srhaggerty
Well-Known Member
277 AM & Wife\'s first animal
Well where does the adventure start. We left Boise about 8:30 A.M. Sunday morning to make the long trek over to eastern Idaho. After a good 5 hour truck ride to Idaho Falls it was time to get our game faces on.
On a side note before I continue this story I want to tell you all what a trooper my wife is. 2 weeks and 2 days earlier my wife had given birth to our second son. Luckily my parents were able to come over and help out on this little adventure. Anyway sitting 5 hours plus in a truck was painful for my wife. I am just so grateful I married such a tough women. Sorry for the side note. Gives a little perspective to the story.
Now back on the main road to sucess. Camp was supposed to be another 45 minute ride outside of Idaho Falls. Noticed I said supposed to be. The road into camp was a snowy, muddy diaster. We were halling 2 ATV's and a lot of gear. We make our way fine to a point. Now smart guys might have put chains on. It wasn't deep snow at all but the road was a little slick. Naturally we come to a certain short steep hill. Well we get going up it just fine till we about hit the top. Then it was a whole different story. We start sliding back down. Luckily there was a bank on each side of us and no cliff. Well as we slide slow and uncontrollably back down the hill the trailer jack knifes. And pushes the truck into the other bank. Needless to say we are wedged in BIG time. So we get out jack the truck up and put on chains. Well that didn't do much good but it unbound everything so we could get the trailer off. After some hard work we got everything to camp.
Sign outside camp.
Camp.
After another few hours we got camp all setup and ate lunch. Now it was time to go hunting. I think we left camp about 4:30 or so bascially giving us about a half hour to hunt. It was more like a nice scouting trip and we got familar with the country.
Since it was dark at 5 or so we headed back to camp and got settled in. As if the truck incident wasn't fun enough the airmatress we bought had a major leak. Again new mom, sleeping on the hard ground not so good. After a sleepless night for her and a almost sleepless night for me we got up about 6:30 the next morning. Now the guy that went with us hunted this area for bulls the year before. He said most all the cows were spotted in the mornings. So my wife and I were super excited to get on the ATV and get up the hill. And after a short 20 or 30 minutes on the ATV I spot a big black butt behind this bush. So we get off, and get the gun ready. Of course it was a cow, but it wouldn't cooperate. She was only 100 or so down the hill just walking and eating, but mostly behind bushes. So my bowhunter instincts kick in, let's move in for a better short. Make a long story short there we blew it. And that is hard to do with cow moose, at least in this area. So a little frustrated we walk back up to the ATV. I was a little frustrated because she had been hunting with me for 3 years and all I wanted to do was get her a first animal. Anyway we drove on because figured there would be more. Man was I wrong. The reason I think the moose weren't out in all these areas is because it was like 30 or 40 mile an hour winds. So about 9 we head back to camp. Our buddy was eagerly waiting for a report. So we formualted a new plan on another ATV trail. After an hour spent there nothing. Now at this point my spirits were down and I was thinking we would have to leave that day empty handed.
So we eat lunch and recharge. I got to thinking that with all this snow I could find some of the moose tracks and find them again. So the new plan was to track them down. Back on the ATV we get and up the mountain we go. I decided that I was going to make a small loop before getting out and walking. I sure am glad I did that. Just as I crested the top of the hill 2 big black objects stood less than 250 yards away. So we get off the ATV and get ready. This time they are out in the open, NO BUSHES. So she takes a rest on the fence post waiting for one of the 2 to turn broadside. After what seeemed like and eternity one finally did. So I told her let him have it. Boom! moose shutters. As we hurry to chamber another round the moose falls after 20 yards. His head was up and so I wanted another anchoring shot because I couldn't tell where he was hit for sure. So she takes another rest centers the shoulder, Boom! this time a solid thwack reports back. Still Mr. Impatience I have her chamber another round. This time center on the neck, Boom! another thwack reports and the head drops. He is down for the count now, and a big kiss for my wife on a job truly well done. All that she had to overcome for that brief 5 minutes where it all came together.
Here are some pictures of the hunt.
My Wife!
Me with 2 quaters!
My oldest and grandpa when we arrive!
Big animals to work on!
This thing has a big heart!
Well I hope you enjoyed the story. I would like to thank Kirby for building a outstanding rifle. Richard, that 195 grain ULD worked great. My wife for making a dream come true. And Ken for showing us the area.
Roy, sorry I didn't call you. We were on a limited time schedule. I am sure I will be back for my own hunt some day.
Sean
Well where does the adventure start. We left Boise about 8:30 A.M. Sunday morning to make the long trek over to eastern Idaho. After a good 5 hour truck ride to Idaho Falls it was time to get our game faces on.
On a side note before I continue this story I want to tell you all what a trooper my wife is. 2 weeks and 2 days earlier my wife had given birth to our second son. Luckily my parents were able to come over and help out on this little adventure. Anyway sitting 5 hours plus in a truck was painful for my wife. I am just so grateful I married such a tough women. Sorry for the side note. Gives a little perspective to the story.
Now back on the main road to sucess. Camp was supposed to be another 45 minute ride outside of Idaho Falls. Noticed I said supposed to be. The road into camp was a snowy, muddy diaster. We were halling 2 ATV's and a lot of gear. We make our way fine to a point. Now smart guys might have put chains on. It wasn't deep snow at all but the road was a little slick. Naturally we come to a certain short steep hill. Well we get going up it just fine till we about hit the top. Then it was a whole different story. We start sliding back down. Luckily there was a bank on each side of us and no cliff. Well as we slide slow and uncontrollably back down the hill the trailer jack knifes. And pushes the truck into the other bank. Needless to say we are wedged in BIG time. So we get out jack the truck up and put on chains. Well that didn't do much good but it unbound everything so we could get the trailer off. After some hard work we got everything to camp.
After another few hours we got camp all setup and ate lunch. Now it was time to go hunting. I think we left camp about 4:30 or so bascially giving us about a half hour to hunt. It was more like a nice scouting trip and we got familar with the country.
Since it was dark at 5 or so we headed back to camp and got settled in. As if the truck incident wasn't fun enough the airmatress we bought had a major leak. Again new mom, sleeping on the hard ground not so good. After a sleepless night for her and a almost sleepless night for me we got up about 6:30 the next morning. Now the guy that went with us hunted this area for bulls the year before. He said most all the cows were spotted in the mornings. So my wife and I were super excited to get on the ATV and get up the hill. And after a short 20 or 30 minutes on the ATV I spot a big black butt behind this bush. So we get off, and get the gun ready. Of course it was a cow, but it wouldn't cooperate. She was only 100 or so down the hill just walking and eating, but mostly behind bushes. So my bowhunter instincts kick in, let's move in for a better short. Make a long story short there we blew it. And that is hard to do with cow moose, at least in this area. So a little frustrated we walk back up to the ATV. I was a little frustrated because she had been hunting with me for 3 years and all I wanted to do was get her a first animal. Anyway we drove on because figured there would be more. Man was I wrong. The reason I think the moose weren't out in all these areas is because it was like 30 or 40 mile an hour winds. So about 9 we head back to camp. Our buddy was eagerly waiting for a report. So we formualted a new plan on another ATV trail. After an hour spent there nothing. Now at this point my spirits were down and I was thinking we would have to leave that day empty handed.
So we eat lunch and recharge. I got to thinking that with all this snow I could find some of the moose tracks and find them again. So the new plan was to track them down. Back on the ATV we get and up the mountain we go. I decided that I was going to make a small loop before getting out and walking. I sure am glad I did that. Just as I crested the top of the hill 2 big black objects stood less than 250 yards away. So we get off the ATV and get ready. This time they are out in the open, NO BUSHES. So she takes a rest on the fence post waiting for one of the 2 to turn broadside. After what seeemed like and eternity one finally did. So I told her let him have it. Boom! moose shutters. As we hurry to chamber another round the moose falls after 20 yards. His head was up and so I wanted another anchoring shot because I couldn't tell where he was hit for sure. So she takes another rest centers the shoulder, Boom! this time a solid thwack reports back. Still Mr. Impatience I have her chamber another round. This time center on the neck, Boom! another thwack reports and the head drops. He is down for the count now, and a big kiss for my wife on a job truly well done. All that she had to overcome for that brief 5 minutes where it all came together.
Here are some pictures of the hunt.
Well I hope you enjoyed the story. I would like to thank Kirby for building a outstanding rifle. Richard, that 195 grain ULD worked great. My wife for making a dream come true. And Ken for showing us the area.
Roy, sorry I didn't call you. We were on a limited time schedule. I am sure I will be back for my own hunt some day.
Sean
