best or most memorable hunting trip

[fishcatcher658]

ok if u have any good or funny stories about a hunting trip tell me i would like to hear them.

[alaskan]

I have the trip from HE** story.
2003, I packed up the truck, the 2 ATV's, and my new wife and 9 year old stepson and headed off to moose camp. This was going to be their first time and I hoped for the best so they would look forward to this yearly event as much as I do.
About 20 miles out of town we had a rock fly up and break the winshield of the truck. Oh well, it can be fixed.
A few more miles, and a lot of frost heaves down the road, I hear a loud pop and feel the trailer shimmy. I quickly look in the rear view mirrow and watch one of the wheelers slowly rolling off the back of the trailer. I'm doing my best to keep the truck and trailer under control, while stopping as quickly as possible and finally get of to the side of the road. The front ratchet strap broke, allowing the wheeler to roll free, but luckily the rear strap was short enough and tied in such a way as that it actually held the machine on the trailer, with the rear tires rolling along, and the front's still on the trailer. After taking a break to relieve myself and calm my nerves, I was able to start the machine, put it in 4 low and while I pushed, my wife worked the throttle and drove the wheeler back onto the trailer. Luckily I had lot's of extra straps along. We tied it back down, doubled the straps on the other one, and again took off on our way.
An hour later we turn off the paved highway and start the last leg of the trip into camp, 40 miles of gravel road. About 5 miles later, we see the dark clouds of rain and notice the wind kicking up but on we travel. A few minutes later, from the back seat I hear a little voice, "um Steve, Um STEVE" and again as I look in the rearview mirror as to what is so urgent, I see the fiberglass tonneau cover starting to fly up. Once again I slam on the breaks and jump out to reclose the lid only to notice the locks are broken off, and the hinge are bent. The only way to keep it down is to stand on the rear bumper and lean on it. OOPS, there goes my favorite cap, and my eyeglasses, carried away by hte wind, never to be seen again. I know of a sheltered spot, just mile or two up the road, so while I lie on the cover, holding on for dear life, my wife drives us to a safer spot. to tie down the cap with more of the precious ratchet straps. After double checking the trailer and the wheelers, once more we roll down the road.
The wind having died down, and counting the last miles to camp, we were all feeling a little better. As we round one bend in the road, I took the opportunity to check the tire on the right side of the trailer. I don't like what I see, sparks shooting from the hub. Oh great, just what I need, a torched axle way out here. I pull over and get out to check the damage when I discover that it's not an axle or hub, that the tire blew and the sparks were from the wheel. How could I have not felt that? Oh well. 15 minutes later the spare was on and we were able to make it the last 10 miles to camp uneventfully.
That night it was so late that we, meaning she, decided that we would forgo setting up the tent and would sleep in the truck. Bad idea.
I did end up shooting a decent grizz that weekend, so it wasn't all bad. Until I sliced the back of my hand with the skinning knife, but that's another story.
How's that for a memorable trip?

[beardbuster]

remind me never to go on a moose hunting trip with you

[ICHTHYDEMON]

My best hunt was last year when my 5 yr old son came Elk hunting with me for the first time. We didn't see a single Elk (hunting with little guys is tough) but I (we) didn't care. He saw a ton of deer,ate lots of candy bars,and went for a walk I didn't think in a million years he'd finish.

Best hunt ever.

[Horn Hunter]

This is going to be long but I think this story is worth it.
My Best trip ever had to be with my 13 yr old son. He's 21 now but we still talk about this trip.
We were on a youth hunt over in the ochoco unit. His first time carring a gun hunting for elk. We packed the trailer and headed out east. We pulled in and it started to snow up by Spanish Peak. I was thinking its going to be a slam dunk to get his first elk. The next morning we got up had a great breakfest. Walked out of the trailer and the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife. We hunted in fog all day with about 2 inches of snow. saw lots of tracks but no elk.
The next day we hunted in rain. It musted of rain 2 inches that day. What a day we were soaked to the bone and the only elk we saw were to far away to shoot.
The third morning we got up to blue bird weather. What a great sight after the last to days. We started down the ridge and I could here the Elk a coming down the hill about 50 yard ahead of us. Told my son John to put a shell in the gun and put your safety on and get ready. Coming down the trail I could see the Elk coming, we had about a 40 yard opening in a clearing before the timber started again. He held his 7mm offhand and was ready to shoot. Elk started coming out of the trees, first a 5pt then 3 spikes the a monter 7pt and 2 more 5pts. They were walking at a pertty good clip. Then a large cow was the last to come out. The bulls winded us and the pace quicken. I told my son to shoot the cow because that what the youth hunt tag was for. He started to pull the trigger and I could se the 7mm going back into his shoulder with no "BANG". He forgot to take the safety off. He was mad at himself for not taking the safety off. We sat down and talked about it for a few minutes, I told him I would rather error on the side of safety then not. He started to fill better so off we went on hunting again. We were in some blown down tree area were I new the Elk like to bed down. We walked up on 4 elk feeding about 20 yards away. He put a shell in his 7mm again and was ready to fire with the safety off. I told him to take the one on the right. Where he was standing he couldn't see it head just the body. He held that gun up for about 2 minutes. I could see it was getting heavy and had started to get that figure 8 move ment. All of a sudden the Elk jumped out from behind the tree and BANG the gun went off. The elk all ran off with no blood to be found I chalked this event up to "Buck Feaver". John is really starting to get upset at himself. Again we talk about what happened "If we killed every elk we shoot at it be called Elk Killing not Elk Hunting". He started to fill better so off we go again. We were getting to the top of the ridge and to the truck about 430 and it was going to be dark in about an hour. Branches started breaking and here the elk come again. In goes another bullet and I have him steady his rifle on a tree. Out walks a nice cow, I here the safety go off then a "BANG". The bullet hits with a thud and the cow starts to run. John jacks in another shell and before he could shoot again the elk falls as it stumbles over a log. High 5 all aroud on his first Elk.
Now the work begin I told him and we were running out of daylight. We go over and I hold the Elk legs and I hand my Son an "Old Timmer" Knife that my Grandfather gave to me when I killed my first Elk with him. It took about 30 minutes to gut the Elk while I talked him through it. The truck was about 100 yards up the hill and down the road about 300 yards. I gave him the key and told him to move the truck closer and bring the pack boards and elk bags. He took the truck keys and was off. I could here the truck stop and the door shut it was so close. I had the first hind quarter skined and off by the time he got back. I loaded up his pack and sent him on his way back to the truck. It was getting perrty dark by now. I got the second hind off and was heading for the truck. When I got to the truck it was dark. I called for John to help me with my pack.:shocked: He was nowhere to be found. Oh No where is he. I start to yell for him with no luck. OK I'll jump in the truck and go look for him he can't be far maybe he just took a wrong turn. I reach in my pocket for the keys and I have none. Damm the boys got my keys and I'm about 3 mile to my trailer for the extra set. I start honking the truck horn and firing off his 7mm with no luck. It was a moonless night and it was starting to get cold. I have my cell phone and called my wife and told her I lost John I could here the tears coming over the phone as shes starts to sceam into the phone "WHAT". I loose the cell again, "Damm".
By the time I get another cell 1/2 an hour has passed. I started to talk to her again by then she has called all my hunting buddies and 3 of them have jumped in there trucks and were on there way from Portland to help find John. I loose Cell again and my battery is low "Damm". It about 8pm by now and I start walking for the trailer at a perrty good pace it was mostly down hill. I get the keys and start walking back up the hill. Its seem like its taking for ever for me to get back to the truck. About 400 yards before I get back to the truck I see a truck heading down the road at me. I start to flag it down and my son was behind the wheel. He stopped and we hugged for about 5 minutes with happy tears comming down my face. He told me how he got lost in the woods and how dark it was. He was stumbeling down a cat road seemed like forever. Then he started hearing sound in the woods. Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my. He started thinking to himself why am I still carring this hind quarter. Then he came upon a spot he remember from eariler in the day then he knew where he was. He put the pack down and started walking down the road. When he got to the intersection he realized he had the truck key in his pocket. He was a mile from the trailer or 2 miles from the truck. I better go for the truck or dad is going to kill me. So up the hill he went. I got to the truck and found your pack and hind quarter in the truck and found no dad so I started to drive to camp. We drove to the top of the hill and got a cell to call mom. She was so happy here little boy was OK.:grin::grin::grin: They talked for about 15 minutes. Then I got on the phone to stop the search party. By this time they were already in prinvill by now. They were all at the same gas station filling up. They left 2 trucks there and all came up in Dave's truck to celabrate the killing of the elk. John was all wired up about what had happened the day that he kept us up all night re-living the day's events. All my hunting buddies were glade he was safe and enjoyed him re-living the days event all night long. No sleep that night so at first light we we off to get the hind quarter he had placed on the log. We drove right to it, then up to get the rest of the Elk. We all helped drag the rest of the elk out of the woods. Dave had his range finder the elk died 193 yards from the truck. We hung the elk on the meat and all started to get it skined and in bags for the ride home. John and I stayed 1 more day to get som sleep before driving home. But Dave and the rest had to get back to Portland.
That year for X-MAS John got a new GPS from his grandparents and a new back pack full of servial gear from mon and I. We have re-lived this hunting story every year at Deer and Elk camps. All my hunting budies enjoy it and tell every one that they had a big part in saving my sons life.

HH

[fishcatcher658]

good storys guys any more?

[kodiakfisher]

I will share my first big game hunting trip. I used to hang at a bar called chaps and spurs with a bunch of locals and their girlfriends and wives. I was really interested in hunting in general as I grew up in Kodiak, AK. I went with my dad once, and my grandpa who passed away before I was born whom I’m certain has gone on many hunts with me in spirit. I know grandpa has made sure I’ve learned specific lessons after I had built some confidence. He was a huge hunter on the east coast.

With private land, public land, controlled hunts, units etc etc I found it completely overwhelming to try and figure it all out. In Kodiak you go buy one or two or now three tags and go hunting simple. I ended up hooking up with another guy to go deer hunting in 1997 and was excited to go deer hunting. The father ended up getting a deer and he used my new truck to go get it, the son, my friend got a buck and we used my ATV to go get it. I helped drag hang and skin and I didn’t see a single piece of meat from that hunt. I thought if this is hunting I don’t need it that bad. Well after listening to hunting stories from 1997 and then sharing my own “hunting” story, one couple found it in their hearts to take a chance and ask me to go hunting with them in 1998. I was at that time the only non-family member in the hunting party and for the most part the hunting party is life long friends of Granddads or family members.

Fast forward to October 1998, I have my truck, ATV bear and elk tag all packed up ready to go and it’s raining like I have never seen it rain before and I’m as sick as I’ve been in years. Not one to give up or quit I got in the truck picked up his wife (Lori from here forward) and we headed out. Her dad, now my granddad (I’m certain my granddad sent him to me), we are so much alike it’s a blessing and strange at the same time. He meets us on the road and I’m about as bug eyed as one can be. On the way to camp about 12 elk pass right in front of my truck, night time but hey this should be easy come back in the morning and blast one.

Well my plan didn’t work out so well, first I pitched my tent and it snowed so much it smashed in my dome tent. The others in camp snored so bad I had to sleep in my truck and drive it away from camp. I started out cold in the morning and did not warm up until mid afternoon. I did get out in walk around with a rifle in my hand without much sleep and sick as I’ve ever been I walked around in a fog all the first day and part of the second. First day I finally gave up to the cold and the cold/flue and found a sunny spot to sit and take a nap. I wandered back into camp for the evening hunting plan and we went out hunting again.
Next morning Granddad tells me that if you see a spot that doesn’t look like you should go into for fear it’s too steep that’s were the elk are likely to be hiding. I find a deep looking canyon and decide you would have to be insane to go down there but granddad says that’s were they are so that’s were I’m going. The only reason I actually started to slow down was due to fatigue other than that it was 100mph crashing through the woods probably scaring everything clean out of the hunting unit. During a “slow” period I was in the bottom of this canyon looking up the draws in the middle of the day…had no clue what thermals were then. I see this black thing sort of roll over a log. Having nothing better to do I creep to the other side of the canyon to take a look. Well I see a bear about 100yds in front on the other side of the canyon. Adrenalin rush, rifle ready the stalk is on I creep up the other side of the draw and waiting for my chance. My heart is up in my ears for some reason and I finally give up and step into the bottom of the draw. As luck would have it the bear is fast walking across a log about 125yds up the draw. I instinctively put the rifle on him swing a bit in front and touched of a round BAAAMMM! Bear falls of the log I rack another shell and run up the draw. Guess what I’m breathing so darn heavy that I couldn’t have taken another shot if I’d been attacked! I look under the log and my bear is dead. Well this gets interesting I’ve never eaten bear, don’t know how to skin one out, too heavy for me to carry out. Well I do have a tag so I’ll mark my tag and leave that on the bar so people will know who shot it and that I’ll be back.
I skip back into camp according to small fry bound into camp and announce “can you eat bear” well sure you can, why do you ask. “I just shot one” down in the canyon. Nobody believed me until I ask them about a bear rug. Well everyone gathers up and Lori helps me with the skinning process. The funniest part was she had the front leg and went to cut the tendons and the claws wrapped around and grabbed her wrist and out comes the loudest scream I’ve ever heard out of her. I have never laughed so hard and even when she threatened to stab me if I didn’t stop laughing I couldn’t stop. The bear rug sits above my desk now.

Well this really wouldn’t be a big game hunting story without something about an elk. Granddad is out hunting for elk and agrees to take me along. Well my new gortex makes this swishing sound that is driving him nuts but he doesn’t say anything for fear of hurting my feelings. So Lori lets me know my pants are really loud and to try and be quiet ok I don’t want to get on granddads bad side. Granddad has had enough of his noisy side kick and hunts alone for the evening. As granddad always does he finds the elk. I’m so excited to hear he found them and expect him to say that he got one but he didn’t even fire a shot. He wanted me to get a chance and we would go back in the morning. So I put all my camo on and walk bow legged into the bottom of the canyon. I find out later it worked because granddad told Lori that he kept looking back to see where I was and I was always right behind him…I was pretty proud of myself.

Once into the canyon we split up I go low and he goes high. I’m sneaking through the bottom and here thunderous crashing coming up the canyon. Hmmm I had no idea there was a road in the bottom of this canyon. I start to step over a log and I have a cow elk looking at me like what are you doing hmmm. Damn busted I just froze and they looked at me I looked at them and then I thought maybe I should put my rifle up just in case. In true military form I snap that rifle right to my shoulder and am ready to shoot a spike elk. The elk sort of look at each other and start to get nervous and decide to quickly walk up and out of the canyon. I watched 12 elk walk right through the cross hairs of my scope to say I wasn’t a complete useless mess was an understatement. I stood there frozen for who knows how long. Curiosity got the best of me and I started to head up to try and figure out where they are going to see if they were meeting up with other elk.

I get about 50yds closer and more thunderous crashing coming up the bottom of the canyon this time I know what is going to show next. I see one lone spike elk run up turn and look back down the hill. I snapped that rifle to my shoulder touched off a round racked another shell and that elk fell dead just as I squeezed off the second shot, second shot missed clean and wasn’t needed. I walk up and stand over my prize. I start to hear more crashing coming up the canyon and because more in our party are towards the bottom of the canyon I’m going to scare these elk back down towards them I stand up and get ready to scare the poop right out of them and one of the loudest hunters I have ever heard came crashing up the trail, I refer to him as elephant man. He asked if I saw anything and I lied like any good veteran elk hunter would and said just this one. I start to make calls on the radio for some help. Well I never did get any help and was convinced my hunting partners were ignoring me to teach me a lesson. I finally gave up got mad and figured I’ll show you guys. I tore off all my hunting gear tossed it in a pile yanked out my knife and started the gutting process according to granddads verbal directions, lets just say that someone else in our camp who never cared for the gutting process has since this day had to take care of their own elk.

It seems that when I get back to camp nobody has any idea that I’ve gotten an elk small fry is strongly suspect due to my boundless energy…youth what are you going to do?! When I tell them I shot a spike they don’t believe me because I’m not bloody… I cleaned up in the spring but again I convince them that I need help. Truth is I didn’t think about marking my trail…I didn’t have any marking tape but thanks to the sharp nose of small fry he bird dogs the trail and finds my trophy. The best part was how impressed granddad was at my gutting job. The plan was to quarter the elk and pack it out. I was determined to get that elk back to camp whole and with some help from the ATV we hung that whole elk in camp. My first big game hunt and I filled a bear and elk tag. I have been hooked ever since, and have had great hunting partners to share the experience with.


Kodiakfisher