"Win a Hunt with Randy!" 2015 Sweepstakes Recap

[Lv2hnt]

Like in my home state of Arizona, camouflage isn't required to hunt in New Mexico. Much hunting in the Southwest is done in wide open spaces. That said, it doesn't mean it wouldn't be a good idea under certain circumstances (I've worn an orange vest a few times big game hunting here in Arizona) --- I understand this goes contrary to what many of you practice in other parts of the country. I've worn an orange vest quite a bit while hunting quail in Arizona so my hunting buddy knows where I am (you can get hidden sometimes in the midst of mesquite, palo verde, and creosote) ...

 

[JLS]

All right bro, it's time to crack a beer and lock the door.

The fine wine has aged, get this story done!

 

[TRS_Montana]

All right bro, it's time to crack a beer and lock the door.

The fine wine has aged, get this story done!

Ha, seriously! Although, I have to admit, you've got me hooked....

 

[Lawnboy]

Question please, I see in the pics the camera guy isn't wearing any camo. Is that typical? I figured the camera guy would be head to toe in camo as well.

Tyler smells like an elk so he gets a camo pass I think most of his bulls in the last 5 years have been shot with a bow sans camo. He's a whiley bugger.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

If it were me, I would have opened up the tail gate, open a bottle of water and talk nice and loud and laugh until dark just to piss those others off I'm crazy like that I guess.

 

[CodyCass]

Part of me wishes I didn't read this thread until the story was complete, how am I going to be able to sleep tonight without knowing how it ends!!??

 

[Kevin W]

Part of me wishes I didn't read this thread until the story was complete, how am I going to be able to sleep tonight without knowing how it ends!!??

The same way we all slept last night not knowing how it ends........ not very well and you wake up checking the computer every so often!!!

 

[Dave N]

Well, I slept pretty dang good but there's STILL nothing more...

 

[mtmander]

still waiting...........

 

[Steelhead]

5 day hunt, 5 day post?

 

[CHMD]

Thanks for sharing. Anxiously awaiting the next post.

 

[Lv2hnt]

Day 5:

It was still dark as Randy, Tyler and I found ourselves in the truck on our way back up to near where we'd sat the evening of Day 3. Our plan of attack for the final morning's hunt was to hike back in over a mile towards a series of ridges/draws. Headlamps on, Randy led the way with Tyler bringing up the rear. I honestly felt an intensified focus as we hiked along in the darkness. We tried to will some bugles into the air when we paused a few times, without success. I remained hopeful.

We made pretty decent time --- Randy followed game trails that skirted blow downs and paralleled a drainage heading to the northeast. We'd been at it almost an hour and the sun still was below the horizon.

Randy and I were glassing to our left uphill when Tyler whispered we had company ahead. True enough, we could make out 2 camouflaged shapes making their way towards us. We stopped and let them keep coming.

We had barely stuck out our hands to say "hi" when the older of them recognized Randy. Here we go again, way out in the middle of nowhere. Turns out popularity has no borders The 20ish hunter from Kansas was being guided by a respectful fellow from Santa Fe. We chatted quietly for a few minutes, exchanging how our hunts were going (the hunter had missed a pretty decent bull earlier in the hunt), and what our plans were for that last day. Those plans didn't conflict; everyone was happy about that.

Time to re-assess things on our part as the 2 passed us heading back towards from where we'd just come. We'd been in ponderosa pines all morning --- they still predominated things, with growths of aspens scattered here and there. We had now arrived at the beginning of the draws. Long fingers sloped slowly from a connecting ridge up to our left. The wind was coming from the north, so things looked good for us to move up and around the draws, glassing the opposite sides as we went.

Randy had taken no more than 2 steps when Tyler held up his hand stating that he'd just heard a faint bugle beyond the ridge to the north of us. 15 seconds later I heard it too. Now this is where Randy needs hunting partners (his high-range hearing's better days are behind him). Tyler and I nodded to each other as a few bugles were repeated. We could now hear 2 different bulls. Randy let out a contact bugle and a bull responded immediately.

The hint of smiles were replaced with "let's get this done" faces. With Randy leading the way, we made our way diagonally cross-hill down and up the other side, cutting off the top 1/4 of the draw. As I mentioned before, this wasn't p/j country here, it was all ponderosa and aspens.

As we had about topped out on the next ridge, I'd whispered to Tyler that there were now 3 distinct bugles, not just the 2 from before. The problem though was that they were definitely moving and going north. That meant we would be repeating our down-and-up-again trek.

One more time, but with increased focus! My lungs went into overdrive --- I just wished my legs were longer. We topped out once more, just to hear the bugles continue their way north. Agggrrrhhh. But we were closing the gap.

 

[Lv2hnt]

As we side-hilled our way up one last ridge, we sensed we'd finally closed the gap to where things might finally come together. Randy decided to hang back and call just enough so Tyler and I could pin-point the bulls' locations as they bugled. It was definitely a herd situation we had on our hands, so we needed to keep our eyes peeled for outlying cows. I was to keep on Tyler's heels (this hunt was being filmed and he was in charge).

Tyler motioned forward each time a bull bugled. This was working fine until Tyler slammed his hand up to stop me. 2 cows were 60-70 yards way and the closer one's eyes were locked onto Tyler. The good thing was that Tyler was wearing neutral earthtone duds --- the cow turned back to follow the herd 45 seconds later. Tyler motioned me closer. It was crunch time and I was going to have to stick right with him.

I wish I could paint a picture of the next couple minutes --- it got intense! Tyler's giraffe-like legs hopped over blow-downs as we literally ran each time a bull bugled. He's 6'3”, pack on his pack and video camera in his arms; I'm 5'9” (25 years older), pack on as well, shifting a loaded rifle as I run like a banshee. Tyler's scanning ahead as we run and gun --- I'm doing my best not to fall and keep up with Olympic Man. We stop and go like that for several minutes. It's as thick an elk jungle as I've been in. No wonder the elk are in here.

My mind is flying each time we pause. Randy continues to send out bugles as the bulls weren't responding to cow calls. We are now officially close!

3 bulls were bugling --- a satellite bull was on the far side of the herd while a 2nd satellite was with the cows and the herd bull. Tyler dodged right and left as we moved forward. It was really tough to watch my step and Tyler both. Naturally, my hunting instincts had kicked it quite a while back and my eyes kept scanning ahead as well. Unnnhhh …

Tyler suddenly hissed at me: “There he is, SHOOT”! Not happening. I'd caught movement to my right --- antlers! Tyler was looking at a BIG 5-point, I'd caught sight of a small 6-point. I moved up right next to Tyler and saw the bull he was pointing to 60 yards away. I saw that bull for less than 2 seconds. The bull moved forward through the tangled mess and again appeared broadside, but not long enough for me to get a shot off. That was that. Tyler later said he could have shot the bull 3 or 4 times. I don't doubt him. No success going after the 6-point either.

In the moment I could feel the frustration oozing from Tyler, justifiably so. He'd worked so hard the entire hunt. And when “the” time came, his hunter failed to focus. My job was to stay in his back pocket --- my own hunter mode over-rode that and I blew it. Tyler has been in on t-o-n-s of crunch times though, and he was gracious enough not to haul off and slap me silly. I can't tell you how badly I felt to have let Randy down too.

We followed Randy's cow calls back to him and unshouldered our packs. The past ½ hour's events were rehashed as we got out some munchies and sports drinks. As we sat there I continued to see the big 5-point in slow-motion.

Since noon wasn't that far away, we decided to make a day of it and not return to the truck. It still hadn't rained and we weren't terribly far from the wallows we sat 2 evenings before. Elk were in the area and they needed to drink, so we decided we'd let them come to us. Hopefully.

We got to the far north end of the cienega that held the wallows. As we looked around for a suitable spot conducive to evening filming, we stumbled onto a good wallow stuck just inside the edge of the trees. The wind was good, so we got things set up and cleared low-hanging branches out of the way. The fat lady was in the building.

 

[Lv2hnt]

We sat in the shade. Randy and Tyler talked quietly. I sat by myself for a bit, replaying the past 6 days in my mind. My mind clearer, I joined the guys and we rehashed the day's events over a snack.

As the shadows lengthened, the forest grew more quiet. You've all been there at one time or another. It's my favorite time of day, both on the desert and in the mountains. That last evening there was an absence of sound --- no wind in the pines, no birds, no squirrels … and no bugles.

Great memories with great people, just the toughest elk hunt I've experienced. That's hunting ...

I'm not sure how Randy came up with the final score. I guess we put in 5 days hunting, and the elk suckered us in that one day before the season opened ...

 

[bobbydean]

Thank you for the story. It would not be hunting if the animal did not win once in awhile or in some cases most of the time!

 

[7mm08mo]

Well it sounds like you had a good time and a lot of fun. After all you were hunting with Randy and we all want to hunt with Randy. Great write up guess that's why we call it hunting and not killing.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Great story!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Sounds like a great hunt! Thanks for sharing.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I enjoyed your write-up and the photos, sounded like a great experience.

 

[mtmander]

great hunt , lots of memories