This is topic Home from Jihad... What a trip!!! in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on November 22, 2005, 08:31 PM:
We made it back today from over three days of what can only be described as an incredible hunting trip of a lifetime. What a trip!
We made it onto the Wolf Springs Ranch about two hours late on Friday night and were welcomed by owner Tom Redmond, his wonderful wife Carman (an incredible cook and gracious hostess), their daughter, Anna, and three wonderfully well behaved dogs, Lilly, Guku, and Lucky. First thing up was a great dinner of grade A buffalo steaks and Chinese cuisine. Geez, was it an incredible meal. But the best was yet to come.
Tom has an incredible home and is a hospitable host that, quite frankly, I cannot describe with mere words. I'm sure that Rich and Kent will stand by me when I say that their hospitality was both overwhelming and indescribable. Our "bunk house" was a beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom log cabin style ranch house with all the amenities and we lacked nothing.
But, on to the hunting stories. Bear in mind that this is the Reader's Digest version since the full made-for-television production will be submitted to T&PC shortly down the road.
Wolf Springs Ranch is 70,000 acres (~100 square miles) of prime Rocky Mountain real estate in the Sangra de Christo mountains (sorry Loco, and thanks for the correction) west of Pueblo. This is private land where the public is allowed thru the Ranching for Wildlife program in Colorado, and according to the guides we enjoyed spending our time with, is regarded as the number 2 ranch in Colorado for trophy bull elk. I can believe that! In three days, Kent and I saw nearly 300 elk, mulies, antelope, and cut several tracks of cougars and bear that were fresh enough to keep you looking over your shoulder.
Our objective on site was simple: teach Tom and two of his employees, Ranch Manager Joaquin Medina and Ricky Atencio who will be heading up the predator control efforts, to call and kill predators. Specifically, coyotes. Tom has implemented an aggressive and fine-tuned management program for his elk, deer and antelope, with predator control being an integral part. To that end, I invited Kent Constable from here in Kansas to cover bobcats, myself and Rich Higgins to cover coyotes, and Quinton Wagoner who, because of an unforeseen problem with work, was unable to be there. Man, we missed you. Next time, huh?
First, a couple pics of the area we called...
This is an old homestead cabin in one of at least a thousand beautiful valleys. Ricky (my guide) and I called this valley on day one. In thirteen stands that day, we called two coyotes and killed one.
A ways down the road, I found one of many small lakes designed to provide water for the ranch elk herd.
Late that morning, I managed to bring in a nice male coyote around a large alpine meadow and discovered him on a hard charge at 50 yards, "woofed" him to a stop, and put one through and through at the shoulders.
While Ricky and I were out trying to get another, Rich managed to induct our host into predator calling in a righteous manner by bringing in a group of five. This is Tom with 2 (of those 5) he dropped using his new toy, a .243 WSM.
Wow! A double on his first day out. It doesn't get any better than that! I think he likes calling coyotes.
On the afternoon of day one, Ricky and I went up high - 10,000+ feet high! - and found ourselves overlooking 10,000 acres of Quinton's kind of country.
While lying atop one ridge, Ricky spotted a lone wolf down the valley. Just as I prepared to start calling, a second big male gave us a warning bark from the next ridge west of us. I offered a friendly little lone howl launching him into a thirty minute tirade of challenge barking. We snuck back over the ridge, conceding that stand to the wolf, and listened to him give us hell for the next thirty minutes as we worked our way back down the back side of the mountain and towards the truck. We had plans for him.
As luck would have it, Higgins was at dinner and, after we described our exchange, he assured me that the coyote had made disparaging remarks about my mother and that we should go forth and settle the score with him. So, the next day we did.
We walked what can only be described as a long damned way to get three ridges over where Rich could talk Arizonan at that dog. As we entered the last valley between us and the ridge we wanted to set up on, we encountered mucho coyote tracks, some of which had an incredible stride. We set up with Rich down the ridge, Ricky further up and above Rich, and me slightly down the valley to the right on the face of the slope watching the heavy sage to Rich's right. My choice to seperate from Ricky on this stand would cost us a double and possibly a triple minutes later. Mia culpa!
After about ten rounds of everything but the kitchen sink, big dog and two of his bitches rounded yon ridgeline to the southwest of our position and made the hard charge toward Rich's foxhole in the snow. Luckily for him, Ricky made a 20-yard chip shot on the leader, sending the other two up and over the ridge and out of harm's way. (Yeah Rich, I know... had I been where I should have been, I'd have gotten one, too. I just thought it would be rude to show up our host like that by matching his deuce. Some of us are willing to make sacrifices.) Here's Higgins and Ricky checking out their coyote that easily weighed well over 40 pounds.
Later that evening, after a wonderful dinner of leg of antelope and much too much great food to mention, we gathered around the only campfire we could muster on short notice. Since you guys always manage to post pictures of the bull sessions around the campfire, I thought we ought to as well. In this case, Higgins is fighting to get his Cuban cigar lit under the watchful eyes of one of Tom's beautiful cougar mounts.
Yeah, we know. It was rough!
(To be continued...)
[ November 22, 2005, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: Cdog911 ]
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on November 22, 2005, 08:32 PM:
On day three, Ricky and I decided to run and gun our way thru several low valleys in search of more coyotes. This flatlander was sucking big time air at that altitude and after two days of fun-in-the-sun, sun up to sundown screaming, my lips were so chapped that I couldn't manage a wind driven call and had to go to the PreyMaster. This is one of the valleys we worked.
Long about mid-morning, around 9 or so and still lacking fresh blood, we were driving to another valley when I spotted a nice pale dog making its way across a finger meadow surrounded by junipers. I told Ricky to keep moving and give me ten minutes as I bailed out of the slowly moving Suburban with my rifle and shooting sticks in hand. I hunkered under a Ponderosa pine along the roadside and started with a series of rodent distress squeals, transitioned to some bird distress, then gave a couple lost puppy howls, ending with puppy ki-yi's. Then, I waited. A minute or so later, I saw a head appear in the shadows to the left of straight out front. A couple lip squeaks later and she stepped into the open. Standing straight on to me, she refused my efforts to coax her from the cover of the pinions, so I steadied my 22-250 and took the shot. 100 yards. Entrance wound just below the left eye. No exit. Very messy with her entire face and the front half of her head reduced to pulp. But, dead is dead, or, as Gerry would say,... deader than necessary.
Overall, our little jihad on the local coyotes was about as successful as our attempts to find Osama, but in the end, we managed to call 19, killed seven, managed to pick up a couple high country bobcats (Tom and his help did) and brought home a freezer full of elk meat.
Tom and the guys assured us that they learned an overwhelming amount of new information despite our best efforts to compress a hundred years of practical experience into three short days. The ranch staff were incredibly hospitable and went out of their way to make us feel like one of them. The food, the fun, company and fellowship with these guys made the entire experience top shelf. I finally got the chance to meet and hunt with Rich while he finally got to "enjoy" my freakish sense of humor. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
It was the hardest three days of hunting I've ever endured in thirty-plus years of calling. I'm sore. I'm tired. I'm glad to be home with my wife and kids. And I can't wait for the next trip.
Hunt safe.
Posted by Q-Wagoner (Member # 33) on November 22, 2005, 09:05 PM:
I hate you…… Tomorrow at about noon your ass is mine!! LOL
Good hunting.
Q,
Posted by yuccabush (Member # 582) on November 22, 2005, 09:20 PM:
Great story and pics.
Posted by JeremyKS (Member # 736) on November 22, 2005, 09:58 PM:
great story...looks like lots of fun.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 22, 2005, 10:25 PM:
Good report, Lance. Nice looking country, been a while since I've been in the area.
Welcome to the New Huntmasters, JeremyKS. Glad to have you on board.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 22, 2005, 11:53 PM:
"Tomorrow at about noon your ass is mine!! LOL"
Oh my god... this is such a tough opportunity to pass up (so many jokes, so little time).
But I will. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Lance,
Glad you enjoyed your trip.
Krusty 
Posted by Gerald Stewart (Member # 162) on November 23, 2005, 06:50 AM:
I'm jealous! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on November 23, 2005, 07:29 AM:
I spent three days chauffered around God's country in a brand new Hummer with heated seats, drinking coffee and brandy, enjoying five star plus accommodations and cuisine, sharing fine wine and Cohibas with some of the best company in the world and did not have to sleep over a dead smelly coyote. Tough indeed.
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on November 23, 2005, 07:30 AM:
Congrats! That IS a dream hunt. Folks can have their elk and deer and all other big game as far as Im concerned. That would be a dream hunt for me. Glad you got to do it.
That is beautiful country. Is that near Villa Grove or Saguache? I have elk hunted that area some and vowed to go back coyote calling. Just havent had the opportunity. Not yet.
Good stories, good pics, opportunity of a lifetime. Whats not to like?
Congrats again,
Andy
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on November 23, 2005, 07:34 AM:
Thanks for the detailed report Lance.
Glad you guys had so much fun! It's good to see.
- DAA
Posted by Bryan J (Member # 106) on November 23, 2005, 07:48 AM:
Thanks for sharing. Glad you had a great time guys. Good to see you home safe. So how wooly are those mountain coyotes?
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on November 23, 2005, 08:47 AM:
Bryan,
They don't have the pink crotches we see down here in Mud Flats. I can tell you that much. Most that we saw were tawny backs, orange ears and a smokier cast to the bellies than I expected. On the first day, we had a very pale coyote back door us and we missed the shot. The one I got in the small finger meadow was about the palest I saw. They do have bigger feet, so footprints were somewhat deceptive as to guessing the size of the coyote that made them.
Nice thick underfur with good leather. The bobcats were phenomenal. Big fuzzballs. Had to be careful since we were in lynx territory as well.
Overall, there are a lot of parallels between calling coyotes there and here at home. Lots of cover to conceal their approach. Lots of food to keep them from getting too hungry. Responses were primarily out of curiosity it seemed, and to vocalizations.
Great time and good company. Rich and Tom really bonded. Some kind of old fart thing going on there. If I'd dreamt the weekend or made a list of what I thought would comprise a dream hunt, I couldn't have designed our time there any better. We wanted for nothing. Now, I just need to start getting ready for my next travel hunt in January. Red Hills. Oklahoma border country. Bobcats. Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on November 23, 2005, 04:22 PM:
You gotta love those big high mountain coyotes, they are big. Even the bobcats that live up there have larger paws than the plains cats do.
Looks like some pretty calling country, glad I don't have to go far to see it. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Not often does a guy go coyote callin' and bring home meat, or at least most of us don't..
Posted by keekee (Member # 465) on November 23, 2005, 10:32 PM:
Way to go guys! That sounds like one awsome trip!
Thanks for the storie cdog!
Brent
Posted by canine (Member # 687) on November 24, 2005, 07:22 PM:
sounds like one helluva good time c-dog. sure is fun hoofin it around at those elevations huh?lol
sounds like you guy's should have taught them well!
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on November 24, 2005, 10:45 PM:
Lance, I've only had a min. or so every time I check out this thread. I'd read every one but yours because of the time limit. Holy cow!! What a wonderful read. The reader's digest version ain't too shabby. I can't wait to read the whole enchilada!!!!! Thank you for sharing all the details!!!
Pictures of the bobcats???
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on November 25, 2005, 05:42 AM:
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, those bobcats. What a bunch of fuzzballs. We have some nice ones here in the flats, but those things were awesome.
I wanted a poke at a big cat, and God knows we tried to call one for the guys, but no luck. We'll have to settle with tracks.
Posted by 2dogs (Member # 649) on November 25, 2005, 07:46 AM:
Enjoyed your hunt & of course all the pic's, Lance.
My thoughts are [rusty] @ times...1-coyote off, oh well ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by KevinKKaller (Member # 559) on December 07, 2005, 05:49 PM:
Lance and Rich I am glad you had a great trip! iT IS ALWAYS FUN TO CALL NEW COUNTRY ! and then have acomidations like that WOW.
Lance I will probly stop by and see you Wednesday befor the SF hunt I am going to leave real erly to make sure I make it I dont know what kind of wether I will hit between AZ and KS
I plan on stoping in NM and Texas and dooing a little calling both on the way and on the way home. threw wyoming and col.
Good huning see you in Jan Kevin
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on December 07, 2005, 06:23 PM:
Kevin, I've been wondering where you've been. Going to the SF, huh? I guess you won't be with Onefoot in Globe. Maybe we can get together for a quick chat if you come back on the I70 thru Denver. I'm up in Boulder, but what the hey? Good to see you posting.
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on December 07, 2005, 06:48 PM:
Kevin,
Let me know specific times if possible as we get closer and I'll do everything I can to make myself available. I'd hoped to have that week off, but another guy beat me top it at work. Oh well. Will be looking forward to it.
Posted by KevinKKaller (Member # 559) on December 08, 2005, 05:25 PM:
Nasa I have had some bad pc trubol and some medicol problems I am working threw but should be ok for a wial. I am not sure on witch direction I will be headded yet If I sell my harly befor the trip it will be streched out for a few more days I will let you know.
Lance I have a relitive just a few miles from you and will probly spend the night with them wed or grab a hotel room thear around you somewear.
I have been so busey hunting the last few weeks I still havent got ahold of evry one back thear yet.
Took Christiane Bear hunting the last 2 weekends 7 days total. She neads to get more familier with her gun. We hunted and saw a vary large cinnamon colerd bear did not kill but what a time.
talk to you soon Kevin
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on December 08, 2005, 05:38 PM:
Kevin, if you make it to Colorado, anywhere near Denver, call me. I know a great steakhouse.
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