One-shot
Lil-Rokslider
We, the man and I, both drew early cow. Yay! Bugling bulls everywhere helped us tag: me on day 3, 3.5 miles into Wilderness; man tagged on day 8, 4 miles in. Each was a 2 day pack out at nearly 10,000‘ so the physical was GREAT! Hard, but great.
At issue: What to do with, or how to train a noisy hunting partner?
Day1: Hiking through forest to periodic open spots to glass. Man is stepping on and crunching, snapping…you name it, every damn twig he could find under his feet. He’s also talking in an audible voice. The guy doesn’t understand, “Whisper”.
Day 2: At first light glassing from rock outcropping, he’s glassing one direction, me another. All’s good, until… I hear crunch, crinkle, crinkle, crinkle. I turn around to see him rifling through plastic baggies and chomping down food. I whisper, loudly ’cause I’m ticked, “What the hell are you doing?”
“Eating my breakfast.”
“Are you kidding me? Eat it later!”
He gained some redemption by spotting a bull pushing cows about 800-1000 yds away through trees and into an open clearing. We decide to go after ‘em.
He goes high, I go low.
I crossed an open meadow area, still very steep, but open, approach thick evergreens and there’s the herd - totally unaware I’m there. I got 25’ from a beautiful large cow. That’s right twenty-five feet. I had a clear shot. Took a knee, raised my rifle and WTF? The bull bugled; a zillion hooves thundered within the trees, the cow I had sights amscrayed as the whole herd up and bolted down the steep in thick trees. They heard the Man making his way through timber towards ’em. All I need was another 15 seconds and I woulda had elk to pack out! At this point I had steam coming out of my ears.
When we finally join up again later in afternoon, back at camp. I announce, “I’m hunting solo tomorrow! You scared the herd and I had a 25’ shot! You’re driving me nuts!”
“How do you know it was me?”
[Is this guy kidding]
“Cause we’re the only frickin’ people out here!”
Day 3: Plan was to split up. I’ll go in 30 minutes ahead and hunt north, he’ll follow and hunt south. Just after 1st light I spot a herd and pursued. Had cow down by 7:10 a.m. No idea where man was. Couldn’t move the cow for the life of me; tried logs as levers - no go; tried ropes looped over trees - no go, so went for no-gut method. Got back straps and 1 hq in game bags when walkie talkie beeped. Man says, “Where are you?”
”Cow elk down. I’m doing no gut. Come help!”
He found me after some back and forth walkie talkie directions.
In spite of being noisy, he‘s a good guy, and is wiling to help pack out.
Day 4: Finished my pack out, with Man’s help. Thank you, Man.
Skip to Day 8: The Plan: I’ll stay high and glass; and radio to him if I see elk and guide him towards. At this point our ranch dog, Scout McNab, is with me. Scout and I watch for elk. Man thinks he’s going to stay with us. I put the kabash on that, and told him to start hiking the ridge line - roughly same elevation as Scout and me, as we were staying high for vantage points.
Man hikes. I spot elk above him and radio the details.
Man starts the sneak.
I’m hoping he doesn’t decide to stop and eat his damned breakfast.
Herd went into trees.
Man stayed high.
Scout and I dropped low and BOLTED down the trail to try to force the herd to stay high where Man was.
We ran about 3/4 mile from original vantage point, and then hear: BOOM!
Thank frickin’…. He got one.
Walkie talkie beeps.
“Cow elk down, baby!”
YES!
Another 2 day pack out.
Two cows in the freezer.
So now he doesn’t think he was ever THAT noisy.
Argh. Until we get lucky enough to get drawn again. Maybe I’ll get him super sensitive hearing aids.
At issue: What to do with, or how to train a noisy hunting partner?
Day1: Hiking through forest to periodic open spots to glass. Man is stepping on and crunching, snapping…you name it, every damn twig he could find under his feet. He’s also talking in an audible voice. The guy doesn’t understand, “Whisper”.
Day 2: At first light glassing from rock outcropping, he’s glassing one direction, me another. All’s good, until… I hear crunch, crinkle, crinkle, crinkle. I turn around to see him rifling through plastic baggies and chomping down food. I whisper, loudly ’cause I’m ticked, “What the hell are you doing?”
“Eating my breakfast.”
“Are you kidding me? Eat it later!”
He gained some redemption by spotting a bull pushing cows about 800-1000 yds away through trees and into an open clearing. We decide to go after ‘em.
He goes high, I go low.
I crossed an open meadow area, still very steep, but open, approach thick evergreens and there’s the herd - totally unaware I’m there. I got 25’ from a beautiful large cow. That’s right twenty-five feet. I had a clear shot. Took a knee, raised my rifle and WTF? The bull bugled; a zillion hooves thundered within the trees, the cow I had sights amscrayed as the whole herd up and bolted down the steep in thick trees. They heard the Man making his way through timber towards ’em. All I need was another 15 seconds and I woulda had elk to pack out! At this point I had steam coming out of my ears.
When we finally join up again later in afternoon, back at camp. I announce, “I’m hunting solo tomorrow! You scared the herd and I had a 25’ shot! You’re driving me nuts!”
“How do you know it was me?”
[Is this guy kidding]
“Cause we’re the only frickin’ people out here!”
Day 3: Plan was to split up. I’ll go in 30 minutes ahead and hunt north, he’ll follow and hunt south. Just after 1st light I spot a herd and pursued. Had cow down by 7:10 a.m. No idea where man was. Couldn’t move the cow for the life of me; tried logs as levers - no go; tried ropes looped over trees - no go, so went for no-gut method. Got back straps and 1 hq in game bags when walkie talkie beeped. Man says, “Where are you?”
”Cow elk down. I’m doing no gut. Come help!”
He found me after some back and forth walkie talkie directions.
In spite of being noisy, he‘s a good guy, and is wiling to help pack out.
Day 4: Finished my pack out, with Man’s help. Thank you, Man.
Skip to Day 8: The Plan: I’ll stay high and glass; and radio to him if I see elk and guide him towards. At this point our ranch dog, Scout McNab, is with me. Scout and I watch for elk. Man thinks he’s going to stay with us. I put the kabash on that, and told him to start hiking the ridge line - roughly same elevation as Scout and me, as we were staying high for vantage points.
Man hikes. I spot elk above him and radio the details.
Man starts the sneak.
I’m hoping he doesn’t decide to stop and eat his damned breakfast.
Herd went into trees.
Man stayed high.
Scout and I dropped low and BOLTED down the trail to try to force the herd to stay high where Man was.
We ran about 3/4 mile from original vantage point, and then hear: BOOM!
Thank frickin’…. He got one.
Walkie talkie beeps.
“Cow elk down, baby!”
YES!
Another 2 day pack out.
Two cows in the freezer.
So now he doesn’t think he was ever THAT noisy.
Argh. Until we get lucky enough to get drawn again. Maybe I’ll get him super sensitive hearing aids.
Last edited:
