Montana Elk Hunting

Americans Purchase 10.8 Million Guns in 2011 — A New Record « Daily Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

Here is a link to the Daily Bulletin on Accurate Shooter's website.

During the last presidential campaign our current president said that when Americans are scared they rely on guns and religion (I am paraphrasing); looks like some Americans are scared!

Americans Purchase 10.8 Million Guns in 2011 — A New Record « Daily Bulletin

Hunter Shoots Grizzly, Bullet Kills His Partner

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:03:00 +0000

From the Missoulian Newspaper:

DNA findings: Bullet Passed Through Grizzly Bear Before Hitting and Killing Hunter

Gives a whole new meaning to "be sure of what's behind your target."

A PRE-Review

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:37:00 +0000

Slightly Embarrassed

Last June I received an email from Georgia Pelligrini. The email simply said:

Hi Dennis, I have a book coming out this fall called Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time , which chronicles my experiences going over field and stream in search of the main course. Can I send you a copy of my book when it comes out later this year? If so let me know your address!

Hope all is well.

Cheers,

Georgia

I had never heard of her before and passed it off as some sort of spam. In my experience, bloggers are always being spammed for free/cheap advertising for some unnamed, unknown, possibly unpalatable product. Two days ago, I learned that at least one recipe in Pellgrini's book is far from unpalatable.

Then, a week ago, fellow blogger, Deer Passion, posted links to Pelligrini's book. Well, faux pax on me! I dug back through emails, found Pelligrini's and asked for a copy of the book so I could join the feast. We received it yesterday. When my wife and I have read it a review will be posted here.

In the meantime, Lindsey Triebel, one of the staff promoting Pelligrini's work, sent me some links and a recipe for Moroccan Elk Stew that comes from Pelligrini's book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing The Way We Eat, One Hunt At A Time.

Here it is:

Moroccan Elk Stew

Serves 8

Also try: beef, lamb, bison, venison and other antlered game

4 pounds elk shoulder or haunch, cut into cubes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons grape seed oil or butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium-size onions, roughly chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium-size turnips, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2/3 cup dried apricots

2/3 cup prunes, pitted

3 to 4 cups beef or antlered game stock

1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot with oil. In a bowl, toss the elk cubes in the flour. Shake the cubes well and place them in the pot in batches, being sure not to crowd them. Brown them on all sides and transfer to a plate or rack.

2. Put all of the browned meat back in the pan and sprinkle it with the salt, cinnamon, ginger and pepper. Then add the vegetables, garlic, and dried fruit. Pour in enough stock for the meat to be three-quarters covered, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat so the bubbles percolate. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours, until tender.

From the book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time by Georgia Pelligrini. Excerpt by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2011.

Of course, I couldn't post something that I hadn't tried, so I immediately made Pelligrini's Moroccan Elk Stew with only two changes to her recipe. (Are there elk in Morocco?) One change was planned; the other an "oooops." During winter in the Carroll household we don't cook on the stove top; instead we cook our stews, pot roasts, chilis, spaghetti sauces, etc in our Tulikivi.

Our Tulikivi with Pelligrini's Moroccan Elk Stew (before I covered the Dutch Oven)

A Tulikivi is a Finnish fireplace. It heats the entire house with one-two hour fire per day--even here on the Montana's Rocky Mountain Front. (Yes, the wind is howling today, bringing tonight's snow!) The fire heats 5000 pounds of Finnish soapstone during that two hour period and then radiates it throughout day and night. With all the leftover heat, we simply insert a stainless steel rack in the firebox-after the fire is out--and place a dutch oven with the day's delectables on the rack. Add a little water throughout the day and presto; meal fit for a royalty and no added expense for cooking--or hassle, for that matter.

The "ooops," came from my idea on "beef or antlered game stock." I just made it like I normally would, but when I got Pelligrini's book, her recipe for stock was radically different, and possibly tastier than mine. OK, it would be better than mine.

Regardless, or irregardless as some say, Pelligrini's Moroccan Elk Stew was the best stew I have made. Even the smell was delicious. The mixture of cinnamon, ginger, onions, and garlic caused a Pavlovian response before, during and after it was cooked. Do I have to wait all day to taste this?

A stew for two.

If Pelligrini's book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time, is written as well as her Moroccan Elk Stew tastes, she will have a best seller.

TTFN

Congratulations Eric Uptagrafft

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:10:00 +0000

USA Shooting names 2011 Athletes of the Year

USA Shooting of Colorado Springs, Colorado has named Kim Rhode and Eric Uptagrafft as their 2011 Athletes of the Year.

Kim Rhode (USA Shooting photo)

KIm Rhode is a Women's Skeet athlete.

Eric Uptagrafft (USA Shooting photo)

Eric Uptagrafft is a Sergeant First Class assigned to the US Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Uptagrafft has always been a first class marksman. When he was a full-time shooter at the 5th Army Marksmanship Training Unit, in 1987, I was a temporary shooter at the 6th Army Marksmanship Unit. Uptagrafft has demonstrated what not only talent, but determination and perseverance produces.

Congratulations to both.

USA Shooting is a non-profit corporation that organizes and manages shooting programs nationwide to prepare shooting athletes for Olympic competition. I believe USA Shooting is one of the "unsung heros" that supports shooting competitions.

USA Shooting relies on donations for its operation. You can contribute here. If that link doesn't work just go to USA Shooting and click on the "Donate Now" button.

Idaho to use helicopter gunners against wolves

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:15:00 +0000

It seems that wolves have been eating too many elk in Idaho. Elk numbers in the Lochsa and North Fork Clearwater drainages have dropped from about 16,000 in the 1980s to about 2,000 today. Idaho wildlife managers hoped that hunters would have taken about 60 wolves in the area this season, but as this story was written, only 6 had been taken.

Story from the Missoulian here.

Stay tuned.

Black Friday 2011 — Americans Set 1-Day Gun Sales Record « Daily Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:05:00 +0000

Black Friday 2011 — Americans Set 1-Day Gun Sales Record « Daily Bulletin

NRA Celebrates 140th Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000

NRA Celebrates 140th Birthday

I missed this date yesterday, but it is an important day for all Americans; pro-gun or anti-gun.

Regardless of your stance on guns, they have helped keep us free for over 200 years and is only less important

than the rights guaranteed in the First Amendment.

Happy Birthday, NRA and American!

An Elk Hunter's Responsibility

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Unit 390 to Close for Wolf Hunting

The quota of 18 wolves has been reached in Wolf Management Unit 390. It should close on the evening of 16 November. The closure will eliminate about a third of the state of Montana from wolf hunting.

The quota for all of Montana was set at 220, and so far, 76 have been taken.

Previously, on 10-6-11, Subunit 313/316 was closed.

If you are an elk hunter, it is your duty to engage this hunt. Elk hunters that have bought elk licenses over the years, or even bought guns, ammunition, or archery equipment have "equity" in the elk herds that are being thinned by wolves that most elk hunters didn't want to pay for. Do YOUR duty!

He looks so much better with the crosshairs.

Stats of the wolf hunt can be found at Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Wolf Guide.

Shoot, I Can Still Shoot!

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Walking and Chewing Gum

I believe I can walk and chew gum at the same time, but when it is spring/summer/fall/winter in Montana I have a tough time being outside doing outdoor pursuits AND parking my butt in this chair sharing what Montana and the United States has to offer. So . . . not much blogging lately.

When spring rolled around I had visions of getting back to Highpower Rifle competition and attended Montana's Spring Warm-Up Match in Butte (see here). But, all of the snowpack and rain caused a bit of flooding in the Treasure State. My house didn't flood. However, ground water rose to a new high in our well house. Working on that and not wanting to travel three or four hours to a Highpower Match just to watch it rain kept me at home--more than I wanted. Those delays made my second highpower match in 12 years the 2011 Montana State Highpower Championships at the Deep Creek Range outside of Missoula. (Note to self: "Don't do that!) That was followed by matches in Anaconda and Butte, Montana.

Surprisingly, I hadn't lost much skill in those 12 years and I'm back shooting as well, or better than I did when I was a competition junky. With the exception of working the bolt for the rapid fire events, I am at the top of the pack; at least state-wise (not nationally).

For those unfamiliar with highpower, the normal Across The Course match consists of four (or five) individual matches and from one to three aggregate matches. The individual matches consist of: 22 shots offhand from 200 yards (two sighting shots and 20 record shots slowfire), 22 rapid fire shots from the sitting position at 200 yards (two sighting shots--slowfire, and two ten shot strings done in a time limit of 60 seconds), 22 rapid fire shots from the prone position at 300 yards (two sighting shots and two ten shots strings done in 70 seconds), and 22 slowfire shots prone from 600 yards (two sighting shots and 20 shots for record.) In slowfire, the target is pulled and marked after each shot. In rapid fire, the target is put up for the 60 or 70 second time limit and then pulled into the pits. Besides shooting, competitors need to score other competitors and take their turn in the target pits.

Securing targets in the pits.

Here is a recap of the last three matches.

Montana Highpower Championship at the Deep Creek Range.

The afternoon of Friday, June 24 was the M1A Montana State Championship. Competitors had to fire an M1A or M14. All firing was done at 300 yards and consisted of 20 shots slowfire prone, 10 shots rapid fire prone, 10 shots rapid fire sitting and 10 shots slowfire offhand. A perfect score would have been 500. Jamey Williams of Conrad, Montana won with a 472-9X. Second place went to James Patterson with a 461-8X, and third place went to John Strandberg with a 449-6X. George Waldorf won the optics category with a 432-1X. (I don't own an M1A any more)

M1A Shooters and their rifles at the Deep Creek Range, west of Missoula, Montana.
(Don Strom opted for a dog.)

Saturday was the Across the course match, which was conducted as described above, except that an extra slowfire prone was shot at 600 yards. The match winner was Steven Powell of Utah, who shot a grand aggregate of 978-42X. A perfect score would be 1000-100X. The resident champion was Scott Lindley with a 962-16X.

My bolt manipulation skills weren't up to the task and I ate a round at 200 (didn't get it off in 60 seconds), and shot one in the dirt at 300 yards (trying to beat the target into the pits . . . lol) But with those two exceptions I was pretty happy. I was match winner on the first slowfire prone match at 600 yards, with a 197-10X, second place overall and first in the master class on the second slowfire prone match at 600 yards, with a 198-7X, first master in the slowfire aggregate (combination of 200 yard offhand and the two 600 yard matches) and first in the master class with a 947-27X in the grand aggregate. High Master Don Strom beat me out on the second 600 yard match with a 199-9X. To decipher Don's score: He shot 9Xs. The X-ring on the 600 yard target is 6 inches in diameter. He shot 10-10s. The ten ring is 12 inches in diameter. And, he shot 1-9. The 9-ring is 18 inches.

High Masters Don Strom and Scott Lindley (l to r) shooting offhand at 200-yards.
Lindley is this year's Montana State Resident Champion.

Sunday was the Long Range Match (1000 yards)

The match consisted of two individual 1000 yard matches, each unlimited sighting shots and 20 shots for record in a time limit of 25 minutes.

Steven Powell of Utah beat me out of the aggregate and one of the 1000 yard matches. He shot 194-7X, 193-7X, and a grand aggregate of 387-14X, while I shot a 197-7X, 188-5X and a combined total of 385-12X. To decipher my 197-7X: The 1000 yard target has an x-ring of 10 inches--I shot 7 of them; it has a 10-ring of 20 inches--I shot 10 of them; and the 9-ring is 30 inches--I shot three of them.

Shooting at 1000-yards at Deep Creek Range.

The Deep Creek Range has been called "The biggest Indoor-Outdoor Range in the World." It is clear cut out of timber on one side and the other side is a near-vertical mountain. Wind played a big factor on the 600 and 1000 yard matches this year, but normally, wind is almost non-existent. It is also a beautiful place to spend the weekend, shoot, have a beer and see old friends for a weekend.

Target Pits at the Deep Creek Range.

Anaconda, Montana Match 9 July 2011

Anaconda got its name from the Anaconda Copper Company--the same one that dug the Berkely open-pit copper mine that was eating the city of Butte, Montana until it was closed and turned into the largest Super Fund site in the United States.

The highpower range west of Anaconda is only 200 yards long, so the 300 yard and 600 yard phases are shot on reduced sized targets. 200 yard matches are fun, because you don't have to move your gear from yard-line to yard-line.

One of the women competitors shooting offhand at the Anaconda Range.

The biggest challenge at Anaconda was the wind. Almost everyone had a miss during the offhand match. It is probable that the only reason I won the offhand match with a dismal 181-3X was that I didn't shot a miss! My rapid fire skills were improving and I shot a 192-2x for second place at 200 yards sitting and a 194-8X for third place at 300 yard rapid-fire prone. I was happiest with a 200-7X during the 600-yard reduced target and was match winner there. (The only 200 score shot in that brisk Anaconda breeze.) The 200 yard reduction of the 600 yard target has an X-ring of 1.79 inches and a 10-ring of 3.79 inches. Being "in the money" across the board also earned me match winner of the grand aggregate with a 767-20X.

Butte, Montana Match 10 July 2011

The Butte Gun Club range is on the side of a huge open mountain with few trees. (It's in Montana, so the wind can be troubling--especially offhand and 600-800 yards. Scott Lindley, who was the resident Montana state champion at the Missoula match earned first High Master in the grand aggregate with a 760-16X. The Match Winner was Jamey Williams, who won the M1A match in Missoula, with a 773-19X. Personally, I didn't do well in the offhand phase. I can recall several times over a decade ago that shooting in the wind in Anaconda gave me a jerk that I couldn't overcome the next day at Butte. The same thing happened the weekend of 9-10 July. Awwwwww. But my rapid fire is picking up. Won first master class with a 197-7X at the 200 yard sitting--Lindley beat me with a 198-7X. Won first master class at the 300 yard prone with a 199-6X--Matt Waite won it overall with a 199-9X. Williams won the 600 yard match with a 192-6X, besting my 191-7X. And, I was first master and second in the grand aggregate with a 770-24X.

Sitting rapid fire at 200-yards.

That afternoon we had an 800-yard match. Unlimited sighters and 15 shots for record in a time limit of 22 minutes. A perfect score would be 150-15X. Jim Panagopoulos and I both shot 150s, with me edging out Jim Pan (as he is called) by one X. Jim's 150-7X vs. my 150-8X.

A good couple of weekends!

I'm still not sure if I can walk and chew gum at the same time, since I don't chew gum, but when I focus on one thing I can do it fairly well. When I considered returning to competition, the thought entered my head, "Can I still shoot?" I can. Additionally, being outside with like minded people, shooting guns, having a beer and a story or two afterwards, and camping in Montana . . . well, what can I say? I can still do that, too.

Rifle For The American Bison

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:53:00 +0000

A few years ago I started sharing my elk hunting experiences with folks. Originally I wasn’t going to suggest caliber, but people asked and I relented. Bad move.

While some readers appreciate my 40 plus years of elk guiding and outfitting experience, some readers have criticized me for my words. (Everyone has a favorite caliber and no one should touch it without glowing words.) Some have gone so far as to run back to their virtual “hunting forums,” and spread their opinions of me. I have been called an idiot, a bull shit artist, a moron, and a few words that surely violate the forums policies. So, I quit sharing my info.

But, a week or so ago, a prospective bison hunter asked me the following:

Hey, nice blog ... I have a bit off topic question- what gun to use for Buffalo hunting. I drew a buffalo tag in WY this year (I live in Pinedale). I have had friends hunt them in the past successfully with a 30.06. I myself am strongly considering using my Browning BLR PG 30.06. That said, others have told me to use a BLR .450 or Marlin 45.70. What do you think? Thanks for the comments.

Well, except for moving and herding bison, the American bufffalo, I don’t have any personal experience shooting them. I have always marveled at how effortlessly they can move with very little effort. That slow lope can put distance between the best horse and rider, leaving said horse and rider in their dust. And that is without exciting the buffalo.

I’ve seen quite a few hunters shoot bison, but until now I’ve never really thought about shooting one.

To research this post, I googled the net and interviewed a few of my friends that have killed bison, and coupled that with my experience hunting elk, deer, sheep and bears. On the internet you will find vast numbers of “experts” claiming that large-bore rifles are needed. 338s and 375 seem pretty popular.

Friends suggested whatever was in the closet or in the gun safe seemed appropriate.

One of my friends, who I calved for this winter/spring, took his twin sons Thane and Luke, and his nephew, Johnny, on a bison hunt. All three youngsters shot their bison behind the ear, at 75 yards with 30-30s. The twins used a Model 94; the nephew used Marlin. None of the first shots “killed” each bison, but they were put down and only needed a follow-up shot to finish the job.

The bison is the largest land animal in North America. (To get a larger mammal one needs to look at whale.) Although they are larger than their elk, musk ox, deer, caribou, etc., their kill zone doesn’t increase in size. So, to put it in perspective, a bad shot with a large-bore rifle isn’t any more effective than a poor shot with a small-bore rifle. The heart doesn’t get any bigger, and actually because the leg bone that covers the heart is so much heavier than elk/caribou, the kill zone is smaller. If one is taking a heart shot they should try either a quartering toward/away, or wait until the bison takes a step forward with the near leg before delivering the shot.

To answer the comment/question, I would use the 30-06 in the closet, but remember to practice hitting a heart sized target at 200 yards. Not just at 200, but throughout the arc of the bullet.

Alternatively, I would order a fancy Shiloh Sharps rifle in either 50-90 or 45-110 caliber. I like guns and to have a old-style buffalo rifle in a obsolete cartridge hanging on the wall alongside the tanned hide would complement my rifle collection and my living room.

After writing this I hope that none of those wonderful "forum goers" has any heartburn over my choice of calibers. That would just break my heart--ya' know, to have my real life experience conflict with some computer hack sitting on his duff, handing out what he/she thinks is real. So much for my rant!

TTFN

Satisfying Beef

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:47:00 +0000

Montana Beef: A New Perspective

My cabin below Ear Mountain, Montana.

Calving season ended for me about a month ago. As it came to a close I reflected on the season. It was probably the coldest and toughest calving season I have experienced. Temps were as low as -38 on one night and many nights were below -20. Most of my work was done at night all alone. Well, I had the company of a fine black cow pony. Although he doesn’t talk he’s probably smarter than Mr. Ed. When I got lazy he kept me focused--most of the time.

Anyway, as I reflected I got to thinkin’ . . . calving cows is a strange job. The goal is to save as many calves as possible. Simply keep them from dying. I hadn’t calved any cows for about 10 years, but I kept my reputation by losing only one calf all season. That one drowned when the first calve heifer backed up to the creek and dumped her pride and joy in Montana’s winter springwater.

That isn’t the strange part. The strangeness enters when I think that every calf that I save becomes a wonderful meal for someone in a year or so. If my calves live, you get a savory prime rib for New Years, or a juicy hamburger on Memorial Day, or an all-beef frank at the ball game. It brings back the ubiquitous evening TV mantra by the television cowboy Sam Elliot, but in the heat (or frigidness) of the moments of calving I don’t hear that voice--only much later.

Sometime in March I had an experience that cemented my relationship with the cows, calves and my wonderful black horse.

I normally have a 12-hour shift, and when it is frigid the cows need to be checked every 15 minutes. There isn’t enough room in the shed for all of the cows that are calving. And, when a cow is calving outside and is brought inside, she usually stops calving--I guess it upsets her rhythm. So, I let them calve outside and then take the calf to the shed on a sled. Once in a while the cow follows; most of the time she doesn’t and I make an extra trip back to bring the cow in.

The black cow pony.

My black horse likes to chase cows to the shed, but near the end of a shift he’s ready for the saddle to go and the grain to come. In his defense I get tired too, and that sometimes causes problems.

We had brought 12 or 15 or 20 calves in that night. We only had a few minutes left on our shift and one final calf to bring in. As I had done countless times that night and the previous month’s nights, I drug the sled alongside the slimy calf, leaving the sled’s rope around the saddle horn and dropped my reins to tell the black horse to stay. It should be noted that I was dressed for the weather--two pairs of long johns (top and bottom), insulated Carhartt bibs, double insulated Schnee boots, a double layed wool hat, an extra-long poly neck gaiter (that combo allows me to cover my head, neck, and face leaving only a slit to see from), a heavy parka and my cowboy chopper mitts. For the uninformed, cowboy chopper mitts are simple leather mitten shells with double insulated wool liners. They are the ultimate in warmth, but in the words of the late outfitter Art Weikum, “You can’t do anything but look like a monkey having sex with a football!” (In my words there is little manual dexterity.)

Decked out in this Michelin-man suit, I grabbed the calf by two legs. As you grab a new-born calf his slime squishes out of his fur and runs all over the chopper mitts. As I turned to put the calf on the steel-reinforced sled, I noticed that the sled wasn’t were I had originally left it. It seems the black horse was ready for oats about ten minutes before I was ready to give them to him. He was secretly looking back past the saddle and ever so slowly plodding to the shed. No problem. I just hastened my step to catch up. The black horse took this as his cue to speed up as well. I know he thought, “Heck, if my rider is moving faster toward the shed, I should oblige him and move faster too.” I gripped mr slimy calf a little harder and sped up.

She is neither a Persian nor a Greek, but she is as tough as any 300--GET AWAY FROM MY CALF!

The additional force caused my greasy package to let out a beller. Most people only hear something like, “Baaaaaaa,” but mother cows hear, “I’m surrounded by wolves and one of them has me by the testicles!!!,” which causes the mother to blindly attack the wolf (or person) who must have her baby by the testes.

I must add that although my black horse likes to chase cows, he had a bad experience with some bulls a while back and when a bull or cow runs toward him, he runs the other way. So, now the horse isn’t in a hurry for oats, he’s in a hurry to keep from being rammed by a mad mother cow that knows something is attacking her baby.

The cow is moving faster. The horse is moving faster. The sled is moving faster, and I am moving faster, but in six inches of snow with my winter bundle on I’m having a tough time keeping up with all the activity, which includes staying ahead of mama cow.

I dropped baby calf on the sled and made a faux pax. In an effort to gain some balance and propel myself ahead of mother cow’s anti-wolf attack, I placed my chopper mitt that had recently been covered with several gallons of calf slime ON THE STEEL-REINFORCED SLED. Now, my mitten had become one with the steel-reinforced sled. I as well. As I tried to trot alonside the sled and ahead of the cow, and being tired at the end of my shift it was difficult to decide (instantaneously) if I should remain with the warm dry comfort of my wool lined chopper mitt, or should I escape the confining sled (and snot-blowing cow) and plunge my hand into the Arctic blast. I truly enjoy my comfort, but self-preservation forced me to removed my hand from the mitten and gathered up my black horse.

It’s surprising how many words, sentences and paragraphs it takes to explain a 15 second blast of activity.

I bedded the cow/calf pair in the shed, jerked the saddle off, turned the horse out, gave him several gallons of grain and dragged myself to the pickup. The engine barely turned over, but finally caught and after 15 minutes I could see through a 4-inch diameter porthole. The porthole never grew, and with blowing snow the four-mile trip to the cabin took over half-an-hour, and when I arrived I was greeted by another snowdrift to climb over.

Once in the cabin, I shucked the winter wear, and as I dropped an inch-and-a-quarter rib steak in the pan and threw a spud in the microwave, a warmth began in my stomach. It spread throughout my body, and a slow smile gained my continence. I gave a little chuckle because I had an entirely different perspective on Sam Elliot’s television mantra,

“BEEF. IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER!”

Springtime in Montana 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Highpower Season 2011 starts in Montana!!

200-yard slowfire phase (offhand)

Springtime in Montana! Calving season is winding down and (hopefully) the snow will stop so we can move on to more enjoyable pursuits.

Checking sighting shots prior to 200-yard rapid fire phase (sitting).

Last weekend was Montana Rifle and Pistol Club’s Spring Warm-up Match—the first highpower match of 2011. While the weather forecast warned of possible snow, the white stuff never showed. Thank God! We have had several years worth of snow—even had another blizzard yesterday.

Montana’s Spring Warm-up Match is the first opportunity for shooters to blow the cobwebs from their barrels, burn some powder, and check last year’s zeros and this year’s skill. Additionally, the MRPA issues AR-15 Service Rifles to a few members, usually junior shooter.

600-yard slowfire at 300 yards on reduced size targets (prone)

For me it was a long awaited return to a sport that I love and have been fortunate enough to do well at. (When I had the outfitting business there wasn’t enough time to practice, and without practice there was no “perfect.” Personally, I’m not the type to just simply shoot without improving. However, as I get older and my eyes lose their acuity, I may have to settle for less.)

Besides the exacting business of shooting, it is and was a time to rub shoulders with friends, tell old, sad jokes, and enjoy fellowship with like-minded people. We all asked, “Has it really been ten years?” Yep. It has, and that is sad, sad, sad. lol

600-yard slowfire (prone).

Although there was no snow, we received a fish-tailing wind that wreaked havoc during the 600 yard slow-fire phase, which was conducted at 300 yards with reduced size targets since the road from 300 to 600 yards was too soft from snow melt to drive on.

This year I have a new match rifle shooting a new cartridge. I will keep folks informed on the progress. As for this match, I had expected to be rough in offhand (standing) and was, but I won the master class in the 600-yard (300 reduced) phase.

ONWARD and UPWARD!

A Calf Is Born!

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:24:00 +0000

Over the years I have tried to take a series of pictures of a cow giving birth to a calf. Most of the time the lighting is bad, or the weather is bad, or the cow is uncooperative.

However, last week I got a pretty good series. Hope you enjoy it. I have added some information for those new to cows calving.

This photo was taken about 30 to 45 minutes after #785 started to calve. The front feet are both visible and the nose is showing, meaning all is well.

Another 10 to 15 minutes and all of the calf is out except the hips. If the calf is small enough a cow can just push the calf out in this position. In this case the calf is too large to be simply pushed out. It's called a "hip lock," but it is usually more than just the hips. A large calf's leg bones, near the stifle, and its tail form sort of a three pronged plug. The leg bones press against the inside, bottom of the pelvis and the tail and backbone press on the top of the pelvis.

At this point the cow stands up.

Standing up serves two purposes. One, it lets the fluid drain from the calf's throat, lungs, mouth and nostrils, and two, the calf's leg bones--pressing against the bottom of the cows pelvis--create a fulcrum, and the calf's weight pivots the tail and backbone through the pelvis ahead of the legs. In this photo you can see the fluid drain from the calf, as well as the calf's backbone and tail pressing through the skin below her tail.

One final push!

And her baby is on the ground.

Licking the calf off doesn't just remove the slime, it also invigorates the calf, like a massage, and get him breathing and moving.

Less than two minutes later he's trying out his new legs.

"Although I'm not very old, I already know how to get out of a tight spot."

TTFN

Well, I Calve Cows

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +0000

As I mentioned in a previous post, Elk, Deer and Leaping Ants on the Front, I've taken a break from other pursuits and returned to cowboyin' along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front; specifically, calving cows. While it may seem a simple question, a few folks have asked, "What do you do when you calve cows?"

The simple answer (although seemingly flippant) is, "Well, ya' calve cows." The more detailed answer is, well, longer.

It ranges from the regular cowboy stuff like moving cows from A to B to more complex stuff like knowing when to call a veterinarian.

Moving "heavies" to the calving facility. Heavies are the cows that appear to be within two or three weeks of calving.

For the most part, the cows are going to calve whether you are there or not. It's a natural act that cows, elk, deer, etc have been doing long before man came along. But, man has meddled in that natural act and caused problems.

In nature elk and deer still have their calves and fawns in late spring and early summer. Humans want the largest calves they can sell in the fall, so they adjust their breeding dates to have calves earlier. Some years that is not a problem. This year is an exception. So far we have had several three to five day periods where the day time high temperature hasn't gotten out of the single digits and night time lows have dipped to minus thirty--not counting wind chill effects. If elk and deer (and cows) decided to have their offspring drop in this weather, unaided by man, they would eventually go the way of the Mastodon. (I am not sure what time of year Mastodons gave birth.) Anyway, in this case every cow that calves must be brought to the calving shed so the calves can dry off, get some colostrum and get their legs working. Very few calves last more than 30 minutes at minus 20.

Angus Bull waiting for the next snow storm.

There are other problems that can be either man-made or natural. Big calves are one of those. Big calves make bigger calves when it come time to sell, but the trade off is too big means C-sections, which are costly, and if not performed quickly can result in a dead calf. No one wants to pay for a C-section on a dead calf!

Besides just big, calves can be upside-down, backwards, a foot back, or breech. Not recognizing these early enough translates into another dead calf. In most of these cases you can reach in manually and manipulate the calf, although a backwards or breech calf can't be manipulated into a normal presentation--head and front feet first. Cows can also have twins, which can come naturally or be a tangle of legs that needs to be manually manipulated to get one calf out at a time. I don't know sometimes; maybe they both want out at once.

"Heavies" arrive at the calving facility.

And, of course, there is the "fun" stuff. Ranchers want to know which calf belongs to which cow, so most put ear tags in--much like piercing ears in people, but probably more gawdy than a steel ring in your lip. The "fun" comes 'cause most cows don't want other animals, including people, touching their newfound pride and joy. If you think rodeo bulls are dangerous, put a tag in a calf's ear, listen to him beller', and run for your life!

So far it's been a tough year. About 280 of the 850 cows have calved; we've only had two C-sections, two uterine prolapses, and a couple of frozen feet. A uterine prolapse is caused when a cow continues to strain after the calf is pushed out, and she pushes her uterus out on the ground. Takes an experienced hand or a vet to put it back in and get a live cow out of the deal.

My wife says a person needs to love animals to do this. I'm not sure. Working with animals that aren't breed for intelligence and occasionally want to stomp ya' in the dirt wouldn't be my first job choice--well, maybe it would be; I get a measure of satisfaction when I see a two-day old calf running and jumping in the snow--all because I had been there to help.

First twins of the season, back in January.

TTFN

Good Company

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:30:00 +0000

A Break from the Cold.

The sun at 2 pm on the Teton River Valley doesn't have much heat yet.

After nearly a month of calving cows during this winter's frigid grip, I have returned home for a chance to sit by the fire, have some coffee and surf the net. In my email was a note from Ed Overton of Engineering Degree Online. He sent me a link to his latest post, Bringing Home a Buck: The Top 50 Deer Hunting Blogs. Hip, Hip, Hooray. I made the list!

Normally I wouldn't include such links in on my blog, but in this case I have made an exception.

The exception was made because many of the blogs that I consider great reading were also on the list--greatly elevating my status!!!!

The blogs that are most noteworthy and that I read regularly--when I am around a computer and the internet are:

I feel humbled to be in such great company.

Oh, I cannot forget another great blog that has made the grade, Deer Passion. Her most recent post celebrates her daughter's first birthday. Happy Birthday!

TTFN

Elk, Deer and Leaping Ants on the Front

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0000

More winter along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front.

Elk on a ridge on the Game Range.

If you've read this blog before, you know that I am enamored over Montana's Rocky Mountain Front. Its grasslands, its mountains and, most importantly, its wildlife. Some refer to it as "America's Serengeti." I hope you folks aren't tired of pictures of elk, deer and Sawtooth Mountain; you have seen them here and here before.

When the temperature drops below zero, those grazers need to eat, and that means they will be moving (i.e. grazing). My wife and I set the alarm clock, check the coffee, plug in the truck and charge off into the freezing tundra to spot those "usually" elusive wapiti. We've gone several times this winter. And, it is always incredible to watch the sun rise while the deer and elk paw through the snow.

When we got home, our antelope were grazing behind the house. More spice for the life along the Front.

Pronghorn Antelope, "Leaping Ants," behind the house.

My wife has a few more photographs on her website, Frontfotos.com.

Sawtooth Mountain from our home.

I'm not sure how much blogging I will be doing the next few months. (I know, I haven't done much for the last year!) Although I haven't done much cowboying for several years, I signed on to calve cows this winter. Looks like the weather has anticipated my return--its snowy, sub-zero and we have 850 cows, including 200 first calve heifers. Will the fun ever stop?!

Countin' cows through the gate.

TTFN

AR Rifles for Elk Hunting

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:57:00 +0000

At the end of November, Mr Anonymous added the following comment to my post:

I gotta ask, would a .308 not be adequate or ideal in brush country such as in North Idaho. A .308 in such a difficult area to hunt (I.E. brushy, hills, steep, limited visibility, potential to spook bear / wolves, etc.) seems ideal and the obligation for a clean kill at short ranges could easily be met, 150 yards or less seems highly likely with a decent hunter / shooter with such a caliber and a short distance. A semi-auto like an AR would also allow for faster follow up shots in case a second shot is necessary. I am a younger hunter and a combat veteran and feel more comfortable with the AR platform that bolt rifles. Any input would be greatly appreciated as well as suggestions for ammo.

Dear Mr. Anonymous,

Here are my thoughts.

The .308 in an AR-type rifle would do the job, as long as the shooter is a marksman and not simply a bullet-launcher.

1903A3 30-06 and Rem 700 300 Win Mag

However, I do not believe it to be “ideal.” If I were hunting the same territory, I would use my 30-06, loaded with 220 grain round-nose, soft pointed bullets. That rifle is a M1903A3 that my grandfather sporterized in the 1960s, and has a 4x scope. Alternatively, I would use my .300 Winchester Magnum (Remington 700 BDL) loaded with 200 or 220 grain softpoints, with the 3x9 scope set at 3x.

As for the usefulness of a semi-auto and follow-up shots, I find that the first shot is the most important. If it is bad, then each successive shot is usually just as bad. In the highpower competition game, bolt guns shoot along side semi-autos and the difference in score is mostly attributable to better sights and triggers on the bolt guns, faster lock times on the bolt guns and “who” is shooting the respective weapons. It shouldn’t take any time or thought to operating a bolt, and the next shot will usually be taken through a different “hole” in the underbrush.

Shooting an M16A1 in 1987 I Corps Combat Matches (photo from front page of Sports Section, 4 Feb 1987, Tacoma News Tribune).

I’m not a combat veteran, but have fired thousands of rounds through ARs in the Army and as a civilian highpower competitor. Like you, I feel more comfortable shooting ARs than any other rifle. Having said that, I should add shooting a variety of rifles can make you a better shooter. In 1987, I was the first place marksman in the 9^th Infantry Division, the second place marksman in I Corps, and was attached to the 6^th Army Marksmanship Training Unit. Matches before the 6^th Army were with M16A1 that only stabilized 55 grain bullets. Everything at 6^th Army was with M14s and 168 grain bullets. Shooting is shooting, but shooting a rifle that kicks means learning new positions and techniques, which are great for becoming a better shooter.

Shooting M14 at Fort Ord, California, with 6th Army MTU, 1987.

As a civilian, I started with an M1A, but changed to an AR, then to an AR-style “space-gun,” then to a bolt rifle. Each change caused me to reevaluate my positions and shooting style; and, they all help me progress to being a better shooter—even when I returned to an AR.

Progression of my civilian match rifles, excluding my M1A.

Here is what the text, Competitive Shooting by A.A. Yur’yev, edited by Gary Anderson, says about using various activities to enhance one’s training:

[ . . . ] the shooter must strive in his training to vary his different shooting exercises as much as possible, since this increases his ability to subsequently master new motions faster and to improve on the accomplishment of those already known. In the final analysis, this ensures the improvement of competition results and their consistency under different shooting conditions (pg 311).

Much of what I have said applies to shooting competitively, and hunting is a competitive sport. If it were people would spend more time practicing and experimenting to achieve superior results.

Hope this helps.

TTFN

Front Fotos has Montana Photographs

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:31:00 +0000

Greetings from Montana's Rocky Mountain Front!

I have neglected my blogging duties for a while. For those of you that tune in, I have said I would continue, but the "procrastination bug" bites and things, both important and not, are not blogged about.

One of the things that has allowed me to procrastinate is helping my wife start a business selling framed photographs. We had hoped to be further along before Christmas, but . . . .

If you have visited here before you may have noticed a few good photos. (Maybe not. HA) Anyway, my wife will start a website to display her wares. The photographs have been taken by both me and her. For simplicities sake they will all be copyrighted by Wende R. Carroll. Her business name is Front Fotos, a reference to our home on Montana's Rocky Mountain Front.

Presently we are selling at small shows here in Montana and on eBay. The following photos are matted, framed and signed and for sale on eBay. Ebay link is located in the caption of the Royal Bull Elk, Winter Comfort, and Sawtooth Ridge; the rest are gone.

If you have any questions please email me. I would be happy to answer all.

Royal Bull Elk

Winter Comfort

Sawtooth Ridge

Stikine Delta, Alaska

There are also a few postcards available. Any postcards that she has can be purchased as matted and framed photographs.

Ernie Padilla, a friend of mine while I was in the Army in Panama used to say, "I'm a bad procrastinator. No, actually I am a very good procrastinator."

I hope I am not a good procrastinator!

TTFN

Time to Bend Over

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:05:00 +0000

If you are a not resident of Montana and have wanted to hunt elk/deer with an outfitter here, but haven't, you've missed "Your Last Best Chance."

During the last election there was an initiative (Initiative 161) that stopped the sale of outfitter-sponsored big game licenses. The initiative passed. Under the old system any nonresident that booked with an outfitter was guaranteed a license. The basis of Initiative 161 was that private land owners where leasing their land to outfitters, which kept residents from hunting elk on that land. Personally, I don't believe the initiative will have the desired effect--opening land for resident hunters.

So, now, every nonresident who wished to hunt elk/deer in Montana must go through an open process--no guaranteed license.

Oh, I forgot to add, that the Initiative also raised the nonresident big game combination license fee from $628 to $897 and the nonresident deer combination license fee from $328 to $527. I'm not sure what the point of that is, except that some residents want nonresidents to foot the bill to manage "their game." I hate to say this, but potential nonresident hunters have two choices: Go to Alaska, the Northwest Territory, or British Columbia for a caribou/moose/bear hunt, or come to Montana, bend over and pay around $4000 for a wilderness elk hunt running, a plane flight from $400 on up, a couple of nights in a hotel, plus a $900 elk tag.

I know what I would do.

TTFN

Zucchini Control

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:10:00 +0000

I hate to admit it, buy I may have been wrong.

A few days ago I added the post "Pistol Dawn," and thought I had answered Jeremiah's question on whether he should carry a large caliber handgun while archery hunting elk in Northern Idaho.

Just a couple of days after I answered Jeremiah's question, there was an AP story in the Great Falls Tribune. A woman near Frenchtown, Montana was attacked by a black bear in her house. She didn't use any high caliber firearm. Instead, she beat the bear off with a 14-inch zucchini. (Story here.) The story didn't say if she had a license for it.

"Watch wear ya point that thang!"

TTFN

Return to Montana Elk Hunting: Frequently Asked Questions

Pistol Dawn

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:00:00 +0000

A Reader Asked

A while back, Jeremiah, a reader of this blog, sent me the following question, "I archery hunt North Idaho . . . maybe a few Griz here. Is it worth carrying a large caliber revolver for bear protection?"

I could make this a very short blog post and simply answer "No." However, there is more to it than a simple "Yes," or "No." It is a matter of personal preference.

My preferences have changed over the years. Growing up my dad used to take us to the Beartooth Ranch at the head of Holter Lake, and let us wander along as he hunted deer and elk. My great uncle John Warehime was the ranch manager/forman at the time. (The Beartooth Ranch was sold in the early 1970s and is now Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Beartooth Wildlife Management Area--complete with deer, elk and other game and non-game animals. It is also very close to the site of the Mann Gulch Fire that killed 12 smokejumpers in 1949 and is told in Norman Maclean's book, Young Men and Fire.)

On a couple of occasions at the Beartooth, we ran in to a friend of the family--I don't recall his name, but he was huge. At least he was huge for a 10-year old kid. We gave him some ribbing because of all the weapons he carried. At the time, most hunters carried a rifle--many times sans scope, and a small knife. Our friend carried a huge pistol--I'm not sure what caliber it was, but most likely a 44, as that was about the largest handgun caliber available. The hand-held bullet launcher was on one hip; on the other was some Bowie knife of incredible magnitude. Possibly a throwback from a military hatchet/machete/dagger experiment. A 300 Weatherby Magnum was slung over his shoulder. Back in the 1960s and 1970s people were still using 7x57s, 30-40 Krags, and 300 Savage and 250-3000 for elk hunting, so the 300 Weatherby tipped the scales to HUGE, again. The line was that our friend had the biggest rifle known to man (at least known to 8, 9, and 10 year old kids). And, if he lost that he could kill the elk, or an elephant, with his hand cannon. If that failed the Bowie-machete would topple an elk with one blow. The backup plan was that our friend needed none of those; he could wrestle an elk barehanded . . . . and WIN!!

For most of my life I kept the thought that pistols, of any size, were unnecessary. That changed in about 1990-91. If you watch my video, Montana Wilderness Horn Huntin' you'll find a snippet where my partner Tom had to kill a mountain lion with a large stick. Neither of us thought much of handguns and attacks by big, mean lions and bears were a distant thought. Having said that, my grandfather, Charlie Carter said that back when there were more lions, a hunter could back track and find where a lion had been tracking "him." In a sense we have worked our way back to the 1930s and 1940, and beyond. Lion numbers are up from where they were before the 1980s. Grizzly numbers are much higher than they were in the 1970, and it seems that grizzlies have become habituated to NOT BEING TARGETS FOR HUMANS. Grizzlies have nothing to fear. If they do something "wrong," they have to walk into a trap and get a good meal, get a dose of drugs and they get a free vacation ride to a new home.

Jeremiah and others who bow hunt may be interested (or not) in the recent Great Falls Tribune articles on bears attacking archery hunters near Yellowstone.

After Tom's run-in with the lion I started packing my old M1911 .45 ACP. I never really thought of it as stopping power, more like a pacifier; it made me feel like I was safer. While guiding, I never took the pistol. A smoke-pole in 30-06 of some kind was at hand--either a sporterized M1903A3, or an M-1 Garand.

I don't recall when it became "uncool" for a guide to carry a long gun, but when I did, it seemed to coincide with grizzly events becoming more rule than exception . . . . which, made me think that maybe I needed something more potent than a .45 ACP. I tried Blackhawks, Redhawks and my favorite, a Desert Eagle. Favorite because it shot the nicest. My +P handloaded 240gr bullets didn't have the kick and had more accuracy than in the revolvers. The big pistols were all sold. They looked nice, they shot well, and a person could say, "I have a big, bad, Dirty Harry pistol, that will stop anything." The downside is that big pistols weigh over 4 pounds apiece. Whether guiding or walking through the woods huntin' horns, I hated dragging the Magnum Research or Ruger boat anchor along.

Somewhere in the mid-1990s I bought a Sig P220 .45ACP. It is less than half the weight of the big guns, can be kept in a relatively small holster and it shoots +P loads rather well. If it matters it is also double, or single action. I still carry it today.

This summer, each time I left the house to take photographs my wife would ask if I had my pistol. "Yes, Dear." I think that she feels me having a pistol is better than me not having a pistol. I'm not sure. If it is used it will be used close. If it isn't, the thing isn't weight for a sailboat, getting caught on every limb, branch and rock I encounter, or shoulder holstered next to a sweaty shirt.

My life-long route concerning handguns has brought me close to where I was in the 1960s and 1970s--pistols are rather unnecessary, even while I carry one. Below is a chart that compares a couple good big bear rifles with several pistol cartridges.

From: Federal Premium Ammunition:

Here is a chart comparing some popular "Bear" handguns with a Sig P220.

From Magnum Research, Sig Arms, and Smith & Wesson

The rundown, Jeremiah?

Bears are more prevalent
Bears seem to interact more with humans
There are fewer bears in Northern Idaho than Montana's Wilderness, Forest or Wyoming/Montana/Idaho's Yellowstone National Park
Is a pistol that weighs over 4 pounds (empty), but only has a third to a half as much energy as a "Big Bear Gun" worth carrying?
Is a pistol that weighs less than two pounds (empty), but only has ten percent of the energy of a bear gun worth carrying?

It's your call.

My final thought on handgun use comes from the days I frequented and closed up a few joints at 2 a.m.

"Drink 'til dark,

Pistol dawn."

Update to this post: Zucchini Control

TTFN

Return to Montana Elk Hunting: Frequently Asked Questions

Sunrise, Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:37:00 +0000

Montana in Summertime

Enjoying coffee as the fish rise one Montana Morning.

Sipping a "tody for the body" one Montana Evening.

Montana's Fourth

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:32:00 +0000

The 65th Annual Choteau American Legion Parade and Rodeo, 4 July 2010

Twenty-five miles north of Augusta, Montana is the slightly larger town of Choteau. Choteau is the county seat and largest town--population 1,781--in Teton County, which lies along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front. To the north is Glacier National Park and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. It is named after French fur-trapper and explorer Pierre Chouteau, Jr, and is the site of Egg Mountain, a paleontological site full of fossilized dinosauer eggs. For those interested it is also comedian David Letterman's Montana get-away.

Every Independence Day for the last 65 years men, women, children, families, friends and even a few enemies have gathered in Choteau to celebrate the birth of this republic.

Here are a few pictures of this year's events.

Choteau's parade opens with Old Glory, Montana and Canadian flags.

Not hard to imagine where this bronc rider ended up in another second!

A whole lot of bull up his skirts.

A professional horse and professional rider compete in barrel racing.

Look Ma, no hands!

(No score also.)

I even got my picture in the Great Falls Tribune's sports page. I'm not the bareback rider, I'm the guy behind the fence taking pictures of the west end of an east bound horse.

Happy Fourth Everyone!!

Montana Wilderness Horn Huntin'

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:15:00 +0000

Horn Huntin' in Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, specifically the North Fork of the Sun River.

More "Sportsmen"

noreply@blogger.com (Dennis A Carroll) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:02:00 +0000

Yesterday's Great Falls Tribune posted the following Associated Press story:

Landowner, 10 hunters sentenced in poaching case

Two things caught my attention.

The "outfitter" was fined a total of $170 dollars, and the "hunters" were fined nearly $14,700 plus nearly $6000 in restitution. It would seem that the leader of the group should have been fined more. Maybe there is something missing in the story, but $170 seems cheap.
Poachers always seem to lose their hunting and fishing rights in cases like this. It's never made sense to take hunting and fishing privileges from poachers. Maybe it's just me.

A long-time friend and retired Montana Game Warden Larry Davis used to refer to folks like that as "Sportsmen," and he always made "Sportmen" sound like something unpleasant that was stuck to his shoe.