Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: Doug Campbell on September 18, 2007, 10:15:00 AM
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Well it seems I've been busier than three people here for the last month but that's bout to change. Brian Halbleib gets here tomorrow for his elk hunt :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Joseph Myers, our master Chef :thumbsup: is picking him up in Billings and heading for the Ranch.
It's been real tough finding elk this year but there is a little white stuff in the hills this morning so I'm hoping it'll get better.
Got this nice mulie tied up ;) waiting too... (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010305-1.jpg)
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Nice...real nice !!
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Man that is a buck and a half there!
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Man that is awesome. Good luck guys!!
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Good luck to you guys!!! Make sure to keep us posted on how thing are going.
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WOW! That's a dandy. Happy hunting Brian.
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Counting the hours...Fortunately, I have a deer tag too and I'd be real broken up if I had to settle for a measly deer like one pictured above :D
Hey, it wouldn't be a hunting trip for me without some fun like forest fires...My arrival in Colorado for an elk hunt in 2002 ended a 6 month drought and it rained solid the entire week I was there. Or the time in 2004 when my arrival in Anchorage brought the hottest temperatures in a hundred years, stalling the caribou migration to a stop.
Hmmm, stay home and work or head to Montana on a beautiful piece of private property with wild elk, deer, trout, etc. calling that place home...fires or no fires, elk or no elk, I'd go regardless. For me, it's all about being there...always has been.
See you soon Doug!!!
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Geeze Brian ya might want to give that one another year or so :D He's almost there :jumper:
Brent
Good luck!
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Have fun guys :thumbsup:
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Yeeeeehawwwwww! This'un is gonna be good! Take lots of pics for us Brian. And yer takin a flyrod aren't you? I could always bring you mine if you need it :saywhat:
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WoW ,nice deer , good luck guys :0)
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:bigsmyl: :campfire:
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Gee Doug, where is the third buck, did you get him already? I saw a third one with those two, whose rack size was between the two pictured, about a month back headed for the spring where you had the blind a couple of years back ( The one I helped you pull down around Christmas time.). Best of luck to you and Brian and if you guy’s feel like sitting a stand for whitetails some evening/s or morning/s let me know and we will make it happen. Oh, Joseph is invited too.
Walt Francis
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Give em HEAVEN Doug "n" Brian :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Take NO PRISONERS and Expect NO MERCY :goldtooth:
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I've been waitin' for this one. Go get 'em guys...Doc
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Wow, I can't wait to see how this one plays out.
Best of Luck guys :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :pray:
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Good Hunting! Brian and Doug.
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This is gonna be a good one. Good luck guys!
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This is going to be great. I can't wait.
Jack
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Just takin a little break tween getting everything ready and loaded and got a call from Brian. His flight has been delayed in Denver, looks like it's gonna be late when we get to the cabin :mad: Don't ya just love flying... :mad:
Thanks for all the well wishes, we're fixin to have some fun!
Doug
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have a safe hunt. :thumbsup: :campfire:
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Hi Doug,
I'm wishing I was there with you all!!
I know you will have a great time!
I wish you the best of luck Brian!!
TomD
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good luck guys!!! should be fun
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Looking forward to this one. Good Luck Brian!!!
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Good luck Brian. Try not to gain too much weight from JoJo's cooking. If he don't feed you enough, the other resident cook, one Mrs. Campbell, is extremely talented in her own right. Doug, have a blast on this hunt, and thank you, as well as the Brokaw's on the donation. Looking forward to the pics and story...maybe even a hard copy version in the PBS magazine...
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Good hunting, boys! Looking forward to the pics and stories. :archer:
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Update, I had to leave the guys this morning and come back and work a few days, heading back up Monday morning. So far they have seen 1 spike bull, some cows and calves, 1 mountain lion, and tons of deer. Brian has stalked several smaller Muledeer to within shooting distance and drawn on them but has not released an arrow yet. This morning they were going after a Muledeer that they saw last night, apperently he is very old with a totally gray face and a wide, heavy 3x3 rack. Joseph
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SAVOR EVERY SECOND OF IT!
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Keep after em Brian! Hey, you need me to bring you a flyrod yet? :saywhat:
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Minor delays only make the hunt more memorable...be pateint and enjoy the ride! No doubt this experience will be worth the price of admission, both for the hunters and those of us watching from the cheap seats :) . Good Luck Guys!!!
Claudia
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OK Fellas..........Time ta rejoin us at this FIRE :campfire:
To much of a GOOD THING will spoil Ya :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
" WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPIN"
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YEAH!!!!!!!!!....What Iron Bull Said!!!!!!!! :knothead: :knothead: :knothead:
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Ditto what Vance said. :saywhat:
I wanna know if Doug took off after the lion bayin :D
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Welll???!!!???? :saywhat:
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Just got caught up on this one, I have been looking forward to hearing about this one for awile. Sooooooooooo???????
Good luck guys and shoot strait :archer:
Tracy
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I took Brian to the airport at 0630 this morning and Doug had a ton of things to get caught up on today but I think between the 2 of them they had 180 some pictures. I am sure they will be on here tonight to start the story. :bigsmyl: I was just the cook and camp roustabout and only know what I was told, they will do much better relaying the tale. Joseph
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cool cool cool...thanks Joseph
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Well finally got around to starting this ;) Joseph wasn't kidding bout me being busy, got about a thousand things to get done before Fri afternoon, (D-day for heading to sheep camp :D ) and spending all day tomorrow in town with Karen.
Let me start with saying I HAD A BLAST!! Brian is as fine a young man as I've ever met and the eating was out of this world! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Joseph and Brian are welcome at my fire any time!
Next time I've got a young pup coming I know I've gotta get to working out sooner ;) Brian bout walked my rear into the ground. Near as I can figure we did close to 30 miles on foot in the last week and I'd done well over that on foot and horse back in the couple weeks before. All that country covered and still very few elk sightings. This is prooving to be a very tough year for everyone in this area.
The weather was typical for MT in the fall, all over the weather map. Here's an example of what happened in one afternoon....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010453.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0427.jpg)
I'm hoping Brian can do the lion's share of storytellin here as I've got to get back at it. A man's gotta get his priorities in order and sheep camp is calling :goldtooth:
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Doug, I'm really looking forward to the story of your sheep hunt. Get after them, friend!! :wavey:
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Well, I'll get to the story telling here real soon. Like the rest of the folks involved, stuffed piled up here for the last week. Busy catching up...stay tuned...
First off, many thanks to my host/guide/friend Doug. He worked his tail off to show me a great time in his beautiful corner of the world. What a place...wow. My wife and I just finished looking at the pics and video clips on the laptop. She was in awe, and the pictures do no justice.
And thanks to Karen, Doug's wife, for keeping plenty of delicious goodies at the ranch on the days when we were just too busy hunting to get back to camp for Joseph's wonderful cooking at lunch time. Not only is she a wonderful person and a real sweetheart, she can cook like nobody's business. Great stuff and great folks. And I sure liked that ice cream shop :jumper:
Doug and Karen are the real deal, let me tell you. A lot of you here are already lucky enough to call them friends. I'm honored to do so as well. I learned so much about western hunting and ranch life from Doug in only one week. I sure enjoyed the campfire and mountain top conversations just as much as the food and scenery. Oh, and the hunting was pretty darn spectacular as well.
Thanks to Joseph and his wife Ashley for the fine cooking and taxi duties. The meals were superb and I sure enjoyed their company as well. Thanks for everything!
Well the big story is that St Jude's got a few more dollars to help some disadvantaged kids. The experience was worth at least twice as much as my winning bid, but knowing the money went for a better cause just made the week much sweeter. It was a blast...come along for the ride...
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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This one is going to be real good.
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OK, here's a few quick pics to keep you interested...but only a few! Real tired here, been a long day of travel and I'm heading to bed.
Doug's posts always include the quote "Life is wonderful in Montana". Here's a small portion of why:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG4.jpg)
Doug spots a Muley buck bedded down below. Look at the fire damage across the drainage:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG3.jpg)
Life IS wonderful in Montana!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG2.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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OK, here's one more to compliment the bare feet and t-shirt weather picture above. Couldn't resist...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG5.jpg)
Goodnight folks, much more to come...
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Very jealous... keep it coming!!!!
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Cool thread! I'll 2nd what was said about my far off mate Jo-Jo's cooking, first class!
Keep the pics comming. Plan on getting to Montana hopefully next year sometime.
In Oz, al
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Wow, I just fell off the edge of my chair! Keep it coming Brian...all the details. Doc
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Here we go! Really looking forward to this one Brian :thumbsup:
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Dang feel like i just crawled across the Sahara desert and some one SHOWED me a glass of water
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Can't wait to hear all about it!
Good to see you looking chubby Doug! Real good!
The reason Brian can walk your butt in the ground is because your butt is only half as high. He does the same to me and there's no way to win a foot race with him when he's in pursuit of a coon. :bigsmyl:
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Wow Brian, can't wait to hear the rest of the details. I finally figured out how to find this and reply... Hopefully I'll be better with my new trad gear than I am with the IT stuff.
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I wanna BORROW Karen and Joseph next year Doug :scared: :scared:
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As mentioned above, my final flight into Billings, Montana was delayed a bit but no big deal. We couldn't have done much more than get settled in at camp anyhow.
Joseph picked me up at the airport and we made the 2+ hour drive to the Boulder River drainage. Yep, we would be roughing it:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG6.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG7.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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The next morning came quickly, sleep coming secondary to the excitement building. Up and at 'em with a large cup of Doug's coffee and some of Ashley's fine baked goods. A beautiful sunrise on the mountains greeted us as we exited the cabin.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG8.jpg)
Before I knew it, we were on our way up behind the cabin to glass and listen for elk. The forest fires on the ranch radically changed the elk habitat, as have the controversial introduction of wolves back into Montana. I think Doug has seen more wolves than elk on the ranch this year. So we had to look elsewhere and we did...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG12.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG11.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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The fresh, clean, mountain air filled my lungs and a zebrawood riser filled my hand as my calves burned against the vertical landscape. I was nearly two thousand miles from home, but this ascent was more like a homecoming than a hike into unfamiliar ground.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG9.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG14.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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We spent the first morning glassing, calling and listening for any elk that may be in the area.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG13.jpg)
Always prepared, as I would come to appreciate, Doug checks his topo map of the area and finds the likely spots for us to check out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG10.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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:bigsmyl: :campfire: :pray:
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Great pictures Brian.
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Just got in from a day of Honey-doos with my lovely bride, I'll post a couple of pics then I gotta hit the sack.
It was my pleasure showing our great part of the world to Brian. Those missing elk certainly gave us an opportunity to cover alot of country looking for them ;)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010418.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010448.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0010442.jpg)
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The way I do alot of my hunting out here you pretty much live by those binocs, quality optics are a must.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0391.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/IMG_0457.jpg)
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Very nice, I love Montana!
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Later in the evening, Doug and I spotted a mule deer doe with some fawns on top of a grassy ridge above cow camp. A few minutes later we saw something trailing them in the grass and I could hardley believe my eyes. It was a mountain lion! A big tom too! My camera could not get zoomed in enough but the little bump at the top of the ridge is the big tom. I think Doug may have a better picture.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG15.jpg)
Here's a look down at cow camp from close to where that tom was stalking those deer.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG16.jpg)
Our search for the elk continued...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG19.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG18.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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It's very hard to describe the scene of a forest fire and the damage it causes to those of you who have never witnessed it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG17.jpg)
Walking through the burnt timber felt like I was viewing the world after Armageddon...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG20.jpg)
We called it a night, enjoyed some of Joseph's fine food and made plans for the next morning...
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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TTT
Gorgeous pics and great story so far. I know how difficult it is to get back in the swing of things and still tell the story....but we'll wait! :readit:
For those of us still learning about western hunting, how about some feedback on the gear you took and what you would have purchased/taken differently?
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Originally posted by JC:
what you would have purchased/taken differently?
Lion tag? :)
Brian, I understand how you feel about looking at burned timber. It's pretty ugly now, but try to envision what it will look like in a few short seasons with all the new, lush growth. If plants didn't return after fires, then the whole world would look like a wasteland -- a pile of ashes. Fire is part of the cycle of things -- I'm sure you know that some plant seeds can't even germinate without going through a fire. It's as natural as wind and rain, even though we tend to see only the destruction.
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Looks like a great time and a great hunt already. Look forward to hearing more of this story!!
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Great thread and awesome pics!!! Looking forward to the rest of the story.
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Thanks for sharing so far....always enjoy lots of pics!
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Alright, looks like we generated a little more interest on this thread. You're right JC, it can be difficult trying to get caught up with all the work that piles up when you're gone, plus keep an active thread going with all the work of downloading, resizing and uploading pictures.
But, we'll press on...sorry for the delay.
I know, Knife, things will certainly come back strong after the fire. But it's still not a pretty sight when you only have a week there...
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Really great pics from the trip! Glad you have taken the time to download and share everything. Thanks bud! CK
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Brian, You got me pumped. Great pictures and pretty darn special hunting one on one with Doug. It's fun to recognize some of the terrain with just the one day I spent there this August...Doc
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Great pictures!Can't wait to hunt in Montana.Keep the story coming! Ben
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The next day was just as spectacular. Started off with an incredible sunrise on a freshly snow covered mountain.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG21.jpg)
Montana already has the reputation for a game paradise, but the reputation for a predator paradise is is gaining steam. Doug saw wolves this week, plus the cat, now here's a coyote watching a group of deer.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG22.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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One thing I never tire of looking at out west is the extremely unique pronghorn antelope. What an amazing critter. Doug's area seemed to support a healthy population of speed goats.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG23.jpg)
We spent the early part of the day glassing for elk around cow camp. Pretty awesome place to relax.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG24.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Here's a look inside:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG25.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG26.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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This sounds like an amazing trip! I still can't get past the cat!
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The pronghorn were rutting pretty good. We were entertained by a few bucks trying their best.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG27.jpg)
Here's one running off a lesser buck...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG28.jpg)
And here's one of my favorite pictures from the trip. We glassed the rest of the day but did not locate any elk.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG29.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG30.jpg)
We did locate a decent muley buck later in the evening and I got within 12-15 yards of his bed. The sage brush was pretty thick when I got there and all I could see was antlers. I tried to wait him out but the wind swirled and he rocketed out of his bed, never presenting a shot.
We put a stalk on this big boy as well:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG31.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Awesome pics Brian. Keep them coming.
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Man am I having a good cup of joe this AM. :coffee:
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Thanks for taking the time to share these Brian...we really appreciate it. Looks like I gotta hit ol Doug up fer a visit....that sure is some pretty country.
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:saywhat: CK
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Puttin this one back at the top so Brian doesn't loose it, he should have a lot more pictures! Joseph
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finally got a chance to catch up on this one.....awesome!! I love Montana :clapper:
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The next day, we decided to try to find the elk elsewhere. The fires and the wolves really seemed to disburse the herds. This morning, we decided to look for them on National Forest land.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG32.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG33.jpg)
The mountains are not the only things that can make you feel small in Montana.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG34.jpg)
Rock slides and trees can have that affect too...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG35.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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We put some miles on in that National Forest. The scenery was pretty spectacular. I was amazed at the diverse landscapes around every turn. Unfortunately, we did not see or hear any elk at all.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG36.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG38.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG37.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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A quick note on equipment since someone asked. First off, great footwear is a must. Don't skimp on taking care of your feet out here. Since the weather was on the milder side, I wore my Danner hikers. These hikers have served me well over the last couple years in mild temperatures. They are waterproof, breathable and have great support. I wear a silk liner under my lightweight socks to help wick moisture and prevent any chance of blisters.
You've heard the saying "cotton is the enemy". It's very true out here this time of year. You want a base layer that can wick moisture away from your skin. Cotton won't do that. One day I got hot while hiking and I took everything off and just put my long sleeve cotton shirt back on. Well, after a few miles, the sweat built up pretty good on my skin and in the cotton. It got cooler the higher we climbed and the wet cotton and skin turned into a freezer. Fortunately, I had enough clothing in my pack to change out but you need to remember that. A fun hunting trip can turn into a survival situation at any moment in this country. Keep a jacket or pullover, some gloves and a beanie cap or other warm hat in your pack. Like I said, temps can change in a hurry.
I have an old Rocky backpack that has been all over North America with me and has been part of my hunting gear for over a decade. Yep there are better packs out there but I don't see the need to replace this one just yet. Just make sure you take a comfortable pack with a plenty of storage.
A quality pair of binoculars is essential. And be prepared to spend a lot of time looking through them. I have a pair of Steiner 10 X 32 and they get the job done pretty well. I always tell people to get the best glasses they can afford, even if you have to wait a little longer to save up for them. Someday I will upgrade to something like Doug has, which I believe are Swarovski 10 X 42. The Steiners I have work well, but the little details like studying antlers and things are a little more difficult at longer distances. Have a quality, comfortable bino system/harness too. I like my Crooked Horn Outfitters harness.
I'm using a home made longbow, 59# @ 28 inches for this trip. 600 grain Gold Tip Traditional arrows including the Woodsman broadheads. I like sling quivers and the GFA model works well for me.
I also have a pretty well stocked first aid kit with me at all times. I have one of the soft sided cases and it's only about 6" X 6" X 1" and weighs less than a pound. A paramedic friend of mine stocked it pretty good with all the essentials and then some, including a few suture kits. I also saved a bottle of Vicoden from a previous prescription. There are lots of resources on-line to find out what you want in your kit. Cover the basics at least, pain killers, cold remedies, anti-diarrhea, band-aids and gauze, tweezers, tape, moleskin, snake bite kit, etc.
And don't forget your water bottle/bladder. You don't want to get dehydrated up in those hills.
Did I forget anything? Probably, but you get the idea.
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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That evening, we hiked up the hill on the far end of the ranch. It was in the 70s that afternoon. We could see the weather blowing in over the mountain top as we ascended.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG39.jpg)
We sat there under that tree, bundling up, and Doug let out a cow call. "WHOEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRUMPH" a bull screamed back! Our necks snapped around to look at each other, our faces lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. So we decided to make a move. We moved toward the sound of the bugle, Doug staying well behind me to call while I searched for the elk.
"Errrrrup" "Errrrrup" Doug chirped..."WHOEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRUMPH" another bugle erupted, then another from a different bull further down the valley. I slipped through the pines. The elk sign was unreal; droppings, rubs and tracks littered the landscape. A bull can sure tear up some vegetation.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG40.jpg)
The bugling got closer but the visibility was shrinking and the snow was moving in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG41.jpg)
More rubs, more sign and I could hear the elk in the area.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG42.jpg)
The storm intensified, the winds picked up and started to swirl. Darn it! The bugles began to become more faint, not sure if they were moving away or if the wind was muting them. The worst part was we were approaching the property line and we would not be able to hunt across the border. Seemed the elk knew it too...
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Well, the snow storm moved in in full force. Winds whipped, elk headed across the property line and Doug and I were a good distance apart. I dropped down into the valley pretty far and he stayed on the ridge top. It got dark quick in that storm. I never did see the elk but it sure was a blast hearing them responding to our calls and seeing all that sign. Another great day in Montana!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG43.jpg)
I climbed back up to where we started. It was a pretty straightforward exit to the truck. I knew where I was going but I decided to wait for Doug on top before heading back. It got pretty dark and I continued to flash my light in the direction of where I thought Doug would be coming. Unbeknownst to me, Doug was waiting and looking for me on the ridge that I dropped over. Well, I figured he had enough faith in me to get back to the truck so that is what I did. I called Doug's wife at the ranch and told her that I would be at the truck should Doug happen to call. I got back to the truck, started it, turned on the high beams and blew the horn a few times to let Doug know I was there. He descended shortly thereafter.
We should have made better plans to meet at a predetermined place. Make sure you think of that before splitting up, especially in an unfamiliar place.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG44.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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It was a little chilly the next morning :coffee:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG45.jpg)
But we got right back in the saddle.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG5.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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We put in another full day but just could not seem to find elk on any of the properties we had permission to hunt on.
This may have had something to do with it...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG46.jpg)
We saw a few more decent mulies crossing the road and heading towards the alfalfa fields.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG47.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG48.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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OK, last day of hunting in Montana. It's do or die time. But not really, the trip has already been a huge success regardless. We hit the hills hard once again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG50.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG51.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG52.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG53.jpg)
We even harrased the squirrels. Doug and I both got shots at this same squirrel in the same location. The little bugger actually ducked my arrow and went back to feeding while Doug drew on him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG49.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG54.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Well, despite forest fires, wolf re-introduction and early snow squals, nothing could keep Doug and I out of the field. We busted our butts and not bringing game meat back to camp was not due to a lack of trying, that's for sure. We pushed ourselves hard but it didn't work out like we hoped, but we still had a blast, proving that a kill is not necessary to ensure a great hunt.
I did manage to sneak up close and personal on mule deer bucks on at least 4 occasions. Two of those were less than 15 yards but the cover was so thick I could not get an arrow through anywhere. The third opportunity was a blown shot on my part. The deer was beeded and facing away from me. I snuck within 20 yards and figured I could drop an arrow just left of the spine and into the vitals. Well, it was about 4 inches just left of the spot I picked and it stuck in the dirt, literally right next to the deer. The reverberation from the shaft smacked the buck in the side and nudged him out of his bed. Oh well, as they say. It wasn't my first miss and it probably won't be my last.
I had one last opportunity on a mulie buck but when I got there, he was bedded in a depression with only his antlers showing. I whistled to try to get him to stand but he rocketed out of his bed instead. It sure was a blast getting so close to critters that run from wolves though.
Many thanks to Doug, Karen, Joseph and Ashley for a wonderful time. I plan to go back. And I might have to make steaks out of these things when I do:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG55.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG56.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/MontanaTG57.jpg)
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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wow that was a great adventure
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Enjoyed the tellin, guys. Thanks, Brian and Doug, for taking some great pics....and making the most of things, so soon, after a pretty catastrophic fire. Good to see the game back in there a bit, and the two of you making a great adventure of it all.
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We sure gave it heck Mark. That place will be good as new, or better, in a few years.
-Brian
www.bowyersjournal.com (http://www.bowyersjournal.com)
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Thanks for sharing! Mike
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WOW! Amazing pictures Brian, thanks for sharing.