Tag Archives: Cage Ranch

Hunting

It’s about the Friendship

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About ten days before opening day of pronghorn rifle season, Bob told me that a couple of his hunters had not redeemed their landowner vouchers. He asked me if I would like to exchange one of the vouchers for a tag, and hunt opening day weekend. Realizing that his question was rhetorical, I started my preparation for the unanticipated adventure to his ranch. Our friends, Dave and Chad, had tags of their own, and they were equally as excited to pursue the elusive “speed goat”.

Opening day coincided with both of my sons’ state soccer tournament. To that point, my departure from Parker would come in the early evening on Saturday. During the boys’ soccer games, I received regular texts of videos of Bob and Chad’s hunt. Having personally taken part in similar stalks last season, I became anxious, even though I was 130 miles from the ranch.

The early evening drive to the eastern plains was interrupted by a flurry of text messages. After pulling over to fill up the tank on my Ram 1500, I read the texts. Chad had taken an enormous pronghorn buck! I was so excited, I stopped filling up the tank jumped in my truck, and rocketed down route 86.

Upon arriving in pronghorn camp, stories of the day’s events unfolded. Bob and Chad described multiple pursuits throughout the morning that resulted in fleeing animals. Finally, late in the afternoon, they were able to get on a herd of goats that contained a big buck. The chase pushed the group of pronghorn to the edge of Chad’s shooting comfort range. Setting up at about a three hundred and twenty yards, Chad was able to knock down the animal with a shot from his 7mm Mag. The reminiscing continued until complete exhaustion forced us all into our beds.

The game plan in the morning centered on getting Dave on his first big game animal. He worked on sighting in his new Tikka T3 Lite late in the afternoon on Saturday.   He even was able to chase a few animals prior to the hunting day concluding. I was excited to help Dave get on a buck. At first light, I ventured to the range with Chad in order to ensure I was still shooting my Tikka T3 Lite 30-06 accurately. It only took four rounds to reassure me that my rifle, and Bushnell Elite scope were operating flawlessly.

At about 7 am we all grabbed our coffee and piled into Bob’s truck. It did not take long to spot a few pronghorn making their way east. A few minutes of glassing confirmed that the male was young and we would not pursue him. We worked hard to spot and stalk a few amazing bucks throughout the day. Unfortunately, we could not close the deal on a pronghorn with antlers. At about 4 pm, Dave declared he wanted to take a break, and directed me to take part in the next hunt. The day’s events already had my blood racing through my veins. With the rifle now in my hands, I got focused on the task at hand.

Bob’s brother-in-law, Brent, reported that he spotted a large group of pronghorn just to the southwest of headquarters. We were driving east when we spotted eight females about 100 yards off the road. They immediately picked their heads up and gazed at us. We realized that the buck was not present but was probably close by. As we continued to drive east, we saw the big buck about 150 yards away on a hill. He was chasing off a young male when we startled him. We stared at one another for about five minutes until he moved speedily off the hill in order to round up his ladies. There is a draw that moves to the south, and we assumed the herd was moving away from us. Protected by a number of hills on the back side of the depression, Bob and I jogged to where we last saw the buck. Realizing they were gone, we looked at one another and pointed to the east. With my rifle in my right hand, and my BOG-POD in my left, I started to sprint, using the ridge as cover. At about the five hundred yard mark, I was able to discreetly glance at the herd. I did not have my range finder, but I guessed they were 300 yards ahead of me. Acknowledging the distance was out of my range, I sprinted to the top of the next ridge. As I approached the crest, I attempted to slow my breathing. The adrenaline was flowing but I felt composed. I knew the shot would be far so I cranked up the power of my scope. I inched forward trying to be quiet. With the rifle already in the bipod, I took a knee, and quickly captured the buck in my crosshairs at about two hundred yards. I could see a few of the females turn, look up and take notice of my presence on top of the hill. To that point, I knew I had to act with purpose. As the buck moved left, he exposed his left shoulder, and I took the shot. The Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet entered just below the neck and dropped him to the ground.   I shouted with elation as I knew I had accomplished my objective. We made our way down the hill and congratulated one another. My successful hunt was the result of a total team effort. I thanked everyone for their help, and told them to get in the truck in order to find a buck for Dave.

Just before they departed, Bob gave me a quick gutting refresher. This pronghorn was only my third big game animal, so my cleaning techniques are rudimentary at best. It took me about forty five minutes to finish the process, and get him hung in the barn. I asked my friend John to drive me back to the boys so I could participate in Dave’s search for his animal. We managed to find a few sizable pronghorn, but could not complete the harvest.

As we sat on the tailgate of Bob’s truck, we admired the full moon overhead. The sun had dipped, but the air temperature was still in the 60s. Bob stated that this was his favorite time on the ranch. I understood why. While Dave was visibly disappointed, he recognized that the quest had been invigorating for his soul. He is committed to getting back into the field, and finishing the job next season.

Equipment Used

Hunting

Friends

I have known legendary gun dog trainer, Gary Ruppel, for almost four years.  My beloved birddog, Pride, comes from his kennel.  When my family was considering adopting Pride in 2010, it was Gary who interviewed us to make certain it was a good match. The man is confident, opinionated, talented, kind, and loyal.  It takes time to earn Gary’s trust and friendship.  It takes even more time to earn the opportunity to hunt with him.

In mid-December, Gary and I were chatting on the telephone about our recent adventures.  I told him that Pride (now 10) was starting to slow down, and he and I should try to get into the field before the 2013 season ends.  I had never hunted with Gary, and I felt that it was finally the right time.  I have evolved into a veteran wingshooter who respects the quarry, the land, and my fellow hunters.  Gary agreed to go, and he suggested we head out after Christmas. 

Our plan, on December 30th, would be to hunt scaled quail on both private and public land outside of Hugo, Colorado.  I had never encountered a covey of quail in numerous upland trips throughout Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas.  To that point, I was excited to pursue the unfamiliar game bird.  Pride would team with Gary’s two English Pointers, Captain and Ashley, who are quail hunting machines. 

During several big game hunts over the last couple of years on the Cage Ranch, I had observed multiple coveys of scalies moving about the property.  With permission from Bob, we started our morning patrolling the different pastures where we thought birds would hold up.  It would be important to locate the game before the day warmed, and diluted the scent of the small animals.  We walked several areas where the cover is thick, and paralleled a food source.  The dogs worked each section of land thoroughly, but never showed any signs of enthusiasm.  As we slowly drove the ranch, Gary would get out of the truck to inspect the one day old snow blanketing parts of the land.  He scouted for the distinctive tracks that would indicate the presence of quail.  

Driving west, we approached a group of cottonwoods adjacent to the road.  As we neared the trees, I pointed to a three grey birds scampering away from our truck.  Gary exclaimed “scalies” and told me to get out.  As I hurried across the road, I loaded my Beretta, and Gary let out the dogs.  The pointers instantly winded the birds and gave chase.  I scanned the earth beneath the trees when suddenly two horned owls took off from their positions in the branches.  The movement startled the camouflaged quail who soared from their concealed location.  I shouldered my shotgun and fired at a single speedy bird that toppled to the ground.  I looked to my right and observed Captain and Ashley on point about fifty yards to the west of the trees.  Gary told me to make my way to him, as the covey was on the move.  Several birds exploded from the knee-high grass, and Gary shot two with his 20 gauge Winchester.  I remained in my position as Gary brought the dogs around.  We estimated that there were over twenty quail in the covey, and some had already fled to our north.  Moving with purpose and determination, Captain and Ashely located additional birds.  One quail jetted from my right at about thirty yards, and I shot him dead.  My execution prompted a sincere congratulations from Gary.  Admittedly, that felt pretty good.  Before continuing our hunt, Gary asked how many birds we had taken.  We counted seven and decided to stop shooting.  Captain and Ashley were still in hot pursuit, so we lowered our shotguns and admired their elegant skills.  We tried a few other areas before heading back home just after lunch. 

As a passionate and improving hunter, I appreciate the time Gary spends teaching me the nuances of the sport.   The sage advice has, and continues to impact my success in the field.  I look forward to spending more time with my friend.

Reviews

Product

Review

Sport-DOG Upland Hunter 1875

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/unlucky-lucky/

HEVI-Shot   Pheasant

Number 4 shot is   overkill for quail.  Unfortunately, I   forgot to pack my number 6 shot.  Birds   went down, and went down hard.

Uplanders Warehouse

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/shot/

Hankook Dynapro ATM

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/shot/

SportDOG Nutrition

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/shot/

Beretta A400 XPLR Light, 12 gauge

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/my-2012-2013-season-ends/

Badlands Birdvest

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/my-2012-2013-season-ends/

Garmin Oregon 450T GPS

&

Hunting GPS Maps

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/bobs-day/

Ram 1500

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/bobs-day/

Cabela’s Active Lite Jacket

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/page/2/

Irish Setter Upland DSS King Toe Hunting Boots

See https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/my-2012-2013-season-ends/

 

 

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Family, Hunting

Bob’s Day

The first of my two tags on the Cage Ranch was filled on October 5th.  It was a spectacular morning, filled with complex emotions.  The initial anxiety resulted in overwhelming elation.  My pronghorn hunt was a unique life experience forever etched in my memories. 

October 26th was opening day of deer rifle season, and I had been preparing for months.  Bob and I had done some scouting during September and early October.  The north part of the ranch has a dry creek meandering from west to east.  There are cottonwoods and tall grass that provide dense cover for the animals that roam its sandy bottom.  Along with seeing multiple photographs of deer on our game cameras, we had witnessed a variety of does and bucks as we glassed the area from afar.  Bob had set up two tree stands on the west and east end of the riverbed, which provided 270 degrees access to all animals that patrolled the vicinity. 

A 4:30 am alarm was set on my iPhone, but I was already up at 4:15 am, and getting prepared for a successful day.  A coffee and a METRX protein bar would be my fuel for the hunt.  Bob’s nephew Paul and I left headquarters in the pitch black and slowly made our way to our pasture.  We parked about a mile from the west stand, and utilized my Garmin GPS to guide us to the specific tree.  As 5:15 am approached we climbed the ladder, and situated ourselves in the elevated position.  Paul would scan to our left, and I would focus to the rear and right.  It was 26 degrees and there was a cold northwesterly wind blowing at 15mph.  It didn’t take long for my hands to become numb as I had foolishly left my gloves in the truck.  At about 6 am, the sun offered enough light where we could start to glass for movement.  As I turned to the rear, I spotted five does making their way west.  As if they marked my position, the deer suddenly bolted to the south, and were out of view in seconds.  I questioned whether they picked up my scent, and if I was unintentionally giving away my location.   The visibility was improving at 6:30 am, so my glassing become more frequent.  I picked up movement in the trees to my right.  When I trained my binoculars on the image, I witnessed a big bodied deer making its way along the creek.  There was no question it was a buck; I just needed to determine if it was a shooter.  As he made his way across the creek, I could see that his antlers were outside his ears.  He was a very respectable 5×5, and I decided that I would take this animal.  For the next 10 minutes, the buck refused to provide me a shot.  Patience paid off when he turned to his right, exposing his vitals to me.  I chambered a round and clicked the safety to the off position.  My crosshairs were situated on is left shoulder, and I slowly pulled the trigger.  The buck dropped in his tracks at ninety eight yards.  My first deer was down, and I was ecstatic.  

At 10:30 am, we reconvened at headquarters.  The celebration included a big breakfast, and exchanging stories of the morning events.  We relaxed around the house and prepared for the afternoon hunt. 

Brent, Bob’s brother-in-law, would take his daughter back to the east stand, and Paul would man the west platform.  Bob and I had a different plan.  We decided to employ a spot and stalk strategy and quickly cover ground.  After walking Paul to the west stand, we made our way south to see if we could locate a buck in the plains. 

Bob does a great job describing the afternoon events.  

The interesting thing is that I’ve spent my entire life on this ranch guiding pronghorn hunts, and have never bothered to get a license for myself for any big game animals.  I decided that I would this year, and only try to fill the tag if Ross got his deer.  Ross ultimately shot his deer at first light on the opening morning.  His is a beautiful, very symmetrical 5×5.  A trophy for sure.

I glassed the initial buck from about a mile away as he departed a cattle stock tank.  While were putting the sneak on him, we inadvertently walked by a doe about 120 yards to our left.  She didn’t run so I didn’t think we were busted.  We never had a clear line of site on the buck due to tall grass and rolling hills.  In fact, we could only see his rack, and we agreed he was a shooter.  Unfortunately we bumped him and he bolted with his doe to the east.  We waited for him to crest over an adjacent ridge, and then we sprinted 500 yards with the hope he wouldn’t move out of range.  Unfortunately his speed put him about a mile away by the time we reached our spot.  We sat in that position and glassed the entire landscape until deciding to run back to the truck in order to continue the pursuit.  Our plan would be to drive around to the far side of the pasture and cut him off.  While contemplating our next move, I saw a coyote at about 100 yards.  I decided not to shoot him as I didn’t want that report to echo across the pasture.  This decision was fortuitous, and led to our ultimate success.  On the way back, I felt the vibration of my phone signal that I had a voice message.  I decided to return the call en route to the truck.  While walking back, I was quickly yanked to the ground by Ross.  Remember the doe that was gazing at us when we started our stalk?  Well, she didn’t leave and she had a suitor.  He saw us but seemed indifferent as he purposely quartered away from us.  I put the phone on speaker, and dropped it in the sand, while shouldering Ross’ rifle (yes, I forgot the ammo to my gun).  I whispered to the friend on the other end of the line to, “shut up and don’t say a word!”  Ross just about came unglued when he put his binoculars on the deer, and saw that this was a lifetime buck.  I quickly put the barrel in the BIPOD shooting sticks and shot him in the right shoulder.  The deer staggered to the right; he was obviously sick.  I placed the crosshairs on his quartering away shoulder and squeezed off another round.  This bullet entered his right hind quarter and must have found its way to the vitals.  He dropped like a sack of hammers.

I’ve traveled all over North America hunting; white tail and quail in South Texas, bear in the boundary waters of Minnesota, deer and elk in New Mexico and Arizona and even moose in The Yukon.  Not once have I turned in a landowner voucher for myself on my own property.  I’d much rather donate these vouchers to friends, soldiers, Wounded Warriors and youths.  I’m so happy that it worked out the way it did.  Having Ross spot that deer, and be there for the harvest after his success early in the day, is truly a memory that will never be forgotten.

Bob Cage is a good man.  He donates his land, money, expertise and time to people who might never get an opportunity to experience the outdoors.  His success provided me a tremendous amount of excitement and personal satisfaction.  I am proud to say that I was with Bob when he harvested his first big game animal on his own ranch.

Gear in the Field

Product

Review

Tikka T3   Lite chambered in a 30-06 caliber

Three shots, three kills.  The gun’s average is better than David Ortiz in the 2013 World Series.

Limbsaver Recoil Pad

Darn good, low-cost investment.  I shot a lot of rounds when sighting my   rifle in prior to my hunt.  Once I   installed the Limbsaver Recoil Pad, I stopped flinching. 

Bushnell   Elite Scope (3 x 10 x 40)

I made a scope change 10 days before my pronghorn hunt.    That shot was very challenging (270 yards in high winds) and ultimately successful.  My deer was shot at 98 yards, and I had plenty of time to wait for the right shot.  In low-light conditions, the scope worked   very well.

Barnes   VOR-TX 168 grain bullet

Devastating round.  At 98 yards, I hit the animal on my   mark, and he was dead within 10 seconds.

Under Armour

·ColdGear   Infrared Ridge Reaper Softshell Jacket

·Ridge Reaper   Shell Camo Hunting Bib

·ColdGear   Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip

·UA   Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots

·UA   Camo Crew Socks

·UA   Base 3.0 Crew and Leggings

·UA   Hat

This was the second time I employed an entire Under Armour   outfit.  Saturday morning was really cold (26 degrees) and very windy.  My body and feet remained warm even though we were stationary in the stand for over 2 hours.  I wish that I had not forgotten my UA   gloves in the truck as my hands were frozen.  

The Speed Freek boots remain extremely comfortable and   warm.  No blisters to date.

When Bob and I put the stalk on his deer in the afternoon, the day had warmed and the wind had calmed.    We did a lot of running during the pursuit, and the UA fabric kept the sweat away from my body.  I never felt chilled when the sun finally set.

The UA fabric is very flexible and seems durable.   I want to wear this clothing on a future elk hunt in the mountains of Colorado.

Vortex   Diamondback Binoculars (10 x[RF1]  42)

These are a great set of binoculars at an ideal price   point.  The early morning was dark, and I could still pick up the deer in low light conditions.  It was easy to distinguish the specifics of the rack at 100 yards+.  I am going to eventually step up and   purchase the Viper HD   binoculars.  Two of my buddies have the   15x50s, and they are remarkable. 

Outdoor Edge   SwingBlaze

Great concept.  That said, the knife was not sharp out of the box.    I should have put an edge on it prior to the hunt.  I wish the knife was manufactured in the   United States.  My deer was  gutted in less than 20 minutes.

Badlands Recon   Pack

Versatile and light pack.  Badlands makes great products, and the Recon is no exception. 

Leupold   RX1000i TBR with DNA Rangefinder

I quickly ascertained the distances of my deer and Bob’s   deer.  This is a great product and was worth the investment.

Garmin   450t GPS

Hunting GPS Maps

Awesome unit – so much functionality and it is pretty intuitive.  I added the Hunting GPS   Maps for Colorado and Kansas.  Great investment. 

BIPOD   Shooting Sticks

Very functional shooting sticks.  Light, easily accessed and quickly deployed.  I need more experience with them in order to provide a comprehensive review.  So far so good.

2011 Ram   1500

Still running strong after almost 2 years.  About to   install an ARE camper shell.

 

 [RF1]

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Family, Hunting

Make It Happen

I grew up watching Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Roland Martin and Bill Dance.  These television personalities became my mentors as my family and friends did not fish or hunt.  It was relatively easy to learn to fish.  My hometown of Swampscott, Massachusetts had half-dozen ponds that were untouched and loaded with bass.  I could walk the water with a variety of lures and catch fish.  The ocean was in close proximity, so surf-fishing became a regular activity as I got older.  Thanks to Mr. Tom Mann, I was able to participate in a few tournaments down south.  While I did not have success in these events, it certainly fueled my passion for continued involvement in the outdoors. 

Learning to hunt was not effortless as extensive firearm training is vital before you can enter the field.  Unfortunately, that guidance was not readily available in the suburbs of Boston, so I had to suppress my desire to participate in the sport for another fifteen years. 

In my late twenties, my good friend Scott Tynan and his pals in Michigan introduced me to rabbit hunting.  The training was brief and clear; keep the shotgun barrel pointed away from your fellow hunters, and don’t shoot the dogs.  Scott’s friends taught me how to clean my rabbits, and an old cookbook provided the recipe for my first stew.  This introduction was only a teaser as there seemed to be an invisible barrier prohibiting my continued involvement.   

A job took my family to Colorado in the winter of 2008.  Soon after my arrival, my buddy Bob Coyle, offered to help me purchase my first shotgun.  The Google search engine is an important tool when seeking out what to do next.  I was thrilled to discover that there is a local upland preserve & sporting clays range less than thirty minutes from my house.  I bought a membership, obtained some tutelage from a local professional and started practicing.  

In the summer of 2010 I completed my hunter safety course, and later that year, adopted my gundog Pride.  Over the last three years, we have regularly hunted pheasants in Eastern Colorado and Kansas.  My friend, Chad Cadwell, has graciously invited me to duck hunt with him on his prodigious lease in Weld County.  I have put in for big game tags each year but have come up short; until 2013.  With permission from my friend Bob Cage, I applied for tags on his ranch in Wild Horse, Colorado.  Amazingly, I drew both a pronghorn and deer tag.   

Preparation for the Pronghorn hunt involved multiple, and essential steps over an extended period of time.  Step one was to acquire all of the appropriate equipment and knowledge that would lead to a successful hunt (see below).  I leveraged the web and experienced hunters as resources.  Step two was to get trained on how to properly shoot my rifle.

Over the summer, I had Cabela’s bore-sight my rifle in order to get me near paper.  It was then time to visit the range in order to solidify my shooting confidence.  In three sessions, we managed to achieve a 1.5 inch grouping at 100 yards.  That would put me in the kill zone at 200 yards, even if conditions were less than ideal.

On the afternoon of October 4th, Chad Cadwell and I made our way southeast to the Cage Ranch.  Chad is a friend and veteran hunter who offered me his years of experience on my hunt.   We met Bob, Eric Rosel and his son Kelly at headquarters.  Eric also had a pronghorn tag to fill, and for the first time, he would be introducing Kelly to the sport of hunting.  Some cocktails, and a few hunting stories lead to incredible anticipation for the following day’s events.  Right before bed, I took a close look at my tag, and realized that my units were not the optimal areas on the ranch to hunt pronghorns.  I would be sequestered to the northeast where the tree lined habitat caters more to the mule and whitetail deer population.  Despite a new heightened level of anxiety, I managed to squeeze in a few hours of sleep before the 5:30 am wake up call. 

The Saturday strategy was simple; we would get Eric his animal first, then it would be my turn.  We purposefully traveled the ranch in Bob’s Ford F150; each of us glassing for pronghorn activity.  The early morning produced a few prodigious mule deer sightings, but no pronghorn.  Once we did spot a herd of speed goats, we stopped the truck, and started to pursue them on foot.  The rut was on, and it became evident that the bucks were in hot pursuit of any and all females.   As we climbed over a ridge, we could see the lone male rounding up his chosen mates.  Bob signaled to Eric to ready himself for a shot.  Unexpectedly, the buck initiated a determined sprint, and made a beeline directly at our position on the opposite ridge.  Eric repositioned himself, in an attempt to get the appropriate angle on the moving animal.  The pronghorn actually crested the ridge and then pulled an immediate 180 when he saw Bob’s parked truck.  Bob stood up and waived his hands in order to attempt to make the animal stop.  At two hundred and fifty yards the buck paused and looked back at us.  Eric steadied his aim, and shot him in the shoulder.  We celebrated the moment together; it was textbook execution and a clean kill.  Eric, Bob and Chad field dressed the animal, and we headed back to headquarters to hang him in the barn. 

It was now my turn to hunt.  I was a bit anxious as we headed to my units.  Hopefully we would see animals, and my preparation would allow me to perform under pressure.  As we made our way back down the road, I stopped Bob so we could glass where I would be hunting.  I quickly picked up four white bellies, but could not discern if a buck was present.  Opening day of rifle season presents issues for Bob and his team.  Trespassers regularly slip onto his land, and that can present safety issues when there are many people hunting his property.  To that point, we inspected a truck that had illegally parked on the one of the main roads.  In order rectify the situation; telephone calls were placed to the appropriate people. 

Bob could sense that I was a becoming increasingly edgy, so he took us back to the fields.    We headed to the general area where we had seen the four pronghorns from across the road.  After emptying out of the vehicle, we began a quiet jog to the nearest hillside.  The group cautiously peered over the edge of the ridge to see if we could spot the herd.  Bob signaled for us to get low as he spotted the animals grazing to our right.  He told me that there was a shooter-buck, and I needed to get prepared.  I began an army crawl in order to seek a better vantage point where I could set up for a shot.  Bob told me that the male was to my right, and standing at two hundred and thirty yards.  I carefully put the rifle in the bipod, and got to my knees.  The pronghorn herd immediately spotted my movement and started to run to the south.  The male isolated himself from the others, and dashed forty yards to the west.  He unexpectedly stopped and turned back towards us.  Bob whispered “he is at two hundred and seventy yards” so I put the crosshairs behind his right shoulder and slowly squeezed the trigger.  Despite the recoil of the rifle, I was able to watch the buck through my scope drop straight to the ground.  An intense feeling of elation overcame me as I had just fulfilled a lifelong dream.  I celebrated the accomplishment with my fellow hunters, and thanked them for their guidance.  

Participating in outdoor conservation is a privilege and requires many personal responsibilities.  Getting involved takes time, patience, commitment and direction.  I am proof that it is never too late to participate.  I look forward to paying it forward to younger generations of hunters and fisherman.

Product

Review

Tikka T3 Lite chambered in a 30-06 caliber

One shot one kill.  I like my average so far.

Limbsaver Recoil Pad

The change was worth it, as the pad absorbs the thump.  Great low-cost, easy to install investment.

Bushnell Elite Scope (3 x 10 x 40)

I made a scope change 10 days before my hunt.  That was scary.  I went from a 4x fixed power to the Bushnell with variable magnification.  Great advice from my friend Luke Lindsay. 

Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet

Devastating.  At 270 yards, I hit the animal 4 inches high and 4 inches behind my mark, and the animal died instantly.

Under Armour

·         ColdGear Infrared Ridge Reaper Softshell Jacket

·         Ridge Reaper Shell Camo Hunting Bib

·         ColdGear Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip

·         UA Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots

·         UA Camo Crew Socks

·         UA Base 3.0 Crew and Leggings

·         UA Hat

Under Armour has and continues to manufactures great products.  The question I had was whether the quality would translate into their hunting line.  It does.   Saturday started off chilly (29 degrees) and very windy, and I barely noticed the conditions.  As the day warmed, and we started to pursue the animals on foot, I dropped the jacket.   I ordered size large in all products and the clothing fit me perfectly. 

The Speed Freek boots are extremely comfortable, and did not need a break in period.  I stepped on a lot of cactus and yucca trees, and felt nothing on my feet.  I hope these boots hold up over time as I really like them.

UA base layers are and have always been the best.  Their technology and comfort continue to improve over time.

Vortex Diamondback Binoculars (10 x 42)

The Diamondback line from Vortex is affordable (around $200).  These are a great set of binoculars at an ideal price point.  Vortex is a brand all hunters need to consider.

Havalon Piranta Whitetail Hunting and Skinning Knife

This knife is EXTREMLY sharp and highly effective.  It was effortless to field dress the pronghorn.   

Badlands Recon Pack

Versatile and light pack; the Recon has all of the right features/functions.  Badlands makes great products, and the Recon is no exception. 

BOGs Bipod

Held our rifles steady for some challenging shots.  Smart purchase for an inexperienced big game hunter.

Leupold RX1000i TBR with DNA Rangefinder

We quickly ascertained the original and secondary position of the pronghorn.  Awesome product.

K2 Cooler (70 Quart)

I put 4 bags of ice in the cooler on Friday.  We used two bags over three days.  On Sunday, the two remaining bags were still frozen solid. 

2011 Ram 1500

Still running strong after almost 2 years.  Unfortunately my back windows just started to leak.  This is the first major issue with the truck.

 

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Hunting

Our Thanksgiving Meal Will be Purchased in 2013

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The Cage Ranch is about two hours from my house in Parker, CO. The sprawling 40,000+ acres is home to about 1,000 head of cattle as well as a plethora of coyotes, bobcats, antelope, deer, foxes, dove, quail and turkey. I visited the ranch just over a half a dozen times over the last year. Trips to the land have become a source of complete relaxation for me. Bob, the ranch owner, is a friend and an avid sportsman. Bob is use to my many hunting related questions, and his adept responses are filled with insight that I covet. He is keenly aware of my lack of familiarity with certain types of hunting, and is more than willing to mentor me. For that, I am greatly appreciative.

The spring of 2013 meant that I would purchase my first ever turkey tag. The Cage Ranch would be the land where I would seek my intended quarry. I took a Thursday afternoon off from work in order to get some scouting done. Turkey habitat had been planted years back, and a flock of gobblers had been seen strutting up and down the dry creek that runs through the northern part of the land. As a result of this knowledge, we made our way northeast using the cottonwood trees as cover. Hundreds of pairs of mourning doves were feeding as the afternoon turned into evening. Trying to glass every hundred yards or so, we hoped that we would spot the large birds making their way up to roost. We also paid close attention to the sandy bottom of the dry creek, as turkey scat, drag marks and feathers would indicate that we were hunting in the right area. Every so often, Bob let loose a gobbler shaker call in order to see if we would receive a response from a roaming tom. Two miles into our walk we were left smiling but confused – there was no discernable sign of the elusive target. A rare and hard rain had just graced the ranch, so there were plenty of watering holes available. Without a defined hunt zone, we decided to speculate where turkeys would be come morning.

Four thirty am arrived quickly, and the hot pot of Folgers tasted pretty good. We downed a couple of MET-Rx bars, and made our way north to the creek. The sun was rising, the air was warm and we were armed with our Beretta shotguns loaded with HEVI-Shot Magnum Blend shells. We hoped that we could intercept the turkeys as they moved from the trees to the ground. Bob and I took cover in a group of trees just off the edge of the arid river bed. We sat back to back in order to provide a 360 degree view of the territory.

We glassed and called for over an hour, but soon realized that turkeys were not present. While there was some obvious disappointment we decided to change strategies and attempt a predator hunt. I had recently invested in a FOXPRO Wildfire II, and it was a perfect time to see if the electronic call worked. We mounted the speaker on a branch about 50 yards from our blind. I selected the Lighting Jack sound while cranking up the call’s volume to twenty. It did not take but a few minutes before a big yote appeared on the berm about 150 yards east of our position. My Howa Hogue Heavybarrel 1500 .223 was unloaded and propped up on its bipod to my left. I muted the call and reached for the rifle with the ammunition in my right hand. The coyote was running at us at a high rate of speed so my movements were measured. As I raised the rifle to stare down the scope, the coyote appeared 25 yards from our position. Fearing that he would bust us, I used my left hand to activate the Fox Pro. The coyote immediately turned to his right, and started to move toward the call. I chambered a round and took aim. My movement caused the coyote to suddenly change directions, and actually run towards Bob and me. Twenty five yards turned to 10 in a matter of seconds. At that range, the coyote spotted us, and began to cascade away from our position. My first shot missed high; the next two were not even close. Realizing that my marksmanship was less than stellar, I apologized to Bob for the obvious choke-job. We set up in a few more places, but had no success. As mid-morning approached, I thanked Bob for hosting me at the ranch, and headed back to the office.

Next year I plan to take time off work and dedicate a few additional days to preparing for my turkey hunt.

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