Lucky UCO Client

This is a story sent us my one of our clients:  Thanks Dave

                                             My Lucky Montana Hunt

How a Michigan Hunter Scored Twice Thanks to Upper Canyon Outfitters

                     and the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association

My  2010 Montana hunting trip was originally planned for October of 2009. The previous winter, after watching a hunting show on TV, I had sent an e mail to the show’s host, Ron Spomer, requesting his  suggestion for a good mule deer trip. My wife, Diana, although not a hunter, would accompany me since we would make the western trip into a vacation. I needed  accommodations that would be comfortable and allow activities for Diana as I hunted. Ron advised me to  contact Donna and Jake McDonald of Upper Canyon outfitters on Montana’s Ruby River saying, “They’re fine folks.”  After talking with Donna a couple of times I sent a deposit check and the arrangements were set. As fate would have it, about a week later our daughter, who lives in the Chicago area, called and asked just exactly when we would be in Montana. She and her husband had just found out that they were expecting their second child about that time in October. I immediately called Donna, who was very understanding, and my Montana hunt was rescheduled for October of 2010.  As expected, Elisabeth Madeleine arrived right in the middle of what would have been my October hunt. When we later finalized arrangements in the spring of 2010, Donna encouraged me to apply for a combination deer/elk tag. “If you don’t Dave, that nice bull elk is going to step out there and you will wish you had the tag.” Donna’s advice proved prophetic.

On the third day of my (2010) hunt, guide Paul Simmon and I were working up a deep ravine near an area where Paul had spotted a decent mule deer buck the day before. Suddenly Paul stopped and pointed up the steep slope to our right. “That’s a legal bull elk!” Two days before, when separated from Paul, I had missed the chance at a decent bull trying to spot the requisite brow tines which make the bull legal in the area we were hunting.  The elk that Paul spotted was nearly straight up in a cluster of cedar and junipers. With no time to even take my pack off, I pulled up the rifle and looked for a shot as the elk moved between the thick shrubs. After I took my shot, the elk moved up the slope, I immediately worked another round into the chamber and  fired again.  Momentarily I  lost sight of the elk.  Suddenly it appeared that the bull had turned course and was moving off to our right. Just as I prepared for a third shot Paul shouted “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! That’s a different bull!” As I lowered the rifle, three or four cow elk followed this bull up the slope and out of sight. Swinging his binoculars back to the left, Paul, very excitedly, exclaimed “you got him!” Sure enough the antlers of my bull elk were sticking up in a small opening high up the slope.

With significant effort Paul and I worked our way up the steep rocky slope to what turned out to be a very nice five by five bull elk. It was my first elk. I was thrilled, but I believe Paul was just as excited. Had he not spotted the bull,  I may  never have seen it nor had this opportunity. Although it was only  10 AM or so, the balance of the day was then spent quartering and packing out the elk. Donna and  another guide and his wife arrived to help Paul. The elk had to be packed and transported down the steep slope and  then up the opposite slope to where ATV’s could be used to haul the elk back to camp.

Although we didn’t see a mule deer that we wanted to take, I was more than satisfied, not just with the hunt, but with the wonderful food, accommodations, and companionship provide by Jake and Donna, their staff, and the other hunters in camp. We left Montana wanting to come back for another hunt or perhaps a summer trip to experience the wonderful fly fishing on the Ruby River.

That was about as much fun and excitement that anyone should expect. But on a Saturday night  in January we received a call at about 1 AM (Michigan time). Sleepily, Diana handed me the phone and said “It’s someone from Montana - something about an ATV, I think maybe Donna’s there.” As I came to the phone I remembered a couple of raffle tickets that Donna had taken from me the night before my hunt started, saying  “If you win something,  I’ll call you.” I believe that  I replied “The last thing  I won   was a  cake   at PTA carnival when I was in the 3^rd grade.”  Well, my losing streak was over.  I had won a brand new Honda Rancher 4x4 in  the raffle which was held by the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA), which Donna and Jake actively support. MOGA, through its membership, promotes hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities throughout the State of Montana.

MOGA also sponsors their own charity known as Big Hearts Under The Big Sky. The ATV raffle was  in support of the Big Hearts Program. Through the Big Hearts Program, and with the help of its members, MOGA provides outdoor activities for deserving veterans, youngsters with life threatening illnesses, and ladies fighting their personal battles with breast cancer. My late night call came from Donna and MOGA Executive Director, Mac Minard right after they had concluded the raffle and other activities that end their annual meeting.  The Honda ATV, which is now in my garage sporting a snow plow, was very generously donated to the Big Hearts Program by the Winchell family, owners  of Montana Honda and Marine in Billings. They have been gracious supporters of the Big Hearts Program. Montana Honda  and their business manager Mike Ryan, along with Donna and Jake McDonald  helped me immensely  as I  arranged shipment  of the ATV.

Yes, Jake and Donna, are truly “fine folks,” as are all the people at Upper Canyon Ranch,  MOGA, Montana Honda and Marine, and just about everyone we met in Montana. There seems to be a common love not just for the hunting, the fishing, and  the ranching, but also the preservation of this western heritage and the land  that makes it all possible. I can’t guarantee that anyone’s hunt or vacation will be as lucky as mine proved to be.  However, I do know some folks in Montana that will certainly do their best to help make it happen.

Dave Drake