Here is the Story as posted... Thanks for the kind words guys... Without question life looks different now...
Sorry fo rthe spelling errors I didn't edit it....
Well I just got back from guiding my first Elk hunt of the Season.. This was kinda a low pressure one as it was a buddy ( Chip ) from N.J. and His friend from W.V.( Kelly ) Along with myself and my friend and guide partner Tony
This is true ... and only a day old story!!!!
We arose at dawn on the 19th caught the horses and began to sort the duffle and food in preparation for packing in.. once we sorte dout the personals and stuff we headed to the trail head for the Table Mountain/Washakie Wilderness area. Once at the trailhead we packed the pack horses and saddled our trail horses. We set forth on a 5 day adventure of a lifetime for my buddy and his friend.
Once we were about 50 min. from the trailhead it started to sink in for my buddy that we were going to places where few men go and where a man can discover himself and his place in life.... traveling through canyons, draws, vast open meadows crystal clear mountain streams where your horse has to avoid stepping on wild native trout. About an hour into it when we passed over a narrow cliff trail and the scene was a picture perfect on of endless views of mountain range after mountain range at 9000 feet a I looked back to see a tear fall from my buddies cheek... he said my Dad is here with me.. ( his father just passed a few months ago ) I said I know, I can feel him too... ( he was a great man and loved the outdoors ) we about an hour and a half later we made our final push up to 10,000 feet where we topped out into the Washakie wilderness and you can see Yellowstone to the west and Montana to the north....
We broke the timber to melt out into a huge mountian meadow where the Elk sign was abundant and the Camp Robbers ( Mountain Grey Jay ) bid us hello... We were only 10. min form canp and the patch of timber just ahead was out mountain destination.... I looked back again to see the expression on my buddies face and his friends.. I could see that the were slowly beggining to feel what no man can really put into words.. it is just a look and feeling that over comes you .. you feel it from deep within your soul... a feeling that you are in a place you belong and the clamness makes you feel like your home....
We set up cam p and made some supper.... after supper we toasted the mountian spirits and the new friendships between us....
We were up at 3 a.m. the next morning Chip and Kelly we restless all night with anticipation... after a quick breakfast we saddled up and headed to the timber and meadows to catch the first light. As the morning broke we spotted some Elk coming off the meadow to the timber... the hunt was on....
after a short ride to the timber we tied off and started out sneak into the dark timber.. we put our best sneak on to set up...
I bugled to break the painfull silence...... the mountain erupted with a responce form the heard bull that made your hair on your neck stand up... game on....
I cow called to pinpoint him... he answered back.. but he's moving away... we hotfooted it to the first watering hole and set up again.... I bugled again... we answered back about 200 yards east..... we dug in for battle....I said ... "Chip, Kelly get ready I'm gonna bring him in hot..... Tony put out the sexiest, most seductive cow calling this side of the continetal divide.... and I answered with a bugle that said " I own this mountain"..... the forest erupted on both sides of us with 2 monster bulls... to the west the herd bull we were chasing and tho the south east a new satelite bull..... Chip and Kellys' eyes about bugged out of thier heads!!! the next 2 mins we the most incredible 2 min ... The head bull saw the satelite bull and the heard us cow calling ... these 2 elk covered 2-300 yards in a matter of seconds... the satelite bull ( 5X6 ) charged at Tony .. stopping 15 feet from him and 27 feet from Chip... chip went to full draw.... just as the wind switched.... we were busted!!! the Bull spun and melted into the black timber.... on the crashing of the first bull the herd bull gather his cows and broke for the top.....
WOW what a morning!! Chip and Kelly were shaking wiht a mixture of fear and adrenalin.....
That nihgt the full monn made its presence and the next 3 days were tough hunting with the bulls keeping quiet... Sunday I made plans with Chip to make a long hard day of riding and implimenting a technique I call trolling..... Tony and Kelly were gonna to to the timber line to see if they could find the herd bull...
The morning started at 4 a.m. and we packed for the day....
Chip and I locatd some small rag horns early and passed on them.... the afternoon brought us an expierience no man can ever forget.....
We made journey to a spring I knew of that just may hold some Elk... we approached with caution cow calling and a bugle every now ant then.. the wind was switchng and I wasn't sure how far the sounds was carrying.. so I let out a bugle for allI was worth.... way off in the distance I got an answer.. the case was on....
we rode hard for 300 yards.. after a couple of cow calls a monster bull growled at us from 80 yards out.. we bailed off the horsed and tied off... we set up a quickly as possible cause this big boy was on the move right at us....
I bugled on more time and the forest was shattered with a growl and a chuckle that put fear into you!! This is the herd bull from the first morning and he was now slipping on top us cat like .. I cow called and now he was only 23 yards from Chip.... but he was on the other side of a huge dead fall... 2 more steps and there was a clear lane.. Chip went to full draw.. and then he spotted our horses.. he turned and vanished ghost like.....
we made a huge cirlce around to try to head him off at the meadows.. after about a 20 min ride we arrived at the meadow and I immediately bugled.... the was an answer just inside the timber and out slipped the 5X6.. at 40 yards .. Chip went to full draw and the arrow whispered through the air.... perfect shot...clean and deep to the fletching.... the bull jumped and trotted 10 yards .. I cow called... he stopped and Chip put another one deep behind the shoulder.. the bull hunched and trotted into the timber.....
we waited about 45 min. with anxiety.... we had a heavy heavy blood trail and we though at any moment we would find him..
after about 30 min. or tracking I nothiced that the bull was now running.. very odd..very.....
after we tracked him into the timber.. we found out why... when a man faces death.. you change your life ....
we stopped to examine the blood very foamy.. put very spread out and smeared..????
Chip says there he is.. moving slowly.. no wait.... BEAR!!! it is a Grizzly !!!! at that moment the bear spun and stood up!!! we yelled and shouted.... trying to intimidate him...he growled and pinpointed us!!! with that he growled again and charged!!!... Chip hit him with bear spray... he wheeled... and leaped back... then he turned and charged again.. he was at this point 11 paces from us.. I let the 44 mag. roar into the dead fall in front of him.. the bark bit him in the chest and face.. he turned and ran 5 yards and then roared and faced us again.... the 44 roared again in to the tree next to him.. more bark and splinters bit him in the face he now ran 50 yards.. with that we backe dout of the timber and mounted our horses... never looking back we headed into camp....... once in camp we realized what had happend.. after some wiskey and a hug.. we tryed to gather ourselves... we made plans in the morning to see if there would be anything left of the Elk..
We never got the Elk.. we did see wher the bear had his fill .. and drug off the rest.. we left it at that.. we resolved ourselves to the fact we gave back to nature and the mountain..
All in all this was an expierince of a life time for my buddy, his friend and a new one for me... I have seen many Griz.. but never charged....
My life now looks very different and new plans have been made for my wife and family.....
Dollie and Ric Horst
DNR Ranch at Rand Creek
www.dnrranch.com
1-888-41-CREEK
[ 09-25-2002: Message edited by: *WyoWhisper* ]
.And heck,he could give her a kiss for me too....
