As if I don’t get enough camping in during the fall, I decided to head to the hills this weekend to do a little scouting and avoid the almost 100 degree heat that hammered our area on Friday. Rinda and I decided to load up and do a little old fashioned camping in an old burn up above Mike’s cabin in the Beartooth Mountains. The weather was much cooler and the wildlife was abundant. Our slumber was interrupted at 3:15 by coyotes yelping and to my surprise the elk began bugling at about 4:30. No visits from Mike’s bears though. A pretty cushy camp by fall standards, but it was good to get out of the summer heat and get into the hills. We are extremely fortunate to live so close to such magnificent country…particularly, with $5.00 per gallon gasoline. No doubt, fall is right around the corner with our first hunt, the antelope archery opener starting on the 15^th of August.

Guy:

The other night I watched your t.v. hunting show where you were hunting Grizzlies in British Columbia. While you were loading up the horses for the trek into the “base” camp I noticed you putting your rifle into the scabbard with the butt facing backwards. I did not notice you do anything other than push hard to make sure it was fully forward into the scabbard. It appeared you did not tie it in. While on the horses crossing a stream, the scabbard was hanging precariously close to the water, enough so that it looked like the rifle may have / could have gotten quite wet.

Also while moving along, the scabbard appeared to be hanging very low, almost horizontally to the ground. How the heck did you keep the rifle from falling out or from getting wet. The movement and jostling of the scabbard while on the trail would allow the rifle to loosen and possibly fall out if it wasn’t tied in.

This fall will be my 58th hunting season with a special 10 - 12 day trip planned into the Pasayten Wilderness here in Washington. It will be my FIRST ever on horseback. Maybe the LAST on horseback for this old duffer. I just thought I might learn from your knowledge and experiences.

Thank you for your magazines and your entertaining t.v. hunting show.

Your Faithful Subscriber
Don Jacobson

Good Morning Don,

Thank you for watching the show. You are correct I use a leather gun scabbard on my horse that faces backward on the left side of the horse when I am hunting in the backcountry in rough terrain. This works particularly well when bear hunting, as it allows me to jump off my horse and unsheathe my gun very quickly, almost in one fluid motion. Even if the horse jumps away from me or whirls to run I still have a chance to grab my gun, minimizing my chances of being stranded at the feet of an angry grizzly bear without a firearm. Additionally, if your horse does go down and rolls over your gun is not sure to be broken in half this way. This is how many of the trappers and Indians in our country carried their guns on horseback many years ago.

The draw back to carrying your gun this way, is that the saddle can become a little bit unbalanced, particularly with a really heavy gun because the scabbard is further away from the cinch. Also, this method is not quite as comfortable for the horse as the standard right side, butt up version. A horse’s front shoulders are very strong and stable and centering your weight right behind them is the best scenario for the horse’s stability and comfort.

Once slid tightly into the scabbard, the gun will stay there extremely well. I have never had a problem with my gun slipping out, even under bronc like conditions. If fact, it can even be a chore to get my gun out of the scabbard at times, particularly when the leather is wet. The keys are: to firmly and I mean firmly slide your gun into the scabbard and use a barrel protector (www.ultimateboreprotection.com ) to make sure you don’t get any dirt or debris that might be gathered at the bottom of the scabbard in the barrel of your gun.

In grizzly country you might not want to tie your gun into your scabbard on your horse…that could be a bit dangerous.

I hope this answers your question. Keep hunting hard and good luck.

Guy

I’m going on my first elk hunt to Colorado with my buddies, November 2008. We are easterners from Ohio who love the west. We will be hunting the third rifle season (Nov. 1-7). It is a drop camp, we are going in 12 miles by horses. We need your advise for calling elk during that time of the year. Do you recommend bull bugles or cow calls? Are they helpful or detrimental? If they would help what calls would you suggest? We will have bull and cow tags. Any help you could give would be appreciated. We are fans of Eastmans.

Hello George,

Guy

Dan Kohnen, via Email
Aberdeen, South Dakota

Hey Guy,

Just want to start by saying I love your show, and your magazine even more. I am getting ready to upgrade my binoculars, and need some help sifting through the reviews and catalog descriptions. I hope you and the others at Eastmans can help. Right now I’m using Nikon Monarch 10×42, they are great but I’m ready to take the big plunge into high end optics. Most of my fall is spent in a treestand waiting for whitetails, but I also do a yearly mule deer hunt in Western South Dakota(my home state), and last year I went antelope hunting for the first time, and as long as I’m able I’ll continue doing both. And hopefully more western big game hunting in the future, in a few weeks I will also find out if I will be elk hunting for the first time (wyo unit 62). Back to the bino dilema, I don’t know what to buy. I’m looking to spend around a thousand bucks, give or take, which is the best buy in that range, Leupold Gold Ring HD, Steiner Predator, Peregrine, Bushnell Elite, Nikon Premier LX, Leica Trinovid BN, Zeiss Conquest ABK, Cabelas Euro? Can you help? I may have another option, a used set of Swarovski El for around $1400, the only thing I worry about the used Swaros is the warrenty if I don’t have the receipt, what is there warranty like? Should I keep saving and get the used Els or would one of the above listed be a better(safer) purchase. I hope you can help.

Howdy Dan,

Guy

Duane Matejka, via Email
Buckingham, Pennsylvania

Hi,
My son gave me a subscription to your magazine and one of your DVDs for Christmas. Great stuff! In the video you seem to be hunting with a Weatherby Accumark with some sort of vibration damper on the barrel just in front of the end of the forend.
I have an Accumark in 30-378 and would be interested in this accessory, can you tell me about it?
Thanks!
Duane Matejka

Dear Duane,

Guy

I once read the horrific account of a man who, deep in the back country, was kicked in the face by a mule while trying to load an elk quarter. His partners made heroic efforts to get the man out of the mountains to medical help, where fortunately he recovered. Grimly, I nodded. Boy, was he lucky. He got his elk.

For the serious big-game hunter, horses and mules are like you-know-what - can’t live with them, can’t live without them. They carry us far into the elk woods and then carry our game out. But, also - like you-know-what - the misery endured for these simple services can drive a horseman to insanity; or in extreme cases, to llamas.

Let’s say you don’t have horses and can’t afford an outfitter. Not to worry! I have seen advertisements in many hunting magazines for rental horses. For about twice the price of actually buying a good horse, you can rent a horse and saddle for a hunting weekend, or even the entire season. Some of these outfits will even deliver a horse right to your house. I’m familiar with a true story about some luckless hunters who rented horses for an elk hunt in Utah. They should have been alarmed when the horses were introduced.

“This is Buckeye. An’ that sorrel is Buckshot. The bay gelding is Buckingham, and this here mare is Buckaroo.”

Space constraints require that I spare you the gruesome details, but know that this horse rental hunt began with injury to both man and beast and ended up in a forest fire.

One day, the hunters were actually successful in saddling the horses and riding into the mountains. They decided to get out and hunt for a while on foot, so they unsaddled the horses, tied them up, and went hunting. When they returned, they had a real rodeo trying to get the beasts saddled up again. In the fracas, a horse fell over onto its back between two logs and couldn’t get up.

One of the hunters, having seen way too many old Westerns, decided the horse was mortally wounded and needed to be shot. Another hunter, wrestling to get his own horse saddled, saw what was brewing in the man’s head.

“Don’t you dare shoot that horse,” he yelled. “Get him up and shoot him when we get back to camp. That’s what I’m going to do with mine.”

For many years I had to rely on a cranky and stubborn old jackass to get my meat out of the mountains: Me. Me and my packframe. After a few years of that, I actually bought horses and saddles of my own. I’ve even had a chance to use them. I had a late season cow elk tag that first year. Early one morning a couple days after Thanksgiving I hiked into the mountains and killed a cow about two miles from the road. I pondered my options. There wasn’t any snow to speak of so a sled wouldn’t work. It would take at least four trips with a backpack and my oId jackass pal. Everybody that I could think of to help was either at work or in school or lucky enough to avoid my calls. I grimaced as I walked off the hill. I had no choice. I had to go back for the horses.

I got home and hooked up the horse trailer and the lights were working. Not a good sign. Not good at all. The horses loaded up like a dream. In fact, after I lead the first mare into the trailer, the younger gelding jumped right in all by himself. I drove to the parking area and saddled them up. No problems so far; I was a nervous wreck. The ride in to the kill site came and went without event. The horses stood placidly while I quartered the cow. When I hefted the elk quarters into the saddle panniers, the horses stood like statues -  but I could sure feel the storm building. The walk off the hill went smoothly. Unloading the elk at the truck was a piece of cake. The ride back home was quiet and peaceful and five minutes later the horses were swishing their tails out in the pasture.

It was so depressing.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to drop me a note stating their views and concerns on this subject.

Reader Feedback:

Mike Higgins

Guy,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the letter by Mike Veile in the current EHJ. I agreed with most of the points that Mr. Veile has wrote. I am also the “common” hunter you mention in your Scoping It Out section of the magazine. I live in Arizona and I was born and raised in Idaho. Just having the opportunity to hunt is most important to me and all the threats like the “conservation tag” need to be addressed. Our sport is changing. It is bitter sweet. We need continued interest in hunting and the outdoors by generations to come, but the more people who apply means the lower chance of drawing a tag. Every tag I am lucky enough to draw is “coveted”. This word seems to pop up in the first few paragraphs of every story I read. The story of the “auction tag” holder is the last one I would want to read. (I thought you might want to know this). The EHJ was not founded to put those with the most money on the cover. I would rather read a story which is interesting or humorous, ending with the taking of a personal trophy or meat buck than the typical story of how I was dragged along by my guide just to be able to pull the trigger….but you already know that. DIY is the best way to go!

I am mostly a solo hunter, not by choice, but I have small children, and finding a good hunting partner can be as hard as finding a good wife. That is why she is my best hunting partner. Sorry for the lengthy email, just wanted to say nay to these auction tags unless auctioned by the wildlife management agencies. The costs to provide the best management and opportunity to hunt should come from the license and tag fees..If they need to be increased than do it. The resident tag for deer here costs about the same as 10 gallons of milk these days. The real cost of a hunt is the gasoline. I laugh when I hear people complain about an out of state deer tag for $400. Heck, I have spent thousands on optics, I need to use them don’t I? Last year in Colorado, that was the best $300 dollars I have ever spent for my buck license. We had a great time and that is what is all about. Keep up the great work,

Loyal Subscriber,
Mike

P.S. great hardcore video, and tell Cameron he never has to apologize for the score after his hunt I have never taken anything very big. When I have not shot an elk by day 4, I have to think real hard about pulling the trigger because the last one took three more days to get it off the mountain. (I hunt San Francisco Peaks N of Flagstaff) because it is the easiest draw odds.

Thanks again,
Mike

JERRY GILLUM

Guy, I have been a fan and subscriber of your magazine for a long time. I was also a friend of your grandfathers, and was in his video “Deer Hunter”. Your concerns and those of the gentleman from Idaho ,in turn ,concern me. I feel he is way off base on some things and probably legit on others. I preach to my young daughters to work hard at being positive in a world of almost total negativeness. Everybodies glass is half empty instead of half full! I also feel that most all are so into their own desires, that they take very little time to concider the needs of others. If we as sportsmen combine our efforts and work together, we might have the resources to fight the anti-hunters. There is the problem; self interests and selfishness. To the fellow from Idaho; I happen to be a member of SFW WYO and I would welcome you to one of our meetings to really get to know who we are and to see the great things we have done for sporstmen. We may not be perfect, but we are trying combine efforts of all sportsmen to protect our sport and heritage. I do not underestand why RMEF has not taken a stand against wolves, or I don’t particularly feel that long-range hunting is ethical, but

it is what others enjoy, so who am I to criticize. Please, befor you feel inclined to criticize someone or some organization, try to at least be a little more informed on their goals and desires. You might be suprised that they are very much like your own!

Jerry Gillum, Chairman
NE WYO Chapter Sportsmen For Fish and Wildlife

David Qualls

Guy,
I really enjoy your magazine and your TV show. The TV show is, in my opinion, one of the very best. Since very few Texans seem to hunt mule deer in our state, your show is the only one I can rely on to view footage and gain information about mule deer and elk hunting. Your show is very educational as well as a pleasure to watch. Keep up the good work.

I specifically emailed in your response to your editorial called “Scoping It Out” in the Jule/July, 2007 issue. Texas is certainly no different about selling high priced, one of a kind trophy hunts, which only the wealthy can afford. The “common man” or “family” can hardly afford the price of a deer lease, since 97 % of the land in Texas is private. This problem will only continue to accelerate. We are blessed with a lot of state parks and public hunting areas in Texas, but the competitiion for special hunts (deer, hogs, etc.) is intense. It was easier for me to draw a non-resident elk license in Wyoming (with no preference points) than it is to draw one of these tags to hunt on public land in Texas. The only good news is that the cost of the tags is cheap, and the hunt itself is inexpensive.

The same is pretty true of fishing in our state also. Unless you have a boat, hire a guide, or want to fish from the bank, access to quality fishing places is pretty limited.

Sportsmen’s conservation groups, SCI, RMEF, NWTF, NRA, and all of the others acknowledge the fact that unless we provide opportunities for all hunters, especially young ones, that our great sport will diminish in popularity as our population ages. Lack of access, the high cost of tags, the expense of gas and travel, and lack of time all contribute to the problem. It doesn’t seem that many of these groups are working hard to make public access a reality for the average person.

Maybe they are, and we don’t really hear much about it. I know that DU at least publicizes their efforts.

Good luck,
David Qualls

We have finally made it back onto US soil after our two week Grizzly hiatus in Southern British Columbia. I have finally found a place that has a larger grizzly bear density than my elk hunting stomping grounds her in Wyoming. Nate and I glassed up over 20 bears in six days with two of them being true trophies. We bumped another three bears face on the trail while horseback, making the final grizzly tally right at 23 bears in six days of hunting. We encountered some very warm, sunny spring days along with some horrendous rain storms, as well as snow and hail. A little of everything and some very long days to boot - you gotta love springtime in the Rockies.

Although we did not connect with the pumpkin-headed, banana-clawed giant we spotted on the first day, we did finally take a good bear high above the river in a steep alpine snow slide. The footage is incredible and the Weatherby performed yet again on this gorgeous spring mountain grizzly. After rolling and tumbling over 400 yards and off three cliffs the bear was dead for certain and missing one claw which I could not seem to locate. Look for this exciting episode to air on our TV show, Eastmans’ Hunting Journal, some time this fall. Keep checking www.eastmans.com for the up to date TV schedule.

It’s always nice to be back home is wonderful Wyoming. The rivers are finally starting to shape up from the spring run off and it is certainly time for me to break out the fly rod and head for “trout heaven.”

See you on the river, I am headed to wet a line.

Guy

Nate and I are out of the hills for the night. We need fresh horses, more food and horse feed. The country is rough, as Ike knows. Four of the five horses were sored up pretty bad.

We have seen over 20 bears and have been hunting a true monster for a week. It is infested with Grizzlies. The big bear is a hawg. Possibly an 8 footer. At least 600 lbs. We should kill him. If not some good 6-7 footers around.

Ike, we spotted “dirty goat” the other day. Some killer footage so far.

I got tossed off the horse and broke the GL, and almost broke my neck in a rock pile. Pretty sore. Good times. Some good rain footage and leading the horses over a 50 foot deep avalanche, good stills too.

Well, have to run and help re-shoe a few horses. Talk to you later,

Guy N. Guy Eastman
Eastmans’ Hunting Journals

Year #1 Unit 76
Year #2 Unit 201
Year #3 Unit 10
Year #4 Unit 13
Year #5 Unit 2

It appears to me that you are trying to draw 5 different units in you plan instead of concentrating on just one unit. Like in area 76. You should be able to draw an archery tag for that unit in 4 to 5 years where in units 10 and 201 it will take you a minimum of 13 to 15 years.

Maybe I’m just not understanding how to come up with an effective 5 year plan or I misunderstood what you were trying to say. Could you give me some advise as to how I can come up with an effective 5 year plan.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond,
Jason Willis

P.S. I have an article in to you titled “Patience, Patience, Patience. Hopefully it’s good enough material for your publication.

Dear Jason,
Thank you for attending the lecture. I am glad your new Schnee’s boots. They are well worth the money.

As for the areas that appeared in my lecture, I just listed four or five of the top areas that I have included in our (Mike’s and mine) multi year plans in the past five or six years. I review my areas each year and often times change them from year to year based on herd conditions, season dates or even draw odds. Colorado is a bit of a unique case because the CO preference point system is a complete “lock-out” system and unless you have enough points to draw you are just applying for points. Were as almost every other state it is statistically possible to draw a tag on your first go. So with CO I started out by applying for 10 and 201 for elk six years ago, but have since changed my strategy because I just cannot justify waiting 14 or 15 years to hunt elk in CO. At this point, I am just in the process of banking points and then I can decide if I want to bowhunt in 76 or keep gathering points to rifle hunt there instead. Keep in mind, I am not trying to draw all 5 areas at once, we just wanted to list five of the better units for guys to look at when trying to hunt in CO.

When we built the lecture we wanted to give guys a few options in Colorado because, telling guys to start giving CO money for the next 15 years and you might be able to hunt elk in unit 201 would make for a pretty discouraging lecture.

I hope this helps to clarify this for you. Attached you will find the actual area listing and explanations from the lecture. Thank you for the feedback and I look forward to reading your article.

Sincerely,
Guy

Mule Deer Tag Picks: When applying for mule deer, I put together a formal five year plan that incorporates these states. I usually hunt Wyoming, Montana and Idaho very consistently and then play the preference point game in Colorado and Arizona. Without a doubt, Colorado is the number one state for big mule deer right now. You will need four or more preference points to get into some of the better areas however. Another state to possibly look into would be Nevada.

Idaho
First come first serve tags
Tags still available

Wyoming
Region G
Region H

Montana
270 – 50
300 – 50
324 – 50
455 – 70

Colorado
Eagle, Gunnison, and Mesa Counties
44
21
66
43

Arizona
Coconino, Mohave, and Apache Counties
12A East Late
12B Late
12A West Late
13B

Antelope Tag Picks: For antelope I use a short three year plan and hunt Wyoming and Montana. Wyoming has left over tags is many areas each year and if you do your research properly, you can apply for one of the below “trophy units” and then put one of the “historic” left over units such as area 48 for your second choice. By doing this you can almost hunt antelope in WY every year. Montana has some great opportunity on the Eastern side of the state with a near 50% draw success rate. Montana, like Wyoming does have a preference point system so you can almost be assured an antelope hunt in the big sky state every other year. Check into some of the “Block Management” land in Eastern Montana for public access to private land and don’t forget to research the “Walk In Area” program in Wyoming as well. Both programs offer hunter some good opportunity to hunt on private land at no cost.

Wyoming
60
57
114
61

Montana
700 – 00
690 – 00
620 – 00
600 – 00

Elk Tag Picks: When applying for elk tags, I extend my plan out to ten years. Some of the top elk areas are very difficult to draw and it will take you at least ten years to begin to have a chance in a state like Arizona or Nevada and even longer in Utah. Don’t let yourself get discouraged though. There is some fantastic hunting in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana on public land with a general license if you are willing to do your research and hunt hard. These general licenses are all well within reason with draw odds at or above the 50/50 mark. Also please note that the areas listed below for Wyoming are not general season units. I am a resident of Wyoming so I can put in for a limited entry elk tag (which are the areas listed below) and if unsuccessful I can then turn around and buy an over the counter general elk tag.

Keep in mind, elk are not dumb animals, even in the best most limited units in the country only a fool would bank his hunt of a lifetime on a huge bull to stand right next to the road within rifle range of your ATV. You have to get out and hunt hard if you want to find a trophy.

Idaho
11
40
44
50

Wyoming
58
55
45
51
7

Utah
San Juan
Central Mountains Manti
Beaver
Mount Dutton

Montana
380 – 20
313 – 11
410 – 20
622 – 20
798 – 20

New Mexico
16D
17
15
16A

Arizona
1
9
10
27

Sheep Tag Picks: The outlook for drawing a sheep tag this day and age can be a little bleak. I have modified my plan for sheep to essentially be a lifetime plan of attack. Even with odds that are just shy of ridiculous I am fairly confident I will attain a bighorn sheep license at some point in my life. The four state’s with the best opportunity for bighorn sheep are Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Colorado.

Applying for sheep can be very expensive and you must use your hard earned money wisely. Below are the areas that I have applied for sheep in the past. All of these state’s have a preference point system so you will have to just play the game and hope for some luck. Wyoming has the most sheep licenses of any state and treats non-residents somewhat fairly. If you can only afford to apply for one state I suggest Wyoming in either unit 2 or unit 5. It is possible to draw a tag in Wyoming with 0 points which is more than can be said for most of the other states. Just do what you can afford and good luck.

Wyoming
2
3
5

Montana
680 - 00
216 - 00
270 – 00

Idaho
11
19
21

Colorado
S26
S32
S6

I hope you have gotten some value from this information. I always recommend you do your own research and apply for your tags on your own, if possible. Just the application process alone can be a very educational and enlightening experience. Keep your head up and have faith.

Guy Eastman

I know you guy’s follow the political climate on these issues closely. Do see this being changed or challenged much in the near future?

Thanks Again,

Carl

Dear Carl,

Thanks for the e-mail. I am sorry for the tardiness of this reply. I have been out in the field for the majority of the month now. I still go down to Thermopolis quite often to hunt antelope and fish the river during the summer.

As for your question regarding the political climate of states rights, I really don’t think you we will see this overturned in the near future. I don’t think the Federal Government under this administration wants to deal with game management and the hunting issue. They know that if they federalize game management there would be “no game management” and we would have CA game laws nation wide. The state management laws are in the constitutionalized, so it would take an act of congress and a signature from the president to over-turn the issue. I really think there are enough senators out west and in the mid-west that it would never get the 2/3 vote to overturn it in our immediate lifetimes. This is why it is extremely important to teach our kids to hunt and respect the sport we love so much. It will be the judges and senators that they vote for that will keep this tradition legal in America.

The only scenario I see jeopardizing this theory at this point, is the wolf issue. I really believe that the liberal, “tree huggers” and “anti’s” including the US Fish and Wildlife Department are pushing the wolf issue as a way to take hunting away from us. They have tried every way to Sunday to defeat hunting in the court system and it always gets struck down because of the need for the use of hunting as a game management tool. But, if the wolves and predators do the managing for us, the system no longer needs the hunter to manage the game populations. The wolves and lions have done it for us. Hunters out west are losing hunting opportunities on a daily basis due to the wolf re-introduction project/debacle. They (the US F&W Dept.) want to grow the wolf population and recover area from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, the ENTIRE Rocky Mountain region, no joke. That is why the Federal Endangered Species Act as it stands today, is probably the single largest threat to our hunting heritage, in my opinion.

I hope this clarifies your question.
Thanks for your input Carl and Merry Christmas.

Guy