A simple cow hunt shouldn't rank in my top 5 hunts of my lifetime but this one will for a multitude of reasons.
I wouldn't have applied for a Clock cow tag without Aaron Blanchard's constant advocacy for the herd, his selfless attitude when it came to giving folks advice, and his sacrifice for my freedom.
Aaron was the start of this and led me to offer to help on Coach (Corey)'s hunt in September where Big Nasty met his end. Along that ride I was fortunate enough to meet RTSpring (Kurt), BLRMan (Karl), shootem (Dr. Bob), and make the start of hopefully a lifetime of memories together supporting each other in hunting triumph and life misfortune. Corey's friend Dan (now my friend too) was hunting Joe Watt with Coach's boy during our hunt and couldn't make it to camp but came this weekend with Coach to help me finish the deal on my cow hunt.
I was lucky enough to get directions to many great new locations in the 328 and 329 and explore country I'd never seen on my own from Wed-Friday night. Got into a good herd of elk on Friday afternoon and when Coach and Dan arrived I showered up (3 days hiking as a man of my size and spike camping out in the woods makes for a "gamey" experience) and we had some dinner, made a plan for the morning and I watched Coach proceed to get educated by Dan on cribbage but he did save his best effort for last and we went to sleep on the cheers of his only win in 8 games.
Up in the morning we had some coffee, got gas in the "Heavy Chevy" and proceeded to the sage where we lined up with a few others in the waiting for daylight to come. An hour or so of glassing led us to find the herds and proceed to trying and hatch a gameplan in an area that is wide open with very little cover. Luckily for us a small group of about 50 were about 1200 yards around a bend and we could use the topography to move up and around to get into a spot for an ambush.
Dan handed me LuLu his .300 WM with a Hornady STX load built for the gun and told me "she's dead on at 200, and then the BDC is 300,400,500). Coach and I slipped over the terrain that had soaked up a pretty hard rain the night before and got into position with a shooting lane that varied from 250-400 depending on the way the herd moved up the draw. Wind was in our face and favor the entire time and we got sat down and posted up with a trigger stick dug into the ground to give a steady rest as the sage didn't really give prone shooting positions much options. Slowly the herd browsed up and we saw 3 good lead cows taking turns walking 2-5 steps ahead of a couple of decent young branch bulls and 30ish or so younger cows. We picked out the lead and Coach talked me through my progressions and ranged the lead cow for me as I settled in to make the shot. When they hit a good lane and window one last range and a small whistle by Coach led to the single shot that dropped my cow.
A couple of high fives and a long sigh of relief from myself had me happy we'd finished the promise I had set out to make when I applied for this hunt on hearing of Aaron's death and the genuine thanks I have for getting to spend this fall in the company of great men.
Corey, Kurt, Karl, Bob and Dan I am truly humbled to be accepted into your company and look forward to the future hunts and times we'll have together.
This picture is going up next the Big Nasty picture with Corey, Kurt and Karl in it on my favorite wall in a place of special importance.
Corey --- Thanks for everything on this hunt and I promise I'll bring some backstrap.
