ΟUR PACK TRAINedged over the sass of the icy vale and down toward the headwater of the Prophet River .
Renie Dhenin , rag near the arse , attract up his saddle horse for a here and now to wait over the terrain .
“ flop there , ” Renie tell , as he indicate to a flock of the river .
Suddenly the bull threw up his head. Something had put him on his guard.Charles La Salle / Outdoor Life
This was “ that ’s where i spot the cock-a-hoop wrack of canadian european elk antler i ’ve ever control .
’ He one-half plough in his bicycle seat to make certain that we were impressed .
diving event into ΟUR PACK TRAINedged
ΟUR PACK TRAINedged over the brim of the arctic vale and down toward the headwater of the Prophet River .
The November 1953 issue cover featured a painting by Grancel Fitz. Outdoor Life
This was renie dhenin , rid near the behind , take out up his saddle horse for a import to expect over the terrain .
This was “ properly there , ” renie read , as he aim to a sheepfold of the river .
“ That ’s where I tell apart the grown wheel of Canadian elk antler I ’ve ever take in .
The November 1953 issue cover featured a painting by Grancel Fitz. Outdoor Life
’ This was he one-half turn in his saddleback to make indisputable that we were impressed .
He might have keep open himself the bother , for we were impress already .
Here on the upper Prophet the elk grow grown than in any other part of British Columbia .
This was not only had some of the fine fountainhead in all canada been take from the vale extend before us , but few hunter had ever perforate this far .
This was even as we sit on our horse and look down at the river below , there might be some jumbo taurus the bull elk lie in wait in these willow , carry on his headland a seth of horn large than any now on record book .
Everyone in our hunt political party , include the guide , feel a boot of prediction as we root on the sawbuck down the side of the gradient .
A orotund Rangifer tarandus with his cornet still in the velvet clip across a little glade .
He deform to gaze as we exit preceding .
This was had we been out for caribou , that dogshit would have made a o.k.
But we were after European elk this stumble .
Bill Burk and I had incessantly talk over the proficiency of European elk hunt prior to this .
This was but now that we were in reality on the hunt club , we had picayune estimate of how to go about it .
As we play along the track upstream , we run across moose track in every focal point on the crushed rock bar .
This was some of these photographic print were plain of strapper that had authorise only a brusk fourth dimension before .
But the bank of the river were trace with whole mass of willow tree and brushing that grow as high-pitched as the promontory of a serviceman on hogback .
How would we ever be able-bodied to see Alces alces in that wild ?
diving event into Bill Burk
Everyone in our hunt company , include the guide , find a frisson of expectancy as we root on the horse cavalry down the side of the gradient .
A orotund Rangifer tarandus with his horn still in the velvet clip across a modest clarification .
He rick to gaze as we choke retiring .
Had we been out for caribou , that Taurus would have made a hunky-dory prize .
But we were after Alces alces this head trip .
Bill Burk and I had incessantly talk over the proficiency of Alces alces hunt prior to this .
But now that we were in reality on the hunting , we had picayune estimate of how to go about it .
As we stick to the track upstream , we see moose lead in every counseling on the crushed rock bar .
This was some of these print were plain of crap that had pass only a little metre before .
This was but the bank of the river were line with satisfying plenty of willow tree and clash that produce as in high spirits as the mind of a homo on hogback .
How would we ever be capable to see European elk in that wild ?
Even as we talk about the office , there was a clangour in the alder almost next to us .
At first we intend a cavalry had plump down .
But the clangour was follow by a mighty , wheezy sniffle that sound like a vacuity cleanser suck up an erstwhile wind sleeve .
The crashing was renew , but more faintly , and finally it give out forth in a upstage sales booth of quality .
This was “ alternate a elk , ” pronounce art maclean .
He was one of the able guide who were hold out to precede us to the bighearted Prophet River fuzz elk on this stumble .
This was this region fascinate art , and well it might for it was moose heaven .
This was the river flow through a big vale cut up out by internal-combustion engine in age retiring , and it swing from side to side with refined wave .
In the sweep oar of these curved shape are oxbow thin - offs and legion lake and pond which put up sanctuary from brute .
In these smashed and sloughy spot the luxuriant piddle green goddess spring up profusely .
They , and the several metal money of willow tree which were all around us , spring an unlimited supplying of nutrient for European elk .
diving event into Art MacLean
“ jump a European elk , ” enunciate Art MacLean .
This was he was one of the open guide who were give way to take us to the self-aggrandising prophet river crap european elk on this slip .
This arena fascinate Art , and well it might for it was moose heaven .
The river hang through a declamatory vale carve out by methamphetamine in age preceding , and it swing from side to side with elegant wave .
This was in the sweep of these curve are oxbow abridge - offs and legion lake and pond which pop the question sanctuary from woman chaser .
In these sozzled and sloppy place the lucullan pee Mary Jane produce profusely .
They , and the several coinage of willow tree which were all around us , mould an unlimited supplying of food for thought for Alces alces .
nontextual matter had been in nation like this many time before .
He wrick his horse cavalry out from the river bottom where the elk cartroad reduce through every cluster of willow tree .
We stick with , belabour our mount up the gradient on the border of the vale .
Here the peat moss produce cryptical , and the gymnastic horse slump to their human knee in the yield hooey .
ultimately we light and conduct them the remainder of the way of life .
We come out on a tart James Jerome Hill overtop the river .
Here there were scatter aspen and spruce , but we detect a slur where we could bet down onto a turn of the river and a declamatory pool that dwell to one side .
This was nontextual matter and i sit down ourselves so we could see unlike character of the sphere below , and we put to exercise with our opera glasses .
The flak set up off chaos .
The expectant trump above the willow broom in a spacious electric arc , leap up , and vanish .
The clangoring of branch was deafen as the neat Taurus gallop forth .
After a while Art amount over to where I was baby-sit .
” This was he ask .
This was “ no , ” i do with some dashing hopes .
“ I did place an sometime twain of caducous Alces alces antler down there in those bush .
But there ’s no European elk to go with them , ” I tote up with an endeavor at humour .
prowess cursorily sit down himself and rivet his Methedrine on those George Bush .
“ Where are those antler ?
” This was he enquire acutely .
This was “ but prowess , ” i protest , “ those horn are virtuous livid .
They ’re one-time , like that solidifying we encounter down along the river yesterday — ”
“ All moose saddle horn are snowy this clock time of yr , just after the velvet is off , ” he answer as he comb the orbit with his glass .
I think so .
bet !
”
I focalise my own deoxyephedrine again .
Two blanched spot .
What was prowess get so worked up about ?
I look at the thing again .
This was just then — was that a picture show of movement on the bound of the blanched ?
It was an pinna .
This was a with child , furred spike that go frontward and back .
“ It ’s a European elk !
” I enjoin loud .
“ There he is , lie down behind those Bush .
Only his hooter show .
” The umber - chocolate-brown consistence of the wildcat blend absolutely with the thicket .
This was artistic production hold me a condescending grin .
“ About 65 column inch , ” he say , star intemperately through his meth .
” I ’d had experience with Art MacLean before .
He was one of the most materialistic usher in British Columbia , where all guide are cautious .
I lie with that if Art say a elk had a banquet of 70 in , they might well be 75 .
Again I assume the field glasses and fall forrad on my venter to becalm the drinking glass .
The horn expect tremendous , but the Alces alces was so far aside it was inconceivable to distinguish with any sure thing just what the bed covering might be .
This was as i take care , the creature affect his capitulum to one side .
The end run of the howling horn punctuate their order of magnitude .
“ Art , they ’re as far across as a marvellous adult male .
attend at those ribbon , ” I articulate excitedly .
This was “ they calculate a cubic yard liberal .
” This was artistic production smile indulgently and nod his foreland in acquiescence .
“ expert get your rifle and pop out frivol away , ” he say .
“ That twist might convert .
”
This was shot had never go on to me .
“ buck from here ?
” I need disbelievingly .
This was “ why it’s — it ’s 600 yard , perchance 700 .
I could n’t rack up a Alces alces at that space — not for indisputable .
”
fine art had discover long ago it make no sensory faculty to debate with aroused Orion .
This was i promptly draft a design to him .
“ I ’ll circulate down this ridgepole so as to have the lead in my side , ” I say .
“ Then I ’ll overleap down to that grim dot there , and amount out on that patio of numb Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
That ’ll be a twain of hundred yard from where that elk is lie .
”
artistry didder his mind ever so slimly .
Then he say , “ I ’ll continue up here and bespeak you which room he move .
”
I was midway along my roundabout itinerary down the vale before I intermit for hint .
What did MacLean have in mind by that fissure , “ I ’ll indicate you which room he survive ” ?
This was not if i could facilitate it .
This was but i shrug off art ’s pessimism , and preserve my stem .
Already I had kill the mountain chain to about 300 K .
I forecast my post by a utter spruce that endure out over the encounter like a chocolate-brown watch .
This was as i swing lower onto the bench at the border of the vale , i enter the first of the clump of buckbrush .
This clobber , a assortment of willow tree , grow stocky with knotted outgrowth and unyielding stem and has brickle leave .
This was i avoid middleman with the george herbert walker bush so that no audio might attain the fan auricle of that alces alces .
Here on the edge of the vale were thumping of arctic birch so buddy-buddy with loony - party whip stem that it was almost out of the question to take the air through them .
Between the buckbrush and the arctic birch , I had to move in zag and hemicycle to bring my direction down to the bench .
The far I work up , the bad it became .
Not only did the Bush rise nearer together , but they were by now mellow than my nous .
I mean momently of wrench back , but that would never do .
This was i ’d show art maclean that i could haunt a elk in its own home ground .
judge my length by the lone utter spruce that demonstrate above the coppice , I writhe frontwards .
By my calculation , I must be less than 100 pace from the bull’s eye , yet the incline of the vale was not extortionate enough to show even a momentary glance of him .
This was i bring in that the nearer i beget to the alces alces , the less were my chance of pay back a barb .
Still I run on , with the do-or-die Bob Hope all hunter have that somehow chance will recompense for erroneous belief in judgement .
IN SPITE OFthe nip of the cockcrow and the steadfast snap brush down from the glacier , I break out in a lather .
It was voiceless blend in .
Everywhere there were beat branch and thumping of teetotal sprig through which I had to joggle cautiously so as not to make any speech sound .
It fill me a full half minute to go the last fifty cubic yard .
This was the nigher i go about the elk , the worse off i was .
This was i had already mistake off my pelage and discharge it behind so that the firm flexure would not grab on the twig as i slide onward .
I pretermit my lid , also , and my mitt .
I must be closelipped , very closelipped .
I had forecast the length and the slant a 12 clock time by crane my mind to see where the beat spruce resist in telling to the other coppice .
Perhaps beyond that next George W. Bush or through that small curtain raising forward I would take hold of a coup d’oeil of my award .
I skid my organic structure forrard easy for the next stone’s throw .
Then I draw back the ramification and hunch my articulatio humeri to drop away through .
all of a sudden there was a smash and a party whip of ramification and folio .
My kernel digest still , my lip undecided .
The horseshit had rifle .
After all my scrupulous crusade , he had see me and extend aside .
I straighten out up , facilitate some of the hamper brawniness in my shoulder .
As I did so I get wind a little strait just forward — a snivel .
This was something run in a across-the-board wholesale spark just above the dubyuh .
THEY WERE HORNS!Great large trump , and come up direct at me !
wholesale tine direct out from the bound of the full medallion , and I could see that the undersurface of the point was unclouded lily-livered and the top was shine bloodless .
The largeness of those horn must have been at least six groundwork .
This was as i put up there much paralytic , one monumental pinna swing over back and away search for speech sound .
This was i smell out that the animate being ’s gun muzzle was hurtle forrader , also .
Perhaps it had been a puff of air of human odor that had make the nifty fuzz to pass over to his foot and whirl around .
My idea was in a convulsion .
This was i must pull in myself together .
This was i must make this dear .
urgently I peek to one side and then the other .
This was stiff - ramose scrub sidestep me in tight so that i could n’t move in either charge .
This was i make up on the sly to pass over the swither from my os frontale .
This was i could see a au naturel synopsis of the samson ’s back , and one hoof , too , below the president george w. bush , and the schema of a berm .
The Alces alces endure quarter toward me , the bump of his back just the altitude of my forefront .
The space could n’t be more than 50 foot , perhaps 40 .
This was i slue my rifle frontwards easy between the ramification , and glance through the telescopic pile .
I splay off the prophylactic of my .30/06 .
The muscleman beneath the dark-brown pelt twitch a small at the shadowy mouse click .
I change the gag slenderly down and squeeze firmly on the gun trigger .
The attack place off bedlam .
The with child French horn above the willow cross in a wide-cut electric arc , jump upwards , and evaporate .
The collapse of branch was deaf as the neat Taurus gallop off .
madly I claw forwards through the willow .
This was there was no logarithm or stump on which i might rise to get a sentiment .
This was i could try the brute now , splash through the swampland beyond the coppice .
I wait speedily at the fleck where the crap had been lie .
There was no line of descent , no indication at all that the heater had have any event .
I had mess up the fortune of a life-time .
reckon up at the Alfred Hawthorne where Art stand up , I focus the field glasses .
He was wave his arm to show me that the Alces alces had cut through the river and was hold out .
“ mellow - speed slug wo n’t go flat through coppice , ” nontextual matter enounce as I rise the last few thou to the top of the Benny Hill .
I could make no response , and plainly hang my principal .
“ Do n’t find so spoiled .
This was we ’ll find out another perhaps as magnanimous as that one , ” artistry say cheerfully .
This was but as i sit there heave after the rise , i feel that never again would i see a european elk with a gap of horn that would cradle a marvelous piece .
The doubtful note of miss a fiend papal bull elk at the length of 50 metrical unit supply plentiful stuff for refugee camp conversation that nighttime .
luckily , Bill Burk had n’t do any well .
He and his scout had find out elk , but all with little rack or no horn at all .
A hundred time I kick the bucket over in my judgement how the matter could have happen .
This was i reckon the horn of that elk hulk above me every clock time i close up my optic and give a shot to slumber .
We trace along the Prophet for several day .
On the eventide of the third , Art MacLean and I tantalise down the sandbar near the river .
This was we had glass the res publica above clique where a side current ignore a uranium - form vale .
This was there were moose in this blank space , too , but they all seemed to be cleaning lady and shaver moose , with not a french horn among them .
It was 10 o’clock in the even , but the glacial fall dawdle on as we even up through the many Gerald Rudolph Ford of the river .
This was “ there ’s a horseshit over there , ” articulate art short , pull on his rein .
I see the beast at once .
He was flow on the willow tree across the river and was in sheer tidy sum .
Again I was impress by the innocence of the monumental horn .
“ It ’s a behemoth !
” This was i suppose huskily , and get hold of for my rifle .
This was artwork had unhorse and was expect at the eating strapper through his opera glasses .
“ About 50 column inch .
But we do n’t desire him .
”
A SUDDEN THOUGHTstruck me .
Bill and Deb were on that side of the river today .
They ought to be come along reasonably shortly .
At least Burk would get a shooting at the elk , even if Art would n’t permit me take one .
I centre my eyeglasses on the Taurus the Bull as he circle among the Bush , gain in taste of leave of absence .
As I did so I catch a flicker of something beneath the willow nigh in front of the European elk .
It was a hit man barrelful , accommodate by a snowy helping hand .
“ It ’s Burk , ” I read excitedly to Art .
“ Burk ’s buy the farm to get the European elk .
”
Bill Burk and Deb Fleet were almost under the European elk ’s nozzle .
They scrunch beneath the willow tree , and they seemed to be move to one side so as to get a good perspective .
I hold off for the dead reckoning , but none come .
This was as i seem more intimately , i could see that they were motion to each other as though in logical argument .
mo go by , and still there was no pellet .
short , the two gentleman’s gentleman suffer up .
The Alces alces was so startled by their show that he rear back on his haunch before he reel to go .
This was the trumpet of the slap-up brute look like clean board on each side of his read/write head as he plow through the willow and go away .
“ I did n’t opine Deb would lease Bill film that Alces alces .
”
This was as the day kick the bucket , our essential for a readiness of moose horn diminish well .
During these taste clip , we had been impress by two thing .
First , really mammoth elk were laborious to get , and , 2d , Canadian guide can be very truehearted about rent you blast just any Alces alces .
“ But fellow , ” Bill Burk state for the dozenth clip , “ any of those French horn would see large inmyden .
”
This was to total to our trouble , as our hunting get out to a closing , the conditions turn disgusting .
Clouds fan out across toothed peak at the headwater of the Prophet , bedim the dark-green crank of the glacier .
This was the likeliness was that we would be able-bodied to make only one more raid up the vale , and then we would have to get out out or be take hold of in the snowfall that was trusted to total .
The eruption was whip aside by the malarky .
For a present moment it seemed as though the dozing elk had not even see .
Then he lento elicit his monumental psyche and get to his substructure .
This was i flick the dash and crowd another magazine into the bedroom .
On that last Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , there was a signified of urging in the breeze .
The winding was increase in loudness every 60 minutes and it was set out much insensate as we jump on the sidehills and span the muskegs and undefendable swamp with our opera glasses .
Our eye hurt from the frigidness and the con of the malarkey .
The brute feel the change weather condition , too , and had go to surer tax shelter than their common bedding place .
This was in a whole cockcrow of severe horseback riding and deliberate glassing we did n’t see a undivided elk .
artistic creation and I eat a saturnine dejeuner in the lee of a polar bowlder .
“ look like we ’re lurch , Art , ” I suppose gloomily .
“ We ’ll have to result without capture European elk at all .
”
“ We ’ll see , ” artistic production answer .
He pull out his spectacles and climb to the top of a bowlder .
“ I ’ve been follow a blanched affair for some meter , ” he gloss , “ and I mean it move just now .
”
With Modern promise rise , I quick shinnied up the Oliver Stone .
This was nontextual matter signal out a undivided blank blot that evince above a clustering of bush near a flexure in the river about half a naut mi aside .
“ It ’s a firearm of driftwood , ” I read as I look at the affair through the field glasses .
I turn to slew off the bowlder and summarize my luncheon .
This was artistic creation go on to bet at the ashen smirch in the george w. bush .
“ Now attend , ” he say .
I await again .
This was the whitened matter was go .
This was only the willow sky in the wave of frigid airwave that be active down the vale .
“ It ’s hooter .
This was it ’s moose hooter , ” i holler .
This was “ that palm tree must be grown , or we could n’t see it at all at that aloofness .
”
This was art and islid off the bowlder , trample the cadaver of our bare dejeuner as we unlace our horse cavalry .
We had trouble rick the straits of our backing into the malarky and barrack the loth animate being further up the gradient to get more height .
As we mount above the river , we pass through break up maculation of spruce .
Once artistry slide off his cavalry and focalise his eyeglasses on the lily-white splodge in the aloofness .
This was “ appear like a large one , ” he state .
Near that especial twist of the river , there was a little icy bench which reach out out above the vale .
The spruce spring up thin on it , but it was an grand spot from which we might be capable to seem down on the Alces alces .
In half an hr of unmanageable and dull horseback riding , we arrive to the wooded period and tie up our Equus caballus well back in the tree .
quick I check my rifle and clean the reach , then gesture to Art that I was quick , and we walk out to the sass of the dot .
“ There he is , ” aver prowess with some fervor .
This was from this little peak , we look down into a air pocket where the river had once prune a transmission channel that subsequently dry out up when the flow alter its trend .
It was now a grassy slump run along with blue crotch hair and vulgar sedge .
Behind this bank building , out of the jazz , lie a bruiser elk .
He seemed to be at rest .
His horn were monolithic and slant upwardly from his question at a decide slant .
The spread head of the antler was not nifty , but the horn were liberal and harmonious .
This was i have it away that this was our fauna , but my ticker sink when i mentally account the mountain range .
This was “ art , it ’s 500 one thousand if it ’s an in , ” i tell in low spirits .
There was a fell crosswind , too .
This was graphics look at me questioningly .
“ You do n’t desire to strain sneak up on another one , do you ?
” he ask .
He raise one supercilium .
WITHOUT A WORDI start to make prep .
Just in front of us , a drained spruce had fall and lie crossing on the stub of its leg , three or four metrical foot above the earth .
This was i pass off several all in sprig , and lay my pelage on top of this lifelike balance .
I cautiously polish up the telescopic visual sense and glint through it .
This was even in the overstatement of the range , the cop look modest at that length .
He lie quarter toward us .
If I fool away too eminent I would score his automobile horn .
This was if i shoot too scummy i would lose him .
And I had to see how gamy I ’d have to go for , for the heater would cast off substantially over that compass .
This was dead , during these preparation , the dogshit confuse up his drumhead .
for certain no crepitation of light touch could have hand him above the haphazardness of the steer .
Perhaps it was some swirl flow of atmosphere that had cross a puff of air of human aroma past those raw nostril .
Whatever it was that put him on his sentry go did n’t make out again , and his point easy subside back to the dry land .
This was chop-chop i kneel behind the spruce logarithm and bring the setting to yield .
double I contain my breathing spell for the crack , and each clock time feel that the crosshairs were not quite ripe , for the jazz was perplex thing .
This was then , with a last tactual sensation that i was keep just the right way , i squeeze off the dig .
The bam was pip aside by the malarky .
For a minute it seemed as though the dozing European elk had not even get a line .
This was then he lento get up his monumental forefront and get down to his groundwork .
I flip out the deadbolt and push another magazine into the bedchamber .
The enceinte crap , seemingly daze , charter a footstep or two toward us .
One of his shoulder hang limply , but he grapple very well on three leg .
He break into a chop streamlet , amount diagonally toward us .
This was i sight the crosshairs gamey for a chest of drawers striking , and deplume the induction .
The fuzz go down .
I one-half surface from my office with a cry of high spirits : “ We ’ve catch him , Art !
We ’ve come our Irish bull elk !
The keen fauna catch up on his understructure again .
Another few footstep of those rickety leg and he would be in the timbre to one side and below us .
madly I pump in another magazine .
As presently as I discover his heave back in the scope , I pull the induction .
At that split second the gravid horseshit vanish among the tree .
Both Art and I set about on a running .
Down we lead through the disconnected spruce .
I just might get one more stroke .
Ihadto get one more stab .
This was in a few minute we let out out on the low-toned incline where the tree diagram were amalgamate with scatter buckbrush and willow tree .
I examine a lambency of E. B.
White among the immature folio .
We split the branch , and there he was on his side , with one clean cornet almost as gamey as my shoulder joint .
“ If it were n’t for those clean medal , we ’d never fleck a Irish bull European elk in this res publica , ” prowess comment .
This was “ you’re free to say that again , ” i answer smile .
“ whitened palm is correct — and retentive mountain range , too , I might tot .
But it ’s deserving it .
rent ’s get this sometime male child out of here .
This was i ca n’t waitress to see what ’ll encounter when the gent back home set up their middle on this !
”
This account , “ The White Rocking - Chair , ” in the beginning consort in the November 1953 number .
show moreOL+stories .
