Yeti GOBOX Collection

Adventures with Moosie (as seen by the 'Gunner)

JoseCuervo

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It is interesting how different people see the same experience, and come up with two different version of the events. I thought I would post a bit about my Elk hunting trip yesterday, with the Boss, AKA Moosie. And then I found his version, already posted under another thread... See if you can spot the differences....

Moosie's version:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Was up with elkgunner and we saw a Spike (Trophy spike to boot ) and a nice 4x and a 6 point(ish). Was only around 310 so we let it go

Well.. Not just ANY spike is a trophy spike. It takes quite a spike to be one.... We sat and Debated long and hard whether we should shoot it. ElkGunner kept nudging me saying "It is a big one." but his Signature hear reads "Friends don't let friends shoot spikes" So I didn't know what to do ?!?!

But I ended up not shooting it. It was at least 12" on one side and around 11 5/8 on the other. The spread was close to 13, I'm estimating around 12 6/8" min.

Anyways, we were only 3 hours in on foot from the truck up about 1,800 ft rise rith a 2,700 drop after that and with a Elk might have pushed the 6-7 hour mark, So it would have been an Easy hike for sure. At any rate, we talked and discussed it "LONG & HARD" but by the time we decided to shoot it the Elusive critter gave us the Slip...
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Now besides the obvious differences in Spelling accuracy.... Here is the 'Gunner's version of the events.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>We got a late start on Saturday afternoon, as the 'Gunner was finishing up Opening Day of Phesant season.

I was pretty much ready, and had my stuff neatly organized, and quickly loaded the gear into Moosie's 27' Portable Pleasure Palace to haul up to his RV park for the season.

Just as I was about to lock my pick-up and climb into Moosie's rig, I thought I should check my pick-up one more time, and noticed that my Gun and Boots were yet to be transferred. OOOOPS......

So, we pulled out onto the open road, looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way.....

And so began 2 hours of Moosie telling lies, and me calling Bullshit on him..... Yeppers, he tried to tell me the Cow caribou he killed in Alaska was the LEAD cow!

About an hour into it, as were driving along an un-named river, we saw a Cow Elk in the middle, and another one up on the bank. Moosie locks here up, and slides the Dodge and the travel trailer into a pull out, so we can jump out and take pictures.

A 200 yard run in the barrow pit (you have to be Idahoan to know what a barrow pit is), and the Gunner rolls his ankle, probably the worst sprain anybody has ever survived. Playing thru pain, we sneak across the road, to take pictures of the Cow. Yeppers, by looking at her, she was definitely a Trophy Lead Cow. I don't know if Moosie has the pictures ready to post, but she was definitely a wall hanger...

Back in the rig, we made it to the gas station, and filled up with Diesel, and proceeded to by groceries for a hunting day with Moosie. Doritos (Spicer Nach)...Pringles (Outrageous Ranch)....Chex Party Mix (Cheddar) and mixed Quaker Granola Bars (including Cookies & Cream and 'Smores)...and a 12 pack of Coke.

The rest of the drive was fairly un-eventful, although the pain and swelling in the Gunner's leg would have brought a lesser man to tears.... We did have to stop for a flock of Mule Deer Does to cross the road. They just kept coming....2....4....7....9 of them...

We stopped by the place to park the trailer, and kind of got it set up, and then headed to the local dining establishment. Keep in mind, the RV has a stove, oven, and micro-wave, and Moosie had all day for grocery shopping, but nooooooooo we had to buy groceries at the Chevron station and then head to the Cafe for dinner. If you get a chance to buy Moosie's RV, rest assured that the cooking appliances will be brand new, unless Mrs. Moosie is using them...

As we walked into the cafe, it was just like a scene from Cheers, where the owner/cook hollars "Oscar, how are you...?" Not to say that he is a regular there, but let's just say he knows his way around that menu...

The first thing that Moosie orders at the cafe is a Chocolate Milk Shake, and these are the old fashioned kind, in the stainless steel Hamilton-Beach mixer, where they put a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in, and stir with a 1hp motor. They then scoop 16oz of milk shake out into a cup, and leave an equal amount in the steel cup at the table, to refill. My stomach started turning just looking at that much ice cream....

After a relatively uneventful dinner... we head back to the Trailer, to look at a map (none was brought by Mooise, and just the DeLorme Gazette Atlas was brought by the Gunner). Not much progress with the map reading, so it was time for a beer. Actually, it was way past time for a beer....

We then found Warren, Jason, and Co. and went back to the cafe, and sat and joined them while they waited for dinner. When the waitress came by to see if we would be ordering (we just left 20 minutes earlier), Moosie orders ANOTHER chocolate shake.

So, we were caught up with current events, where the deer were, where the Elk were, etc.. etc... We did have the opportunity to see a 5x4.5 Elk rack that Jason had whacked, and we all agreed that it would make a nice Mule Deer. Moosie needs to get pictures of that rack, including the Brow tines, as they were darn funny. Let's just say that a prescription of Viagra would have done that bull well.

After the second shake, we then headed BACK to the RV, one more time, and had some more bs'ing with Warren, and then about 11:30 we decided to unload Motorcycles from Moosie's truck, so Warren could load them into his, and haul them back from where we hauled them, just 2 hours earlier. I have to tell you, I am incredibly impressed that one person can drink two of those Milkshakes. That is a feat to behold.

So, Midnight we finally decide to call it quits, and I set the alarm for 5.30am. Not a bad night's sleep, after I finally convinced Moosie that he would be ok sleeping by himself in the bed at the OTHER end of the trailer.

5:30 came quickly, and we got our stuff together, and luckily, the Gunner had the foresight to bring 8 pieces of bread, a 1/2 jar of Peanut Butter, and a nearly empty bottle of sugary honey. Two sandwiches per person, one for breakfast, and one for the pack. A few granola bars, and off we went.

Now this is where the stories probably diverge, as we then proceeded to spend the next 11 hours driving around in the Dodge, listening to CDs of Emniem, Snoop Dogg, and Pink while road hunting. I now know every word to Pink's "Let's Get the Party Started"....

And Elk, sure, we saw some, as Moosie said we saw a 6x6, of course he was in a pick-up headed down the higway. The raghorn 4 was strapped onto the rack of an ATV, and the Spike was hanging in a shed next to a cabin.

The only time we got out of the rig was to grab another beer out of the Cooler, or drain the previous beer...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So, there you have it.... two different versions of the same story...
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Gunner,
After meeting Oscar I know about his fetish for milkshakes and coke, also the luxory style of his hunting and I just gotta sit back and laugh because I can picture it in my mind
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Ohhhhh "PINK" HUH ?!?!
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Gunner, I laughed So Fuggin Hard I just called my wife long distance at 11PM to read it to her.. She wasn't Amused as Me... and Was probably MORE mad that I was up on the Computer instead of sleeping so I could get up early to go to work but Ohh well
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You make it seem Like I like Milkshakes...
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I can See LBG laughing out loud having gone hunting with me. After seeing how I like to SLEEP in Luxury you'd of never thought I could have hiked off the road let alone around the truck to PEE some of the beers out that we drank.

You left out the 6 cokes I had with it for dinner and the 4 I had with it on trip too. A milkshake jsut isn't a Milkshake without 10 cokes to go with it
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I was just telling JB Florida that Hunting with Moosie isn't always Productive, but it's always fun, and ya eat well
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I do use the Microwave in the Trailer. I usually get those Breakfast sausages and warm them up. I jsut didn't have enough time to buy any.... And you left out the Snickers Bars that I got. You can't go hunting without them. It would be plain downright silly !!!!

I will add a bit to your Story. It was me that had to Send you to the Bunk beds in the Back of the Camper and NOT sleep next to my bed on the Couch. Something about the Windows and The bears getting you (I think) was your Story to sleep next to me. And It was me that heard your Alarm clock (Watch) and Woke you up. I'm guessing you would have slept till 4 in the afternoon. NOW Grant it, I didn't bring a map, and I didn't bring a Clock to wake us up. But I was Awake already and I don't need a Stinking Map for road hunting
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Funny thing is I have hundreds of $ in maps and box's full of them. I jsut didn't bring them... OVERRATED.

JAson's Elk was Truley funny and I bashed him for about 10 mins Solid at dinner untill I switched to teasing His Brother in law for missing a "TROPHY" spike.
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They did get their elk out in one day and Didn't need the BIKES I brought up, But the bikes thanked me for the Trip and were happy not to have to work any.

Hunterman, The reason NO-ONE got an Elk is Gunner Whistles like a Songbird every time he sees one. Then proceeds to do some Dance ritual that scares them off. I think He didn't like how far we were back in. HELL, Even after seeing the 6 point he didn't take his Scope covers off. I don't think he actually even brought bullets, I think he's a tree hugger.....
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So, again, we have differing perspectives as to why there was no bloodshed, other than on the soles of our feet.

Let's just say the nick-name 1-minute Moosie may apply to him in bed, but it sure doesn't apply to him takin' shots. For some reason he kept laying down on the ground , and looking thru his scope, trying to find the first Bull I spotted. Couldn't really tell why, but for some reason it looked like this...
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. And then he gets up, and runs over and does it behind a log...
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Funniest thing I ever saw...

So, finally, he gets the scope up, and I am trying to call his shot to him, as it was easily 300 yards across the draw into timber where the 8 Elk were located. "There he is....... the one on the far left.... oops, now he is the one above the other one.... okay....now he is moving........shoot him........wait....there he is....... nope........he's gone.......here he comes...there's his legs.......wait a second.......he'll be in the opening...see the one by the trees (note: there are 10,000 trees in his scope picture
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).... ok....... here he comes... there he is......shoot.....oops he's gone...."


I was kind of surprised that Moosie was taking that kind of time, to get ready, and take his scope covers off.... What is wrong with shootin' from the hip?? I guess there is a reason I am the Gunner...
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So... after we discuss that Bull, and what happened, and what our options were, I moved down about 30 yards to find my pack, and I look where we were watching the $150 Buck (yes... there is a Story there....) and I spied two more Bulls. One a fairly tall 4x, and The Trophy Spike... So I do my whistling, and here comes the Moosie guy... using me for cover sneaking up next to me.

And again.... he wastes time aiming, and trying to get a solid rest...
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And quickly, the 4x fades into the timber... The The Trophy Spike stays in sight a bit longer, and after looking at the body sizes between the raghorn and The Trophy Spike, I was definitely encouraging him to whack The Trophy Spike. Now I have seen quite a few Spikes in my day, and this guy was a dandy... I am sure Moosie regrets not having dropped him and having a new addition to the Wall. I would easily score him in the 60+ category. Good height, good mass, carried all the way up... good symmetry, few deductions, and a good spread of maybe 12. Definitely a Trophy Spike...

So by now... it is 5pm... and we have 3 bulls located... and as luck would have it... the best bull was between us and the rig... so our plans were set....
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Hunterman.... as for the Tree Hugger comment... I will deny it... but on the way out, in the dark, in the deadfall timber, I did stumble and have an intimate relationship with a limb...
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<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 10-21-2003 07:08: Message edited by: ElkGunner ]</font>
 
That reminds me, I need to get up to ID this year for my yearly milkshake fix!
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Sounds like a good time.
 
Buuuaaaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh
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No amount of detail and words can quite do justice to the Moosie hunting experience. Its a life changing experience for sure, although I must admit that was pretty close.
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Moosies shake tolerance is up, I've never seen him down two at the cafe before. Better get some stock in an ice cream company, the market is about to take an upward swing. Bubuuubuuuuuuaaaahhhhhh!!!!
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You guys make it seem like I'm different....

I do have to say I need a few guys to make it fun, I'm more like a Parisite and feed off of others to be funny
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Wylee is my BEST host for sure. If we ever get together it usually results in being asked to leave the Establishment. Geesh.... A guy can't even jump up, Take his shirt off and do air humping anymore
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It was funny when we walked back to the Lodge and I lifted my shirt in the cold and pressed my belly on the Glass twards the other guys that were inside..... Apperently there was some people that wanted to Propose to me.... But I already have a wife that had more then 3 tooth's
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so I past
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there was a 20 min downtime in the shakes, You guys make it seem like thats unusual.... My doctor tells me I should cut back, But once you go Chocolate, ya never go back !!!
 
I have to say My dinner was light so adding 2 shakes and 10 cokes wasn't that hard to do.. I didn't go for the "Mother load".... Those that don't know this is a normal eat for me after a hunt. "mopther load" is a burger and Ham and Bacon with Cheeses and garnishes and a plate full of fries !!!! I was HAppy with the Chicken friend steak sandwitch (The rusty burger) and a plate of Fries.

I don't know if that place would ever make it if I didn't get to it durring the hunting season
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T-bone, the place misses ya bud !! I'm going back up with Stewart and Kotter this weekend. Wish me luck on a Forked horn and a TROPHY SPIKE !!
 
So like any good day of hunting, we had the discussion at the beginning, of what we were gonna shoot. We decided our priority was Mule Deer Bucks. Moosie kept saying he wanted a Big Buck.... I said I would be happy with a 3x3 or better... just no Forked Horn. But I did want to kill one that day, and get deer hunting out of my calendar.

For Elk, the Gunner was after Big, Mature 6x6, and I think Moosie was after the same. I have a week planned a bit later, so I was in no hurry to fill my Elk tag.

The first 3/4 of a mile is vertical. We had to use Crampons, Climbing Axes, Ropes, Belays, and the likes to get up the sheer granite face. Foot by foot, inch by inch, just to get up.

We finally got to a good vantage point, as the sun was rising, and Moosie showed where all the deer are supposed to be. He said you just look over on this hill side, and there will be lots of deer... Well, it sounded like a good story, except nobody told the deer.
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We glassed, and we glassed, and we glassed... (I have to put in a plug for my Zeiss 10x40's, they are awesome to glass with...
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) We kept at it for a couple of hours, and could not find a single deer.

Well, about 11, we finally gave up, and went a bit higher, found a spot to lay down, and proceeded to take a nap. The temp was getting real warm, and even being wet from the Ascent, you were still comfortable in the shade.

They said Boise set a record high, of 84 on that day, and up on the Mountain was unsesasonably warm also. Without being able to see any animals, we had a bite to eat, some Caribou Pepperoni, and the PB and Honey, and then were off in pursuit of more big game.

We climbed higher, and crossed a ridge, and dropped into a North facing bowl, with timber. The temperature was about 20 degrees cooler, instantly.

We then started working thru the timber, side hilling, and just poking along, and finally jumped some Elk. Lots of brown and tan hide, but no full bodies... just parts in the timber. A little bit later, a couple of mule deer were jumped, but quickly were obscured by the timber.

We were finally close. We crossed some 3 day old snow, and found lots of tracks, and everywhere we were, more fresh sign.

We bumped another group of Elk, and again, just more brown and tan, but probably about a 1/2 dozen.

We then finally worked up on to the ridge where we saw the Bulls from.

When we first got to the ridge, we sat down, and began glassing. About 4pm... but could not find a single animal. Finally, the Gunner spotted a lone Mule deer, across the canyon... We kept glassing, and glassing, trying to find horns, and after a bit, we were finally able to decide it was a Forked Horn.

Knowing that Moosie wanted a big buck, and he would be posting pictures of this year's kill for years to come, I bet him $50 he couldn't kill the Forkie from where we were at...

Gunner: I bet you can't kill him from here.

Moosie: I CAN TOO!

Gunner: No way... you'll miss. I'll bet you $50...

Moosie: I'm gonna kill him.

Gunner: No way.... I'll bet you $100

Moosie: (Settling in behind his scope) I can shoot him from here.

Gunner: You can't hit him (Gunner laughs as he thinks about the early conversation about a big buck, but Moosie's manhood is being challenged...
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)

Moosie: I can shoot him if I want to (as he looks thru his scope...)

Gunner: (Whispers to Moosie) $150 says you miss him....
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At that point, Moosie must have remembered that he has not made it to work too much the last 6 weeks, so he turned down the bet, much like the 24 Hour Campfire saga.
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So the $150 Buck walks away, safe and sound, Moosie keeps his tag in his pocket, and we go back for looking for Elk.

See... there was some honest hunting, just occasionally interrupted by some funnier than hell comments.... One of the keys to enduring the pain of Elk hunting, is to laugh the whole time...
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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> The first 3/4 of a mile is vertical. We had to use Crampons, Climbing Axes, Ropes, Belays, and the likes to get up the sheer granite face. Foot by foot, inch by inch, just to get up. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You make it sound like I hunt vertical Stuff... Come on, that's just not true, We didn't use "Belays" that would just be silly, and the other stuff is just Standard elk hunting equipment
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And I wasn't ever going to shoot that deer... not even when the bet was up to $150. Although with that kind of money I could have spent an Extra 4 days hunting elk
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And I would have killed it. It was as good as dead, so why pull the trigger ?
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I am waiting for the "HIKE OUT" story....
 
Gunner, when that Patrick McManus dude from Outdoor Life finally retires or goes on to his final reward (think Jed Clampett). I think we have found a replacement. Keep up the great writing. I think we have found this generations Lucy and Ethel, with a PG13 rating. Good Luck, JLG. I guess that would be MoosieLucy and EthelGunner what you think?

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 10-22-2003 00:36: Message edited by: JLG ]</font>
 
Yes Siree, that was a funny story, sounds like one helluva good time, but the weird thing is i am CRAVING a chocolate shake! and everything is closed, oh wait jack-in-the box, over on dysart and 1-10, got to go right now for one.
 

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