Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Went on a guided elk hunt outside Gardiner, MT. Didn't get an elk but got some pics. I don't usually go on guided hunts but I did this time in order to fulfill a friend's last wishes. My friend Ron passed away 3 years ago and I promised to spread his ashes on a particular point in Montana where he used to work as a ranch hand and guide. The guided hunt was the best way to get to the point and get his friends there too.
We drove through Yellowstone on the way and admired the scenery and wildlife there. This was part of the first herd of elk we saw, all youngsters, and a bison.
Another bison posing along the road.
This bull was a real ham! Here he is looking for a smooch.
He was rejected so he came over to pose for us.
His "good side".
Some of the local residents of Gardiner. Several bucks hang around in town. There is a town herd of elk with a decent bull too.
Last edited by Marc on Wed Nov 16, 2011 10:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
On to the hunt. This is Klondike, my horse for the week. I am no horseman and he was a bit of a project but I got him figured out by the end of the week. He was always ready to go and he was fearless in daylight. He did get a little spooky in the dark. As you can see he has poor manners too.
There is a herd of elk down there somewhere. We went down there to find them but didn't see them this day.
There are over a dozen deer down in this meadow but no elk.
Strange looking rock formation. I don't know what keeps that one on top.
My partner killed this buck one afternoon so we weren't totally empty handed.
Ron called the place we spread his ashes Hunters Home. Its a little point just below the top of the mountain with a big sage meadow spread out below. The elk graze in the meadow and there are also views above. Good place to hunt if the elk are in the area. This is Joe, myself with Ron's 300 Weatherby and Chris with Ron's 280 Remington. Joe's son made the plaque.
The plaque. Ron did like his whiskey so we left him a shot.
A view to the top from the point.
Across the hillside.
Across the canyon.
Our guides, Chris and Arlen, who got the information on where the point was located from Ron's old employer and got us there. We rode and walked about 20 miles that day.
Joe and Chris both got bucks. I didn't kill anything but it was a good trip.
What a superb story. I hope when I pass on that I have friends like your buddy Ron obviously did.
Well done.
2x22
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." - Thomas Jefferson
Ron was a good friend and it gives me a lot of satisfaction to finally get him where he wanted to be.
There's a story about the point where we spread the ashes and "the Weatherby". Ron was up there in a snow storm and the biggest bull he ever got on emerged from the timber. He said when he pulled the trigger it sounded funny and it didn't have any effect on the bull. There must have been snow in the scabbard when he shoved "the Weatherby" in and it packed into the barrel. He "blew it up" in his words. It didn't blow up but it bulged the barrel. He cut it off but then he just had a short barreled very loud 300 Weatherby so he had it rebarreled. The incident soured him on elk hunting for the rest of his life! It also taught him to tape the muzzle.
Both Chris and I have now killed something with Ron's rifles. I killed my only elk, a cow, with the Weatherby 2 years ago. Chris killed his deer this trip with the 280 which is appropriate since the 280 was Ron's main deer rifle.
I was looking for info on the weather and found this page of links to webcams in Yellowstone Park. There are several. There's one at Old Faithful that gives an estimate of the next eruption when its working. The one at Mammoth Terraces is a good one to see elk. It's snowing right now. My license is good til the 27th. I ought to go back up and see if the elk are coming out of the park. Anyway the webcams have become my screensavers. http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm
Also wanted to say that Arlen, our guide, works at Brockman's when he isn't guiding. Brockman's mainly builds custom Marlins but also does a lot of restorations. Arlen talked about sanding his fingers raw while polishing receivers and the care needed to keep corners sharp and flats flat.
VERY nice pics! Thanks for sharing Marc! Beautiful country with good buds make memories that last a lifetime.
Klondike with bad manners???? I used to ride that horse and he is just showing you boys what he had to deal with as I used to put the same amount of weight on his shoulders! --------Sixgun
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD
Thanks for sharing Marc! Beautiful country with good buds make memories that last a lifetime. 
