Author Topic: Crazy Larry's B-Day Elk Hunt (Read 11933 times)

RadSav · « **on:** August 30, 2012, 12:22:32 AM »

When I found out my best friend and hunting partner was turning 50 this year I immediately called Craig at Sawtooth Outfitters in BC and booked us an elk hunt. Hunting elk is how we started our friendship and I felt it fitting to take him up north to one of my favorite spots to celebrate chasing some big bulls far away from the rat race that has become our usual stomping grounds.

Well, the antelope are all capped and butchered, the truck is loaded with 420 quarts of cooler space, a new bow is in my bag, the backpacks are filled with 10 days of gear and I think just possibly we might be ready!

We point the Dodge north at 3am toward Kimberley. I can't wait to bugle in a big bull for him. Even though success will mean six hours of packing meat. A small price to pay for some special no wifes allowed time - our first in nearly 20 years. Hopefully his 50th year will remain perfect adding a bull to his spring bear and dandy Wyoming antelope.

We will be out of cell range most of the time. I will try to post whenever we get to an area with coverage. This is going to be a good time!

Happy birthday "Crazy Larry"

MLBowhunting · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:25:39 AM »

Good luck and have fun.

NWBREW · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:29:19 AM »

That's awesome.

I'm about to turn 50 and I need a new friend.

Kola16 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:36:30 AM »

I know a guy thats name is Larry, but I call him Crazy Larry. The only thing he hunts is anyone that steps a foot on his property

Not kidding either.

Anyways, good luck, and have fun

BOWHUNTER45 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2012, 03:54:43 AM »

Sounds like a man on a mission ...I hope you complete it RadSav ...sounds like fun to me ...I am getting pumped to get out and do some thinning myself ....good luck and be safe

dreamingbig · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2012, 08:08:21 AM »

Awesome! Good luck and safe travels!

Fullabull · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2012, 10:26:46 AM »

What a friend! Sounds like a great time

Can't wait for the stories when you get back... Good Luck!

KNOPHISH · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2012, 10:46:50 AM »

I also am about 50 & want a dall sheep hunt but I don't have any friends as cool as you.

PlateauNDN · « **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2012, 10:53:36 AM »

Souns like a blast and what a friend to have, could not ask for a better friend than that.

deerhunter_98520 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 30, 2012, 07:56:49 PM »

Sounds like a blast! Take lots of pics

colockumelk · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:26:03 PM »

I'm not talking to you until I see pics of your broadheads. Of course I've been known to have a faulty memory so this might not last long.

724wd · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2012, 08:00:15 AM »

Quote from: Kola16 on August 30, 2012, 12:36:30 AM

I know a guy thats name is Larry, but I call him Crazy Larry.

are ALL larry's crazy? I, too, know a larry referred to as 'crazy larry.'

RadSav · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:46:05 AM »

Well I left the house with a bad feeling. Now I am at the lodge while Larry hunts. I am waiting for a ride into Cranbrook to hopefully get the right parts to fix my truck. Keep blowing a 30 amp Engine Control fuse. Hopefully just need a new relay but looks like I may be trying to find a bad injector with minimal tools and 20 miles in the bush.

Sure hope Larry kills a nice one to make it worth it.

RadSav · « **Reply #13 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:51:32 AM »

96 Dodge 2500 W/v10 gas not diesel just in case some one has been through the same thing and can lend me a clue.

jackelope · « **Reply #14 on:** September 01, 2012, 03:00:01 PM »

I'd be looking for a bad ground, pinched wire somewhere.....something like that.

You could pull relays under the hood 1 at a time to see if one will make the short go away...i.e. pull starter relay, turn key on, see if it goes away. You'lll need a bunch of fuses.

RadSav · « **Reply #15 on:** September 01, 2012, 09:46:59 PM »

Not a single fuse at the Dodge dealership. Foundfour a NAPA. Appears thats all there is within 150 miles. Cant do much trouble shooting that way. Going to get a meter tomorrow. Hope for the best.

DoubleJ · « **Reply #16 on:** September 01, 2012, 09:58:44 PM »

Man I hope you get that cleared up. You are the last person on earth who deserves something like this.

carpsniperg2 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 01, 2012, 10:16:03 PM »

Crap sorry to hear that! I hope you can get her fixed up.

TheHunt · « **Reply #18 on:** September 01, 2012, 10:30:17 PM »

Sounds like a wonderful time. Good luck...

HUNTINCOUPLE · « **Reply #19 on:** September 01, 2012, 10:50:22 PM »

Good luck! Cant wait to hear the outcome of both!!!

RadSav · « **Reply #20 on:** September 03, 2012, 11:07:46 AM »

Truck back running. Made my own fuses using an old fuse and multistrand 16 wire. Two strands seemed to be about 20 amps. I then figured I would start cutting green and orange wires until the short went away. Five to choose from 20% chance. First wire cut short gone

Then pray it was not the one going to the injectors. Nope! O2 sensor. We can live without that so off to hunting. First hour Boo Boo pops out and says hello. I asked him to go get Yogi but I guess Canadian bear don't understand English. Was still fun. We've seen five black bear, 7 grizzly, one moose and one single bull elk. Glen Berry gave me a new reed to try so I'm going to light this place up this afternoon. Hoping I can change there minds about only playing in the moonlight.

Bshiftbc · « **Reply #21 on:** September 03, 2012, 11:47:59 AM »

Good luck RadSav!
What a great gift and I hope it turns out awesome! Sounds like a tremendous time!

Battle Ready · « **Reply #22 on:** September 04, 2012, 08:14:38 AM »

Go get em buddy!

RadSav · « **Reply #23 on:** September 12, 2012, 03:09:54 AM »

Well not sure I'm all that good of friend after all. I've been avoiding writing the conclusion because I hate to get nasty about a couple of my good friends at Sawtooth. But there is no way to avoid it - It was quite possibly the worst experience I've had north of the border. Four guys from the northwest and one from the UK. I was the only one that could have killed anything and that was a little booboo bear.

The territory has been split since I was here last. Each half managed by a former guide who thinks he's all that and more. I had to tell my good friend that his experiment was not working which hurt quite a bit. They were not prepared for us. Worried more about getting ready for the rifle hunters coming in a week later than us bowhunters that were there. They had done no scouting. Had no idea where the elk were. We finally got into the crown jewel of the territory and though there were elk there they were nearly impossible to hunt due to the eleven avalanch slides that were chocked with debris. I asked before we headed in there if anyone had been up there to scout. "I've been hunting there since I was 10 years old. I don't need to scout that area!" Nearly four hours of hard hiking in and we only made it half way before heading back. I did see my only elk of the trip up there, but those were far away chasing mountain goats I think.

A complete waste of time and money in a place I consider one of my favorite places on earth. Ruined by some know it alls with no clue how to do it on their own. A great disappointment after my past experiences in the territory. I would have to warn anyone thinking of heading up there for an archery hunt or an early rifle hunt -Don't Go. At least not until things change back to the way they used to be or until these guys learn a thing or two about how to guide when they have to make decisions for themselves. But when they lie to me and say, "The elk are just hiding in the trees" or my favorite, "We don't want to head up there and scout. That would just push the elk further into the park." I don't expect them to learn much until Craig takes back control of the whole territory.

I had planned on taking six hunting spots for the next three years up there. I have since cancelled all of those hunts. Perhaps taking that near $100,000 guaranteed booking out of their pocket will speed up the learning curve.

Other than the disappointment of not seeing elk Larry and I did get to have a good time being together without the wifes for a change. Can't spoil the scenery which is spectacular. And seeing Craig and the punch drunk Joe is always a good time for me. The steap country will kick you butt and I always enjoy that in elk country.

Now I just need to figure out how I am going to make it up to Larry. Perhaps a moose or grizzly hunt in 2014

We'll see how shy he is of my hunt choices after a month or two.

Thanks to everyone that was wishing us good luck. We will try to keep that in reserve for our next adventure.

I didn't take my big camera with me so my pictures aren't quite the same as usual. But you can get a glimps of the country and some of the areas we were hunting.

RadSav · « **Reply #24 on:** September 12, 2012, 03:26:27 AM »

FYI - This is a completely different territory and operation than the Bull River/Bob Robbins deer hunt I've told HW members about. I'd still give that the thumbs up

Even though the season has changed and the best dates are no longer available due to the early close of the mule deer season.

ellensburgpo · « **Reply #25 on:** September 12, 2012, 03:48:10 AM »

Sorry to hear your hunt went like that, at least you were able to get some positive things out of it.

sixty4nhalf · « **Reply #26 on:** September 12, 2012, 08:46:56 PM »

Wow that sounds a lot like our experience half way up through BC when 6 of us did a 6 day guided moose hunt, the guides were great, it was their equipment that sucked, in 1 day all 3 vehicles died, Ours got a hole in the tire (no spare) closest repair shop was over 1 hour away, the second one broke all but 1 lug and 1 was stripped (so basicly only had 2 out of 6 studs) the third one just died for no reason in the middle of the woods (luckily he had a 4 wheeler in the back of his rig). We ended up having to use our own rigs to get us to and from the hunting grounds. The did comp us 1/2 day extra to hunt, but we still walked way with nothing..... Yeah we were a bit pissed but we had a great time none the less.

FSTaxidermy · « **Reply #27 on:** September 13, 2012, 10:58:00 AM »

Sorry your trip didn't work out as you hoped, I'm sure Crazy Larry appreciated and enjoyed his great "50th" gift

To great friends

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Author Topic: Crazy Larry's B-Day Elk Hunt (Read 11933 times)

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