Wackin' and Stackin' with the Golden Ticket and Chasin' A Dream Outfitters!

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Where to begin...

Another Cinderella Late Season for the Chasin a Dream Team!

Well we all know how difficult the late hunts have become... tons of hunters in the woods... each tag holder has at least 2 others in tow... rangers, 4wheelers, optics, LR guns.... yadda yadda... It just gets tougher each year to put up good bulls for lucky tag holders (but hey "hunter recruitment" is down...HeHe...).

 

Over a week before season was to begin myself, Jeremy, and our team were all scattered to the 4 corners of our range looking for prospects. The game was shaping up like this: Colton with his own tag in his pocket was on his own, to avoid any conflict of interest with our clients... Jeremy had lots of bulls up his sleeve for his client... I was elbow deep in checking my fav elk holes, but needed bulls for 2 clients... and Donny & Company (Donny Randall & Son's Guide Service, our Bear & Lion Guru) hard at digging up, hard to find bulls where no one else would go, for one of our clients that was going to start his hunt a ½ a day late.

 

Scouting is easy… Colton had 3-4 potential shooters, One that really had his eye… I had 5-6 that were on the hit list… and the rest of the gang was not willing to say how many they had, but we were all ready for opening day.

 

Fireworks! The woods went from empty to full over night! Opening day was a BUST!! I had 3 potential shooters that were a no show for the AM hunt… and found my #4 bulls quarters hanging in a tree 200 yards from where I last videoed him that our PM hunt…. Coltons #1 & #2 bulls vanished with the influx of people in the woods… And the rest of the gang faired about the same.

 

Day 2… A Text from Donny & Company… Bull Down! Sam, Donny, & Austin packed the Solid late season bull a mile, plus out of the woods so fast that the client was both amazed and thrilled with the teamwork and the quality of his bull. Meat delivered to Round Valley Processing and the Hunter went chasing Bears the next day with the guys!!

 

Day 3… Today was Golden Tickets Day! Colton and Mark had relocated his big bull at dark the evening before and at first light Colton was slinging lead! A giant down on the mountain!! I had Pics on my phone by 7:40 AM!! It took them all day to make the 2 round trips required to pack all of the whopper bull out! So Proud of my Boy and how hard he worked for this bull before and during the hunt! A Huge shout out to Mark for being there!!

 

Day 5… I was in the need… the need to get Bloody! We had a bull in mind that was going to require a very early start… left Camp at 4 AM…. We were on point glassing just at grey light…. No bull…. I turned to Colton and mentioned that we should run around an check from another favorite glassing point where other bulls sometimes hang… and he nodded a big Yes. We hauled tail around the mountain and before I had my Swaros up Colton whispered, Got a Bull…. I went for the Scope and my first words were, Oh Yeah, Look Colton! He jumped in the scope and all he could say was, ITS H-I-M!!!

The stalk plan was made, and my hunters and I started our move. An hour later, with cloud cover as our friend, we were at 400yds… Rifle in the Claw… bull broadside… lead in the air… bull on the ground…. And one very happy group! Having this bull on the ground meant more to Colton than anyone for he had been picking sheds off this bull for years... And the once amazing 400+ inch frame had shortened on top but the bottom was still as good as ever with 24 G2s and 20 G1s & G3s to compliment! My hunter was so very happy with this old Monarch of the Mountain whos Teeth and Ivories were nearly gone. We had been hoping to find this bull hard horned for years and he finally showed!!

 

Day 6… Jeremy had been working his tail off in one of the hardest hunts of all… the filming of a LR hunting TV show is not nearly as easy as one might think… Guide, hunter, and entourage trudging up & down the mountains looking for the perfect bull, standing perfectly broadside, at the perfect distance, perfect wind and light… Well lets just say…. Better him than me! HaHaHa… The giants that Jeremy had in mind had moved on by now… A great opportunity was lost on a 320-330ish bull on the 6th morning, but the wind and light were perfect and the Hunters Videographer begged for a harvest Now!… And as if on cue another 6pt turned broadside on the hill… it was…Lights out, and the show was over!

 

Day 7… Last day and I have one hunter left! Crunch time and I pulled out the stops… a 2 mile hike in the dark put us in a pocket you cant see from anywhere but where I was sitting…. Colton was my insurance policy High on a mountain top a mile and a ½ away looking big. I couldnt see much but he could not see what I was looking at… and I was looking at a bull feeding away at 350 yds!!! We got that rifle in the Claw and waited… so thick! First horns, then head, then a shoulder… My Guy says he is ready… say Okay, if you are sure… BOOMWhack! Where did he go??… I was sure it was over but I walk across the Canyon first and located the down bull before waving my hunter across… I had one ½ of the bull processed before Colton even got to me, and it took the rest of the day to make the first trip out as the weather set in… but we were in no hurry we were DONE!! 100% DONE… and my friends… that is a feeling that is hard to beat. Our team worked hard… SO Hard… and it paid yet again!!

 

I am proud of our Hunters… and I am proud of the Team that makes up Chasin a Dream Outfitters! Thanks Everyone for another great late Elk season! I am most Proud of my Son… My Golden Ticket was in on 3 bulls and over 1000 inches of elk bone again this year with 385+ inches of that belonging to him!! Yes… Proud Poppa… Colton made 2 Poppas very proud on that hill!

 

For each of us… hunters, guides, and outdoor enthusiasts, the definition of the perfect hunt or perfect trophy is very different… What is good enough for one is lacking for another… We all want a 400 incher with our tag hung on it in the bed of the Ranger on opening morning but this year was great because all our hunters met their expectations, had by their own explanation to me an excellent hunt and for me as a simple bystander… there is just nothing but fun in stacking up bone and sending everyone home with some of it!

 

Good Hunting!

[bowhunter4life]

Simply, Very few have the passion and dedication to produce year in and year out. Way to GET R DONE...

[Coach]

Well Gino, no matter what the conditions, you sure know how to get it done. Nice pics and looks like one heck of a fall of hunting. Thanks for the pics and stories. Kinda wondered why you dropped off the radar - looks like you've been a busy bee.

[Coach]

BTW, not meaning to be nit-picky, but the story could use a couple of paragraph breaks - you know, make it easier to follow... just sayin'.

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

BTW, not meaning to be nit-picky, but the story could use a couple of paragraph breaks - you know, make it easier to follow... just sayin'.

 

A copy and paste issue... I hope that is better, J!

[Chef]

Good job Gino.

You all did good and congrats to Colton and Mark on a stud of a bull.

That broken up monster is just that too. Awesome.

[Pine Donkey]

What an impressive collection of stud bulls. It shows how hard work pays off!

[JMP]

good stuff! would love to see more angles.

[Coach]

Wow, great bulls all the way around and that 7x7 is just awesome. Just an amazing job of balancing family hunting with clients and getting it done all the way around. You have talent my friend!

[cramerhunts]

Super job Gino and team on some great bulls! Looks like a lot of fun and a lot of work, Congratulations to all involved. Colton's bull is a stud for sure!

[WHALE]

Great job Gino and crew.

[Arizonahunter]

Awesome......

[bonecollector]

Congrats to all on some nice bulls!

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Good job Gino.

You all did good and congrats to Colton and Mark on a stud of a bull.

That broken up monster is just that too. Awesome.

 

Chef,

 

Colton's bull is such a Cinderella Story for those of us that know him best. Colton needed and deserved a bull like this, like no one else... He worked hard all fall in the woods and made this hunt possible on his own... Sure I helped with camp, logistics, and daily phone & text pep-talks...and of course Mark was instrumental in being there as his second for the 3 day hunt & pack... but for all of us it is soo about him (Colton)... Just Awesome when a Great plan comes together and a most deserving tag holder prevails.

 

Here is a great look at 59 7/8 ® & 55 6/8 (L) Main Beams! That cool twisted ped adds length!

[izquik72]

Great read Gino

Dang you guys sure get after it.

Sounds like everybody on the team/group has the same dedication as you.

 

Great Bulls for everybody

Your sons bull is a stud for sure and on a late season hunt too! Awesome