Well gang, it has been a truly remarkable bow season for James and I- AKA Team Behring Made. Earlier in September, boss was down south hunting in a different area than we typically would. There was plenty of activity and he'd been getting into them the weekend before, pre-rut. He tells the whole story notably better than I feel I can relay, but on the farside of a meadow he saw some cows and heard a bull bugling somewhere near. The wind wasn't in his far so he made a 1/4 mile maneuver to get into a better position and started to rip bugles of his own. Sure enough that bad boy came right in at 40 yards and James placed a perfect shot. He was 4 miles from the truck and got to his bull at dark alone, so we only get the one photo, but it sure is a beauty. Not been officially measured yet but he's a sub-300 class bull, nothing to be sorry about either way! This is bull #4 for James.



About two weeks ago I was taking a break from the elk hunts and decided to give my favorite river bottom area a try for whitetails. Sure enough there are some truly healthy bucks back there this year, and taking my time on a slow cruise the other day I noticed a tail flicker about 100 yards out. I froze and held tight to realize he was a beautiful 4x4, upwind, and had no idea I was posted up with him. I anticipated his lane perfectly and watched him close in until he was behind a big tree at thirty yards. I drew back on him and he grazed his way out from behind the tree, head down. He went out far enough to expose just the shoulder blade, and being still new at this I was anticipating my shot placement a little further back yet.... Instead of giving me that extra step I wanted he looked up and saw my broad head at full draw smiling right at him and he... was... OUUUTTTAAA THERRRRRRRE!! James is my undisputed mentor in my hunting journey, especially in archery, and my hard-learned lesson this time was that you really need to take the shots you get. I was worried that my broadhead wouldn't go through a shoulder, but the boss assured me that a fixed blade on a deer is going to drill and drill deep. I needed to pay close attention to what I learned, for I had a strong feeling that this new knowledge was going to quickly come in handy.

Rewind back to July, in which James and I were working a trunk show at a local golf resort, the Rock Creek Cattle Company. We were in the company of a few high-rollers, and after purchasing a BBQ set, a very kind elderly couple was enjoying our bowhunting stories when they suggested we schedule a slot to hunt their ranch down in SW Montana, in a beautiful town between the Tobbaco Root and the Gravelly mountain ranges. I gotta tell you, the scenery alone was worth being there. Anyway- the only available weekend was this last one, the final season of archery. I've been hunting my other spots religiously since August and have been in the elk, but unfortunately not close enough to get a shot with the bow. Two weeks ago James and I were talking with the ranch manager and the word was that they'd seen a large herd of elk, but shortly thereafter counted 11 wolves and had seen no elk since. We packed up and headed off anyway for fresh snow was falling and I was running out of time with it being last weekend of archery.

We parked the Polaris at the very base of seemingly the tallest mountain the range. James had been back there late July to scout things out and there was a meadow roughly 3/4 of a mile away, but 1000 feet straight up the slope. With the fresh snow we were in no hurry. After about a 1/4 mile of hiking we got into a pack of muleys, including a small buck which I considered going after, but James kept me on target and really wanted to check out the meadow. We cruised around them and continued up the way slowly when we heard a truly incredible bugle rip. This meadow we were approaching is mid hillside, and just up the other side of it the mountain continues straight up- almost looks like pride rock from The Lion King... anyway, this elk bugles and the accoustics of the mountain side made it feel like the earth shook- Lord knows my spine did.

I knocked an arrow and we held tight about 60 yards below the ridgeline to the meadow. At this point we saw two young spikes crest the hill and hop around for a few minutes, pushing eachother around with their antlers lazily. Obviously these two hadn't produced that bugle (and they're illegal to hunt), so we let them continue to cruise on and we got in a better position to approach the meadow and see what was going on. As we rounded the next finger over I saw two ears slowly crest the ridgeline and James and I again held rock steady. He'd had his range finder already in hand, and my release was in place and ready to go. She was a young cow and continued right over the hill directly toward us. She stopped when she saw us and held as still as stone- as did we. James very quietly whispered "30 yards", and I begun to accept that I was in my moment, and just needed to be still. What was probably 2 minutes felt like an eternity, but sure enough her head went down to graze and I had an opportunity to draw on her. The movement brought her head back up, so with my bright green 30-pin right behind her shoulder I let it fly. Now my fletchings are bright green and yellow, and I will say that in that moment I watched the trajectory of my arrow perfectly go just about the sight, and slip right back for lime green to meet lime green when I head that ultra-distinct SMACK. With a huge smile I looked at James and knew that I had done it, and done it right. She went right down to the spot where we'd been when we first saw the spikes, and passed quickly. I think my favorite part is that the herd never spooked either. We had some friends that were hunting another area somewhat close, and if hot the intent was to bring them in- so stealth was key from beginning to end. We arrived on my cow at 7pm, and were back at the hotel fully packed out at midnight. The feelings, the experience, all of it.... I cannot and will likely never be able to express the gratitude I have for the opportunities I have, as well as the full freezer for one more year.

Oh yea, and James and I still have another cow elk tag each too that is good through January with a rifle. We are not done!!

You should have used my special elk bugle. Works every time. Cow elk are the best table fare, once you harvest a decent bull. Nice post.

Pap

I knew someone was going to mention waiting on the bull, but we didn't use any calls on this hunt and had a perfect line up anyway. I wouldn't have done it differently- there's always next year for antlers. Besides, a bull with a herd of cows is not interested in fighting other bulls this late in the year. Not the smart ones anyway.

Nice job, good story line too. Congrats on a great hunt. You forgot to tell the knife part of the story.

I kept it simple Warren and stuck with my Sambar Stag Alaskan- now been in both of my elk. I've been carrying the 11 you gave me too, but on this steep jaunt I felt like one knife and stone made more sense for weight reasons.

Season's not over. Good going.

Saw or hatchet on the ribs and H bone?

Here is my all time favorite Chicken Fried Steak recipe. About the only thing I cook anymore since that's what everyone wants.

Pappy’s Chicken Fried Steak


Use 2 lbs. of bird breast or good grade inside round steak, deer, elk or beef (or better), about ½ inch thick. Trim off gristle and fat. Cut into pieces about 5-6 inches in diameter. Pound thoroughly on both sides with a butcher knife until almost falling apart. Mix seasoned salt in with flour and then flour each piece thoroughly and shake off the excess. Dip in batter (below), shake off excess and dip in seasoned flour again. Use a deep fryer or a good cast iron dutch oven/skillet with a good brand of vegetable or peanut oil. Heat oil to about 325’, turn once, and cook until golden brown.

Batter:

3 Tbls. sugar
½ tsp. Salt
1 whole egg
1 Tbls. baking powder
2 cups milk

2 Cups all purpose flour for dredging and dusting
1 heaping Tbls seasoned salt or Tony’s Cajun

Mix the first 4 ingredients with ½ of the milk and stir until smooth. Add the remainder of the milk and mix well.
Gravy:
1 stick butter
6 cups milk
1 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
Melt butter completely. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil. Shake flour and oil in a jar and pour into heated milk. Stir until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste.
Biscuits :
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
5 Tbls. Crisco; plus ½ stick butter, melted in baking sheet or skillet
Enough milk for a stiff batter
1 egg
Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut in Crisco with a fork until it looks like corn meal consistency. Add egg , then the milk, as needed, and mix. Knead dough slightly or biscuits will be tough, and cut into biscuits. Dip into melted butter on both sides and place on baking sheet or cast iron skillet. Bake at 425’ for 12-15 minutes. High altitude will require a little more flour.


Pap

We just used my Alaskan and James' ironwood hunter- no hatchets, saws or other excesses. We use the gutless method and quarter elk out after skinning and pulling the tender loins out by hand from below the ribs after filleting off the backstrap- never once spilling bile or guts. Spend some time carving away at the extra meat and such, but I don't mind to leave some goodies for my favorite furbearers- red foxes. One had already started on the gutpile when we'd come back for the second trip. I love it!

sharing IS caring!

Grant as time moves on you will quit doubting your shots.
Get a couple of ok arrows that you wouldn't hunt with and shoot something hard like a block of ice so you can see the damage that your bow can do.
Confidence in your equipment will be one less thing to run through your mind before you release.
Great job guys, good kills.

Tough finding a block of ice with all the fires this year. More like ice cubes.

It's a Montana fill a milk jug with water & freeze it or leave it out.

I'm always, ALWAYS learning Chief! I won't be passing up shots like I did on that whitetail ever again- and I don't need to shoot a frozen milk jug to know it

Oh but.... it just sounds like fun!

Good job on a nice elk. Good story too. Lots of good eating there. Montana is one place I would love to visit. Always wanted to see the site of Custer's last stand. I see ad's for a four or five day horseback ride over the rt. that Custer took. I am not a Custer fan, but would love to see the place. I don't know if my back could take the ride though. Would love to do some fishing also.

Sidney,

LOL, that's some Bucket List. I agree however 100%.

The history of this state could (and does) keep an individual busy with research for a lifetime.

Sidney,

You don't have to do the horse back ride, although it be a very interesting ride. You can drive to the visitor center and get an excellent idea of the historical situation. That whole area in and around Montana and Wyoming is way different than I originally thought it would look like. While in the area don't miss a visit to Buffalo and CODY, Wyoming.

Pap

Pap,

I was joking with Sidney about Bucket Lists. It's on mine. Got alot on the plate right now but soon.
Besides, I need to hunt and break bread with the gang.

What started as an Archery Season update I now get to follow up with a most rewarding Rifle Season update as well.

Friday evening James took his wife out on her first hunt. He was armed with his b-tag for cow elk, and Elle purchased an A-tag for bulls, just in case. Around 6:45 I got a call from James and sure as s*** Elle's first hunt was the kind that many dream of and may never see. While she did not fill her tag, James narrated his moves to her ("this way, because of the wind" or pointing out tree rubs, fresh poo and tracking) and she was able to watch her man get it done from start to finish. She didn't get her hands dirty, but she was totally involved and I got to really watch her dig in to an appreciation for the full circle of the process.

Feeling optimistic, James pushed me to head out the next morning with my B-tag. Being recently single I've been thoroughly enjoying not having any reason to turn down another hunt, so with elk sausage breakfast burritos in hand we tore out the next morning just after sunrise. While still driving into our revered spot, where I got my cow last year, we noticed a truly sizable mule deer buck on a sage hill that we typically never see any elk on. No tags for the Muley, but we stopped and enjoyed him with our binos for a minute anyway. Just for fun I glassed the rest of the hillside to look for his does when I noticed two significantly darker ears just over the crest (muleys are practically gray) and I knew I was looking at a cow. This wasn't our point of entry so we played it cool and drove on, watching what then turned out to be two cows running up the hillside- directly to where we would meet then shortly thereafter. We parked and made our hike up in no time. We were just a few hundred yards from where I was when I shot last years cow at this point and I then saw the two cows trot around the opposite side of a timber stand in the exact direction I'd anticipated. We need to reset ourselves about 300 yards further down the hillside as I knew they were headed to a break in the fence that we'd put in early spring, so elk wouldn't keep tearing the damn thing down and sure enough the funnel worked like a charm. Just like a few weeks ago, James was right behind me with his range finder, and when the first one stepped out he told me to hold off. "Next one is bigger, 225 yards".

I was set up on my bipod and had absolute control of my heart rate. I was sitting behind the scope and the crosshairs sat exactly where I held- I had 110% confidence. Number two stepped out, I set the crosshair behind her shoulder BOOM!..... but no POW...... I shot again. BOOM!..... no pow. NOW my heart is racing because I can't figure out what's gone wrong between here and my last round at the range two weeks ago. I give the scope a wiggle and she's solid (and miraculously the cows are still there) so I set my sights again and let it rip. The comfort in that fatal thump is a strange thing, but I watched her fall and was pleased that she went down quick as I was not sure if I'd wounded her or not. Sometimes, things don't go exactly the way they should, but sometimes there is a reason for that...

After an hour and a half of cutting her up and packing out, we cruised over to the neighboring ranch to share our success with the gentleman who gives us access. We roll in to bay doors open wide and four elk all hanging in the barn, freshly skinned and all. As it turns out, they had all been working in a near pasture when they heard my shots ringing. The ranchers always keep their tags and guns on them in season and sure enough I ran a herd of about 200 straight to them. I have to say that it was twenty four hours of elk I'll never forget. Even after packing out James' on Friday I had dreams of elk that whole night, only to wake up to mine the next day.

Happy hunting my friends!!!! Get out there, don't be afraid to make a mistake, take it all in and get it done!!!

Once again guys, congrats on the filled tags. Now go get some deer!

Way to go!

Grant is becoming a HUNTER!!!!!

Nice when they go where their supposed to.

Happy eating.

Tom Flynn

Remember the chicken fried steak recipe, you won't be disappointed.

Pap

I'm gonna give it a try Mike- just printed it off and will stick it on the fridge. It is a heck of a recipe so I think I'll save it for when I have some AM company....

Never try the first time with guests. Suggest you make a small batch for you and take some leftovers to the shop.

Pap