glassed the animals for a good 20 minutes. I had a great angle on the 2 o'clock buck still and was looking at targeting him through my scope. Dax asked if I could get a clear shot at the 11 o'clock buck and I said "yes if I move 2 yards over to the west." He asked what power my scope was on and I said it was on 14X, maximum. He said "trust me, I have a 40X spotting scope and the 11 o'clock buck is better." It was finally the time in life when the son tells the father what to do -- I wiggled over about 2 yards to the west and re-targeted to the 11 o'clock buck laying in the flats. I could tell he was a buck but due to the angle of the sun I couldn't tell if he were even as large as the 2 o'clock buck. I took Dax's word for everything and held the crosshair of my second stadia line on the far right side of the buck as the wind was blowing from right to left and I though he was more than 300 yards out. Of course my lazer range finder was 50 yards of backwards belly crawl behind me. I had lots of time to make the shot. I held my breath and gently squeezed the trigger. Boom! The bullet hit the antelope in the lower chest area and through the heart. He stood up as did all the 20+ others with him and they ran to the east. The mortally wounded buck only walked a few yards to the east and I cycled the bolt and shot again with the same hold. Boom again and he went down for good.

We stood up and walked over to the antelope. I was about 460 paces. I marked the shooting spot with my GPS and again at the downed antelope again. I calculated the distance to be about 440 yards. I thought the hours of shooting practice in Santa Clara had paid off. Both bullets were with in 3 inches of each other and both were mortal wounds. Antelope are tough so I don't feel two shots from a .30-06 is excessive. Dax and I took some photos and I went to get the truck and drive as close as I could. I got out my GPS and headed directly to the truck thanks to modern technology. We had to carry the meat and trophy a short distance but not too far.

Our animals were similar in size and maturity. They scored in the mid 60" range. I thought they were excellent. I really had a great time with Dax over the 3 days we escaped to hunt. The father and son time is great. I hope some day soon my other son can come and even though he is not a hunter, perhaps he could scout and video for us.

Utah Deer Hunt 2008

2008-12-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

The Utah deer hunt proved to be a real hunt. I didn't see many bucks and the ones I did see were so young I just couldn't bring myself to shoot at them. On the last day I saw an 18" 3X3 and thought about shooting but he will be much better next year. It was tempting as he was about 30 yards from a road and could have driven almost to him. But, still ... no shot. I had a great time hiking around looking for something larger than Bambi. I really enjoy the experience of getting out in nature and hiking around with a rifle, some snacks, and the tag that allows me to harvest a deer if I want to. I had a great time and will do it again when I can.

Chizzlers vs. the Supreme Commander

2008-06-04T22:48:00.000-06:00

CHIZZLERS beware. I brought the Supreme Commander with me to Beryl on 6-4-08 and went after chizzlers with .22 L.R.'s. She got the hang of our duty to preserve agriculture pretty fast and soon I was hearing the familiar shout "I got one!" -- over and over and over again. We shot for about two hours and she did really well. I think she saved at least two or three bales of hay that afternoon. Just as the wind started to pick up we decided to go home. I took the trophies photo just as the wind was blowing her hat off, lucky picture I guess, it sure wasn't planned.

CHIZZLERS

2008-05-29T21:08:00.000-06:00

I have been working on a construction job in Central the last while. I take my rifle with me to work and when I get the fellows going on the project I run on up to Beryl for some CHIZZLER hunting. On May 29, 2008 I took two bolt action .22's. One has a 5-shot clip feed with a 4-16X 40mm scope and the other has a tube feed that holds 18 rounds and has a 6-24X 40mm scope. I asked the farmer, Dave, where to go to hunt the little crop robbers. He told me a spot that proved to be magic. I set up my squirrel-o-matic in the back of my pickup and started to shoot the critters at around 11:00 a.m. I actually shot as fast as I could load my rifles. I went through over 400 rounds of .22 L.R. ammo before 1:30 p.m. My shots were at a distance of from 20 yards to around 110 yards with the majority at 40 - 50 yards. I hit probably 50% of the time, maybe more! Near the end, I had the range dialed in with one scope on 16X and the other at 20X. I knew where to hold and all I did was adjust the A.O. for the sharpest focus on the varmints. I ran through several sessions with 5 out of 5 or 10 out of 10 hits in the last hour of hunting. Bounty Hunter 6 missed this one, too bad old pal. The various hunters had not taped this area before. I had brought my .243 Win. but didn't even get it out of the case as the shooting was so fast with the .22's. In 2 1/2 hours I shot over 200 chizzlers. It was amazing. The farmer thanked me for my efforts to preserve his crops.

Turkey Hunting 2008

2008-05-09T00:33:00.000-06:00

What a great hunt ! My son and I drew Utah southern region turkey tags and he came over to hunt with me the first week of May. He had harvested a turkey before, but this was my first time. I bought some turkey loads for my 12 gauge. I patterned the shotgun at 30 and 40 yards and knew it shot a bit to the right. I needed to hold one bead to the left for a center hit on the head region of the gobbler head/neck target. I already had a camo jacket and hat and could wear my camo facemask from coyote hunting. I bought a boxcall and my son showed me how to use it more or less. I am not much of a caller – yet. I want to practice and get a real "sexy" turkey voice for the gobblers in the future.

You have to hunt turkeys to know the thrill of the calling, the replys, and the anticipation of harvesting a turkey. We spotted a flock of maybe 10 turkeys near the lake shore eating and scratching about 6:30 p.m. We tried to make a plan to get close enough to get a shot at one. I went into the ponderosa pine trees north and west maybe 400 yards from the turkeys and my son went to the south and west about 350 yards among some real big rocks also in the ponderosa pines. The turkeys were gradually feed toward me into the roosting trees. My son was calling a soft call to encourage the turkeys to come into the trees and an ambush. I was hiding in some fairly dense pinion pines and sagebrush when the turkeys came within range. I was kneeling down and holding perfectly still. I was even holding my breath as the turkeys fed to within 25 yards +/- of me. I waited until they were eating or had their heads down to raise my shotgun. I held on the jake’s head but couldn’t shoot as there were too many other turkeys bunched together and way too near. Finally, the flock moved off a little to the south and left the lone jake staring at me. He would move his head up and down trying to change the angle of his sight on me. He would move his head all around to see me, I just kept perfectly still and hoped my camo would work as it was supposed to. The jake would look at my shape knowing only I was a rather odd shaped and ugly pinion pine tree. I waited until all the other turkeys were clear and shot one bead to the left. He went flop-flop-flop just like on the hunting channel shows. Ya - hoo! I just harvested my first turkey.

With the report of my shot the flock of turkeys ran off to the south and my son called with is boxcall some to encourage them to come to him. I waited for a 3 or 4 minutes which seemed like forever. I thought I should not pursue the turkeys too fast to push them into my son’s position as they might scatter. I figured he would get a shot or come see what I had going on verses my shot. I just stood there waiting for what seemed like an extra long time and finally I heard a shot. With the tall trees and the rain just starting the shot sounded far away or even as if it were indoors. I walked slowly toward the shot watching in the direction of the sound and saw a turkey fly through a little clearing in the ponderosa pines onto a large rock, maybe the size of a pickup truck, and land rather unsteadily. Another shotgun blast echoed through the forest canopy and the tipsy turkey rolled off the rock and flop-flop-flop feathers floated up in the wind from west to east.

BOTH MY SON AND I HARVESTED TURKEYS FROM THE SAME FLOCK ! This had been a wonderful day. We scouted around in various areas, hiked and looked for sign and likely spots to hunt. We called and listen all day together. We had a picnic lunch and had a great time together as fathers and sons can only do. When your son has a wife, 3 kids, and a full time job it is a rare occasion when he can spend so much time with his good old dad. Turkey or no turkey we had a great time together all day and when we both got to harvest our birds it was the ending of really a perfect day. I won’t ever forget my first turkey hunt.

Hunting Anyone?

2008-04-08T06:24:00.000-06:00

Work gets in the way of having fun. However, I have been taking my varmint rifle and my pal, Bounty Hunter 6, to work with me. I check on work things then go 20 miles further north to hunt chizzlers in Beryl, Utah. Bounty Hunter 6 has several friends who are farming large tracts of alfalfa in Beryl. Chizzlers are large ground squirrels that eat lots of the farmer's hay. The farmers cannot seem to get them out of the alfalfa fields so ... I have been trying hard -- to do my best to do my duty and send them to the alfalfa field in the sky.

On several of the work/hunting trips we have forwarded over 150 little critters each time to the "next level" in just one 3 - 4 hour session.

We have been using .223 Rem. and .22-250 for long range calibers on shots of 125 yards out to 400+. Close in, less than 125 yards, the .22 L.R., .22 Magnum, and Bounty Hunter 6's .17 HMR

are effective as can be.

Good binoculars, a range finder, some water, some snacks, and a hat. Pretty easy set up. If it gets too windy, or too cold or too hot the chizzlers go down their holes and wait out the weather. I just head home. Real Gentleman's hunting I'd say.

ADL remodeled

2008-02-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

These are the photos of the rifle after some 10 hours of work. I think the stock doesn't show how fine the wood is, but what the heck? This is the most beautiful piece of wood I have personally ever worked on.

The Best Hobby

2008-02-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a Remington 700 ADL rifle in .30-06 caliber. I guess it is about 25 years old. It has been used but not necessarily abused. I am in the process of re-doing the rifle. I will attach some photos of the "before" rifle now and add some "after" photos when I get it completely restored. Basically, the rifle needs the copper fouling taken out of the bore, the blueing touched up, the stock stripped and re-finished, the trigger turned down to 2 1/2 pounds from 8 pounds of pull, and a recoil pad installed for the .30-06 caliber kicker. I think the wood in the stock is exceptional. As I have sanded it down and exposed the fiddleback and grain I have been really impressed. I hope I can do the re-finished stock justice with my limited photographic skills.

Hunter Education

2008-01-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have had over 500 students in Hunter Education over the years. I just finished two classes of Utah Hunter Education. 40 of my 41 students passed the course. There seems to be more and more girls and women as a percentage in the classes every year. I am glad for the interest from females. Even if women don't hunt much they will have husbands and children who do hunt and being versed in the safety procedures of hunting and shooting is valuable.

I really like to get these younger kids going in their hunting career. They are the future of my favorite sport.

Trophy Jackrabbits

2007-12-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

BIG GAME season is over. How is a guy to stay sharp on his high power rifle shooting skills? Bounty Hunter 6, Kenny, and I went jackrabbit hunting in the northwest desert the other day. I was shooting my mule deer rifle, a Ruger .30-06 light weight with a 4.5-14X 42mm scope. Bounty Hunter 6 was shooting a Winchester Model 70 in .223 with a 6-18X 40mm scope. We shot several jackrabbits each and I took these trophies. I have them hanging to dry in my garage and will mount them for display in my office one of these days. {Maybe I will just use them to scare the crap out of the Supreme Commander pretending they are mice that got into our house.} I can honestly inform everyone – a .30-06 rifle with a 130 grain bullet is a big enough gun to take jackrabbits to the next level. We both wore ear protection while hunting and so after firing about 20 rounds each we could still hear. We would walk through the sagebrush and jump up jackrabbits. The rabbits had been hunted lots in the area and would run quick when we were walking. The rabbits would run about 80 -125 yards and stop and look back to see if we were still in pursuit. I shot at several while I was way excited and didn’t settle down on the target and concentrate on breathing and trigger control. After about 10 misses Bounty Hunter 6 was laughing so hard at me he couldn’t hit the jackrabbits either. We had a serious planning session out in the sage dunes and I decided to not miss so much any more. I was getting low on ammo. We ended out the morning really doing pretty well. It was good fun with my amigo and good high power practice.

DEER 2007

2007-10-26T21:31:00.000-06:00

It was the last day of the season and I had hiked about 1.4 miles from my truck according to my GPS. It seems the deer know when they are far enough away from the roads and trucks and 4-wheelers that convey the local hunters. It was 1:30 p.m. and I sat down under a large pinion pine tree on a rock and prepared my MRE lunch. I was glassing around the little canyons below me abit when I saw a doe and fawn sleeping about 200 yards away. I took a photo and ate some peanut butter and jelly on crackers. As I watched the doe and fawn a three pointer walked out and started to feed around in the small meadow below about 30 yards from the doe and fawn. I watched for a few minutes while eating my lunch. I took a photo of the buck. I looked at him several times between bites and finally decided to look at him through my scope. I ranged him with my laser ranger finder at 206 yards. I was looking through my scope and thought how my sons both wanted deer meat or any meat for that reason. I decided to shoot the 3 point. I settled on the point behind the front shoulder and put off the safety. Boom, and it was work time. I finished my lunch and cleaned up my mess to not litter then went down to clean my deer and drag it to a powerline road about .4 mile to the west. The rest is history and in the freezer.

2007-10-02T07:41:00.000-06:00

Big Game ??

2007-09-11T21:09:00.000-06:00

Big Game hunting is right around the corner. I took this trophy bat with one shot from a Blue Streak .22 cal. pellet gun at about 10 yards. He dropped on the spot. {I am so looking forward to the muzzle loader deer hunt and the rifle deer hunt in October - real "big game".} If you want the uncensored photo let me know I'll e-mail it to you on a case by case basis.

Hunting Rockies

2007-08-20T11:57:00.000-06:00

The Supreme Commander and I went on a picnic in Cedar Canyon. While there we just watched with binoculars a large volcanic rock pile for rockchucks to come out. When the Supreme Commander was quiet enough, some started coming out to sun themselves on the warm afternoon. She got all excited and wanted me to shoot one. I picked a fairly large old boy and had to make a brain shot to stop him from going back down his cave. He had to be stopped instantly or he would get back down in the rocks. I was only shooting a .22 magnum at a distance of about 104 yards. I got lucky and nailed him on the first shot. He just slumped over and didn't move an inch. I have lots of respect for the Savage M93 .22 magnum. It is accurate and hits plenty hard within 150 yards or so on smaller varmints.

AFRICA TRIP

2007-08-05T22:39:00.000-06:00

Hola Amigos,
I wanted to show you some photos from my recent 11 day trip to Namibia in the southern end of Africa. I really had a great time and I feel lucky to have succeed as well as I did. I used a Ruger KM77R II in .338 Win Mag caliber to harvest all these animals. I used a Barnes 225 gr. Triple-Shock bullets with good success. Oryx (Gemsbuck) seemed the hardest to put down of all the animals I hunted. The animals were shot at distances from 150 to 397 yards. All bullets completely passed through the animals except for the Oryx, one bullet was lodged against the skin on the far side. All animals were dispatched with one shot except the Oryx, it took two shots in the chest at about 350 yards.

2007-07-26T19:37:00.000-06:00

Hello and buenos dias, I appreciate you taking the time to look at this information. Let me know if there are things you would like to know about in relation to shooting, reloading, and hunting. I have some experience in these fields and have friends with lots of history in the sport. Best of luck and remember a moderate hit is lots more effective than a high powered miss.