LRH & NTO 2014 Group Elk Hunt Report - 3
It was an absolute blast hanging out in camp in the evenings swapping stories of the previous day's hunts and waiting for late arrivals to find out if they were late because they had gotten their bull. Every evening a bull or two came in and we got to relive the hunt with the hunters and guides. John and guide James came back late one evening reporting that John had killed a nice bull with a 260 yard shot from his .308 Win. John taught himself taxidermy years ago and will be mounting his bull himself.
I believe it was the same evening that Todd and his guide Brandon waited out a bull that had also headed into the timber in the morning. Todd used a version of the side-hill technique Robb taught him and made a 514 yard shot with his 300 Jazz. Todd and Jim ended up being tent-mates and were chatting about what caliber they were each shooting. Talk about a small world - it ends up that Jim came up with the idea for the 300 Jazz that Todd was using and it was named after his dog Jazz!
Justin's Bull Elk
Another evening Justin and guide Cal came back late and told of the 370 yard shot Justin had made with his 338 Rogue on a great bull they had seen head into the timber in the morning. They waited all day and killed the bull in the evening. Justin got into the mess tent where Todd and I were struggling to stay awake waiting to hear his story at about 11:00 pm. We cracked a beer and toasted to Justin's 35th birthday since it was past midnight back home in Kentucky and today was his birthday! The next morning Justin told the group of a technique he had learned in the military and which he used to create a solid rest for his shot. He disconnected the rear of his rifle sling from its side flush-cup and wrapped the front of the sling around a tree between his legs, then torqued the gun in to his shoulder tightening up the sling. None of the others have ever tried that but I know we will all be playing around with it in the future.
My Dad and I headed for home on Thursday after cutting up his bull and packing it in the cooler. At that time Frank and I were the only group members who had not killed a bull. Several nice bulls had been spotted and the guides were working hard to get Frank on one of them. We started this hunt thinking bull sightings would be scarce because of the warm weather, but the opposite turned out to be true. We all saw tons of elk and tons of bulls. The area that Non-Typical Outfitters hunts is loaded with elk and has a very high bull-to-cow ratio. Some real trophies come out of there, but as far as I'm concerned if I can hunt there and see tons of elk including several very nice shooters while enjoying a true Rocky Mountain elk hunting experience, a big trophy would simply be icing on the cake.
Brenda's Bull Elk
And speaking of trophy bulls, the week after our hunt Robb's wife Brenda connected on a beautiful bull as some snow had moved in and got the bulls really moving. Congratulations Brenda! I know how proud Robb is of you. The client hunts were completed for the year and Robb got to hunt with his hunting buddy he had lost for 6 years because Robb and Brenda decided to have a family, Aspen age 4 and Autumn age 2.
Robb and Brenda and their guides and cooks work so incredibly hard each season to ensure that their clients have the amazing experience we all dream about when heading out west on an outfitted hunt. I know every member of our group was completely impressed with their operation and would not hesitate to refer a friend or family member to hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters. When Robb reported to my dad and me about Brenda's bull I could tell that it was absolutely icing on the cake after a wonderful season of working their butts off for their clients.
It has been a couple weeks since we returned from the 2014 LRH Group Elk hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters and every time I think back on the hunt I can't help but smile. The experience of hunting in the mountains on horseback in some of the most beautiful country on earth is unforgettable, but truth be told, what I remember most is the wonderful camaraderie of our group of guys and Robb and his guides. We all got along so well and truly were pulling for each other. You could tell without a doubt that every time someone was successful in their dream of killing a great bull, the rest of the guys truly were thrilled. We came from all over the country and varied in age from 34 to 68 years old but we had a love of hunting and a passion for shooting in common that lead to many hours of great conversation. Like my Dad and me, everyone was there to kill a nice bull, but what we were really there for was an incredible experience that we will remember when we are 94 years old. I know for a fact that every single group member feels that this hunt was that type of experience. Some of the guys have already committed to another group hunt next year and I can't wait to see them again!
The Camp Lineup
If you are interested in hunting with us on a future LRH Group hunt for elk, mule deer or bear - CLICK HERE to see our list of group hunt openings.
Andy Backus is a husband and father of two little girls. He grew up hunting whitetail deer in Wisconsin with gun and bow and over the years has been fortunate to hunt and explore most of the Western US states and Alaska. He plays soccer to stay in shape and also enjoys most other sports and outdoor activities. Andy is the Field Editor for Long Range Hunting Online Magazine and also manages the Long Range Hunting Store.
I believe it was the same evening that Todd and his guide Brandon waited out a bull that had also headed into the timber in the morning. Todd used a version of the side-hill technique Robb taught him and made a 514 yard shot with his 300 Jazz. Todd and Jim ended up being tent-mates and were chatting about what caliber they were each shooting. Talk about a small world - it ends up that Jim came up with the idea for the 300 Jazz that Todd was using and it was named after his dog Jazz!
Justin's Bull Elk
Another evening Justin and guide Cal came back late and told of the 370 yard shot Justin had made with his 338 Rogue on a great bull they had seen head into the timber in the morning. They waited all day and killed the bull in the evening. Justin got into the mess tent where Todd and I were struggling to stay awake waiting to hear his story at about 11:00 pm. We cracked a beer and toasted to Justin's 35th birthday since it was past midnight back home in Kentucky and today was his birthday! The next morning Justin told the group of a technique he had learned in the military and which he used to create a solid rest for his shot. He disconnected the rear of his rifle sling from its side flush-cup and wrapped the front of the sling around a tree between his legs, then torqued the gun in to his shoulder tightening up the sling. None of the others have ever tried that but I know we will all be playing around with it in the future.
My Dad and I headed for home on Thursday after cutting up his bull and packing it in the cooler. At that time Frank and I were the only group members who had not killed a bull. Several nice bulls had been spotted and the guides were working hard to get Frank on one of them. We started this hunt thinking bull sightings would be scarce because of the warm weather, but the opposite turned out to be true. We all saw tons of elk and tons of bulls. The area that Non-Typical Outfitters hunts is loaded with elk and has a very high bull-to-cow ratio. Some real trophies come out of there, but as far as I'm concerned if I can hunt there and see tons of elk including several very nice shooters while enjoying a true Rocky Mountain elk hunting experience, a big trophy would simply be icing on the cake.
Brenda's Bull Elk
And speaking of trophy bulls, the week after our hunt Robb's wife Brenda connected on a beautiful bull as some snow had moved in and got the bulls really moving. Congratulations Brenda! I know how proud Robb is of you. The client hunts were completed for the year and Robb got to hunt with his hunting buddy he had lost for 6 years because Robb and Brenda decided to have a family, Aspen age 4 and Autumn age 2.
Robb and Brenda and their guides and cooks work so incredibly hard each season to ensure that their clients have the amazing experience we all dream about when heading out west on an outfitted hunt. I know every member of our group was completely impressed with their operation and would not hesitate to refer a friend or family member to hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters. When Robb reported to my dad and me about Brenda's bull I could tell that it was absolutely icing on the cake after a wonderful season of working their butts off for their clients.
It has been a couple weeks since we returned from the 2014 LRH Group Elk hunt with Non-Typical Outfitters and every time I think back on the hunt I can't help but smile. The experience of hunting in the mountains on horseback in some of the most beautiful country on earth is unforgettable, but truth be told, what I remember most is the wonderful camaraderie of our group of guys and Robb and his guides. We all got along so well and truly were pulling for each other. You could tell without a doubt that every time someone was successful in their dream of killing a great bull, the rest of the guys truly were thrilled. We came from all over the country and varied in age from 34 to 68 years old but we had a love of hunting and a passion for shooting in common that lead to many hours of great conversation. Like my Dad and me, everyone was there to kill a nice bull, but what we were really there for was an incredible experience that we will remember when we are 94 years old. I know for a fact that every single group member feels that this hunt was that type of experience. Some of the guys have already committed to another group hunt next year and I can't wait to see them again!
The Camp Lineup
If you are interested in hunting with us on a future LRH Group hunt for elk, mule deer or bear - CLICK HERE to see our list of group hunt openings.
Andy Backus is a husband and father of two little girls. He grew up hunting whitetail deer in Wisconsin with gun and bow and over the years has been fortunate to hunt and explore most of the Western US states and Alaska. He plays soccer to stay in shape and also enjoys most other sports and outdoor activities. Andy is the Field Editor for Long Range Hunting Online Magazine and also manages the Long Range Hunting Store.
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