Montana Woods N Water November 2016 Print Edition | Page 7

HUNTING CONTINUED
Now this is where the hunt gets interesting...
Neither of the shots were immediately lethal but he was hit. He separated from the herd and went down in a coulee
about a mile from where we shot from. After giving him time to bed and die or stiffen up, we had a plan on how to
approach him. I headed over to look for blood while they went back to retrieve the rest of our gear; then they would
come over and we would go look for him together. Just as I crested a hill to start looking for blood, Mr. Bull came
running around the opposite hill headed for North Dakota. Someone had spooked him. He ran another mile into some
rough and timbered country, but from where Mannie and Caleb stood they could see him bed again!!
The only problem was he had run onto or across private property. Luckily the adjacent property was BLM. After
much glassing, ranging distance, and checking GPS's, we decided he was so close to the property line all we could do
is go look. We marked a spot to start from on the GPS's and headed for camp. We had to hike 2 1/2 miles and drive all
the way around a huge coulee and hopefully find him before dark.
Arriving at our starting point, we again glassed and ranged our options, checked the wind and headed out in hopes he
would be dead or at least so close to it he would be easy to sneak in on. As we got closer and closer to where he
should be, we were running out of public land. At last I poked my head over a root ball and there he was; 75 yards,
bedded but alive, and we were on BLM still! As Mannie got in position, Mr. Bull stood up. Mannie made three good
shots to the boiler room; and he had his wall hanger! Mannie was so relieved and exhausted and grateful all at once,
all he said for several minutes was, "Praise the Lord!" We even had enough daylight to get some good field pics.
Mannie had his prayers answered on all counts. He wanted a bull over 300, some adventure and an all around good
hunt. A quick field score looks like he will go 320 inches or so. Caleb and myself were fortunate to be part of an
amazing hunt that we will all remember for years.
As Americans we are very fortunate to be able to have this kind of opportunity and freedom. It's easy to take for
granted God once blessed this country. We all need to do our part to keep this nation in his blessing and grace. Make
the most of every moment out in the field, these ARE the good old days we'll tell our kids and grand kids about some
day. Be safe, be ethical, be blessed.
"And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, and on all that
move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be
food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs." Genesis 9:2-3
Left to Right: Mannie with
Caleb Wengerd and Mannie
with Mike Maxwell. Congrats
Mannie!

1st Picture: Rob Yoder with a big Muley!
Way to go Rob!
2nd Picture: Kelsey Martin of WA state
with a Montana, thanks Kelsey for
reducing the population by one more.
Pictured Right: Jake Calloway filled his
last tag...only thing left is cat season. You
ready Jake?
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