dil-howlters-mirror

[dil-howlters-mirror]

Hunting The Mescalero

One of my nightly routines is to sit in my recliner, and go through my mail that hopefully has outdoor magazines and catalogs with the potential for new adventures.

On one of those evenings, I received a Return To The Outdoors catalog.  I wasn’t sure what to expect inside but much to my delight, the catalog had hunts in several states.  I thumbed through the pages thinking that maybe I could find my next adventure. This is where I found the hunts on the Mescalero, during the rut with a rifle, a perfect hunt for a 67 year old man that loves elk hunting.

The biggest problem with elk hunting today is that you have to draw a tag in most states, and in order to be successful you had better have lots of points for areas that have Boone & Crocket bulls.  

My theory is, if you are 67 years old, do not plan on drawing unless you started applying 15 years ago. What I am saying, is that at 67, don’t wait to be drawn, you may not be alive in two years. Buy your tag thru outfitters or from the Indian Reservations like the Mescelero.

Doing my research on the Mescalero shows that they have the potential for B&C bulls, and 500,000 acres to hunt. My only doubt about the hunt at this point is the elk camp. I have hunted an Indian Reservation before and did not like sleeping in a dorm with 12 other guys. Much to my delight, the elk camp on the Mescalero is their very own Casino, Inn of the Mountain Gods. Two queen sized beds and a bathroom all to myself, with a maid that came in and made the bed every day. This will spoil me on other elk camps forever.

I called in to the Return To The Outdoors staff and asked if I could have a tag for first season, and a tag for second season on the Mescalero Indian Reservation. I was sent a contract, which I promptly signed and sent back with my check. Now came the hard part. I had to wait until September 9th, 2011 to hunt.

Finally September 6th arrived, which meant it was time to start driving solo from the Oregon Coast, to Ruidosa, New Mexico. The first day’s drive was 14 hours, the second 13 hours. I was very impressed with the country, lots of trees and mountains. Perfect elk country.

I found the Big Game Management Building, and inside was the manager Herman along with the person that keeps everybody going in the right direction, Marilyn.

At the introduction meeting and dinner, I was introduced to my guide, Patrick Hiles. I’m not sure what Patrick thought when he saw me for the first time, but it probably went something like, “Why do I always get the old guys?”

Opening morning, breakfast is served at 4:00 am. On our way to the truck, after breakfast, we grab our box lunches (each lunch is enough for 4 people). Patrick picked me up and it was not exactly the time he told me.  When he arrived, he said, it was “Indian Time”. Not sure what he meant by that, but I was not about to upset the guide on our first morning by questioning him.

We started driving, East I think, it’s very dark still. We get about 3 miles from the Casino, I mean elk camp, when Patrick stops the truck and rolls down the window. What do we hear? No less than 12 bulls are bugling. The hair on the back of my neck is standing straight up, and I am drooling. I think to myself, this has to be heaven. To my surprise, Patrick says “Get in the truck, we are leaving”.  WHAT, but there are bulls here!  We drove, change that, Patrick drove away from the bulls, while I pouted.

We drove another 15 minutes and parked. When daylight came, I got my first look at Mescalero elk country. WOW. Everyplace we glassed there were bulls, and I mean every hillside we saw bulls.  

That first day, we saw no less than 40 bulls. No 1st day shooters. Maybe tomorrow.

The second day we went to another portion of the Reservation, with more timber and brush. Lot’s of bugles and close calls.  The elk were not quite hot enough to stay and fight, it was bugle and run.

The third day brought more timber and brush and more long hikes. That evening, I heard a bugle, and it was close. One call on the cow call, and here he comes. I am ready, laying on the ground at the edge of a 100 yard meadow, with my bipod down in the ready position. This six point bull steps out of the brush, he is wide, heavy and tall. My crosshairs are on this bull, waiting for him to turn broadside so we can make a quick decision. “Patrick, I am ready” I say. Patrick says, “wait”. The bull turns and starts walking closer when he stops at 50 yards. The bulls turns. Patrick tells me not to shoot, that he is short on his G-4 and G-5. That was fun! I didn’t stop smiling for three days.

Day four was very much like the others, lots of bulls, but they just weren’t ready to dance yet.

The last morning of my first hunt on the Mescelero was a little slower than the other days. We came back to camp at about 1:00 pm. Patrick said he would pick me up at about 3:30 for the evening hunt. I took a nap in my beautiful room at the Inn, rough camp right? At 4:00 we are on the hill and find two herds, but neither has a shooter. We move on to another ridge, where after about 30 minutes of glassing Patrick finds a nice six point by himself raking the hell out of a tree.

Now, I have to make a decision. This is not a B&C bull, but we think he will score between 320 and 330. The bull is 375 yards down a steep hill, and it’s getting dark. I made my decision. It was time to lay down with my 300 WBY Christensen Arms, and pull the trigger. I find a comfortable spot, put one in the tube, and change the power on my best scope under 100$ to 18 power. I put the crosshairs high on the shoulder, push the safety off, take a deep breath, exhale half and squeeze. The bull drops to the surprise of my guide, and does not move. The Black Mamba strikes again.

Now we have to get to the bull before dark, and get the hard part done. I leave from my shooting place and work my way down thru the steep ridge. Patrick says he will meet me at the bull with the truck. We loaded the bull into the back of the truck in a full on thunder storm with lightening directly overhead.

We got back to the Big Game Management Building at about 9:00pm, soaking wet, very cold and hungry. While Patrick and I ate, three great guys did their thing unloading the bull with an electric hoist. They skinned, washed, and quartered the meat which then went into the cooler. They then caped my bull. Did I say that I love this elk camp?

Now with first season over, I have nothing to do until second season starts on Saturday. Did I mention that the Reservation has a championship 18 hole golf course and that I brought my clubs? What a beautiful course, 7200 foot elevation, perfect greens, water and lots of trees.

Patrick calls me Friday night and tells me that I am going to like what he found on his day off. He had done some glassing just before dark, and found a B&C bull with about 15 cows. He said we would have to leave early as it was a long drive and walk and that we needed to be there before daylight. The only thing I have to do is try to sleep, while trying not to think about what the morning will bring.

Patrick shows up on time, I take this as a sign that this is going to be a good morning. We talk about what the plan is. We wait at the bottom of the hill until 15 minutes before shooting time. Patrick turns off the truck, rolls down the windows and listens. It sounds like one hell of a party out there! I am not sure how many bulls are bugling, a wild guess is a bunch.  

With packs on our backs, we start walking up the mountain. Patrick thinks our bull will be on the East side of this mountain and says we need to be ready because they are on the move. We creep to the top, a deep canyon on the South and a ridge down the West side. There are two herds, with satellite bulls all over the ridge. There are too many things to look at all at once, it is overwhelming.

Patrick point over to the East and says “There’s your bull and he is leaving. You’d better hurry.” At this point, I got very lucky. Two things happened, I found a tree with the perfect rest with me sitting on my butt, the rifle came down on the only limb on that side of the tree and with a little adjusting, I was on my bull. Second, the bull stopped at 325 yards to look back and left me with a hole in the brush to shoot thru.

Patrick asks “Are you going to take him?”  I answer with a boom.  Patrick tells me he is down.  I can’t see the bull. He is in the brush so I am not ready to celebrate until I have my hands on his rack.  It takes about 30 minutes to reach where the bull was standing.  We get close to the spot and Patrick gets a call on his cell phone.  One of his buddy’s is watching from another ridge and tells us that the bull is standing up and looking around.  He is 100 yards below us and we still can’t see him, there’s too much brush.  I move down 50 yards and a little West.  The top half of his antlers are in sight.  I move a little more West, now I can see his neck. This is going to be a an offhand shot downhill.  When I find his neck, he looks up the hill just as I pulled the trigger.  The bullet made a perfect 30 caliber hole in his main beam just above his G2 and then into his neck.  Now he is mine, and the main beam is still in one piece.  Did I say I love this elk camp?

We work our way down to the bull, still not knowing just how big he is. 

                        We finally make it down to the bull and all I can say is, “Wow, what a bull”, he’s a perfect 6 point.  I’m guessing that the G3’s are over 20”, and the main beams over 50, we will score it later.  How do we get this bull out of here?” I say.  Patrick gets on his cell phone and calls for three horses.  Now, it’s time to get our knives out and prepare this bull for the horses to pack out.  One and a half hours later, the horses have worked their way to us.  We load up and start the pack out to the truck, then it’s on to the Big Game Management Building for the stories and celebration.

As soon as the animal was caped out, Norman and Herman started to score the bull.  The G3’s were 24”, and the main beam was 55”, for a total B&C score of 389.  Did I say I love this elk camp?

My Christensen Arms 300 WBY, which I call the “Black Mamba”, performed without fail.  The shot I made on this bull was one of the most difficult I have ever made, and could not have make it with a lesser rifle.  Thank you Christensen Arms.

As for the Mescalero Indian Reservation and its people, thank you for sharing your piece of heaven with me.  I tried very hard not to piss anyone off, so maybe you will let me return for the 2012 season.

Did I mention I love this elk camp?

[dil-howlters-mirror]

WORLD RECORD GRIZZLY

NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN CLAIM A WORLD RECORD…

Barry and Bob Steed are good friends and clients; we have hunted and fished all over the world together. Having just returned from New Zealand, we decided it was time for Grizzly. Anytime you can hunt Alaska, you are enjoying yourself; and when you are hunting coastal Brown Bear or interior Grizzly, you are really doing well. When you hunt interior Grizzly, only one place will do: Stoney River Lodge, just south of Sleetmute, Alaska. Proprietors Curly and Betty Warren are a class act and have a top notch concession. Joe Mott is their lead guide and responsible for taking over 100 Grizzlies over the years. Late April and early May is a beautiful time in Alaska; the days are getting long and the nights are brisk. The ground is still snow-covered and big bruins come out of their dens looking for food. Their hides are flawless and their claws are long -- everything you could want in a Grizzly. These bears have been in their dens for up to seven months and have one thing on their mind…FOOD. In spring, food is sparse until the snow melts, so if you can locate winter kills, there is a great chance a bruin or two will visit. I’ve only seen boars this time of year, which greatly increases your odds of taking an animal. The sows will almost always have cubs and stay in the dens a bit longer. In Alaska, you cannot hunt the day you fly; however, when flying you can spot bear, and see where they are moving and searching for food. We spotted a moose kill this way and that was the buffet we were looking for. The closest place to land the Super Cub was nearly three miles away. Barry was in one plane and I was in the other. We got dropped off and then the wait started. We set up camp, ate dinner and tried to sleep.

The next morning, we got on the trail about 7:00 am, in three feet of snow and on snow shoes; I anticipated a three-hour trek. If you have been on snow shoes…there is no need to explain; if you haven’t, there is no way to explain it. The plan was to approach the moose kill from the downwind side and see what this feast had enticed. As we got close to the kill, we slowed our pace and checked the wind. Things were looking good and if there was a good boar on the kill, we would be in business. Closing to within 500 yards, we broke the heavy timber; I glassed the area on the edge of a clearing with scattered trees ahead of us, but saw nothing. We crept slowly, one snow shoe at a time, stopping to canvas the area every few steps; we were in stealth mode. We knew the moose kill was on the far side of the clearing. It had been two and a half hours since we left camp; and now we were on the cusp of Barry’s first Grizzly. We crested the rise and spotted what we were looking for in the clearing, a bear 225 yards ahead and sleeping on top of the moose…not just any bear…a BEHEMOTH. The bear looked like a buffalo sitting on its haunches -- big, dark and exactly what we were looking for. I have guided many bear hunts in my lifetime, and have seen many big coastal brownies. This one did not take a back seat to any of them. The wind was good, the sun was shining and the timing was right. Another 50 yards and we would be at the edge of a patch of trees with a clear shooting lane to the bear. We got to 175 yards and made our stand. Packs off and tripod out, we got ready for the shot. Hindsight is always 20/20; looking back, I should have found a tree for Barry to rest on. Instead, I opened the tripod and tried to get Barry comfortable. Neither sitting, kneeling, nor crouching felt right to him. The last thing you want to do as a guide is have a client take a shot they are uncomfortable with. The shot is the most important thing, especially when you are hunting something that can hunt you. As we tried to get Barry comfortable, the wind switched, blowing right on the back of my neck. I knew we had little time to make this happen. This bear was as big as many of the coastal Brown Bear I have hunted; this was a magnificent creature and would rank high in the record books. Knowing the bear had scented us by now, increased our anxiety; Barry finally got comfortable and I made sure the gun was loaded and safety off -- we were ready to let lead fly. We looked up to put the boar in our sights…and saw nothing. How could this be? He was there five seconds ago, broadside, lying on a moose kill. Quickly, my binos came up and I scoured the clearing -- left, right, left, then to the kill. Nothing. Not a sign of the bear anywhere. Sitting in disbelief, we waited 10-15 minutes to see if he had just wandered a bit, but I knew better. Barry’s bear was long gone. We walked up to the kill and saw his tracks heading back up the valley. That monster of a bear had smelled us and didn’t stick around for lunch. Unbelievable. We were at the cusp of a lifetime dream and now it escaped into the snow-covered hills. Back at the lodge, I told Curly and Joe that this was quite possibly the biggest bear I had ever seen. Asking them if they thought the bear would return to the kill they both said highly unlikely. I knew what they were going to say before they said it but I had to ask. The wind had beaten us. Five more seconds and we would have had the bear of a lifetime. We were full of would’ve and should’ve. But would’ve and should’ve couldn’t change what happened. Five days left to hunt and now it was Bob’s turn. Licking our wounds would not change anything. We needed a change of luck and Bob was about to get it. We found several nice bears over the next few days, but nothing either guy wanted to take. When you know there is a nine foot in the area, it’s kind of hard to shoot an eight foot, so we kept looking. With minimal hopes and time fading away we were desperate. The more we thought about and discussed that bear, the more we wanted one more chance. On day eight, against their better judgment, Joe and Bob went back to the moose kill to see if the big bruin would come back, hoping the bear (or any bear) would return -- but knowing deep down the bear was long gone and not coming back. Bob and Joe approached the kill site from a little different angle; we had advanced from due east, so they decided to come in from the south. This allowed them to see the moose from farther away; if a bear was present, they would have longer to formulate a plan. Surprisingly, there was a bear sleeping on the moose, and Joe told Bob he was a shooter. The wind was right, enabling them to sneak to within 150 yards of the kill; Bob took a rest on a tree branch. To get the bear in a position to shoot him Joe made moose calls with his hands. 

Believe it or not, that bear stood up on its back legs with its nose in the air trying to see and smell what it had just heard -- the last thing the bear would ever do. Bob lowered the 300 mag and put the crosshairs right on his chest. BOOM, the gun went off, the bear whirled around; boom, another shot rang out. The number one rule when you hunt Grizzly and Brown bear is: shoot and keep shooting until the bear does not move anymore. Bob listened well; he unloaded his gun putting five shots into the beast. And there laid a magnificent creature that even pictures couldn’t do justice to. Joe’s first words as they approached the bear were, “That is the biggest bear I have ever been part of killing.” When the Lodge phone rang and Bob was telling Curly what had happened, I knew they had killed ‘Barry’s bear’. There just aren’t two bears that big in the same area. Though Joe and Curly both insisted it was a different bear, I knew better. For ten minute, I stood 175 yards from the biggest bear I had ever seen in my life. Joe had just guided Bob on the biggest bear of Joe’s life. Joe has guided over 100 Grizzly hunts and Curly has dropped him off on every one of those. This bear was in a league of its own. Now in all fairness, Stoney River Lodge has eight of the top ten SCI record book Grizzlies. They kill giant bears every spring and fall. This one was going in the record books and I knew it was going high. There is the mandatory 60-day drying period before anything is officially scored. The SCI record at the time was 28-2/16, and had stood since 2001. Bob’s bear scored a whopping 28-5/16 after the drying period. THE NEW SCI WORLD RECORD GRIZZLY BEAR. By nearly 1/3 of an inch, Bob’s and Barry’s bear was the top dog. But all records are made to be broken. Bob’s bear squared at over 9’0”, a true monster in the Grizzly world. The bear was 20 years old and the king of his mountain. Bob is having him mounted and I can’t wait to see the finished product. I will no doubt be taking this bear to some shows in the future. A bear like this needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. If any of you have Grizzly on your bucket list, there is no better place than Stoney River Lodge. My cell number and email are below. Drop me a line or a message and I will get you set up on the hunt of a lifetime. Who knows, maybe you will be the nest world record holder of the great Alaska Grizzly bear.

[dil-howlters-mirror]

Most Useful Tents

These oversize chairs are Large Enough to Accommodate mother, dad, the children, and all the camping equipment.

 Certainly, one of my favorite tactics to contact my interior Clark Griswold will always be to package the family members and scoot the street to seek out reprieve at the shape of the polyester decoration shield, a campfire, and also the messiest s am ores around the planet. The truth is that decades back, we began a convention of going on the camping excursion daily immediately after the previous day of faculty. In essence, it truly is our manner of kicking the summer months. Last calendar year, we are researching the lakes and ponds across Bend, Oregon.

 I have heard that the secret, together with almost any family camping journey, is relaxation, and also relaxation begins having a dependable kayak. However, with many tent layouts, substances, and also features obtainable, it could be tough to understand which shield could agree with your family. To assist, here's a list of family-sized, reputable, and cheap tents to take into consideration before moving on your own very first instantly in a distant corner of these forests or even in your backyard.

 Inch. Coleman WeatherMaster

I have been around a lot more than one camping journey at which, in fact, the biting bugs had been bad that we needed to cover up out at the tent. We did not receive little; however, we felt just like we have been trapped indoors. This is exactly the reason why I enjoy chairs having a modest"porch" that is distinct from your primary bedroom. Even the Coleman WeatherMaster comes with a 9x6 ft porch with displays that extend out of the bottom for the cover of the tent, that will be perfect in case you would like to relish fresh atmosphere over a trendy day. Indoors, there is enough space for just two queen-sized inflatable beds. Also, now there are lantern hangars and net storage pockets. Though it really is not the priciest or expensive (3 2 kilos ) family-sized tent within this particular list, the WeatherMaster remains inflexible, assembled using durable substances that will come within an oversize carry tote, also does not simply take to prepare.

 If you feel wet and cold while swimming, you are unhappy, therefore when you are thinking of a fresh tent, then do not merely measure it with its dimensions, pounds loss, or structure study the rain-fly too. Quite a few models do not include things like pay that moves all of the ways into the floor also addresses the whole tent. Shelters like the NTK Arizona GT that comprises the complete polyester rain fly. This is laminated using a polyurethane coating for water immunity that really does an excellent job of retaining precipitation off the full shield. That clearly was really a divider to generate just two chambers indoors two-door, several bedrooms and internet utility pockets, and venting vents to maintain air going.

 Ozark Route 9-person Instantaneous Cabin Tent

Ozark Course took a peek out of mobile hunting blind layouts as it established its instantaneous Cabin, also demonstrates assembling substantial, multi-room tents will not need to become intricate. The most exceptional characteristic with this protector could be that the framework sticks are attached with the tent, and everything you have to accomplish in order to put up it is stretch the corner affirms, then raise the roofing just like an umbrella (or searching blind). Ozark Path claims that accomplished accurately, place time up averages about 2 moments, that will be perfect when you should be attempting to corral a crazy little one, or even terrible weather conditions are on the horizon. Indoors are 3 individual doors to get private chambers huge enough to inflatable queen beds, screened windows, equipment pockets, and electric cable accessibility (in the event that you are screwing into or working out a chainsaw to get strength ), plus an in-wall porch. A tiny rain-fly and take bag are comprised.

 As the rod style and design are like Ozark Path's Instant Cabin,'' CORE asserts you are able to vertical their Immediate Cabin Tent within 60 minutes, that will be far faster compared to anticipated installment days of almost any additional tent exhibited. However, one other fine feature relating to its version would be your extra-wide doorway, that zippers down the center and also opens nearly as extensive as the complete front walls. The tent cloth is heat-sealed in the seams and also medicated using CORE's H2O repellant to maintain out moisture. Indoors there's overhead storage, mesh pockets over the walls, and also flexible vents. A tiny rain-fly that chiefly handles the surface of the tent and also a storage bag has been all included.

 It truly is tough to consider camping, maybe not consider this identify Coleman. For years that the business has generated trusted, a cheap exterior equipment, plus also they reveal no indicators of reducing. Their do me tent can be an inexpensive selection for those who get a tiny family that does not mind sleeping with each other in 1 space, and also, you also enjoy the notion of owning a tiny, screened, and porch-like space from the front door. Space makes for a fantastic space for storing, particularly to get filthy shoes that muck the quarters. You will find storage pockets across the inner walls, and also, the rain-fly has a window so that you may make the windows open for venting whenever it really is raining.

 The wonderful thing concerning the Camp Creek out of ALPS Mountaineering could be that the 4 partitions are nearly completely vertical, so that will be perfect for the headroom, especially in the event that you line the within the perimeter with twin-sized cots or upholstered beds. You will find storage pockets, including attachment straps for hanging lamps, and also 4 screened windows indoors. The lace rain fly comes with a weather-protective coating, although it merely covers the top one of this kayak, it's an awning which goes outside across the entrance if that you desire to abandon apparel or alternative gear out.

  Ozark Route 16x16 Instantaneous Cabin

 If a household wants to go big or go home if it regards planting equipment, then subsequently that particular tent out of Ozark Path may possibly be to you personally. Built about precisely the exact easy-setup pole style and design as that their 6-person immediate Cabin, the l shaped 16x16-foot variant could be your biggest and lightest tent within this particular list. Additionally, it includes two entrances, about three split up area dividers plus also a huge entrance awning, seven windows, electric cable accessibility, and oversize floor vents for venting --or even an air purifier, even in case roughing it really isn't your own style. Ozark also asserts that an installation period significantly less than just two moments, and also the design is very good in case you enjoy to habit organize your camp using something just like a"living space" in the midst, together with two sleeping areas churns off to either side. A rain-fly and take bag are comprised.

 NTK is famous for the streamlined, lightweight, and backcountry tents, plus so they've shot those style and design flaws and implemented them into your sizable, family-style line-up of shelters. Even the Indy GT is the one that looks like a protector you would package to get a bivy search. However, it really is ample enough to allow for up to adults. Moreover, the polyester rainfly handles the mantle all of the solutions for the bottom; thus, there is less chance of humidity invading the tent. Indoors you can find storage pockets, a lantern ring, as well as a silver-coated flooring to maintain warmth. Even the full device packs into an enclosed duffel bag for transportation.

 In the event that you prefer the notion of the connection involving sleeping regions, however, do not enjoy the notion of lugging around a gigantic tent, then subsequently look at the two-door Family Camping Tent from Timber Ridge. This dome-shaped refuge isn't hard to prepare and shoot down. The broad doorway allows usage of either side of this tent in the event the divider has been put in, and also, the windows and screened roofing enable significantly more than plenty of venting. Although rain-fly does not offer you much security, it can possess a doorway awning in the event that you'd like to maintain socks beyond the entrance, along with also the whole unit is amongst the absolute most streamlined stalls to likewise include things like power cord vents.

 Winterial Tee-pee Tent

 If the children are similar to mine, then there is absolutely no limit to that which they view, listen, and also do if their own imagination happens. Some times they all desire is that a fantastic jumping-off stage --and also exactly what better way to kickstart their camp-time imagination compared to simply by telling them you are all bathing at a teepee. Even the six-person version from Winterial gets got the design and feel of the conventional teepee. Nonetheless, it has made out of modern substances. Also, it's a full-size rain-fly to maintain every one indoors safe against this weather. It truly is simple to prepare and just takedown, and even in the event that you should be okay without shedding a little chunk of one's yard this summer, then it is really a significant refuge for the children to host garden sleepovers or imaginary adventures.

[dil-howlters-mirror]

The Harvest – Beau Knutson

Every hunting season starts the same for me.  In early July, I start hanging trail cameras and setting up blinds; and then in mid-August, I try to cover as much ground as possible in the mornings and evenings with the hope of locating a giant mule deer. This year would have been similar to any other year except for the fact that I had some extremely big shoes to fill after last season’s archery mule deer hunt.

Without a doubt, I had harvested a once-in-a-lifetime deer; but the thing that frustrated me the most was when people began to say, “You will never shoot a bigger one than that one!” My motivation, and that of my hunting companions, is the love of the outdoors and the enjoyment of time spent with friends and family – not whether or not I can “shoot a bigger one!” That is what motivated me to get my butt out of bed at 4:00 a.m. in August, in search of a shooter buck.

We had an extremely harsh winter this year, and after I had spent many days on the trails this spring looking for sheds, I was doubtful that 2013 was going to produce many mature deer. However, during the early summer I was surprised to notice that the mule deer herd in our area was not looking that bad…but it was still too early to guess what the horn growth was going to be like. By the middle of August, I relocated a few bucks that I had noticed had potential last year; but they had stayed relatively the same size as the previous year.

It wasn’t until the latter part of August that I found a deer that a buddy had spotted during the muzzleloader season last year. Last year, he had seen a basic four-point, with a few small sticker points and a small drop tine off his right beam. We had guessed that he was close to the 200” non-typical mark, but my buddy, Ken, had the draw tag and chose to pass him up. I was quite impressed with the amount of horn he had put on this year; however, the only time I could spot this deer was in my headlights, going to – and coming from – other scouting locations! It was a bit strange, because last year, I seen this buck in legal shooting light just about every time I was out. I’m not sure why, but this deer was pretty much nocturnal. A friend of mine did happen to catch him in some alfalfa in the early summer and got a few long distance pictures.

I was starting to get a bit concerned because I hadn’t figured this deer out yet; and, being a rancher, it was time for me to start harvesting. This meant I’d have zero chance to scout unless it rained until the season started. I had some ideas, but he was far from figured out. After harvest was done, I returned to puzzle solving; but it wasn’t till the third week of the season that I had a chance at this deer.

I spotted him out in the field before sun up and watched him walk away in the darkness and bed down – well before shooting light. Once the sun came up, I snuck into his bedding area, only to find out that I had no chance. There he was, lying right in the middle of a slough with not a breath of wind; I wouldn’t have gotten within a hundred yards of him, so I backed out and went back to work.

I got back to the farm and told the guys I had found a pretty good buck. Right away they both looked in the box of my truck. I told them I knew where he was laying and if the wind picked up I’d have to sneak away early that day. Sure enough, at about 4:00 p.m., the wind picked up and off I went. I snuck into position only to find out that he had moved during the day. I sat at the edge of the slough and glassed, trying to pick up a horn tip or an ear twitch, but I had no luck. Just when I was going to call it quits, I caught a glimpse of a horn in the sunlight – it was the little buck that had been accompanying him that morning. Game on! I started belly crawling toward the little fella, with the hope that the big guy was bedded nearby. I got into a position where I couldn’t go any closer without the risk of busting the buck, so I just started glassing again and finally picked out horn tips. I was 30 yards away and all he had to do was stand… seems simple, right? That’s what I thought.

I lay motionless for a couple hours and nothing happened; all of a sudden, I looked over my shoulder and noticed a 50” bull moose coming up behind me, grunting like crazy. I was a bit concerned because it was mid-September and the moose rut was starting. Now, there were two things that could happen:  one, the moose could push me out; or two, the moose could motivate the deer to leave! The big bull walked parallel to me at 50 yards, grunting the whole time. I was a bit tense for a bit because he came straight downwind and stared me down the whole time! Lucky for me he continued on, but when he got to the end of the slough, he busted the small buck out of the bush. I figured my night was done but since I hadn’t seen the big guy get up, I waited till the end of hunting time…but he never stood up. The big guy had outsmarted me so I backed out and headed back to the truck.

The next few days required me to focus on work, but I knew my friend, Ken, would be down for a week, when my work concluded, so I was confident we would relocate this deer. The only concern was that he was bedding close to a road and I knew time was limited before someone else would discover him.

The night Ken got here, it was raining like crazy! We had received an inch the day before and ended up with three total inches before we could finally get out hunting. I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t be able to hunt for a day or two, but we managed to get out the next morning. Our plan was simple, we were going to go sit on post and watch him go off the field and bed down, and then we would sneak in and slide an arrow through him. Sounds easy…but it didn’t go quite like that!

We pulled into our spot at least an hour before shooting time so we wouldn’t spook anything off the field. About a half hour before shooting time we saw headlights coming up the trail; the truck stopped and two guys got out and walked out to the slough where we were hoping to locate the buck. That was not in our plans!

As soon as the sun came up, Ken could see through his binoculars that the big guy was heading right back where we thought he would, the only problem was the two guys walking around in the slough. I was worried that they were going to spook this deer off the face of the earth. I figured the way they were walking around, the chance of them killing the deer was zero; but more concerning was the fact that older, mature muleys don’t give second chances — they disappear when they are spooked.

We watched the show go on for about an hour and finally the hunters started walking back to their truck. We knew the big guy had gone in and hadn’t come out; only a couple little bucks had fled the country. Our plan now was to let the deer relax a bit, and wait for some wind; so we drove around for an hour or so and then came back to do our stalk. When we got back, the wind was perfect. We were a bit uncertain as to the exact location of the buck, but we knew he was in there somewhere. I’d seen it before, where muleys will use their same bed – over again – so our plan was to stalk where I had spotted him the week before.

Sneaking quietly, we got to about within 60 yards when Ken spotted horn tips with his Swarovski binos. We watched for a few minutes and figured we were safe to close the distance to 30 yards. I figured it would be better if only one of us tried to get to 30 yards, so Ken snuck up and got there – no problem. The buck was bedded and didn’t appear to be alerted, so Ken waved me forward. When I got in position, the buck was still bedded and still had no idea we were there. I figured we would be sitting there until 7:00 p.m. and it was only 10:30 a.m. — so I was going to have a snooze.

I had just settled in for a nap, when Ken tapped my boot and whispered, “He’s up.” I kind of fumbled my stuff together and we got ready. Ken appeared to have a clear shot to the lungs, at 30 yards; but when he released his arrow, it deflected over the deer’s shoulder. I was uncertain where the hit had been, so I went through the trees to get a look and was startled by the buck coming right toward me. I wasn’t sure he was going to stop! So when he was at 40 yards, I drew my bow and watched the Fletching disappear into the deer’s chest. The old buck made it about 50 yards and plied up.

The best thing about this hunt was having someone else along to celebrate with. It was a great hunt and one I won’t forget for a long time. Later in the week, Ken, my daughter Mackenzie, and I, took the deer to be measured. It ended up scoring 235 net and 241 gross non-typical.

I can hardly wait to see what next year brings!

[dil-howlters-mirror]

The Only Information You Need To Know For Your Camping Trip

You can leave the every day world far behind on a relaxing camping trip. You get to enjoy all of nature and leave your worries behind. Keep reading to find advice and insights for making the most of your next camping trip.

Buy a sleeping bag which will suit the weather you will be in. If you bring a sub-zero sleeping bag to go camping in mid-summer, you might find that you are sweating all night long. On the other hand, bringing a light-weight bag in the middle of winter could cause you to wake up freezing. Without protection, you are running the risk of developing hypothermia.

Don't worry about over-packing for the kids. Camping can be messy. Kids love to play in the dirt. As they go about enjoying the natural surroundings, you may find that dirt is added to dirt. You can not really prevent it from happening, but you can pack extra clothes. Prepare ahead of time!

The way you prepare will determine whether your camping trip will be fun or if it will be dangerous. Without proper preparation, a camping trip can turn into a disaster. When heading to a new spot, be sure to research the area thoroughly so you know what to expect with regard to weather and wildlife.

Check the terms of your health insurance before leaving. Sometimes when you go to a different place, you'll have to get an additional policy to cover you. This comes into effect, more so, when you are traveling out of the country. This preparation tactic can help you save a lot of money in the event of an accident.

A bandanna or handkerchief should be brought along with you. A bandana is very versatile and can be used as a blotter, potholder, mini-bag and more. There are a lot of different uses for it, so make sure you bring one on every camping trip with you.

It's not totally necessary to rough it during your entire trip. You can bring along something comforting from home for your trip. This can be something simple like fresh coffee or a favorite candy. It is these simple luxuries that can lift your mood.

Purchase a few camping pillows to take with you. Since standard pillows can pick up a lot of humidity, debris or even creepy-crawlers, leave them safely at home. The moisture in the air can also cause mildew. A good pillow intended for camping, however, will keep the moisture out, which will prevent any of the above problems.

Kids love camping, but you need to plan out activities for them to do on the trip. Far from civilization, kids tend to get bored. They may not have any experience with things such as fishing or setting up a tent. Take the time to teach them these skills before the trip, especially if they don't spend a great deal of time outdoors.

When you go camping for the first few times, be sure that your camp is close to where you live. You could run into problems with your gear, or decide to cut the trip short. You might not pack enough food, or you may run short on clothing. Many problems may arise for a new camper, so camping close to where you live can help you.

Be sure to pack a sufficient amount of the proper foods. Also, you will want to keep food that does not spoil to put yourself in the safest position. Food poisoning can quickly put an ugly end to any outdoor vacation. Take all precautions to make sure your food is packed and prepared properly.

If you are pitching a tent, look for soft, level ground. Choosing a slanted or rocky site will make your stay quite uncomfortable. A tarp underneath your tent is handy as it can help keep water from entering.

Pick out all of your clothing before you go camping. You should have clean clothes that will last you the entire trip. Also, be sure that you carry articles of clothing that are appropriate for the weather and climate of your camping location. It is also a good idea to bring a few pairs of shoes so that you have extras in case of mud or water getting into them.

Going camping is a wonderful way to use your time. It enables you to leave the hectic real world and be one with nature. The tips shared in this article can help you turn your next camping trip out into nature a great and rewarding time you won't soon forget.