Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting The Pugs, Jorge, Hatari and Zeke Elk hunt

Any good sea story starts with “This is no shiet” so take of this what you will.

A couple of years ago our buddy Zeke talked to Rulon Jones at DSC about hunting his place Broadmouth Canyon Ranch near Firth Idaho. We met up with them again at the NRA Great Outdoors Show in Harrisburg PA and decided to go along with Hatari and Jorge. I will be clear on this up front but this is a quasi high-fenced hunt with about 8 square miles in the area. As you’ll hear later, I’ll explain the quasi part.

I escaped the People’s Republic of Maryland a few days early and headed to Idaho to get a few days in that were not as sea level and to see about catching some trout. While the fishing was enjoyable, the 15-degree drop in temp and the two days of rain didn’t make the catching that good but I still had a great time and did catch a few including a decent Yellowstone Cutthroat on the Teton River. No, it's not an elk but it is a very western fish, OK, excluding the population in the North Fork of the Potomac.



Also fished Falls River and Palisades Creek and a little creek that flowed into the Snake. Traffic was murder! #blackcowsmatter



Zeke and his wife flew into Boise the same day I did as they start to search for where to retire. What doesn’t everyone want to stay in Maryland? No, none of us do or will a minute longer than we have to! We picked up Jorge and his SWMBO and Hatari on the Idaho Falls International airport and metroplex on the 24th. Had a nice dinner in town and walked around the park around the falls. Nicely done Idaho Falls.



The 25th we did a little local touring in the morning and lunch then the ranch picked us up and we headed out. A quick stop at the office in Firth to pick up my rifle that I had stashed there after I arrived, as I didn’t want to leave it in the rental when parked in the forest and to pick up some wine that Hatari shipped and to ogle the mounts in the taxidermy shop. About an hour trip from there to the lodge. Nice place and off the grid but pretty fully equipped. Hit the range and was surprised to find that my load that was dead on at sea level and 85 degrees and 195% percent humidity was dead on at 7000 feet and 65 degrees and 18% humidity. I don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. For the loonies like us, my rifle was a 1947 built Win M70 Super Grade in .300 H&H shooting the 180 Accubond over RL19 at 2950 fps. I’ll let the other guys chime in.

Jeff can post his 8mm Fester Wildcat as folks will be interested.



In the lodge we all had our own rooms and those with wives all had their own bathrooms. Food was great with Tom the chef serving breakfast at 0600 (but available earlier) a hot lunch and a great dinner about 2000. No Ramen Noodles sighted. He did a great job. I resisted his deserts until the Pecan Pie, my Kryptonite, showed up.

The first morning we met our guides (1 on 1), and mounted up. People can ride horse or side-by-side ATV’s up to get dropped off. We rode. It seemed the right thing to do. As a completely inexperienced horse guy I got in a ½ dozen trail rides here in the MD State Forest that had some good terrain variety and I was pretty fully prepared. The horses were pretty bullet proof and even when a grouse or two flushed next to them on the trail they didn’t flinch (much). The rides up and down were 45 minutes to an hour so nothing too onerous. The side-by-sides are far more efficient I’m sure but I really enjoyed the riding and intend to keep doing some of it here.

My guide was a great kid who guides year round and runs hounds for predators and bears as well. He understood that I was 25 years older than him and lived at sea level so very accommodating and he was always paying attention to where I was in relation to him. I have very little experience on guided hunts (this was my 3rd) and frankly they have been less than desirable. This time the experience was everything I could hope for.

Weather was pretty darn nice. The first day was in the mid-thirties heading up and warmed up to the high sixties by afternoon. For once I packed and dressed pretty much perfectly. As I mentioned in another thread I bought some Wool/Synthetic pants from First Lite and was amazed at how well they worked. Other than that a poly pro undershirt, thin fleece and my normal 20 year old Cabelas jacket in combo worked fine and were easily shed to the daypack when it warmed. Here coming down to camp mid-day.



As in much Western hunting, which I do have several years experience with when stationed in Washington State, this was typical, get up high and glass. We settled in and saw a couple of cows and a bull. Both were some miles away but it was nice to see them. Nothing stirred anywhere close and we rode down for lunch. We also saw a cow moose and this brings me to the “quasi” qualifier. Talking to the guide it’s clear as snow builds up that critters can get in and out. I later saw two different Bull Moose and he had seen three bears in the couple years he had been guiding there as well as deer. I’m sure that with the amount of snow they get that some “in and out” is inevitable.

With it as warm as it was, the plan was back down for lunch and then head back up about 1600. That evening we headed to a different spot. We didn’t see as many elk but we saw a herd of 20 bison and they ran off a decent bull. This started to also bring up the issues the level of hunt I had bought. We had signed up for a “management bull”. The reality is that with the amount of work that Rulon has put in on this place to work the genetics that there are simply not many mgt bulls. I saw one the first day, a 3x3 that was in velvet, and another hunter later killed it. The next class up from a mgt bull was a trophy bull and that allowed up to 330”. To do that was another $1500 and I pretty much accepted that was inevitable and told my guide. Keep in mind that when the guide made the pronouncement that a bull was whatever size that was final even if it taped out larger.

The second day we headed out and it was much the same. I didn’t see much in the morning but the scenery was simply stunning with a view into Wyoming of 100 miles.



Coming down on horseback in the dark with the sunset jacked up to 11 because of the dust in the air from the potato harvest was really amazing. As the stars came out and the sliver of a moon appeared it really calls out why the west is special. While I have promised SWMBO retirement on a lake in New Hampshire, she knows where my heart lies and agrees that I can “go west old man” whenever I want.



The morning of the third day found us slightly down slope of where we ended up the morning of the 2nd day



A small meadow was in view and then a large hillside with a natural pinch point and trail in front of us. We saw several bulls but no chance at a shot. They were in and out of cover or a very large bull who was more than I was willing to upgrade to beyond the trophy class I agreed to. At about 0930 there were two bulls who worked their way from above. My guide and I sprinted back uphill a couple hundred yards (pardon me while I catch my breath) and waited to see if they would come out in the small opening. They ended up in cover so back down the hill and behind a small outcrop. We waited for perhaps 20 minutes and then an antler appeared and these two started up the hill. I chambered a round and my guide whispered to wait as one was better than the other. As the first bull slipped into an opening and he got a good look he said take the second one. When it appeared in the opening, the guide bugled and the bull stopped and half turned. I held on his shoulder and shot, a hair more than 100 yards. There was no reaction but the guide said “good shot” and the bull turned and trotted uphill. He stopped again in an opening and the guide said, “hit him again”. I was lower on the hill than the guide and a rock pile covered a good bit of the vitals on the bull but I shot and bagged a trophy piece of quartzite. Whoops. The bull headed over the hill and about 15 seconds later we heard the noise of him falling and his last gasp. The guide headed over the hill and had me sit there as Doc Hatari had the other exit covered in case it doubled back. About 30 seconds after he got there he called up that he was dead and I climbed down. He had gone about 40 yards after the shot and was well hit in both lungs with the bullet exiting on the far side. No lungs were left when we cleaned him.



We worked together and skinned the bull as my wife wanted me to have the hide tanned. A family tradition is that one of the hunters in our family cleans at least one dead ungulate by using our Grandfather’s old Randall and this year it starts with my elk.



I’ll let the other guys chime in here with there perspectives. I’ll be clear again that this was not the high-country wilderness elk hunt that I thought of when I was 25 but it was a taste of that and I am buying Wyoming points with the plan to go that hunt in the future. What it was is a really good time with friends in a great surrounding with a chance to see some great western scenery and bring home some elk (my carcass at the butchers was 440 lbs). The other hunters in the lodge were great company and I look forward to Lee and Judy's northern Idaho bourbon (which we could taste but not buy!) hitting the market soon. If you’re interested in a pretty darn civilized hunt that even spouse will enjoy I recommend it.

Excellent Pugs! Cant wait for the others to chime in!

Excellent, if it makes one happy that is all that matters..
I am looking at more guided stuff in the future as the years add up.. Great story, GREAT rifle!!!!
Thanks for the show..

SWEET, sounds like a hell of a fun time and the great first break out from the summertime blues waiting on hunting season.

great story, I like the tradition of one ungulate being cleaned by the Randall knife. very fitting

Howdy gents, Pugs did a great overall report, so I'll focus on my end of the hunt. The hunt was a fantastic five days with my wife and best friends at Broadmouth Canyon.

Outfitter: Rulon Jones Boradmouth Canyon Ranch
Rifle: Mauser action Weatherby (1957) in 300 Weatherby and 180gr Barnes TTSXs.

Outstanding, first class operation with a fantastic staff, superb meals and accommodations, and the weather could not have been any better. I had trained hard for this hunt running 3 miles/day, but let me tell you between the altitude ~7-8K and the steep terrain, it really kicked my ass. This is no country for old flatlanders! My guide Hiram, was in fantastic, mountain goat-like shape and of course this old Naval Aviator's ego kept writing checks my body just could not cash, so lots of motrin and bourbon cocktails to compensate.

The amount of elk are incredible and in fact, we saw elk at every outing. Packed out on horse back and I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed it. Even had my wife out and she had NEVER been on a horse. Anyway, on the evening of the second day as we were glassing whilst on a "finger" between two canyons(the lone pine tree at the top of the picture on left), a nice trophy bull showed up behind us at 435 yards and a 30 degree uphill incline behind us (I shot the picture of where we were ostensibly where the bull fell). We only had about an hour of light left, so we closed as much as we dared to, getting the range down to 302 yards. While I caught my breath as I was in "stall buffet" Breathing-wise, he spooked and ran even further uphill, but a combination of a cow call from the guide and a whistle from me, he stopped and gave me a perfect broadside shot at 330 yards. First shot square on shoulder, followed by a second shot that literally (as we saw during the autopsy) center punched the heart. He did not go down but I knew he was hard hit, hearing the satisfying "thump" as the rounds hit, so Hyram told me to give him another one that double lunged him and he finally went down. He was on a very steep hill and it took us about 20 minutes to get there, then the real work started. We got on the radio for the "recovery team" and by the time they got there we had him fully dressed and halved for transport in a Polaris ATV. Let me tell you guys the terrain was STEEP!

It was truly a hunt of a lifetime and I will surely hunt elk again. Thanks to all of you who helped out with suggestions. J

Ze Bull:


A view to a kill. We stalked down to that trail on the lower left of picture where the reddish bushes are to make the shot:




The hated Weatherby...


the "four Horsemen"


The Princess on her first horse ride:

These guys have a good handle on it. I'll put my 2 cents in tomorrow. I'm at a dang wedding in Charlotte tonight.

Jorge: thats a friggin 'DANDY!


The hat....not so much.



I presume a .300 Bee did the dirty deed?

Excellent.. Great photos and a great elk..

Jorge and Pugs thanks for sharing, that's some gorgeous country! Jorge, beautiful bull! Pugs, your's isn't too shabby either!

Big thumbs up!!!

sounds like a great hunt in some great country! congrats all around.

Sycamore

I love my hat! yes 300 Weatherby with 180TTSXs ~ 3250 or so.

Lol.
The bull is a beaut, your lady a stunner, the hat.........

Looked like a great time. Thanks all for sharing!

YUP, it's confirmed, you guys SUCK!!!!!

Thanks for the stories and pics guys! They were great!

I am loving this......the Randall knife, the hated Weatherby, the beautiful country, great friends......fantastic stuff guys. Yes gunner500, they do suck....alot.

Pugs, Jorge, fantastic! Glad you guys had a good time in Idaho.

Jorge, looks like your bull has a bit of crowning on one side.


Casey

Thanks for sharing your great hunt with all of us!!!