Normally I don't do long stories with pictures.
But it was a beautiful day and things worked out well, so I took my time and snapped lotsa pictures
Ronalane is a turn of the century irrigation canal that runs from close to Medicine Hat to Hays AB. Never flowed a bit of water, not a drop.
Regardless. It is a part of the tale.
Meandered about in the Powerwagon on leased land, stayed on the pipeline access roads for majority...got to preserve the grass ( as wet as it is it could handle tracks, but...why break a good habit?)
Spotted a group of elk in the distance South, they were on the North side of the Ronalane. Got 2 Sept 1 - 30 tags, all 4 sides of the 'Block'
Backed up and away out of sight. You can see the roof of the truck down in the right bottom corner of the picture. The distance from the camera to the truck is about 1/4 the distance from the actual shot. Walked back and forth 4 times, so...oh about 16 times the distance in the picture all in. I felt like Llewelyn Moss from the beginning of 'No Country for Old Men'...minus the attache case of money and dead Mexicans.
Approach til the Elk slowly come into view through the grass on the Prairie. Too far...back up out of sight ( long ways there ). Approach from another low spot...same thing. Back to the truck to check on my hunting partner, asleep on the seat.
Go WAY around to the East ( 1000 meters or so )and get into the Ronalane. It's so wide and deep you could drive a fullsize truck in it and be out of sight. That wouldn't be sporting though.
Creep over the top and there they are, resting unaware. Cool.
Using my father's rifle ( he passed this spring ); a custom Huskie 6.5 x 55 milsurp with a new stock, Timney trigger and wearing a 3 x 9 Tasco. Nosler premium grade 140 gr fodder. Sorry Milsurp guys...it was done without asking me...
Let the pulse and breathing slow back down; some deep breaths and squeeze at the bottom of a exhale. She never made it off the ground. 250 big paces to the downed Cow.
Lucky hat is on the wound, lung shot I'd say
Begin the long walk back to the truck ( again..) to begin the recovery.
Couple extra pictures of it 'cause it's a neat setup.
8000 pound 8274 Warn winch with an extra roller fairlead that slips into pockets on the top of the Bush bar. Changes the pull from the front to the rear ( multiplies the pull x 2 as well )
Peg at the front of the deck for a single Gin pole, cross chained for stability.
Stand behind the cab and reel 'er over the 'Dead' roll, no work at all there.
End of the recovery. Miller time after returning home.
Took the pole down for the return, but passed about 4 LEO with the Gun's in the Rack ( had a Ross MK 3 for backup ). Gotta love AB! Got 3 random thumbs up from Guy's in trucks too.
But it was a beautiful day and things worked out well, so I took my time and snapped lotsa pictures
Ronalane is a turn of the century irrigation canal that runs from close to Medicine Hat to Hays AB. Never flowed a bit of water, not a drop.
Regardless. It is a part of the tale.
Meandered about in the Powerwagon on leased land, stayed on the pipeline access roads for majority...got to preserve the grass ( as wet as it is it could handle tracks, but...why break a good habit?)
Spotted a group of elk in the distance South, they were on the North side of the Ronalane. Got 2 Sept 1 - 30 tags, all 4 sides of the 'Block'
Backed up and away out of sight. You can see the roof of the truck down in the right bottom corner of the picture. The distance from the camera to the truck is about 1/4 the distance from the actual shot. Walked back and forth 4 times, so...oh about 16 times the distance in the picture all in. I felt like Llewelyn Moss from the beginning of 'No Country for Old Men'...minus the attache case of money and dead Mexicans.
Approach til the Elk slowly come into view through the grass on the Prairie. Too far...back up out of sight ( long ways there ). Approach from another low spot...same thing. Back to the truck to check on my hunting partner, asleep on the seat.
Go WAY around to the East ( 1000 meters or so )and get into the Ronalane. It's so wide and deep you could drive a fullsize truck in it and be out of sight. That wouldn't be sporting though.
Creep over the top and there they are, resting unaware. Cool.
Using my father's rifle ( he passed this spring ); a custom Huskie 6.5 x 55 milsurp with a new stock, Timney trigger and wearing a 3 x 9 Tasco. Nosler premium grade 140 gr fodder. Sorry Milsurp guys...it was done without asking me...
Let the pulse and breathing slow back down; some deep breaths and squeeze at the bottom of a exhale. She never made it off the ground. 250 big paces to the downed Cow.
Lucky hat is on the wound, lung shot I'd say
Begin the long walk back to the truck ( again..) to begin the recovery.
Couple extra pictures of it 'cause it's a neat setup.
8000 pound 8274 Warn winch with an extra roller fairlead that slips into pockets on the top of the Bush bar. Changes the pull from the front to the rear ( multiplies the pull x 2 as well )
Peg at the front of the deck for a single Gin pole, cross chained for stability.
Stand behind the cab and reel 'er over the 'Dead' roll, no work at all there.
End of the recovery. Miller time after returning home.
Took the pole down for the return, but passed about 4 LEO with the Gun's in the Rack ( had a Ross MK 3 for backup ). Gotta love AB! Got 3 random thumbs up from Guy's in trucks too.
Last edited:
looks like it was a Blue Bird kinda day....
