Pursue the Wild with Kristy Titus

NEW BLOG ADDRESS

2011-11-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

~NEW BLOG ADDRESS~

Be sure to keep following my blog...Check out my new blogger address.

http://www.kristytitus.blogspot.com/

Subscribe today!!!

TV Personality Kristy Titus Joins Team Elk : The Outdoor Wire

2011-10-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

TV Personality Kristy Titus Joins Team Elk : The Outdoor Wire

Under Armour Hunt/Fish Fall Sales Meeting

2011-10-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

Under armour-Always Lethal

Faster.stronger.bolder

Every October, the Under Armour Hunt/Fish division sales team meets in Baltimore MD, the home of Under Armour and the place where the most technologically advanced apparel in the world comes to life. This was my second year visiting the campus for this two day intensive product knowledge training session introducing our team to the fall 2012 Hunt/Fish catalog.

One breach in security and subsequent de-boarding of my entire flight, three security checks, two connections and 16 hours later, I arrived in Baltimore MD. Under Armour is headquartered at the Tide Point campus, formerly the home for Proctor & Gamble detergent manufacturing. The massive five building campus boasts over 14 showrooms, an innovation lab, meeting spaces, a basketball court, gym and cafeteria. With over 1,000 on site employees, most of which are under the age of 35, the campus made me reminiscent of my college days.

Main building entrance.

Inside the lobby.

Hall images.

Basketball court.

Living wall in the cafeteria.

This young, bright, and passionate team works at a fast pace to stay ahead of the industry in the development of cutting edge products.Each one of Under Armour’s products is specifically designed to do something for you, the user.

With a pen in hand and an awe struck mind at the thought process that goes into each garment, we went through the entire 181 page catalog, with the design team learning how each garment functions and how it makes you a better, more efficient, Always Lethal hunter.

For 2012, Under Armour has expanded and enhanced its existing collections and added new collections. Under Armour will announce a new technology that will revolutionize traditional hunting apparel.

Launching new products that will make my life easier during extended stay trips into the backcountry, more comfortable and therefore allowing me to go deeper had my excitement meter maxed out.

Hello ladies…don’t worry, Under Armour has all of us covered with even larger Hunting & Lifestyle Collections than last year, plus some other new things as well. Unfortunately, I am unable to disclose the new and exciting technology and merchandise that Under Armour is adding until after January 2012, but I can assure you that you will be, Always Lethal.

The Gore-Tex™ mobile truck was placed outside of the meeting room so that we could all experience the waterproof, breathable, windproof qualities of Gore-Tex™ outerwear first hand. I was covered head to toe in Gore-Tex™ apparel and doused in simulated wind and rain, not surprisingly, the apparel performed perfectly and I emerged completely dry.

Dry underneath after the wind/rain test.

Many of the employees at Under Armour having just graduated college must miss taking tests because as the day went on, we learned about how many of the new products and technologies were put to their own set of tests. We talked about simulated wear tests, wash tests, laboratory tests, and field tests. Everything is cutting edge and industry leading.

After spending so much time learning about all of the great new gear from Under Armour, we all had dinner at the PBR restaurant in Baltimore. A good time was had by all as you can see from the photos below.

Andrew Knopp from the Under Armour Hunt/Fish team.

Matt LaFond, UA Sales Rep.

The trip drew to a quick close and before I had an opportunity to shake my jet lag, I was on a flight back to Oregon excited for all that 2012 will bring. Stay tuned for more from Under Armour… ♥

UA Hunt Facebook
Always Lethal Website

The Last Day- Oregon's Archery Elk Season

2011-10-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

The weather had indeed cooled off overnight and a storm was brewing. Leaving spike camp at daylight, the morning was quiet and the bulls were still not bugling even with the drastic change in the weather. Setting up near a bedding area, I called for about an hour with one bull responding, and on private land. No go there…

It was cold and rain had begun drizzling from the sky. I knew that I had to use the change in weather to my advantage and try to locate an eager bull. Moving down the draw towards a weep, the massive bull startled me as he ran out from behind a tree and circled around me. This bull had come in silently to my call.

He stopped roughly 80 yards away, barking at me. I barked back and followed up with some soft cow calls. As he moved down the draw and out into the open I made my way after him as quickly as possible. At 60 yards he stood in the open waiting for me, staring in my direction finally bugling, chuckling and even barking occasionally. I had to be cautious in trying to close the distance a mere 10 yards to place him within bow range. Taking advantage of his nervousness, when he would spin around or consider taking off, I would close the distance.

Finally, the bull was within bow range but I still did not have a clear shot. Two branches stood in my way of having a shot at the bull and I just couldn’t risk having an arrow deflect. Silently I prayed for enough time to maneuver into a good shooting lane but my prayers went unanswered. When the bull had enough he wheeled around and took off down the draw never to be seen again.

The last afternoon…

I made my way back to camp still feeling the excitement from my close encounter with the massive bull. Eating my lunch I pondered where to spend my final afternoon hunting. The wind was swirling around the mountain making strategizing difficult. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where to focus my effort. The mountains are so big and I didn’t want to miss out on my final opportunity. Decisions, decisions…

Leaving camp in the rain, I headed to a rock point to bugle a draw that I had a trail camera located on all summer long. I had not hunted the draw over the course of the season as my trail camera had only produced photos of three bulls in the three months that I had it out. Not to mention that most of the other public land hunters were coming in and out of the area on a game trail that was located on this very draw. In fact, that morning, my dad called the draw in an effort to help locate a bull on his way out to get the mules without any luck or response from a bull.

As soon as I let my locate bugle out, a bull responded with a scream. Game on!!! Finally, I had received the aggressive bugle that I had been waiting all season for. The bull was over a mile away, so I silently closed the distance knowing exactly where he was.

I set up two decoys and began a calling sequence hoping that the bull would drop down the ridge far enough allowing him to see my decoys and come within bow range. The wind was bad, it was blowing straight up the draw so I had be extra cautious where I set up as to not have him catch my wind. The bull came down and stopped at about 80 yards bugling occasionally, but he was mostly listening and waiting as these smart old bulls often do.

I knew that he was not going to come any closer, so I grabbed a decoy, slipped off my boots, and coated myself in an entire container of Elk gel to help mask my scent. Putting Under Armour’s scent capture technology to the test, I was going after this bull with the wind blowing straight to him in a desperate attempt to make something happen.

As I made my way silently up the open draw, I placed my decoy in front of me with the expectation that I would be seen by the nearby bull. I was right. Just as I crested a small rise in the ridge, there stood two bulls, one a spike, the other unknown, and both less than 40 yards away. Silently I stood there hoping that the bulls would not charge me or bust out of there as the wind was blowing right to them. After a few moments, they lost interest and walked off, the spike going to the left and the unknown bull going to the right.

The unknown bull then let out a locate bugle from the top of the next ridge. Back in the game, I folded up my decoy and continued my bare foot pursuit of the bull. Not wanting to cow call or bugle to re-locate the bull, I stood at the top of the ridge listening for a clue as to where the bull had gone when I heard what I thought was two bulls fighting.

Seizing the opportunity I moved quickly towards the noise and snuck up on the massive bull while he stood thrashing in a wallow flinging mud with his antlers. Taking a few moments to turn on my video camera and zoom in on the bull while he was looking directly at me (note beginning of video below) I was able to capture the ending of this extra ordinary hunt on camera.

Having no shot on the bull’s vitals, I waited for him to continue thrashing in the mud to make my move into position for a broadside shot. Everything was perfect, the bull stood broadside with his head behind a tree unable to see me. His vitals were perfectly exposed, ranged at 41 yards. It’s go time!!! Just as I begin to draw my bow he stepped out of the wallow and slowly moved up the ridge completely unaware of my presence.

Ugggg, you have to be kidding me!!! I ranged him again, 52 yards, still within range and he moves again. This time, I’m not so lucky and he spots me moving and I no longer have a shot on his vitals. The bull continued to move calmly up the ridge and out of range.

As my luck would have it, just as I took after the bull again, my dad shows up with three mules heading into our spike camp. The bull took off and I never saw him again. My dad hadn’t seen the bull and probably thought I was crazy running around the mountain with an arrow knocked, no backpack or boots on as I had been in stealth mode. It had worked, kind of…

I am still losing sleep at night as this bull was a magnificent 6x6, roughly 50 inches wide, I’m guessing 315-330 inches. I have a trail camera photo below of the bull I believe him to be. He is one of three bulls that were captured by my trail camera on that ridge.

Taking the time to turn on and zoom in my video camera may have cost me precious seconds that I could have used to put an arrow in the bull, but I have no regrets. I captured the thrilling part of my hunt on camera; the bull was ranged, broadside and ready for me to make an ethical shot. If I could do it over again, I would pray for the bull to stand in the wallow for 7 more seconds…

This year, I was gifted with the thrill of fair chase, do it yourself hunting, both solo and with my dad at my side. Having had the opportunity to harvest countless cows, spikes and five branch bulls in pursuit of a big mature bull on public land, no easy feat; I was finally given the opportunity to chase after my dream bull. That is what keeps all of us public land hunters coming back every year. It just doesn’t get any better than that.


My dad and I enjoying the view.

Packing out camp on Otis, Chester and Fury.

Gear List

Under Armour Clothing for Kristy and her Dad

Camo Evo Cold Gear Pants

Camo Evo Cold Gear Hoody

Camo Full Zip Hoody

Quest Jacket & Pant

Women’s Camo Glove

Hurlock Glove

Camo Active Beanie

Speed Freek Boots

Hitch Lite Cushion Boot Sock

Early Season Ridge Reaper Jacket & Pant

Camo Armourloft Vest

Swarovski Optik

EL 42 Swarovision Binoculars

65mm HD Spotting Scope with 20-60x Eyepiece

8x30 Laser Guide

Misc. Gear

Bugling Bull Game Calls- Remedy & Mellow Yellow Mama Diaphragm, Select-A-Bull Bugle, Who's Yerr Daddy

Elite Archery- Hunter

Spot Hogg Real Deal Sight

Victory Arrows

Tight Spot Quivers

Ripcord Arrow Rest

Wilderness Athlete Performance Bars, Energy Gel, Energy & Focus Drink Formula, Protein Plus

Montana Decoy
Hunten' Outdoors Trail Cameras

The Final Days- Oregon's Archery Elk Season

2011-10-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

As a kid I used to laugh at my dad when he would pop in a VHS tape watching Elk being taken on camera while practicing using his rubber band cow calls and grunt tube in our living room. His eyes would bug out, face reddening from blowing on the old calls making for a comical evening. At that point in my life I had no comprehension that what he was practicing would actually draw in a fervent bull Elk during the rut.

I watched my dad’s living room practice sessions pay off during a public land, DIY Elk hunt in Idaho. I was 13 years old when my dad used his old school bugle to chuckle in a spike and 5x5 bull Elk. The 5x5 came in screaming, chasing off the spike, and angrily charging towards us when my dad shot him from roughly 30 yards away.

At 13 years old, watching this bull come in screaming changed my life and lit the fire for my love of Elk hunting.

I was proud to lead out Sam (the mule) who was loaded with the beautiful bull that my dad and I had taken.

Since then, I have always looked forward to final days of archery Elk season that typically hold the promise of frenzied bulls aggressively seeking cows. Having passed on countless cows, spikes, and four young branched bulls already in the season, I had only nine more days to put a mature bull on the ground, no easy feat, especially on public land and DIY.

Nine days…

The temperatures were nearing 80 degrees every day. The hot and dry conditions were limiting hunting hours to the first and last thirty minutes of daylight. With other public land hunters targeting one of my best areas, dad and I decided to walk in to another one of our better spots under the cover of darkness.

Waiting for daylight to crest over the horizon, we glassed from the timbered edge into a large feeding area with the hopes of spotting a big bull on his feet before returning to his bed. The plan was perfect. We spotted two bulls right away, a spike and a young 3x3 branched bull.

Wanting only to get some video of the bulls, my dad set up on the edge of the timber doing a series of cow calls. The two young bulls came in silently, literally running past me at 40 yards making their way to my dad. Had we not have known the bulls were there we would have probably been run over by them. Somehow, along the way I accidently deleted that video clip of the 3x3 running past me. Video or no, it was a fun experience.

While we were hunting this spot, the other public land hunters had spooked a nice 5x5 off of one of the wallows where I had a tree stand hung. I avoided hunt this spot in the mornings as the wind blows right down to where the bulls bed and come to water. You can see from my trail camera video that when these other hunters headed down towards the wallow, the bull gets nervous, looks around and decides to get out of there, fast.

Eight days…

Dad and I hunted together in the morning without much luck. The bulls weren’t bugling and the hunting pressure was intense as there were at least two other groups of public land hunters after the same Elk as me. Dad had a trade show to attend, so I was on my own for the next three and a half days.

That night, I set up in the same feeding area that dad and I had called in the silent 3x3 and spike with the hopes of getting on a bull when he left his bed for the evening. Doing a series of cow calls and bugles a bull finally answered from his bed when he got up to go feed around 7:00 PM. Having less than thirty minutes to get this bull within range before darkness settled in, I set up the decoys in the feeding area.

Not one but two bulls came in, both hanging up around 80 yards and whining from below me wanting to come in closer but apprehensive in doing so. I didn’t get a look at these two bulls as my thirty minutes of daylight ran out fast. I made the hour long hike back to camp in the dark glad to finally have heard a bugle and feeling hopeful for the next day.

Seven days…

The trail camera pictures that I had been getting of mature bulls going to water to either drink or wallow were all in the morning before 10:00 AM. With 80 degree days it seemed the bulls wanted to get cooled off and muddy up to keep the bugs down before bedding down for the hot of the day. With that in mind, I left camp an hour before daylight with temperatures already so high that I was in a tank top.

I headed out with the plan to sit one of the wallows that had been getting used by bulls intermittently. At daylight I found myself less than 100 yards from a huge herd of Elk with one angrily screaming bull and a second bull letting out a traditional locate bugle. Unfortunately, the wind was in favor of the Elk. I had to back out of the area before they got my wind and busted me. The bulls quit bugling 30 minutes after daylight and bedded down on private land that I did not have permission to hunt. Knowing where the Elk were, I felt good about my chances for the next day as I also had not spooked them out of the area.

Six days…

Once again I headed into the same spot an hour before daylight. This time I dropped down below where the Elk had bedded on private land the morning before so that I could reach my tree stand before daylight. The plan was almost perfect. The bull dropped down to move his cows as they fed above me towards their bedding area at 90 yards. Unfortunately, he did not come down within bow range and the terrain was too open for me to make an attempt at a stalk without being busted.

I spent the remainder of the day at the wallow with the hopes that the bull who was now bedded on private land less than 200 yards away would get hot and come back to the public land side to wallow.

Five days…

With time in the season growing short, I spent the next morning trying to get a bull to locate without any luck. When the wind was right, I went back to the wallow where I had gotten into the herd of Elk for the past two mornings to check my trail camera. The herd had been in to water at midnight which confirmed my belief that the Elk were nocturnal except for the first and last thirty minutes of daylight.

Four days…

Oftentimes success in hunting comes from being in the right place at the right time. On day four, I was not fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time; my dad on the other hand who had just returned from his trade show, to hunt Mule deer had the luck that I wished I was having.

Heading up the timber ridge, daylight had just crested the horizon, when my dad accidently rolled a rock down the mountainside just as he spotted his first glimpse of the cow Elk in front of him. Some of the cows heard the rock roll and quickly made their exit out of the open feeding area and back into the timber.

As dad eased out into the opening towards a depression in the ground where a small weep was located, he saw the towering antlers. A mere 50 yards away the 6x6 bull fed in the small opening, oblivious that some of his cows had busted my dad making his way up the draw. The bull remained at 50 yards from my dad and within easy bow range for minutes until he realized that his some of his cows had gone AWOL.

In a fit of panic, the bull circled in a 50-80 yard radius around my dad silently picking up the remainder of his harem and moving them into the timber in a desperate attempt to locate his missing cows. Even with the bull in frenzy over his lost cows, he did not bugle or make a single sound in his efforts to locate them.

The photo below shows a magnificent 6x6 that had been living in that same draw during the summer. The bull my dad stumbled into just may be this very bull. I had picked the wrong draw to hunt on day four.

Three days…

Together my dad and I spent the day seeking out the 6x6 that he had encountered the day before. Unfortunately, we were unable to re-locate the herd and the massive bull.

Two days…

There is an old saying that if you are not discouraged then you are not hunting. Well I was definitely hunting and running out of precious time. The bulls had quit bugling, temperatures were high and optimism was becoming scarce on my part. I had to keep reminding myself that my luck could change at any moment.

Dad and I spent the day checking wallows for recent activity and game trails looking for fresh tracks in an attempt to figure out what the silent and nocturnal Elk were doing. The only thing we found on day two was three other hunters. Go figure.

During the heat of the day, Dad and I gathered up all of my trail cameras and tree stands packing them back to our spike camp. I would be spending the final day of archery Elk season solo as Dad was going to head out on the final morning to go back to town to get the mules so that we could pack out our spike camp the day after season.

The weather was due to cool on the following day by some 20 degrees and I went to bed that night hopeful that my luck would change on the final day of archery season.

Gear List

Under Armour Clothing for Kristy and her Dad

Camo Evo Cold Gear Pants

Camo Evo Cold Gear Hoody

Camo Full Zip Hoody

Quest Jacket & Pant

Women’s Camo Glove

Hurlock Glove

Camo Active Beanie

Speed Freek Boots

Hitch Lite Cushion Boot Sock

Early Season Ridge Reaper Jacket & Pant

Camo Armourloft Vest

Swarovski Optik

EL 42 Swarovision Binoculars

65mm HD Spotting Scope with 20-60x Eyepiece

8x30 Laser Guide

Misc. Gear

Bugling Bull Game Calls- Remedy & Mellow Yellow Mama Diaphragm, Select-A-Bull Bugle, Who's Yerr Daddy

Elite Archery- Hunter

Spot Hogg Real Deal Sight

Victory Arrows

Tight Spot Quivers

Ripcord Arrow Rest

Wilderness Athlete Performance Bars, Energy Gel, Energy & Focus Drink Formula, Protein Plus

Montana Decoy
Hunten' Outdoors Trail Cameras

Oregon's Archery Elk Season Continued

2011-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

The switch had been flipped…opening day of Oregon’s archery Elk season had been epic. The cows were mewing, the bulls were bugling, dad tagged out on a great 5x5 bull, I passed up a 4x4 bull. Week two of the season was off to a slow start. The rut had not yet consumed the bull Elk and once public land hunting pressure had set in, the bulls had figured out that they were being targeted. With more hunters in the area than I have seen in years past it was no wonder that the bulls quit bugling and coming in to cow calls.

With the bulls not cooperating, and unseasonably hot and dry conditions, I decided to sit in a tree stand over a wallow. The wallow is located in an area where I had patterned several large bulls moving through over the summer and was actively being used. This tactic worked perfectly as a young 3x4 bull came in to the wallow and stood broadside at 50 yards.

Unfortunately, the big mature bull that I was looking for did not come to the wallow. While sitting the wallow with only young bulls visiting, I had a big mature bull using a game trail down the ridge so I decided to move my stand with the hopes of intercepting this big bull on the move.

The vanishing bull...

I just couldn’t manage to be in the right place at the right time. While I was out of the wallow stand on the 3^rd - 5^th of September, two shooter bulls came to the wallow on two of the three days. The bull that had been using the game trail up and vanished on me. Sometimes a girl just can’t catch a break.

Taking some time to get out of the stand, dad and I stalked within 70 yards of two young branch bulls. There was no need to close the distance on them for a shot as I was still holding out for that larger more mature bull.

Warm weather conditions made many of the Elk nocturnal.

On the 10^th of September, dad and I headed back to town and off the mountain as we both had to return to work until the 17^th. On our way out, we just missed this bull but my trail camera did not. This guy was right above us and silent. Later in the season I had an exciting hunt featuring this monster bull, read my next blog to read the story and watch the video.

While we were off the mountain the following week, check out the photos and videos below of what we missed.

This nice bull was 50 yards from my wallow stand.

This guy came in, also 50 yards from my stand.

This cat was working this hillside all season.

During the course of the week that dad and I were off the mountain and working, we did not have activity on my trail cameras. It was my understanding that there was quite a bit of hunting pressure from out of area hunters. The additional pressure had a big impact on their typical behavior and habits.

Gear List

Under Armour Clothing for Kristy and her Dad

Camo Evo Cold Gear Pants

Camo Evo Cold Gear Hoody

Camo Full Zip Hoody

Quest Jacket & Pant

Women’s Camo Glove

Hurlock Glove

Camo Active Beanie

Speed Freek Boots

Hitch Lite Cushion Boot Sock

Early Season Ridge Reaper Jacket & Pant

Camo Armourloft Vest

Swarovski Optik

EL 42 Swarovision Binoculars

65mm HD Spotting Scope with 20-60x Eyepiece

8x30 Laser Guide

Misc. Gear

Bugling Bull Game Calls- Remedy & Mellow Yellow Mama Diaphragm, Select-A-Bull Bugle, Who's Yerr Daddy

Elite Archery- Hunter

Spot Hogg Real Deal Sight

Victory Arrows

Tight Spot Quivers

Ripcord Arrow Rest

Wilderness Athlete Performance Bars, Energy Gel, Energy & Focus Drink Formula, Protein Plus

Montana Decoy
Hunten' Outdoors Trail Cameras

Opening Week of Oregon's Archery Elk Season

2011-09-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Archery Elk season here in Oregon is off to a great start. After scouting for two months, my dad and I were in the bulls first thing. We had set up two stands in separate locations that I had found big bulls over the summer. Using Bugling Bull Game Calls Remedy diaphragm, I cow called in and passed up a young 4x4 hoping for a chance at a bigger more mature bull as the season progresses.

My dad was able to take a nice 5x5 opening morning in another spot that I had scouted over the past two months. He was also cow called in an entire herd of over 70 Elk using the Mellow Yellow Mama diaphragm from Bugling Bull Game Calls.

The herd going up the draw.

Here they come in to dad's cow calls.

That is a lot of spike bulls to pass up waiting for the branched bull.

Well worth the wait!

Dad called in the huge herd of Elk and passed up a ton of cows and spike bulls before harvesting this beautiful bull.

At the end of July this location only had resident bachelor bulls but around the 10^th of August those bulls moved out and the cows, calves spikes and young branch bulls moved in. The evening of opening day, I was in a huge herd of cows and calves with no branch bulls (my dad shot the only branch bull in the herd). It was pretty amazing working my way up the mountain with Elk literally surrounding me. Thanks to a nasty thunder storm that rolled through the ground was wet and quiet and the wind was blowing steady downhill allowing me to sneak within 5 feet of some of the calves. I even managed to get it all on video. The audio on the footage is amazing. The herd was so loud, even the cows were bugling literally yards away from me. It was incredible!!!

We have a spike camp in over 4 miles off the road and I must say it is pretty awesome going to bed at night with the melody of mewing cows putting you to sleep. The big bulls are still in bachelor herds for now leaving me with the hopes of harvesting a larger more mature bull when one moves in and takes over this massive herd plus a plethora of statelight bulls looking to steal some of the cows. I will be there…waiting for my chance!

I am out of the woods today taking care of meat but will be back hunting tomorrow morning.

Happy Hunting Everyone,

Kristy

My dad and I packing out his 5x5 public land, DIY bull Elk.

Gear List

Under Armour Clothing for Kristy and her Dad

Camo Evo Cold Gear Pants

Camo Evo Cold Gear Hoody

Camo Full Zip Hoody

Quest Jacket & Pant

Women’s Camo Glove

Hurlock Glove

Camo Active Beanie

Speed Freek Boots

Hitch Lite Cushion Boot Sock

Early Season Ridge Reaper Jacket & Pant

Camo Armourloft Vest

Swarovski Optik

EL 42 Swarovision Binoculars

65mm HD Spotting Scope with 20-60x Eyepiece

8x30 Laser Guide

Misc. Gear

Bugling Bull Game Calls- Remedy & Mellow Yellow Mama Diaphragm, Select-A-Bull Bugle, Who's Yerr Daddy

Elite Archery- Hunter

Spot Hogg Real Deal Sight

Victory Arrows

Tight Spot Quivers

Ripcord Arrow Rest

Wilderness Athlete Performance Bars, Energy Gel, Energy & Focus Drink Formula, Protein Plus

Montana Decoy
Hunten' Outdoors Trail Cameras

Field Dressing in Extreme Heat

2011-08-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Big game.big prep.always prepared. Always lethal

The First Bugle

2011-08-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

Big game.big prep.always prepared. Always lethal

The thick vegetation is beginning to cure.

The vegetation was over my head, zigzagging through the corn stalk like shoots, my boots were sinking into the thick mud bog, with Otis in tow, every step was made quick to keep ahead of the mule’s enormous stride. Dad was just ahead, video camera in hand filming as we floundered towards him. Reaching the other side, my dad put the camera down and casually said that he had heard Elk.

With the sounds of the mud holding my feet tight and the vegetation that was nearly taller than me filling my ears, I certainly had not heard any Elk. My father has questionable hearing on a good day, so I stood still and listened. Only moments later I hear it; the first bugle of the year. The nursery herd of cows, calves, spikes and rag horned bulls had been living in the area for more than two weeks and sure enough, one of the eager young bulls was singing his heart out, echoing the hauntingly beautiful sound across the mountainside.

Knowing that Elk season’s opener was in less than two weeks, excitement was coursing through my veins, we kept going so not to disturb the herd below us. Otis was loaded with two tree stands, and a camera arm to aid in filming, we had a day’s work cut out for us and could not afford to waste any time.

Jumping over fallen logs, side hilling across the mountainside, we walked right into them, a substantial herd of resident cows and calves, numerous spike bulls and one single branched rag horn bull. The herd was running down the mountain towards the bottom when they suddenly stopped to get a better look at us. While the herd was busy mewing and chirping, I took the opportunity to take video of them milling around the mountainside less than 80 yards away from us. A spectacular sight it was that lasted only a couple of precious minutes when they continued their decent down the mountain.

Downloading my pictures onto my laptop.

Checking my first of three locations, I found that a 6x6 and a 7x7 bull both still in the velvet had been in on the same day, August 14^th. The 7x7 was definitely a relative to a bull that I had called in for my father over four years before as they have unmistakable webbing at the top of their antlers. I was excited to see this unique trait being passed down. As I stood there only one day later, I immediately knew that these were two bulls that I had not seen before. This spot in particular was known to have at least one nearby nursery herd of Elk and these two bulls were in there for one reason and one reason only, they were starting to move out of their summer ground feeling the rut approaching from within.

Making our way across an open flat, the stripped tree immediately caught my eye. A bull had rubbed the velvet off of his antlers only hours before. His victim had been two trees set 30 yards apart. The tender velvet was so fresh the membrane that had attached it to the antler was still moist and bloody. The changes within the Elk had started to show seemingly overnight, hearing my first bugle, evidence of new bulls moving in from my trial camera pictures, and now finding this, I was excited beyond words!

The bull had tore up this tree only hours before.

The velvet was so fresh the membrane was still moist and bloody.

Otis checking out the velvet.

Eagerly I approached my trail camera and the location where I was going to hang my tree stand only to find out that I had neglected to turn the power on my camera when I had left it over 10 days before. 10 days of valuable information lost. There was fresh Elk sign and I knew there was at least two 300+ bulls that had been living in the area. Never the less, I was disappointed to have lost the opportunity to check my camera this one last time before the season opened. My dad I and I hung my stand and camera arm with confidence knowing in less than two weeks, I would be back to review my new trail camera pictures and have my shot at harvesting one of the magnificent bulls that were living on the ridge.

Our next stop was to hang a stand for my dad. Fortunately, I had turned this camera on and had many pictures of Elk. The last photo of my larger 300+ class bull in this particular location was taken on the 25^th of July; the herds of spike bulls and young branched bulls were still frequenting the area. The biggest notable change occurred on the 9^th of August when the cows mixed with spikes and one rag horned bull appeared together on my camera. This location had been previously occupied by bachelor bulls only.

The tree was set for my dad’s return opening weekend and we walked out with very valuable information about the Elk behavior that would help us tremendously opening weekend. The bulls were beginning to feel the biological changes from within and were bugling, the older more mature bulls had began to scrape the velvet off their antlers and had started to move out of their summer range soon to begin territorial marking.

The rut was close the Elk felt it and I saw it in their behavioral changes. When I return again during season in less than two weeks, the photos I capture, the sign I read, and what I hear echoing across the mountainside will all help me in planning my strategy for taking down one of the mature bulls I have been watching all summer long.

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Under Armour Always Lethal

2011 Central Oregon Elk Camp

2011-08-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

This year’s 2011 Central Oregon Elk Camp by Cent-Wise Sporting Goods and Steve and Kathy Simpson was held at the Simpson’s private Elk ranch in Terrebonne Oregon. Nestled along the foothills of the majestic Cascade Mountain Range, the Simpson Elk Ranch features a mix of 100 cows and 100 bull Elk. The Lower Bridge herd is bred for their unique renewable resource, velvet. For centuries past, the Far East has used velvet covered Elk antler to increase energy and endurance, strengthen joints and the immune system, improve memory, and other medicinal purposes.

Me and Cathy Allman from Cent-Wise Sporting Goods

There is nothing that gets over 75 Elk hunters more excited and ready for hunting season than spending the day surrounded by beautiful mountains and a herd of over 200 head of Elk, talking Elk and Elk hunting all while sharpening their hunting skills. The action packed day featured a fantastic lineup of guest speakers and seminar topics. Hunters prepared themselves for season with a wide range of topics and a multitude of speakers such as:

Steve Chappell of Bugling Bull Game Calls discussed “Calling Big Bulls”

Blake Miller of Outdoor Quest taught “Understanding GPS and Topo Maps”

Karl Findling of Oregon Pack Works “10 Tips for Successful Backcountry Packing”

Troy Niemann, co-author of the Northwest Elk Academy video “Rifle & Archery Tactics for Elk”

Gary Lewis award winning author and host of Gary Lewis’ Adventure Journal “After the Shot Tracking & Follow-Up

Mike Slinkard of Winner’s Choice Strings & HECS “ HECS Technology”

Karl Matous retired Navy emergency responder “Medical & Practical Preparedness in the Wilderness”
Scott Wegner, Wildlife Specialist with Land O’ Lakes Purina Feed Company “Successful Food & Feed Plots”
Steve Simpson, owner of the Simpson Elk Ranch “Field Judging & Scoring Bull Elk”

Sharing my public land Elk scouting adventures to the crowd, I discussed my pre-season scouting tactics. Everyone loved seeing the multiple 300+ class public land bull Elk trail camera pictures that I integrated into my seminar. That chance at a big public land bull keeps us heading back into the high country year after year. I enjoyed having given everyone some tips on how to find those big bulls before season increasing their odds of success on public lands.

One of the trail camera photos that I shared with the audience.

Excitement was peaked while experiencing the thrill of being up close and personal with a herd of multiple 400+ class bull Elk. For lunch, award winning Outdoor Chef Kurt Ploetz, grilled up BBQ’d Bacon Swiss Elk burgers with all the fixin’s.

Troy Niemann and I with Chef Kurt getting ready to fill up on Elk burgers.

By the end of the day over $2,500 worth of door prizes were distributed to attendees with proceeds from the day’s events going to the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation. Sending out a huge thank you to Cent-Wise Sporting Goods and Steve and Kathy Simpson for putting together such a remarkable event uniting hunters and helping fulfill a lifelong hunting dream to children who have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness. I am proud to have been a small part of such an incredible day and am looking forward to participating in an even bigger event next year.


Participants looking over a few of the many door prizes at the day's event.

For additional information about 2012’s Central Oregon Elk Camp contact

Tori Allman at Cent-Wise Sporting Goods at 541-548-4422

For additional information about Hunt of a Lifetime Oregon Chapter, please visit the website at

Hunt of a Lifetime Oregon Chapter

A special thanks to the fantastic line up of sponsors

Steve & Kathy Simpson
All Sports                                                                                          Sightron 10x32 Binoculars
Alpen Optics                                                                                     Shasta Ridge 390 SR Binoculars
Ameristep Blinds                                                                               Hunting Blind
AMP-3                                                                                             Professional Grade First Aid Kit
ASAT ASAT Camoflauge Suit
Bank of the Cascades    Howa .338 Rile Package fro Rifle
BaseImage                                                                                        Hunting Unit Topo Map Set
Bowtech Archery                                                                              Assassin Bow Package
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               Martin Firecat Bow
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods Garmin E-Trex Summit GPS
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               5 Pounds of Elk Backstrap Steak
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               Cent-Wise Elk Hats
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods 4 Burner BBQ Grill
Game Plan Gear    Soft Bow Case
HECS, LLC                                                                                      HECS Suit
Hunten Outdoors                                                                               Infrared Trail Camera
Hydrographics                                                                                   Two $150 Dipping Certificates
Lifetime Memories                                                                             Wooden Hunters Photo Album
Montana Decoys Elk Decoy
NRA Three Gun Cases
Oregon Pack Works                                                                         Orion Back Pack System
Outdoor Edge                                                                                   Skin n’ Bone Knife Set
Pole Pack Pole Pack Unit
Land O’ Lakes                                                                                 Purina Deer & Elk Chow
Rocky Mountain Spices                                                                    Assortment of Sauces
Skulladermy $150 Gift Certificate