A Poem

Great storytelling. Excited to hear about Schaffs deer.

Friday found us heading to a drainage that I had seen 4 bulls in only the day before. On Thursday I had seen a real big lone bull in there in the morning but lost him in one of the many finger coulees that came off the main canyon. Then at sunset I watched as three bulls fed out of the timber for the night so our plan was to be in a position by the time evening arrived to be in a position to strike. I had spent quite a bit of time scouting this drainage throughout the summer and knew of a couple bucks that would be worth going after if the opportunity presented itself and spent about an hour on Thursday watching a buck that was a potential shooter but I ultimately decided he needs to find a few does over the coming weeks.

We spent the morning checking fingers for anything that had bedded down in the cedar and juniper mazes that filled the drainage. Finally we sat down beneath a sandstone ledge for a lunch break and a reprieve from the brutal wind. About 30 minutes into our sit @Ben Lamb mentioned he had seen a deer feed down into the timber in a finger about 1000 yards directly across from us. I fixed the spotter on the area for about 10 minutes until a fork horned buck came out into the open.

Several minutes later I still had my right eye planted into the eyepiece when I watched this buck come waltzing out of the timber. He immediately found himself a bed on the leeward side of a cedar tree with the drainage open in front of him. I handed the spotter to Ben and within about 15 seconds he was half yelling, "You need to go shoot that buck."

I gathered the essentials and left the spotter with Ben to watch. I had 1000 yards to cover with a buck bedded and a strong wind that was almost entirely in my face. I bombed off the face we were sitting on and began navigating my way through cedar trees. I had picked out a knob that I thought would get me within 200 yards of him that would still keep him from smelling me. Within about 15 minutes I had dropped through the canyon and was heading back up the other side ready to crest the hill and find him again. I reached the crest and found him still in his bed facing to my right. There was a 4 strand barbed wire fence in front of me that I was certain was going to deflect a bullet. While crawling to the fence to make sure that wasn't going to be the case the buck snapped his head right and had me pinned.

I had the rifle up immediately and sent a 168 Berger into his brisket at 120 yards. No wonder he immediately saw me. :LOL:

He wasn't the buck I had been watching in there in the summer but he is a buck that I am damn happy with and one that I feel I would have a hard time passing on any year.
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Ben, the poem is very nice. thank you for sharing it with us.

I am glad you were able to do the boat in hunt you always dreamed of doing, one off the bucket list.

If the art was done with a chain saw, fairly talented chain sawer

Ahhhhhhh, Cabo. It's 5 oclock somewhere, and where better than in Cabo ! Hope you also enjoy the fishing, but the relaxing at the end of the day will be Nice ! Enjoy!

Schaaf. Thank you ! good write up and Congratulations !
 
Love the deep forks on him and great instincts getting on him when busted. I've always wanted to have two tags in my pocket just in case the other doesn't work out.
 
To add to Schaaf's story:

I watched through the spotter as he made his way down and up the coulee. I was watching the point where he was going to pop up, right around 200 yards from the buck. He eventually popped up at 120 yards instead, and I thought to myself, "self, he's going to get busted." Sure enough, as soon as he peaked over the ridge, the buck's head snapped too and he had Justin in his sights. I heard the first shot then the second. I don't think there was but a fraction of a second between then, then the buck slammed down, done.

After he got to the buck, he sent me a text saying "Bring the gear & let's get him out." I responded, on my way. "Going to walk around and see what's out there." I was thinking that it would be a quick 1.5 mile jaunt around the coulee fingers. 3.5 miles later, I finally caught up to Schaaf.

Coulees are jackasses with fingers as long as your exes memory.

We walked out that evening tired & sore, but it was a great day.

Huge thanks to Justin for showing me his part of Montana. I hope to get back there soon and chase those public land critters.
 
Schaaf.....Damn fine buck!
Ben.....You can fish and sip those south of the boarder drinks twenty years from now! Do you think that you will be able to chase those bulls of the breaks in twenty years? Hope that you will find a bull or two to ponder over before your trip down south.......good luck and I enjoyed the poem!
 
Schaaf.....Damn fine buck!
Ben.....You can fish and sip those south of the boarder drinks twenty years from now! Do you think that you will be able to chase those bulls of the breaks in twenty years? Hope that you will find a bull or two to ponder over before your trip down south.......good luck and I enjoyed the poem!

Putting together a plan of attack for post Mexico. Going to carve out 5-6 days straight to get out and hit the eastern side of the unit.
 
Ben, tough it out in Mexico, there are no man card demerits for quid pro quo vaca time with the boss...

All reports indicate the Tuna are in, and the wahoo not far behind, so I think I'll not be pining away for those cold, windy ridges while catching big old yellowtails & eating fresh sashimi.

It's a wicked life, but what the hell.
 
Elk are jerks and coulees are jackasses, and both you gentlemen are fine examples of Montana's finest sportsmen.
It must be nice to have 5 weeks to get after them, here's hoping you both finish off what you've started here.

Have fun in Mexico, but make sure it is pancreas approved fun, Mr Lamb.
 
Elk are jerks and coulees are jackasses, and both you gentlemen are fine examples of Montana's finest sportsmen.
It must be nice to have 5 weeks to get after them, here's hoping you both finish off what you've started here.

Have fun in Mexico, but make sure it is pancreas approved fun, Mr Lamb.

Mexico without margaritas, chorizo & bacon wrapped shrimp is not going to be the same.
 
All reports indicate the Tuna are in, and the wahoo not far behind, so I think I'll not be pining away for those cold, windy ridges while catching big old yellowtails & eating fresh sashimi.

It's a wicked life, but what the hell.


Just so it's clear we expect a poem of this trip... will accept a Hemingway but would much prefer a Melville.
 
Quote of the day from Lamb

"Coulees are jackasses with fingers as long as your exes memory. "

Just guessing you have some knowledge with that........hee hee

Yep. Yer ex just won't shut up about what a coulee you are. :D

A jaunty tale from the sea shall be told, along with a few photos of gaffed fish, hopefully.

As for now, my Onx looks like it's been peppered with #6's with all the spots I'm looking at hitting when I get back.
 
Yep. Yer ex just won't shut up about what a coulee you are. :D

A jaunty tale from the sea shall be told, along with a few photos of gaffed fish, hopefully.

As for now, my Onx looks like it's been peppered with #6's with all the spots I'm looking at hitting when I get back.
May your sea legs be able to keep up with your ambition
 
Yep. Yer ex just won't shut up about what a coulee you are. :D

A jaunty tale from the sea shall be told, along with a few photos of gaffed fish, hopefully.

As for now, my Onx looks like it's been peppered with #6's with all the spots I'm looking at hitting when I get back.
Which ex???
 
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