bonecollector Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Congrats to you, that's a good bday present to yourself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Congratulations Bill!!! that's great! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotcoues Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Well Congrats and Happy Early Birthday to you. Most can only hope to be harvesting animals at age 75 minus a month, I hope I can keep my train moving that well in 40 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjwking Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Awesome job, congratulations!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted August 9, 2011 Thanks, all. Those of you who asked for photos are out of luck. If you had read my book you'd know that I gave my cameras away and stopped taking photos when I hung up my spurs at the Tucson Citizen in March 1994. Photography was the part of my job that I absolutely hated and I vowed to never again take a photograph! I haven't. As for a story of my hunt, here it is, briefly: After drawing the tag, I spent nearly a month driving into Eagar and searching for the best access into the unit and then patterning a herd of 41 cows, calves and raghorn bulls. For the five days preceding the opener, I kept track of that herd from where it spent the night to where it bedded, and made a plan to ambush it at a particular point in between those sites. By opening week, the herd had split and I now was watching only 22 cows and calves. On opening morning, Bullwidgeon's grandfather and I left his home at 4:00 a.m. and waited in ambush for the herd to arrive at first light, just as it had done for weeks. Three of Bullwidgeon's uncles were on a high place 3/4 mile away, watching us. For some reason, though, the herd had suddenly decided to feed somewhere else that morning. When the herd didn't show up, we moved to the bedding area in time to hear a teenager shoot and kill a member of "our" herd. Bullwidgeon's grandfather and uncle were able to see the boy get off the finishing shot. My wife and I had somewhere to go that evening, but our crew was out again the next morning and afternoon. The only elk we saw that day was at last light when a very small calf answered my cow whistles at the bedding area and walked up to six steps of where I was sitting. It spooked when it saw me, and took the herd with it. The next morning, Sunday, we went back to our original site and found two adult cows feeding a half mile below us along a fenceline. One of Bullwidgeon's uncles and I closed the distance while his other uncle and grandfather watched from a mile away. At about 350 yards, the elk on our side of the fence suddenly moved fifty yards to the left and presented a broadside shot. A flat post on the fence made a good rest, and because it appeared the elk wouldn't come closer, I decided to shoot. My first shot missed, but the second one didn't. It took one more hit before it was down for good. I lost count a long time ago, but that cow elk is somewhere between the 40th or 50th animal I've taken with my 7 mm Remington Magnum. I made the stock from a piece of the walnut tree that a friend and I cut in the Texas Hill Country many years ago. The action and barrel is a Czech-built Mauser to which I added a Timney trigger, a Model 70-type safety and a Leupold 3-9X compact scope with duplex reticle. Most of my game, including this cow elk, has been shot with 175-grain Nosler Partition handloads. Bill Quimby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted August 9, 2011 Great story Bill and thanks for sharing. I do remember now after reading your book that picture taking was out of the question. Thanks for sharing. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted August 9, 2011 Great story Bill! Can't think of a better birthday present. Congrats and Happy Birthday to you! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted August 9, 2011 Bill, It's good to read that your freezer has some fresh elk meat. Are you having Tenderloins for a birthday dinner? Doug Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted August 10, 2011 Bill, It's good to read that your freezer has some fresh elk meat. Are you having Tenderloins for a birthday dinner? Doug Doug: My son-in-law is my butcher and chef. He's coming up this weekend to pick up the carcass from the locker where it's hanging and take it back to Tucson. We'll still be on the mountain for my birthday, so I won't get to taste the elk until we return to Tucson for the winter in November. He does great things with game meat, so it doesn't matter. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted August 10, 2011 Bill, thanks for posting the story. Gets the blood pumping for the coming seasons! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZbowhntr Report post Posted August 12, 2011 Great story Bill. Isn't it amazing that you can pattern a herd of elk and the day that you have a rifle they change it up on you. Happy birthday also. Hope I'm still running around the mountains at 75. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nanoHunter Report post Posted August 12, 2011 There is nothing like Elk meat in the freezer. Congrats! And Happy Birthday (Early)! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muzzlehunter75 Report post Posted August 12, 2011 Good job Bill!!! Looks like next time I'm up that way lunch is on you! Congrads! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
