edward
AH legend
BULL ELK AND BADGER 1999
1999 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR DEENA AND I HUNTING. SHE TOOK A MULE DEER IN MONTANA AND A SHIRAS BULL MOOSE IN WYOMING. I TOOK A BULL ELK IN NORTH DAKOTA AND A FUR BADGER. ALL OF COARSE WITH HANDGUNS. I'LL LET DEENA TELL HER STORY, I'LL TELL MINE. I ANSWERED AN ADD IN PERTESEN HUNTING MAG ON A ELK HUNT IN NORTH DAKOTA. ALSO OFFERED WAS A DEER HUNT OR ANTELOPE HUNT. AFTER GETTING PERMISSION TO LET DEENA DO THE DEER HUNT WE BOOKED.
I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A BADGER FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HAVING SEEN ONE IN CAL, AND GETTING BUCK FEVER AND MISSING IT BACK IN THE LATE 60'S. I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BADGER IN CALF UNTILL THE EARLY 2000'S, MY DOG WROTE A STORY ON THAT. ANYWAY I ASKED WILLARD [THE OUTFITTER] IF HE COULD FIND ME A BADGER. HE SAID HE WOULD TRY AND I LEFT IT AT THAT.
WE DROVE TO NORTH DAKOTA AND GOT THERE ABOUT 5 OCLOCK THE DAY BEFORE THE HUNT. THE LODGING AND FOOD WERE GREAT, WILLARD AND HIS WIFE WERE VERY EASY TO BE WITH. WE HAD DINNER AND THEN WENT TO BED. OUT SIDE OF OUR CABIN WE HAD THE COMPANY OF ABOUT 15 WILD TURKEY ROOSTING IN THE SURROUNDING TREES. THAT WAS A TREAT FOR US AS WE HAD NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO TURKEYS BEFORE. WE HAD BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING AND WERE OFF FOR THE HUNT.
FIRST STOP WAS TO MAKE SURE MY GUNS WERE STILL SHOOTING STRAIGHT. I WAS SHOOTING A CONTENDED IN 375 WIN, FOR ELK AND THE SAME RUGER HAWKEYE I HAD MISSED THAT BADGER IN CALIF YEARS AGO. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE HAWKEYE [NAMED, BADGER] HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO A 14 INCH BARELLED 223 WITH A BURRIS 3 TO 9 POWERED SCOPE ON IT. WHITE STAINLESS SUPER BLACKHAWK GRIP FRAME WITH A WHITE STAINLESS EJECTION ROD HOUSING. [EXTRACTOR]. HOGUE LAMINATED GRIPS. BOTH GUN WERE SHOOTING GREAT.
WILLARDS HUNTING VEHICLE WAS AN OLD SUBURBAN, AND HE DROVE LIKE A MAD MAN. AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN'S HE STOPED AND WE BAILED OUT. THE COUNTRY WAS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE HAD SEEN BEFORE, RAVINES GOING EVERY WAY, LIKE A HUGE FLOOD HAD CUT IT粘 WAY THROUGH THE COUNTRY. YOU WOULD WALK DOWN THE RAVINES AND FIND YOURSELF IN SMALL VALLEY'S. THE ELK WERE IN THESE SMALL VALLEYS. YOU WOULD CRAWL UP THE SIDE OF A RAVINE AND GLASS THE VALLEY. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS OF THIS WE LUCKED OUT AND SAW ELK.
ABOUT 125 YARDS AWAY I SPOTTED A NON TYPICAL WITH 8 POINTS PER SIDE. WILLARD WANTED ME TO TAKE A LARGE 6X6 HE HAD LOCATED CLOSER. THE 6X6 WAS A BETTER ANIMAL BUT I LIKE WEIRD AND DIFFERENT. I DON'T HUNT WITH A TAPE AND WILL NEVER TRY AND PUT ANY OF MY TROPHIES IN ANY BOOK. WE TAKE OUR ANIMALS WITH A HANDGUN AND THEY ARE TROPHY'S TO US. WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON IS RIGHT FOR YOU. ANY WAY, I TOOK THE SHOT. IT WAS A GOOD SHOT, HE STAGGERED ABOUT 10 YARD'S AND WENT DOWN. THE REST AS THEY SAY IS HISTORY.
WE WAITED ABOUT 10 MIN'S AND WENT DOWN AND LOOKED THE BULL OVER. ASIDE FROM ONE TIP THAT WAS DAMAGED IN VELVET HE WAS A LEGAL 8 POINT. DEENA WAS HAPPY, I WAS HAPPY AND WILLARD WAS HAPPY. PICTURES. HANDSHAKES, AND WORK BEGINS. WE GOT BACK TO THE RANCH AND FINNISHED THE SKINNING AND CAPEING. A LATE LUNCH AND OFF TO MONTANA [13 MILES AWAY] FOR DEENA'S DEER.
IN THE HOURS THAT FOLLOWED WE DROVE THROUGH A PRAIRIE DOG TOWN BACK IN DAKOTA AND DEENA YELLED, STOP, WHAT'S THAT? OUT IN FRONT WAS A WHITE SPOT. LOOKING THROUGH MY BURRIS BINO'S I COULDN'T BELIVE MY EYES. A HUGE FUR BADGER SITTING ON TOP OF A MOUND OF DIRT, 153 YARD'S AWAY. [BUSHNELL RANGE FINDER] I HAD MY BADGER WITH ME AND I RESTED IT ON MY DUFFEL REST I USE WHEN SHOOTING AND TURNED THE SCOPE UP TO 9X, I HELD LOW AS I'M DEAD ON AT 200 YARDS AND SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER. WHOP, I FINALLY GOT MY BADGER, OR DID I?
I GOT BACK IN THE TRUCK AND WE DROVE TO WHERE WE HAD SEEN THE BADGER. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS BLOOD AND LUNG' ALL OVER BUT THE BADGER HAD SLID DOWN INTO THE HOLE. I REMEMBER WILLARD HAD A BACKHOE AT HIS RANCH AND I WAS'NT ABOUT TO LEAVE WITHOUT MY BADGER. I TOLD WILLARD TO GO AND BRING HIS BACKHOE AND DIG UP MY BADGER. HE THOUGHT A MOMENT AND SAID, WAIT HERE. HE AND DEENA DROVE OFF TO THE RANCHER WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY WE WERE HUNTING ON AND CAME BACK IN ABOUT 30 MIN'S WITH ABOUT 15 FEET OF BARB WIRE.
HE FOLDED IT IN HALF AND TWISTED IT ON THE ENDS AND SLID THE WIRE DOWN THE HOLE. HE STARTED TURNING THE WIRE IN THE HOLE AND SAID HE FELT THE BADGER. TWISTING AND TWISTING AND PULLING AT THE SAME TIME HE PULLED THE BADGER RIGHT OUT OF THE HOLE. I COULDN'T BELIVE MY EYES. THE END'S OF THE WIRE DUG INTO THE THICK FUR AND LOCKED IN TIGHT AND PULLED IT RIGHT OUT. DIDN'T EVEN PULL OUT A HAIR. WILLARD THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BECAUSE I WAS MORE EXCITED OVER MY BADGER THAN THE ELK.
LIKE I SAID, WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON!!! DEENA DID GET HER DEER AND WE LEFT FOR HER MOOSE HUNT IN WYOMING. SHE GOT A NICE ONE SHOT KILL WITH HER 35 REM CONTENDER AT 94 YARDS AND WAS ON MIKE **NOT**PERMITTED** T. V. SHOW ON THE OUTDOOR CHANNEL FOR A FEW SECONDS. REMEMBER, SIGHT PICTURE, BREATH CONTROL, TRIGER SQUEEZE.
LATER,
ED
1999 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR DEENA AND I HUNTING. SHE TOOK A MULE DEER IN MONTANA AND A SHIRAS BULL MOOSE IN WYOMING. I TOOK A BULL ELK IN NORTH DAKOTA AND A FUR BADGER. ALL OF COARSE WITH HANDGUNS. I'LL LET DEENA TELL HER STORY, I'LL TELL MINE. I ANSWERED AN ADD IN PERTESEN HUNTING MAG ON A ELK HUNT IN NORTH DAKOTA. ALSO OFFERED WAS A DEER HUNT OR ANTELOPE HUNT. AFTER GETTING PERMISSION TO LET DEENA DO THE DEER HUNT WE BOOKED.
I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A BADGER FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HAVING SEEN ONE IN CAL, AND GETTING BUCK FEVER AND MISSING IT BACK IN THE LATE 60'S. I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BADGER IN CALF UNTILL THE EARLY 2000'S, MY DOG WROTE A STORY ON THAT. ANYWAY I ASKED WILLARD [THE OUTFITTER] IF HE COULD FIND ME A BADGER. HE SAID HE WOULD TRY AND I LEFT IT AT THAT.
WE DROVE TO NORTH DAKOTA AND GOT THERE ABOUT 5 OCLOCK THE DAY BEFORE THE HUNT. THE LODGING AND FOOD WERE GREAT, WILLARD AND HIS WIFE WERE VERY EASY TO BE WITH. WE HAD DINNER AND THEN WENT TO BED. OUT SIDE OF OUR CABIN WE HAD THE COMPANY OF ABOUT 15 WILD TURKEY ROOSTING IN THE SURROUNDING TREES. THAT WAS A TREAT FOR US AS WE HAD NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO TURKEYS BEFORE. WE HAD BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING AND WERE OFF FOR THE HUNT.
FIRST STOP WAS TO MAKE SURE MY GUNS WERE STILL SHOOTING STRAIGHT. I WAS SHOOTING A CONTENDED IN 375 WIN, FOR ELK AND THE SAME RUGER HAWKEYE I HAD MISSED THAT BADGER IN CALIF YEARS AGO. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE HAWKEYE [NAMED, BADGER] HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO A 14 INCH BARELLED 223 WITH A BURRIS 3 TO 9 POWERED SCOPE ON IT. WHITE STAINLESS SUPER BLACKHAWK GRIP FRAME WITH A WHITE STAINLESS EJECTION ROD HOUSING. [EXTRACTOR]. HOGUE LAMINATED GRIPS. BOTH GUN WERE SHOOTING GREAT.
WILLARDS HUNTING VEHICLE WAS AN OLD SUBURBAN, AND HE DROVE LIKE A MAD MAN. AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN'S HE STOPED AND WE BAILED OUT. THE COUNTRY WAS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE HAD SEEN BEFORE, RAVINES GOING EVERY WAY, LIKE A HUGE FLOOD HAD CUT IT粘 WAY THROUGH THE COUNTRY. YOU WOULD WALK DOWN THE RAVINES AND FIND YOURSELF IN SMALL VALLEY'S. THE ELK WERE IN THESE SMALL VALLEYS. YOU WOULD CRAWL UP THE SIDE OF A RAVINE AND GLASS THE VALLEY. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS OF THIS WE LUCKED OUT AND SAW ELK.
ABOUT 125 YARDS AWAY I SPOTTED A NON TYPICAL WITH 8 POINTS PER SIDE. WILLARD WANTED ME TO TAKE A LARGE 6X6 HE HAD LOCATED CLOSER. THE 6X6 WAS A BETTER ANIMAL BUT I LIKE WEIRD AND DIFFERENT. I DON'T HUNT WITH A TAPE AND WILL NEVER TRY AND PUT ANY OF MY TROPHIES IN ANY BOOK. WE TAKE OUR ANIMALS WITH A HANDGUN AND THEY ARE TROPHY'S TO US. WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON IS RIGHT FOR YOU. ANY WAY, I TOOK THE SHOT. IT WAS A GOOD SHOT, HE STAGGERED ABOUT 10 YARD'S AND WENT DOWN. THE REST AS THEY SAY IS HISTORY.
WE WAITED ABOUT 10 MIN'S AND WENT DOWN AND LOOKED THE BULL OVER. ASIDE FROM ONE TIP THAT WAS DAMAGED IN VELVET HE WAS A LEGAL 8 POINT. DEENA WAS HAPPY, I WAS HAPPY AND WILLARD WAS HAPPY. PICTURES. HANDSHAKES, AND WORK BEGINS. WE GOT BACK TO THE RANCH AND FINNISHED THE SKINNING AND CAPEING. A LATE LUNCH AND OFF TO MONTANA [13 MILES AWAY] FOR DEENA'S DEER.
IN THE HOURS THAT FOLLOWED WE DROVE THROUGH A PRAIRIE DOG TOWN BACK IN DAKOTA AND DEENA YELLED, STOP, WHAT'S THAT? OUT IN FRONT WAS A WHITE SPOT. LOOKING THROUGH MY BURRIS BINO'S I COULDN'T BELIVE MY EYES. A HUGE FUR BADGER SITTING ON TOP OF A MOUND OF DIRT, 153 YARD'S AWAY. [BUSHNELL RANGE FINDER] I HAD MY BADGER WITH ME AND I RESTED IT ON MY DUFFEL REST I USE WHEN SHOOTING AND TURNED THE SCOPE UP TO 9X, I HELD LOW AS I'M DEAD ON AT 200 YARDS AND SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER. WHOP, I FINALLY GOT MY BADGER, OR DID I?
I GOT BACK IN THE TRUCK AND WE DROVE TO WHERE WE HAD SEEN THE BADGER. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS BLOOD AND LUNG' ALL OVER BUT THE BADGER HAD SLID DOWN INTO THE HOLE. I REMEMBER WILLARD HAD A BACKHOE AT HIS RANCH AND I WAS'NT ABOUT TO LEAVE WITHOUT MY BADGER. I TOLD WILLARD TO GO AND BRING HIS BACKHOE AND DIG UP MY BADGER. HE THOUGHT A MOMENT AND SAID, WAIT HERE. HE AND DEENA DROVE OFF TO THE RANCHER WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY WE WERE HUNTING ON AND CAME BACK IN ABOUT 30 MIN'S WITH ABOUT 15 FEET OF BARB WIRE.
HE FOLDED IT IN HALF AND TWISTED IT ON THE ENDS AND SLID THE WIRE DOWN THE HOLE. HE STARTED TURNING THE WIRE IN THE HOLE AND SAID HE FELT THE BADGER. TWISTING AND TWISTING AND PULLING AT THE SAME TIME HE PULLED THE BADGER RIGHT OUT OF THE HOLE. I COULDN'T BELIVE MY EYES. THE END'S OF THE WIRE DUG INTO THE THICK FUR AND LOCKED IN TIGHT AND PULLED IT RIGHT OUT. DIDN'T EVEN PULL OUT A HAIR. WILLARD THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BECAUSE I WAS MORE EXCITED OVER MY BADGER THAN THE ELK.
LIKE I SAID, WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON!!! DEENA DID GET HER DEER AND WE LEFT FOR HER MOOSE HUNT IN WYOMING. SHE GOT A NICE ONE SHOT KILL WITH HER 35 REM CONTENDER AT 94 YARDS AND WAS ON MIKE **NOT**PERMITTED** T. V. SHOW ON THE OUTDOOR CHANNEL FOR A FEW SECONDS. REMEMBER, SIGHT PICTURE, BREATH CONTROL, TRIGER SQUEEZE.
LATER,
ED
Last edited by a moderator:
