SOMETIMES I WOULD RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD

This takes place on public land in the great state of Idaho in September in an area that I have been hunting in for over twenty years. This area has been very good to me and my family.

In the 2017 season I was hunting with my two sons Bryan and James. I bugled a 350 bull in and Bryan placed a perfect shot on this magnificent bull. The days following Bryan’s Harvest we saw a couple of very nice bulls.

Unfortunately we ended the season with just the one harvest, but with high hopes for the 2018 season.

The summer of 2018 was very dry. We had a couple of nasty lightning storms with one of them striking the ground near our hunting grounds. All of the roads leading into the area were closed in fear of more fires.

We watched the news as the fire approached and then started burning our hunting area. All of our hopes and dreams for the 2018 season started to diminish as hundreds of aches turned into charred forest.

The fires were still burning as the hunting season was fast approaching. We feared that our season was going to be a total loss. We watched the news and two days before season they opened the roads.

The three of us decided to see what was left of our hunting area and if there were any elk left. We hauled our camp up to our camping spot and setup for the next two weeks. From camp things did not look too bad but the first trip into what used to be big timber was downright disappointing.

The areas that we loved to hunt were almost gone and there were still fires burning on some of the ridges. We walked around for two days looking in the small pockets of trees that were left for sign but found nothing.

We had to change our way of hunting and explore areas that had not been burnt. We did find a small herd of elk close to area that had been burnt and started focusing on them. By the end of the first week we had only heard a few elk bugle and our hopes for a harvest were falling fast.

Bryan and James were going to have to leave and I still had a week of vacation. I was planning to stay. The boys did not want me to stay and hunt by myself so Bryan made a few calls and decided to stay for the last week.

 

The next few days would turn out to be very promising. Bryan and I walked many miles and heard bulls bugling but always on the other side of the canyons. We did find  a small draw that had some wallows in it.

I knew this draw well. I had taken a big 6×6 off of one of the wallows 5 years before. We approached the draw from downwind and worked our way to within 100 yards. We saw plenty of sign but were not sure any elk were in the area.

We set up and I started to softly cow call. The whole draw seemed to explode with bugles. It was hard to tell if it was one bull or two. I kept cow calling and the bull, or bulls, kept screaming.

They didn’t seem to be moving so I asked Bryan to see if he could stalk close enough to get a shot and I would stay and call. Just as Bryan got about 50 yards closer the elk sounded like they were moving to our right.

Bryan started moving in that direction. We could hear brush braking to our right then I could see Bryan switch directions and start coming in my way. I was not sure what he was doing because I could hear something to the right.

I saw Bryan squat down and draw back aiming in front of me. I was so focused on the sound to my right  I had not seen a spike bull right in front of me. Bryan was at full draw and the bull was looking in my direction so I let out a soft cow call hoping to pull him threw a small patch of brush giving Bryan a shot. It worked.

The bull stepped forward and I heard the arrow flying then a loud whack. The bull trotted away and bugled. I couldn’t believe Bryan had missed. The bull was not done and started looking for the cow he had heard.

He was coming in faster this time to my left. I got ready and looked in Bryan’s direction. He had came down the draw and was approaching me. He sneaked right past me and to my left, between me and the spike. I could see the spike and Bryan.

They were about 30 yards apart. The spike started screaming, I’m sure looking for the cow. The spike continued moving to our left and I could see another bull just in front of him. It was a much bigger bull but I could not see all the antlers.

It was a branched antlered bull and he was approaching me right between Bryan and I. I was sure this was going to be a good one. The spike bulged again then the bigger bull bugled and they both walked to our left out of sight.

Bryan came to my location and explained he had hit a branch and his arrow deflected, missing the spike. What a fun experience that was. The walk back to camp was a steep climb and when we got to the top of the ridge we could hear the bulls bugling across the canyon.

We decided we would hunt them in the morning.

 

The morning started out with a long drive to the side of the canyon where we had heard the bulls the night before. We started walking before it got light so we could be in position as the sun came up.

We were about a mile down the canyon and waiting for light when we heard our first bugle. The bugle sounded like it was deep in the canyon so we started walking and listening, trying to get in position for a stalk.

We ended up in the very bottom of the canyon and the elk ended up back where we had seen them the day before. It was getting later in the day and we had to make a decision whether we should go after the elk or walked back to where we had the truck parked.

We decided that camp was closer than the truck and would walk in that direction. All the way up the canyon heading to camp we did not hear another bugle. The hike was steep and I was tired and ready to be done for the day.

We were approaching the top of the ridge, about 500 yards from camp, when I saw movement ahead of me. It was a small herd of elk and the closest to me was a branched antlered bull. I got an arrow knocked and started to draw.

I heard Bryan say dad he is 40 yards then the bull walked behind a tree. I went into what Bryan called beast mode and started creeping up the trail at full draw. Every time I would get ready to release the bull would go behind another tree.

I crept up the trail getting closer to the bull. I was now at 30 yards and he presented me with a perfect shot. I released and heard a loud smack almost the same as the day before when Bryan had hit a branch.

My heart stopped, and all the thoughts flew thru my mind. Did just hit a branch? I turned to Bryan and he was about 20 yards down the trail where we had first seen the elk. I waved him to me and he asked me if I had hit him.

I said I was not sure and it sounded like when he had hit the branch. We decided to sit and give it 30 minutes before approaching where the bull was when I shot. The time seamed to drag on and it started to get darker as the sun started to go down behind the mountains.

We decided to go look and see if we could find any blood, or my arrow. As we approached were the bull was standing I saw a patch of blood on the ground and I started to get excited.

As we looked closer Bryan said, “Dad look”, and held up half my arrow dripping with blood. The light was fading fast and we decided to go back to camp and I would come back at first light and start the tracking process.

As we walked the 500 yards back to camp I played the hunt over and over in my head. I could not wait to recover my bull. Bryan made arrangements for a friend of his that lived in the area to come up in the morning to help us with the pack.

 

The morning came and I was ready to go. Bryan’s buddy had called and said he was running a little late so we decided I would go and start the tracking and he would wait for his buddy. I was walking fast down to where the bull was and I was about 50 yards from where I had shot the bull when I heard a branch snap.

It was not quite light yet so I stopped to listen. There it was again. Another branch breaking. I was not sure what it was. Was it a wolf on my elk or a bear? I decided I had better wait until I could see.

As I waited I could hear something walking around in the area where the bull should be. When the light filled the area I could see movement. It was elk. They were feeding in the same area. I watched and strained my eyes but all I could see were cows.

As it got lighter I heard a bull further down the canyon bugle. Now my mind was racing. Was that the bull I had shot? I waited for about 20 minutes, allowed all the cows to leave the area, and went to where we had found the blood the night before.

I found more blood and it was headed in the direction of the bugle. My heart was pounding as I followed the blood trail for about 30 yards. I stopped to look around and there, right in front of me, on the far side of a log I could see an antler sticking up.

My heart started racing as I walked up to find a nice 4×4 bull. As I sat on the log looking at this magnificent animal I couldn’t help but think of all the miles we had walked just to harvest a bull right behind camp.

Giving thanks to the LORD for filling my freezer for another year and being able to spend time with the boys in the woods, I couldn’t hold back the tears.

You know, sometimes I would rather be lucky than good.

Always blessed.

Wishing you a great upcoming season.

 

8 Winter and Spring tips for Fall Hunting

Reminisce – I would say nearly every hunter loves to sit around and talk about past seasons. I know we do. This is one of the times that people miss a huge opportunity. Talking about your hunting season with your group, peers, friends, strangers, or whoever else you share stories with is a great opportunity to gather useful information as well as share incredible memories. One of the best ways to get this valuable info is to ask the right questions. What did you see that you didn’t get a shot at? Could you tell if there was a group of animals? Did you see any wolf tracks? (wolves will affect your season drastically) How many animals were taken in that area?

All of those questions can provide you with some powerful ammunition going into your following year.

Shed Hunting – This is definitely something I would like to get out and do more of. You probably don’t even realize how valuable the information you can gather from shed hunting can be. The best information you can get from shed hunting is knowing what animals made it through the previous hunting season. If you can find a fresh shed then you know 2 things. That animal made it through alive and how big that animal was. Finding multiple sheds in the same area can also give you an idea of how many animals are in that area. Obviously animals move around some between seasons and that is where knowing the habits of the animals you are hunting will come in handy.

Stay In Shape – If anyone out there is like me this was something I would start thinking about in June to prepare for the late August hunt. Year after year I would tell myself that I need to start thinking about getting in shape much earlier in the year. Think about what you will be doing during your season and tailor your exercise to those needs. You should also take into consideration things you may have to do in case of an emergency.

Practice – If you are like me this is much easier said than done. Between work, kids, spouse, and whatever else keeps me busy it is nearly impossible to find time to get out and shoot my bow and rifle. Even if I wanted to, the places I normally go to shoot are buried in 2-3 feet of snow for at least a couple months. So what can you do in January thru March to make this doable? I’m glad you asked. This is something that should fall into your exercise plan. Get those draw muscles active in the off season. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is to keep a 25 lb weight under your bed. When you lay down for bed ( a few days a week) you can lay on your side and pull that weight across your chest like you are drawing your bow. Don’t just draw the weight but hold it. Pretend you are waiting for that trophy to get in a shooting lane or stop looking at you and turn slightly away to open up that kill zone. After 3 reps of 5 you are gonna feel it but I guarantee you will notice a difference when you go to pull back your bow for the first time that season.

One thing that drives my wife crazy is me walking around the house with a reed in my mouth, practicing calls in the middle of February. She expects it in July and August but when you hear it year round it gets old. I learned my lesson and gave her a break but I will still pick up my calls and pretend to call in a big bull once or twice a month.

Scouting – This is obviously a “no brainer” to be something important but there have been years that my scouting season was only a couple days before opening day, or so I thought. Looking back I realize that I was already scouting early in the year, but I wasn’t giving it enough attention. This falls back to some of the other things that we have already talked about earlier. When you are talking about the last season you are already thinking about where you want to hunt the following season. You are dreaming about that 375 monster elk or the 240 mule deer that you caught a glimpse of last season. My lack of attention to this step has cost me more skunked seasons than I care to admit. The biggest thing to do with this is to be aware of your thoughts. Mental scouting is just as important as getting out and beating the brush, especially for people like me who rarely get the time to make it out to the woods.

Some key things to focus on during this time can make a huge difference in your hunting success. Did that monster you missed out on last your move onto private land? Is that is why you missed it? Have you thought that now would be a good time to try to figure out who owns the land and if it is even possible for you to get access to that land for next year? Believe it or not a lot of farmers would be happy to let you hunt on their land because the deer can destroy their crops.

This is also a good time to start thinking about where to put up some trail cameras when you get a day or 2 to get out in the woods. If you only get a day here and there to get out then investing in some cameras can really be helpful for you. Nobody can sit next to a tree for 10-14 days at a time and see what animals come by.

Clearing – This goes hand-in-hand with gear inspection. What are you going to need to make sure those trails and shooting lanes are open when the season comes? Staying on top of those trails throughout the year can make it much easier when you need to get out to your spot quietly. This is also something that should be considered only after you have gotten some scouting done. Time is valuable and clearing a path for the bird watcher is nice but isn’t going to fill your tags.

Networking – Networking is something that you are doing throughout the year and don’t really realize it. Most people now are spending time on some sort of social media or drinking coffee at the local cafe. You never know who you may be talking to unless you strike up a conversation. Remember that private land we talked about earlier? This may be a way to find out who owns that land and how to talk to them to get the permission you need. Some of the most valuable people in your network don’t even need to be hunters. Having a friend in the fish and game department can really be huge. Ask them where they are seeing the animals. Most of them will tell you because they enjoy talking about it. You can also be talking to your friends that you know may get up in that area you will be hunting. Between a few people rotating times heading into the woods you can gather much more information.

Gear Inspection / Inventory – My gear list is something that I would wait until just a few weeks before the season to start thinking about. Getting a jump on this now can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars and here is why. You have most likely noticed but never paid attention to the fact that most businesses are having sales or will even clearance out items after the hunting/hiking seasons are over. Knowing what you need during these times can save you big bucks in the normal prep months. Some things to think about are your weapon, pack, game bags, scent, clothing, camping equipment, and other items like that. Feel free to post some items in the comments of things you make sure to check well in advance.

Hunter’s Best – Helping make memories…

Never walk on the grass:

I was hunting in Northern Idaho where there are only two directions, UP and DOWN. I had spotted four Elk bedded in a small clump of trees in the middle of this big park.
At least it looked like a park with all the beautiful green grass. The elk were 150 yards below me. I checked the wind and everything was perfect.
I was working my way down being very quiet, moving slow and deliberate. My plan was working perfect I was now within 55 yards and they didn’t even know I was there until it happened.
I stepped on a patch of bear grass with my right foot. My foot went down the hill faster than the rest of me which caused my left leg to fold up under my back. Just as it hit the ground I was sliding down the hill at a fast rate.
This was a great plan because I was getting closer much faster than my first plan. By the time I got control of things I was within range, 30 yards. This would have been great because by now all the elk were standing. They were looking at me and the bull was presenting a perfect shot.
I think they were in shock with my stealth approach. I went to lift up my bow and realized that in my attempt to control my slide I had somehow misplaced my bow. I think it was on the third or forth Role.
Not all memories are good, at the time.

Aim Small – Miss Small

Do you know someone that you hunt with or is at the range that seems to never miss or when they do it’s not by much. There is a reason for this and it’s not a secret, its fundamentals.

Maybe you never knew them or maybe you forget them when your excited. When I first was learning to shoot my Dad was beside me coaching my every movement. He was showing me how to hold the gun/bow and how to look at the sites. He also was telling me how and what to aim at.

He would say “Son pick a very small spot on the target and concentrate on that spot for just a second or two then place the sight on that spot and slowly squeeze the trigger”. Shooting a bow is the same thing. After you learn the proper stance and how to properly hold, not grip, a bow it all comes down to how and what to site on.

The smaller the spot is that you aim at the smaller you will miss. My Dad has been teaching people to shoot bow’s for years and he puts a lifesaver on a string and has whoever is shooting to aim at that life saver.

It works and it is a fun way to concentrate on a small spot. After a while you are aiming for the center of that life saver and your groups are so close you will start hitting arrows.

When you’re in the field hunting there are some other factors that come in to play, excitement. When that animal is coming at you and your adrenaline is flowing it’s hard to remember to concentrate on what to do.

Most people will get the animal in there scope or in the circle of their sight and shoot. Then cry when they miss. This is how I have taught myself to combat the adrenaline rush.

When I first see the animal coming in and it’s the one I want to take I close my eyes for just a second and tell myself to calm down and aim for a small spot, I then open my eyes and don’t look at the antlers and I make myself find a small spot.

A tuft of hair or a dark spot and I aim at that spot. If you aim small you will miss small.

For those of you who go through central Oregon, stop at Riley Store and Archery, in Riley and say hi Dale and Pat. If you need your bow worked on, you won’t find a better setup person then Dale.

While you’re there check out Hunter’s Best Scents.

Happy hunting and don’t forget to “Aim Small” so you will “Miss Small”.

2 Tips That Could Change Your Elk Hunting Forever!

Step #1 – Pick a good area.

This is the most important part of the whole process. If you’re not where the elk are then you don’t have a chance. One of the best things I did in the beginning was to go down to the fish and game office and visit with the person that was in the field a lot.

For the first year I visited this person quite a bit. In fact, we became good friends. I asked tons of questions like, in what units do you see the most elk, and at what times of the year were they in this area. Out of his answers I for a good idea of where to start.

The other way I found good areas to hunt was to talk with the locals. I found a local hangout where a lot of older men would go and have coffee and I would sit and chat with the boys. It seemed the conversation would always end up about hunting.

In the early stages of our talks it wasn’t good. It always ended up at “No-tell’m Creek” or “Round-about mountain”. After we got to know each other, here’s how it sounded.

Back in my day when I was able to climb there hills I used to hunt up on Sheep’s Head, and Browns Meadows. Man did I find some great places to hunt from these old boys.

Now I’m one of the “old boys” and I love sharing my stories and hunting spots to the new guys.

 

Step #2 – Scouting.

It takes a lot of time in the woods in order to find the perfect place to hunt. For me, I have my best success hunting the “transition” areas. That’s the areas between the beds and their watering spots or feeding areas.

In order to find their beds you have to walk the ridges and, in September, north facing slopes. That’s where most of the shade is at.

Their feeding areas vary. In where I hunt they’re on the south facing slopes or clear cut areas.

Watering holes can be almost anywhere but the elk tend to like springs. You usually find wallows when you are water hunting. That’s a good thing.

Now you found a great place for a mid-day hunt when it’s hot. When you find their beds, feeding areas, and the watering spots, you will find some main trails that connect these areas together. That’s when the trail cam’s need to be set up to determine the times the elk are travelling between these three spots.

I log all my info on maps and the times the elk are moving. You will find there will be a definite pattern. Now you know the moving patterns and the times to hunt these areas.

Happy Hunting from Hunter’s Best!

Dad Knew Best

Back when I first started hunting with my dad in Central Oregon we hunted large fields and sage brush flats for mule deer. I remember the anticipation of opening day of deer season. If opening day fell on a school day dad would always let us skip school. We weren’t the only one. I think half the school took it off.

It seemed to me as a teenager that this day, opening of season, was the biggest day of the year. The weeks before we would go out and shoot every weekend. Most of the farmers in our area would supply my brother and me with the 22 ammo so we could clean their fields of ground squirrels, sage rats, and rock chunks.

We lived with a gun in our hands from age 8 and learned to respect the gun, everything, and everyone around us. The worst punishment was when I didn’t respect the or mistreated the gun or our property. Dad would ask me for my .22 that had its place above my headboard in a set of antlers dad had got some years before and would put it in the gun safe. It was like taking my right arm off.

What was I supposed to do without it? I would take long walks and pretend to shoot diggers. One of the best lessons my dad ever taught me was on a hunt for elk. We had planned our hunt months ahead of time before the season. We knew where the animals bedded and where they fed.

The plan was dad would let me and my brother off a mile down the road and we would walk the perimeters, one on each side of this large patch of timber. We were so excited to get to hunt on the driveto our spot dad had to tell us to settle down. We were like wild horses pinned in a 1978 CJ Jeep.

I remember trying to sit in the back and feeling my whole body quiver in anticipation. When we did finally reach our spot and get out I was having problems breathing normal. Dad went over the plan again and explained to us that we needed to wait until it was light before we started our hunt.

My brother, with flashlight in hand, headed to his starting point. I sat there by myself waiting for the light to fill the woods. As soon as I could see the ground I took off.

I was like a bird dog looking for a pheasant. I sprinted through the woods and it was no time before I was at the destination. As I sprinted up to dad all he could do is shake his head. He had just got in his area and was starting to hunt.

I had covered the mile in about 10 minutes and had pushed anything that was alive in to the next state. Then the lesson came.

“Son, it’s not how many miles you can cover. It’s how you cover those miles.”

I have never forgotten this. Enjoy your time out hunting and walk a little slower.

 

Hunter’s Best – Helping Make Memories….

The Elk I Never Saw

It was the middle of September and the elk were in full rut. At that time I was dating and my girlfriend wanted to see what all the fuss was about, why it meant so much to me to hunt in the rut.

When I woke her up at 3:30 am she wasn’t so sure about it. We had packed all of our gear the night before so all we needed to do was get coffee and hit the road. She followed me in her car. After about 2 1/2 hours we arrived at our destination. A place in Central Idaho called Black Dome.

I had been telling my girlfriend Debbie how much fun this place was when the elk were rutting. We were parked high on a ridge where we could see down in to a large canyon. There were remains of an old lake bed in the bottom that had dried up years ago. It was full of tall green grass and was a favorite hangout for a lot of elk.

I grabbed my binoculars and stepped out of the truck to take a look. I hadn’t even got to the edge of the hill where I could see the old lake when I heard a loud crash. The sound that was unmistakable. It was the sound of 2 bulls fighting. I quickly ran to a vantage point and the up my bino’s for a look.

There in the middle of the old lake were the 2 bulls. I watched them for a second then ran back to grab Debbie so she could see what inspired me to hunt all the time. We watched for about 10 minutes then got ready to head down into the canyon. We had to walk through a large patch of huckleberry brush which was taller than we were.

As we were making our way through I stopped suddenly. Right in front of me, about 8 yards away, was a black bear. He never even knew we were there. I stepped to the side of the trail and pointed for Debbie to look. She grabbed my arm and stepped closer to me. We watched the bear pull down the huckleberry and eat the berries.

We stood very still and watched. All of the sudden he must have gotten our scent. He ran up the hill out of sight. We still had about 300-400 yards to go and we could still hear the crashing going on down in the dried lake bed. We made it to the rim of the clearing and we were only about70 yards away from the commotion. I wanted to crawl the rest of the way so I asked Debbie if she could wait by the tree.

If she faced the lake she could watch what was going on. The grass was about 3 feet tall so crawling the last 50 yards wouldn’t be too bad. I started the crawl and was going slow. I could hear the crashing and the cows chirping. When the bulls broke apart they were screaming at each other. At times I would just lay there and listen to everything that was going on around me.

One time I stopped and heard what sounded like a dog sniffing at me. I slowly sat up and peered over the tall grass. About 3 yards away was a rag horn that must have seen the grass moving and decided to come check it out.

When he saw me sit up he slowly walked towards the middle of the lake. I could see the 2 bulls with locked antlers about 50 yards away. I cautiously got back on my hands and knees to start crawling when I heard something behind me. I had been gone from Debbie for about 15-20 minutes and the sound was coming from the direction she was in.

I turned to see Debbie crawling up behind me with tears running down her face. She looked like she had just seen a ghost. She got up next to me and grabbed on the me with streams of tears running down her face. All I could do is hug her. We laid there until she calmed down then I asked her what had happened. She had been sitting by the tree and watching all the elk when something sounded like it was behind her.

She turned to see a big black object in the brush no more than 10 yards away. She tried not to yell and ruin my elk hunt. She just watched the black object, which she assumed was a black bear.

It kept getting closer and closer until it was about 5 yards away and it lifted its head above the brush. It was a moose. She said it was licking its lip like it wanted to eat her. That’s when she took off and followed my path. I tried not to laugh but I couldn’t stop. I buried my face in my arm so I wouldn’t spook the elk.

I hugged her and said stay with me. We went on crawling to the lake clearing. We got within 30 yards of the 2 big bulls but could never get them to stop fighting or stand still.

Just when I was thinking they were slowing down I head another bugle. This one had that growl that you knew was big. It came from the other side of the dried lake. Out of the trees came a monster of a bull. He was at 80 yards and closing fast. He started to jog and let out a loud bugle.

The 2 fighting bulls stopped for a second and then ran the opposite way of the monster. He quickly turned around and went back the way he came in. It was over. All the elk had filtered out of the old lake bed clearing.

They were gone. It was like an old man scolding children for playing in his front yard. We just sat there in the tall grass for about 30 minutes waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. We talked about the man eating moose and laughed a lot. We walked back to our vehicles and with a kiss Debbie headed home, leaving me alone for the next few days.

I stood on the edge of the canyon way after dark just listening to the elk bugle until I got so tired I was falling asleep. I went back to my tent I had set up and tried to sleep but the sound of the bugles down the canyon kept me awake for most of the night. I got up the next morning before daylight to fix breakfast.

I then got my pack ready for the days hunt. I hadn’t heard any bugles for a while but was hoping to catch the elk in the dry lake where we had seen them the day before. I stopped at the viewpoint and listened for a few minutes. It was still dark and I hadn’t head a thing for a while. I decided to walk in anyway.

When I reached the back of the dry lake I could hear cows talking and I heard a couple of squeals from small bulls. It was still dark so I sat down at the same tree Debbie had her encounter with the man eating moose. I could hear quite a few cows and it sounded like they were bedded in the dry lake. I laid back for the 2 hour wait for daylight. It seemed like the 2 hours turned into 4 with all the sounds of elk so close.

I heard sounds in those hours that I had never heard before. When daylight finally got there, I could see about 20 cows feeding along the banks of the dried lake. There were 3 bulls bedding in the middle. They were small 3 and 4 pointers, and the rag horn. I just sat and watched for about 25-30 minutes.

On the south end of the lake I saw a large bull moving towards all the cows. He let out a bugle and the whole place erupted. There were at least 5 bulls screaming. The big bull, a 6×6, was chasing all the cows. When he got close he would let out a loud bugle. A threat to any other bulls in the area.

Every time he would bugle, the other bulls would bugle back. The 6×6 went from cow to cow. Sniffing them he was jogging now and getting all worked up about something. Out of the shadows on the far side of the lake walked in the monarch. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A huge 6×7 with very long tines and great mass.

The bull of every hunter’s dreams. His ears were laid back and he was walking stiff legged, head down low, swaying his rack from side to side. What a sight! I almost forgot I was hunting. The 6×6 stopped his jogging and went in to the same stiff legged walk. They walked about 20 yards apart, paralleling each other.

Staring each other down and not saying a word. They walked this way for about 80 yards and then they stopped at the same time. the 6×6 arched his head back and let out a loud bugle. Before he could finish the 6×7 cut him off with a deep raspy growl and a chuckle. Instantly they faced each other and charged.

When the antlers crashed together it was very loud. Now I know why I could hear them almost a mile away. At this point I’m in the tall grass about 85 yards away. There were no trees, just grass. The bulls would push each other away, tearing up the ground with their hooves and antlers when they hit. It was quite a sight.

Grass and dirt flying. All the other elk weren’t even paying attention to the battle. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like being in the middle of a National Geographic film. With all the commotion going on I decided to try to get closer. I put my head down and stated slowly crawling.

Every now and then I would peer over the grass and see where I was. I could hear the bulls fighting so I knew I was headed the right direction. When I got close to the bottom of the lake the grass was starting to thin out. I decided to stop there. I sat up and got my range finder out.

I took a reading and found out I was only 40 yards from the bulls. They were still locked together and pushing. By this time it was getting more violent and tearing up more ground. One would push for about 20 yards and then the other would catch footing and for back for 20 yards or more. I tried to get a shot but they would never stop.

They were spinning and pushing when I realized they were coming in my direction, fast. I didn’t have anywhere to go but I was on my knees ready to take off running. With dirt and fur flying, they were on a path to run me over. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. Before I could move they flew by me at about 3 yards, fully locked up and tearing up grass and dirt while they passed.

They ended up about 60 yards in the direction I had just crawled, in fact, it was by the man eating moose tree. At this point all I could do was to watch and pray they would stop moving so I could get a shot. They pushed their way over the rim of the dry lake bed and out of sight.

I could still hear them but I wasn’t positive where they would come back. The fighting went on for about 35-40 minutes. I was wondering if they would ever stop. Suddenly, as fast as it started, the sound stopped. I heard the raspy sound of the 6×7 bugle. I knew he had won the battle and would be coming back.

I was ready, arrow on the rest, yardage already lazed, and my nerves were even settled. I was watching in the direction of the man eating moose tree and I could see antlers coming through the brush. Yes, it was the big boy. The 6×7 was walking towards the cows which would put him at 80 yards. That was too far. I wanted him less than 40.

My heart was sinking fast as he walked out of range, down in to the lake bed, and started chasing cows. All I could do is hope he would walk closer so I could get a shot. He chased cows and mated a couple and was still running around trying to find another receptive cow. By this time all the cows were spread and some were within my range. It seemed like hours had passed and all I could do is sit and watch.

A few cows had wondered my way and were standing 30-40 yards. One of the cows started whining with a high pitch. It was like a regular cow call but all drawn out. This got the attention of the big boy and he started jogging my way. I was ready and he was finally going to be in range.

I ranged the whining cow at 35 yards. That was perfect. He came at her like he was on a string. He sniffed her back and did his business. He got off and was standing broadside at 35 yards. It doesn’t get any better than that. I drew, put my 30 yard pin high on his chest, and released. Just as I released, another bull ran down the hill and the monster bolted towards him.

I heard the unmistakable sound of a direct hit but, on what? I couldn’t believe it when the 6×7 bolted forward and the arrow missed. There was a cow on the other side of him and it hit here in the neck, dropping her in her tracks. I couldn’t believe I had just shot at the largest bull of my life and harvested a cow.

The cow was thrashing and the bulls stopped to look at her. The 6×7 turned back to check her out. He was sniffing, she was thrashing and kicked him in the nose. He jumped back and walked towards the other bull. I knew I had an either sex tag but this is not what I wanted. I didn’t see her behind him.

How could this happen? I watched the other 2 bulls for another 20 minutes until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I stood up and started walking towards my cow. The bulls were about 30 yards away. They stopped and just looked at me. I told them to get out of here and they ran up the hill.

All the other bulls and cows scattered like roaches in the light. When I got to my cow she was dead. The arrow had hit her about 10 inches behind her ear and broke her neck. She never felt a thing. I tagged her and dressed her out and started packing. Maybe this isn’t what I hoped for.

A miss caused by the bull I never saw.

One thing was for sure, my freezer would be full. I would have to give it another shot next year.

Tony – Hunter’s Best  –  Helping Make Memories.

10 things you should already be doing to get ready for hunting season:

1. Know and understand the hunting regulations:

This may sound like an obvious thing to some people but you would be surprised how many people do not actually know the regulations for where they will be hunting. This applies even more so if you plan to do an out of state hunt.

 

2. Know and understand the animal you are going to hunt:

This may again sound like an obvious thing but there are a lot of people who just go out in the woods with hopes of killing something that they know nothing about. Where do they feed? Where do they bed? Are they rutting? Each factor will determine where and how the animal is hunted.

 

3. Scouting where you are going to hunt and know the terrain:

This is kind of piggy backing off of number 2. You are going to need to know where the animals are and how to prepare physically for the trip.

 

4. Get your license and tags:

If you haven’t already done so you should seriously be considering purchasing your license and tags at this point. With the season just a couple of months away there isn’t much more time to get this done.

 

5. Clothing:

Make sure you are dressed for the weather you will be hunting in. Being over dressed or under dressed can be life threatening. Heat exhaustion or hypothermia can leave you in the woods.

 

6. Gear – safety/survival:

This is going to be a slightly extensive area. We have put together a list of some of our essentials when we are out in the woods. Your pack should be a suitcase for an overnight stay in the woods. ALWAYS hope for the best but plan for the worst. Below is a list of some good ideas for a pack list.

-water bladder

-8×8 piece of plastic

-space blanket

-lighter/matches/magnesium

-toilet paper

-meds (ibuprophen)

-skinning knife

-hand saw

-mirror

-3 plastic bags (for heart and liver)

-rope

 

7. Weapon:

This one is an area that many people, including myself, struggle with. I don’t spend near enough time with my bow or my rifles. This one is easier said than done for me. It is, however, very important to make time to get your weapon sighted in and fine tuned. If you are waiting until you are out in the field then you are way behind.

 

8. Get in shape:

This area is very easy for some. I can say that when you have to hike 6 miles back to your camp you will realize very quickly if you are in shape or not. Try to train yourself in a way that will simulate the terrain you will be hunting in.

 

9. Transportation:

How are you going to get to your camp? How are you going to get from camp to your hunting location? How much gas will you need to bring?

 

10. Plan with those you are going to hunt with:

Over the years I have had the pleasure of hunting with the same people, friends and family. We seem to talk about the following years hunt even before the current year is over. Here are some things we talk about and make sure we have a plan before we set out on our trip.

-The after harvest plan

-Food list

-Shelter

 

If you can get a grasp on these 10 things now then you are going to be in much better shape for the season both physically and mentally. You may have some other things that you feel are important to start working on right now also. Please leave a comment. You may be helping someone out more than you know.

Oh! And don’t forget to pick up your bottle of our scent. Get it now before it’s too late!

http://www.huntersbestllc.com

 

Hunter’s Best – Helping make memories!

Pop’s Bear

It was early spring and bear season had just opened. My hunting partner at the time and I were on our way to find a bear. He had just picked me up at 4:30 am and we were excited to get out into the woods. It had been a mild winter and we knew the bears were out of their dens and wandering around looking for food. My partner and I had been hunting together for the past three years with great success. We were both excited but I could tell he had something heavy on his mind. After our conversation on where we thought we should go he fell silent and I was wondering what was on his mind. I knew his dad wasn’t doing well, he had been fighting cancer for a few years. The silence was broken when he said “Dad passed last night.” I wasn’t surprised but it hurt the same. I asked him why he wasn’t with his mom. He said “Pops would have wanted me to hunt opening morning and all the family is getting together this afternoon, so let’s get a bear for Pops.” We hunted hard that morning and never saw a bear. About noon we both thought it was more important to head for his moms place to be with the family. On the way to my place he asked if I would go with him and I said yes I would like that. On the long drive to his mom’s he shared a few stories of his Pops and him hunting when he was young. We arrived at his mom’s house, a log cabin sitting in a meadow with three ponds about 100 yards from the house. I loved coming here it is a perfect place to live. Just as we parked and started walking towards the house his mom opened the door and with an excited voice said “Come quickly, hurry get in.” We weren’t sure what was going on but ran for the door once she said there is a bear trying to get in the cabin. There were six adults and four kids in the house. She explained he is standing on his hind legs with his front paws on the big picture window. We turned and headed for the living room. He wasn’t there so we started going from room to room looking out the windows to find him. One of the guys yelled “He is over here”, so we all ran into the bedroom to see. There he was, walking towards the ponds, obviously tired of getting nowhere with the house. He had been trying to get in for about an hour going from window to door and walking around the house. After we had heard this I suggested that he needed to be removed. He isn’t afraid of humans so he is a danger to have around. His mom said yes so we watched him waddle across the meadow and into the trees. The plan was to let him get out of sight of the house so the kids wouldn’t see us harvest it. I went to the truck and got my rifle, a .280 Remington, a gun I got from my father when I was in my teens. I walked across the meadow and past the ponds to where the bear had entered the woods. My mind was racing, “What’s he going to do when he sees me? Is he going to charge or run?” I wasn’t sure but I was ready. I was walking slow and straining my eyes to see any movement. There was a hill to my left with thick timber and a creek to my right. I was walking on an old road my partners Pops had built years earlier to log some trees on the back half of the property. I had walked into the woods far enough that the house was out of sight. As fat as that bear was I figured he would be walking on this road. I heard a muffled branch break on the hillside, so I knew he was close. I was taking one step at a time making sure not to alert him of my presence then I heard the ominous sound of snapping jaws. I could hear him but I couldn’t see him the timber was thick about 40 yards up the hill. I readied myself not knowing what was going to happen. I didn’t dare move. The snapping turned to low growls then a loud snap of a branch and a loud huff. There he was coming straight at me huffing with every step. He was closing the distance fast. I raised my gun and looked through the scope, all I could see was hair. I fired and looked around the scope. I couldn’t believe my eyes, he was still coming. About 10 feet in front of me was a large log laying across the ground. He ran into the log and stood up, with both front paws grabbing a tree. I quickly reloaded, pointed the gun, and pulled the trigger. He fell, hit the log, and rolled towards me. I started to run but my feet wouldn’t move. I reloaded again but didn’t see any movement. I just stared watching for any movement. I am not sure how long I was there but my partner heard the 2 shots. He wasn’t sure what was going on so he ran across the meadow and was yelling for me. His yell brought me out of the trance I was in and I tried to yell back. All I got out was a whisper. I realized I wasn’t making any noise so I tried harder. I finally got out a loud “I’m over here.” He came running up behind me. I hadn’t moved and I hadn’t taken my eyes off of the bear. When my partner touched my shoulder I started shaking. I hadn’t been able to process what had just happened. It had all happened so fast. When I saw him he was at 40 yards so my first shot was about 30 yards, the second at about 10 feet. Now he laid dead about 5 feet away. I finally moved. I stepped around the bear and sat on the log still not taking my eyes off of him. My partner started laughing and after a few seconds I started laughing. It took 4 of us to load the bear into my truck. He dressed out at over 350 lbs and had a green score of 20 1/6″ and later dried to 19 9/16″. I can’t help but think Pops was there.

It’s a memory I will never forget.

 

Hunter’s Best – Helping Make Memories.

The Jackpot

It was early September and my wife and daughter wanted to listen to me bugle some elk. I, on the other hand, was dying to sling an arrow. At the time, I was working a job that required most of my days and every other weekend. I couldn’t hardly stand waiting for the weekend. It seemed like the week was in slow motion. I worked as hard as I could all week and when Friday came around the anticipation was eating me up. Friday I got off work a little early and called my wife and had her and my daughter get ready for a quick run up the mountain. We were almost to the place I wanted to bugle when I spotted a black spot on the hillside about 1000 yards away. We stopped and pulled out the spotting scope to take a look. Sure enough it was a bear, and a nice one at that. While we were looking at the bear we heard the faint bugle of a bull way off in the distance in a place there was not enough time left in the day to even attempt to go after. After a few minutes I decided to drive to the other side of the canyon where the bear was at and put a stalk on it. When we arrived where I needed to get out and stalk the bear I only had about an hour of light left. I grabbed my pack and bow and got ready for a quick hike. We decided that my wife and daughter would stay in the truck because of the time issue. We were parked on an old road that had been closed for years. It was brushed in with downfall every 10 feet. I was trying to hurry as fast as I could so I could at least get a chance to stalk the bear. I came into a large opening where I knew I could speed things up. I started to jog and was making good time when I came to a small patch of trees. I wasn’t trying to be quiet and wasn’t paying attention to what was around me because I had a long way to go before I got to the hillside where I hoped the bear still was. My time was getting short and I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to put a stalk on the bear. My mind is racing with how to get in front of the bear and get close enough for a shot. I got where the base of the draw was, where we had seen the bear and stopped to get prepared for the stalk up the hill. I took my pack off and got my no-scent spray out and sprayed my clothes and pack down. Now I am ready to go. I checked the wind and started to head up the draw. There was two big bulls locked together and they were heading down in my direction. I immediately went from bear hunting mode to full elk mode. I moved to my right and got in front of some small trees. The bulls were still locked together and headed in my direction fast. I got an arrow out and knocked it and started picking my yardages. At about 30 yards away they unlocked antlers and backed away from each other. They were staring each other down with their ears laid back. All I could do is watch with unbelief. One bull was a 5×5 with long tines. The other a 6×6 with what looked to be extremely large mass. I checked my yardage and decided to take the 5×5. As I raised my bow a large crash of brush behind me made me turn my head in the direction I just came from. Out of the small grove of trees I had just walked through came a huge bull at full run. He past me at about 10 yards and ran up the hill and chased the two bulls away. He was screaming about every 50 feet and all three disappeared over the ridge. With sunlight almost gone and me trying to recover from the shock of what had just happened I decided to head back to the truck and come back in the morning.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I tossed and turned all night. I couldn’t get my mind off of those three bulls. I kept thinking, which one would I take? Which one was the biggest? Then my thoughts came back down out of the clouds. I decided to take the first one that presented a good shot. After all, they were all big bulls and my goal is to fill my freezer. I rolled over to look at the clock and it was 4 am. If I got up now, I could get ready and drive up the hill where I encountered the bulls and it would be perfect daylight. I threw off the covers and in record time I got ready, ate breakfast, and was on the road. I got to my destination and pulled down the old abandoned road. Good, no one was there. It still wasn’t legal shoot light so I got out of the truck to put on my hunting clothes. I was straining to hear any bugles but there was nothing. Not hearing anything got my mind wondering. Where had they gone? Were they here only in the evenings? Should I drive around and locate them with bugles? Stop! My heart says they are still close. I finished getting ready and headed up the old road. I walked to where I had encountered them the night before but there was nothing. I continued until I reached the end of the old road then I headed up hill to get on the top to see if I could hear them bugle. When I finally got to the top of the ridge it was about 8:30. I found a great place to listen and sat down. I had been listening for about an hour when I faintly heard what I thought was a bugle. It sounded like it was miles away. My heart sank. I guess they must have moved out. I got up and decided to check out the next draw. I walked for about a half mile to the head end of a very small draw. This was an area I had only been to a few times in my 20 years of hunting these mountains. As soon as I cleared the edge of the draw and started down into the thick timber I got hit in the face by the sound of a screaming bull. My first thought was, there you are! Have you been here all morning screaming where I couldn’t hear you? Then two more bulls started screaming. The draw wasn’t over 200 yards wide at the head end and the bull was loud enough to hurt my ears. The sound was so loud that I couldn’t tell that there was at least three bulls and I could hear one rubbing his antlers on a tree so they had to be close. I quickly checked the wind. It was coming up the draw. I started working slowly towards where I thought they were. I got about 40 yards from the top when I saw a tree swaying back and forth. I couldn’t see the elk so I continued one step at a time while trying not to make a sound. I made it through some small trees and then I could see him. A nice 5×5 raking his antlers on a tree about 35 yards in front of me. Then, I saw another bull about 10 yards past the raking bull and he was in a wallow. The screaming was so loud I was having a hard time focusing on staying quiet. Two bulls were in front of me but where was the third? Then I saw the third bull walking back and forth to my right. It seemed like he was guarding something. Maybe cows but I couldn’t see them. I continued to get into a position for a shot window. At 30 yards I could see his whole body with his head behind a tree. Perfect! I lifted my bow to take the shot. I slowly pulled the bow back and at that very moment something else caught my eye to my left. I turned my head and there walking towards me was a big 6×6. He was 25 yards and closing fast. I lost all thoughts of the other bull and swung my bow to the left. The bull was walking so fast he passed me at 20 yards and kept walking. All I could do is watch. He walked towards the 5×5 and jumped a log and all I could hear was a big splash. He landed in a wallow and started throwing mud with his antlers. I watched for what seemed to be about an hour but was probably only a few seconds. He was perfect broadside. I was already drawn so I looked through the peep, set my pin right behind the shoulder, and released. It sounded like it hit him but all he did is lift his head. Then he turned around. What the heck? Did I miss? He presented me with another broadside shot. I placed another on the string and drew back, put the pin right behind the should, and released. This time I saw the arrow disappear where I was aiming. He didn’t even flinch. He started walking out of the wallow up the hill. My mind was racing! Did I just miss twice? Why isn’t he running like most I have shot do? Then something strange happened. His front feet lifted off the ground. It was like he was walking on air. He took about 4 steps uphill and landed with his antlers stuck in the ground. The only thing keeping him from falling back in to the wallow was his antlers. Now all I could do is stand there with big eyes and an open mouth. I did it! I shot the big 6×6! At that time I was so focused on the shot I couldn’t hear the other bulls who didn’t know what was going on. They were still raking and screaming. The excitement of just shooting a big bull was so great I forgot about all the ruckus. When my excitement finally calmed down enough I could see the 5×5 was still raking and the bull in the back guarding something were still there. I sat down, got my cow call out, and had some fun getting the boys all mad. I played with the bulls for 40 minutes or so trying to get them to move on but they wouldn’t leave. I couldn’t stand it any longer so I stood up and started walking over to look at my bull. The 5×5 just lifted his head and watched me walk over to where the bull was laying. All three of the bulls stayed around and were entertained while I was prepping my bull for the pack out. I worked until dark and then walked out. The next morning I came back in with 5 buddies for the final pack out. When we walked back in to the draw all 3 bulls were still there screaming. We all sat down and had a great time listening to the bulls. What a way to end the season!

 

~Tony Martin – Co-Owner of Hunter’s Best