Im having a real hard time convincing my hunting buddies that the 3 aforementioned items are musts for hunting in the breaks or anywhere out west for that matter. Anyone have any ingenious ways to get these guys to realize we must have things things before venturing into the breaks?
Missouri Breaks without chainsaw, tire chains or extra fuel?
- Thread starter Buckshot2
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B
bobcatbess
Guest
THATS STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON MY HUNTIN RIGS!!!
I ALSO RUN THE BUCKSHOT MUDDER TIRES OR THE BUCKSHOT BIGHORNS LIKE I HAVE NOW!!!
YOU CAN'T OUTGUESS MOTHER NATURE!!!
DON'T EVEN TRY!!!
THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!
I ALSO RUN THE BUCKSHOT MUDDER TIRES OR THE BUCKSHOT BIGHORNS LIKE I HAVE NOW!!!
YOU CAN'T OUTGUESS MOTHER NATURE!!!
DON'T EVEN TRY!!!
THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!
L
live2huntmuleys
Guest
I have spent a lot of time in the breaks and I would not be caught dead without chains, extra fuel, and at least two spare tires.
My thoughts exactly, 2 of the guys have been on a guided hunt in idaho and are basing what we should bring on that hunt, I hunt the selway bitteroots in Idaho all do it yourself, and have a real good idea what you can run into, just cant seem to get it through their thick PA dutchman heads that you plan for the worst and hope for the best grrrrrrrrrrrr. What about water? are we going to find enough water to purify or should we plan on bringing 40 gallons or so?
CAelknuts
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Before I saw your comment about being from Pennsylvania, I thought to myself "these guys must be from back-east".
Nobody in their right mind would go out into the breaks without chains, unless you are able to stay for a few weeks waiting for it to dry out. It doesn't take a whole lot of rain to make conditions very muddy out there, and you ain't seen gumbo till you've seen gumbo out there. You always carry chains when going off road anywhere out west. You might not need them for 90% of the time you're there, but when you do you'll be glad you have them, either that or you'll be sitting stuck and thinking about what a dummy you were to save a few bucks and not buy chains. Get them for all four tires too.
You need to bring all the water you'll use. Chances are very high that you won't find water out there you'd drink unless you're going down to the river and filtering it there, but you're going to waste a huge amount of time doing that. Bring everything you'll need with you, including plenty of gas, there are no gas stations out there.
Nobody in their right mind would go out into the breaks without chains, unless you are able to stay for a few weeks waiting for it to dry out. It doesn't take a whole lot of rain to make conditions very muddy out there, and you ain't seen gumbo till you've seen gumbo out there. You always carry chains when going off road anywhere out west. You might not need them for 90% of the time you're there, but when you do you'll be glad you have them, either that or you'll be sitting stuck and thinking about what a dummy you were to save a few bucks and not buy chains. Get them for all four tires too.
You need to bring all the water you'll use. Chances are very high that you won't find water out there you'd drink unless you're going down to the river and filtering it there, but you're going to waste a huge amount of time doing that. Bring everything you'll need with you, including plenty of gas, there are no gas stations out there.
"Think of it another way. Do you really want to give guys out west another opportunity to poke fun at how clueless some "easterners" can be about hunting out west? Bring everything you'll need, period"
LMAO, Ill bet you guys could write a book about the stupid stuff us flat landers do when hunting out west. I told them that everytime we needed something that I suggested and they over ruled, I was gonna smack each one of them up side the head, ment it too, just gets really frustating trying to convince a bunch of know it alls, what can go wrong usually does go wrong. The one thing I didnt know about was water, since I camp right off the selway, I normally have all the water I can handle. Thanks again for the info, we dont plan on being near the Missiour river, so Im gonna have 50 gallons on the truck when we head back in. Just exactly where is the nearest fuel/food near sun prairie? Thanks in advance for all the help.
LMAO, Ill bet you guys could write a book about the stupid stuff us flat landers do when hunting out west. I told them that everytime we needed something that I suggested and they over ruled, I was gonna smack each one of them up side the head, ment it too, just gets really frustating trying to convince a bunch of know it alls, what can go wrong usually does go wrong. The one thing I didnt know about was water, since I camp right off the selway, I normally have all the water I can handle. Thanks again for the info, we dont plan on being near the Missiour river, so Im gonna have 50 gallons on the truck when we head back in. Just exactly where is the nearest fuel/food near sun prairie? Thanks in advance for all the help.
T
TFinalshot
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-07 AT 11:33AM (MST)[p]I do haul tire chains, a tow strap and chain, a shovel, and palaski, (I live in mt) I can tell you this much, if you "need" chains because of the gumbo in the breaks, you likely should stay put. The fact is that the chains almost always make matters worse, they get coverd just as fast as your tires and when they lug down with gumbo it's an even bigger mess. My suggestion is watch the locals, if they are not going in, dont go in.
There are a couple guys on this board that live out there and have more experence than I, but it dont take much to understand what you should and should not do. for the most part, after a rain in the breaks, it takes a day or two maybe three for the roads to harden up again. there are exptions, but if it's soooooo wet that it wont dry in a few days, chains wont do you much good anyway.
the logic, on the other hand is good, do take what you need but if you need chains in the breaks, your stuck anyway. . .
There are a couple guys on this board that live out there and have more experence than I, but it dont take much to understand what you should and should not do. for the most part, after a rain in the breaks, it takes a day or two maybe three for the roads to harden up again. there are exptions, but if it's soooooo wet that it wont dry in a few days, chains wont do you much good anyway.
the logic, on the other hand is good, do take what you need but if you need chains in the breaks, your stuck anyway. . .
L
live2huntmuleys
Guest
I was out there ice-fishing near the UL Bend last year and ran into some "flat landers" In a jacked up Ford (found on road dead) diesel. They had no chains and only one spare and no shovel. The snow was drifted two feet in some places and a chinook was hitting. They had been sitting stuck in the borrow pit for a day melting snow for water, trying to use their cell phones to call for help. We pulled them out and gave them a couple beers. Chains work a lot better than nothing when there is a little snow on the ground, if it rains I would stay put and pray for a southwest wind to dry things out.
NeMont
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-07 AT 03:52PM (MST)[p]I don't know about needing a chainsaw but a tow rope or tow chain I believe is an absolute must. I live in Glasgow and spend alot of time out in that country and I can tell you that if it is soaked the roads are impassible until they start drying out. Having said that I always carry my tire chains along. Extra fuel is a must as well. At least two spares and invest on a $10 air compressor that plugs into your cigarette lighter. That little piece of equipment has saved me and other people I have come across more times then you can count. Another important piece of equipment is a Come Along, useful in so many ways, IMHO. http://www.cvfsupplycompany.com/hanpowpulcom.html
Of course the basics shovel, axe, a good tool kit. I have the habit my dad gave me of always packing an extra fuel filter for the rig. Something he always insisted on.
As stated before take your water with you. You won't find it out there. Malta is your closest place to buy gas and anything else you may need. It is closer then Bohemian Corner or Glasgow.
I agree with Tfinalshot that while tire chains are a comfort to have along if it is really wet you are going to be stuck, period. Take along a good book for those times you might be stuck.
Nemont
Of course the basics shovel, axe, a good tool kit. I have the habit my dad gave me of always packing an extra fuel filter for the rig. Something he always insisted on.
As stated before take your water with you. You won't find it out there. Malta is your closest place to buy gas and anything else you may need. It is closer then Bohemian Corner or Glasgow.
I agree with Tfinalshot that while tire chains are a comfort to have along if it is really wet you are going to be stuck, period. Take along a good book for those times you might be stuck.
Nemont
I have to chime in here. The good book advice by NeMont is true. I was stuck in my tent all alone for about a day and a half over Thanksgiving while a wet sleet storm blew through. The books I had, and a transistor radio, saved me. If you think you won't need it, bring it with you. mtmuley
J
JohnnyLegend
Guest
YES you need at least two of the three.
I hunted the breaks three out of four years and got away with it weather wise, but got punked hard my last trip. My first year I almost went over the bank off a very high cliff as I was sliding after a very light rain, I slammed my rental into the bank on the opposite side of the cliff to stop and keep from going over the cliff.
Now, back to my last year where I got punked, spent 4 days/3 nights in my suv, 7 miles from my camp as it rained and snowed like you would not believe. This was early October. I tried to hunt best a possible, but had 20 pounds of gumbo per boot.
To make matters worse, I was nursing my gas, ran out on my way out and bought 5 gallons for $20 from an ole timer who was stuck trying to get into this god forsaken place.
Bottom line, you need chains, although not sure how they work when the gumbo is packed so tight between the fender wells and the tire that the tires can't rotate............definitely take some extra gas as well. Not sure about the chainsaw, but might as well through it in.
Good luck with the mud and the circus. There are some big bulls in the breaks, but there are alot of better places to hunt..........with that being said, will probably be back in 08'.
Good luck on your hunt, if it rains, will be the most miserable hunt experience of your life!
Late,
Johnny
I hunted the breaks three out of four years and got away with it weather wise, but got punked hard my last trip. My first year I almost went over the bank off a very high cliff as I was sliding after a very light rain, I slammed my rental into the bank on the opposite side of the cliff to stop and keep from going over the cliff.
Now, back to my last year where I got punked, spent 4 days/3 nights in my suv, 7 miles from my camp as it rained and snowed like you would not believe. This was early October. I tried to hunt best a possible, but had 20 pounds of gumbo per boot.
To make matters worse, I was nursing my gas, ran out on my way out and bought 5 gallons for $20 from an ole timer who was stuck trying to get into this god forsaken place.
Bottom line, you need chains, although not sure how they work when the gumbo is packed so tight between the fender wells and the tire that the tires can't rotate............definitely take some extra gas as well. Not sure about the chainsaw, but might as well through it in.
Good luck with the mud and the circus. There are some big bulls in the breaks, but there are alot of better places to hunt..........with that being said, will probably be back in 08'.
Good luck on your hunt, if it rains, will be the most miserable hunt experience of your life!
Late,
Johnny
CAelknuts
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I was thinking of the chains to get OUT, or at least back to camp. If it's raining, only an idiot (no hunters in that group, right?) would try to drive down into the breaks.
We hunted there a few years back, and the best expense we incurred was to hire Dave Rummels of Zortman as a "guide". Dave's idea of guiding was perfect. He'd drive us out to areas where he's had success with bulls before and drop us off to hunt on our own. We'd agree on an approximate pick up time and location, and off we'd go. He'd then drive from high point to high point, glassing for elk to hunt the next day. His charge was downright inexpensive, and worth it simply to not tear up my own pickup out there.
Anyway, he was also guiding 4 fellows from Milwaukee at the same time. Talk about clueless! They'd never hunted anything except whitetails in and around Milwaukee. One of them was afraid to get off the road, but he's out there elk hunting. The first evening, Dave drops me and my buddy off by some canyon and we dive off the top and have a nice hunt, saw a good bull but couldn't close the deal. We hike back out and crash alonside the road, waiting for Dave to come pick us up. Well he gets there, but he's worried because one of the Wisconsin guys is missing. He dropped the guy off on one road and told him to hunt across country to the west till he hit the next road, and wait to be picked up there. It was only a mile or so, but the guy never showed. After it's been dark a while, we see a fire off in the distance. Thinking he'd killed a bull, we flashed our lights toward him, and he flashed back with a flashlight. This goes on for about an hour and we finally realize that he isn't moving. Now we're worried that he's hurt, so Dave and my buddy start hiking cross country, while I take his pickup around to the other road to get closer and pick them up. They come hiking out with the guy well after midnight. Nothing is wrong, and he hasn't seen any elk. He never got more than about 500 yards off the road, got scared and plopped his butt down on top of a hill and waited for someone to come rescue him. My buddy and Dave walked up to him in the dark, and when they asked if he had a bull, he said NO, when they asked if he was hurt he said NO, when they asked him what the hell he was doing he said he was scared and afraid he'd passed the road he was supposed to get picked up on, so he sat down and build a fire to get rescued. Talk about someone who has no business elk hunting!
And, for icing on the cake, his buddies didn't heed our warning when it started raining and we told them they needed to drive their truck back to pavement. They spent a very cold, wet night huddled together in their pickup while we were back in Zortman. Gumbo totally packed into their wheel wells. It wasn't funny, but we sure laughed about it. They left and headed home the next day.
You still wonder why I made the comment about easterners out west????????
We hunted there a few years back, and the best expense we incurred was to hire Dave Rummels of Zortman as a "guide". Dave's idea of guiding was perfect. He'd drive us out to areas where he's had success with bulls before and drop us off to hunt on our own. We'd agree on an approximate pick up time and location, and off we'd go. He'd then drive from high point to high point, glassing for elk to hunt the next day. His charge was downright inexpensive, and worth it simply to not tear up my own pickup out there.
Anyway, he was also guiding 4 fellows from Milwaukee at the same time. Talk about clueless! They'd never hunted anything except whitetails in and around Milwaukee. One of them was afraid to get off the road, but he's out there elk hunting. The first evening, Dave drops me and my buddy off by some canyon and we dive off the top and have a nice hunt, saw a good bull but couldn't close the deal. We hike back out and crash alonside the road, waiting for Dave to come pick us up. Well he gets there, but he's worried because one of the Wisconsin guys is missing. He dropped the guy off on one road and told him to hunt across country to the west till he hit the next road, and wait to be picked up there. It was only a mile or so, but the guy never showed. After it's been dark a while, we see a fire off in the distance. Thinking he'd killed a bull, we flashed our lights toward him, and he flashed back with a flashlight. This goes on for about an hour and we finally realize that he isn't moving. Now we're worried that he's hurt, so Dave and my buddy start hiking cross country, while I take his pickup around to the other road to get closer and pick them up. They come hiking out with the guy well after midnight. Nothing is wrong, and he hasn't seen any elk. He never got more than about 500 yards off the road, got scared and plopped his butt down on top of a hill and waited for someone to come rescue him. My buddy and Dave walked up to him in the dark, and when they asked if he had a bull, he said NO, when they asked if he was hurt he said NO, when they asked him what the hell he was doing he said he was scared and afraid he'd passed the road he was supposed to get picked up on, so he sat down and build a fire to get rescued. Talk about someone who has no business elk hunting!
And, for icing on the cake, his buddies didn't heed our warning when it started raining and we told them they needed to drive their truck back to pavement. They spent a very cold, wet night huddled together in their pickup while we were back in Zortman. Gumbo totally packed into their wheel wells. It wasn't funny, but we sure laughed about it. They left and headed home the next day.
You still wonder why I made the comment about easterners out west????????
J
JohnnyLegend
Guest
Buckshot-
Don't pay any attention to the easterner comments, the folks in Montana are great, just as long as you don't have California tags on your vehicle..............
Have a great hunt and pray for relatively dry weather. PM me if you need any specific help on this area.
Late,
Johnny
Don't pay any attention to the easterner comments, the folks in Montana are great, just as long as you don't have California tags on your vehicle..............
Have a great hunt and pray for relatively dry weather. PM me if you need any specific help on this area.
Late,
Johnny
ismith
Very Active Member
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"Don't pay any attention to the easterner comments, the folks in Montana are great, just as long as you don't have California tags on your vehicle.............."
Actually easterners get grouped into pretty much the same group as Californians do, especially hunters from WI, MN, and PA. You can pretty much know what to expect as soon as you see a license plate.
ismith
Actually easterners get grouped into pretty much the same group as Californians do, especially hunters from WI, MN, and PA. You can pretty much know what to expect as soon as you see a license plate.
ismith
CAelknuts
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-09-07 AT 11:59PM (MST)[p]Yeah, that Kalifornnika license plate does get some of you going, doesn't it!
But hey, Johnny, I saw you have buddies from Havre, and I'm practically a resident of that town, after all the times I've stayed there while hunting out on the rez! Or, does that make me an honorary indian since I've hunted Rocky Boy a lot? Maybe I can qualify for special plates when I'm out there, ya think?
But hey, Johnny, I saw you have buddies from Havre, and I'm practically a resident of that town, after all the times I've stayed there while hunting out on the rez! Or, does that make me an honorary indian since I've hunted Rocky Boy a lot? Maybe I can qualify for special plates when I'm out there, ya think?
Im back, had a great time hunting, saw some great bulls, had one at full draw but the darn thing stopped right behind a burned up ceder bush, had 2 other ones within 15 yards but couldnt shoot due to it being to thick. The wind got a little blustery one day and snapped some tent poles but other than that we had a fairly trouble free 8 days. Now for the bad part, I really should have selected my hunting parnters better, knew one of the guys for a few years from my deer lease, the other 2 where pretty much new to me. The guy I actually hunted with turned out to be the biggest namby pampby Ive ever had the unpleaseant experince to hunt with. Told him back in march what I expect as far as how far we were going to walk, turned out he didnt take me seriously, couldnt walk 3 miles in some of the easist country Ive ever hunted. Besides that, he couldnt hunt his way out of a wet paper bag with a chain saw, tried to have a converstation at 20 yards while we were sneaking thru the pines looking for 4 bulls that I thought had bedded down, and to top it off the darn guy was afraid of the dark. These guys were really a 3 guy click, rarely responded when I said something, just made for a real uncomfortable time in camp. Had it out with the 3 of them mid week, whick really put a damper on things, but I figured misery loves company lol. Anyway had a great time hunting, dont know if Id go back, as its pretty much a spot and stalk or ambush hunt and I was looking for more a traditional call hunt.
E
Edpre
Guest
Buckshot,
Sent you a pm.
Ed
Sent you a pm.
Ed
ironranger
Active Member
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Not all midwesterners/easteners are the same. I go prepared for my hunts both physically, mentally, and in equipment. And yes, I do have tire chains!!
R
Racktracker
Guest
I might qualify as one of the locals that hunts the breaks. I try to be there every waking moment from beginning of the season till the very end. So I have seen just about every weather condition the breaks has to offer.
To put it simply, if it starts raining..get out! If its been raining... stay out! Chains or no chains, if its muddy and you're not on the "good" gravel, you're in trouble. Chains for the most part will just add to the problem. They give the gumbo something to stick to and make your tires to big for the fender. If the ground is froze then yes put on your chains, but if its just mud...not that good of an idea.
I got caught one time. Drove in on the frost and went for a walk. When I got back to the pickup that afternoon it had thawed pretty good and the roads were really getting sloppy. Had to stop 3 times and take the back tire off to dig the mud out of the wheel well so the tire could turn. I was pretty much mud from head to toe. Luckily I wasn't to far from decent roads.
Another thing that you should always have, that I didn't notice anyone else mention, is a hi-lift jack. I have been able to get myself out of many a jackpot with a hi-lift.
If you are hunting close to Zortman, you can get gas there and a few basic supplies. The "towns" that are shown on some maps, like Sun Prairie, Regina and Content are ghost towns. Nothing left of them.
Elknuts..I talked to Dave today. Asked about your story, after he laughed a bit, he pretty much told it just as you did. He did say that the WI guys were pretty much a-holes (one in particular). He said that you and your buddy got a decent six while the boys from WI went home with nuttin. I guess maybe there is something to that karma stuff after all.
To put it simply, if it starts raining..get out! If its been raining... stay out! Chains or no chains, if its muddy and you're not on the "good" gravel, you're in trouble. Chains for the most part will just add to the problem. They give the gumbo something to stick to and make your tires to big for the fender. If the ground is froze then yes put on your chains, but if its just mud...not that good of an idea.
I got caught one time. Drove in on the frost and went for a walk. When I got back to the pickup that afternoon it had thawed pretty good and the roads were really getting sloppy. Had to stop 3 times and take the back tire off to dig the mud out of the wheel well so the tire could turn. I was pretty much mud from head to toe. Luckily I wasn't to far from decent roads.
Another thing that you should always have, that I didn't notice anyone else mention, is a hi-lift jack. I have been able to get myself out of many a jackpot with a hi-lift.
If you are hunting close to Zortman, you can get gas there and a few basic supplies. The "towns" that are shown on some maps, like Sun Prairie, Regina and Content are ghost towns. Nothing left of them.
Elknuts..I talked to Dave today. Asked about your story, after he laughed a bit, he pretty much told it just as you did. He did say that the WI guys were pretty much a-holes (one in particular). He said that you and your buddy got a decent six while the boys from WI went home with nuttin. I guess maybe there is something to that karma stuff after all.
ironranger
Active Member
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Guess I'd qualify as one of those easterners being from MN!! 
) I've hunted the breaks a few times but in Nov for muleys. I was warned about the gumbo and prepared for it with chains, shovel, plenty of supplies, etc. We hunted via boat the first time and after camping 5 days it poured all night long. I was listening to portable radio and knew it was going to get worse the next day. We threw everything in the boat at first light and headed about 25 miles east to Hell Creek and moored the boat on end of dock. Snow came that afternoon and the next morning the docks had been pushed 90 degrees in towards the bay. That weather out there is nothing to be taken lightly. Common sense goes a long ways no matter what state you are from...
) I've hunted the breaks a few times but in Nov for muleys. I was warned about the gumbo and prepared for it with chains, shovel, plenty of supplies, etc. We hunted via boat the first time and after camping 5 days it poured all night long. I was listening to portable radio and knew it was going to get worse the next day. We threw everything in the boat at first light and headed about 25 miles east to Hell Creek and moored the boat on end of dock. Snow came that afternoon and the next morning the docks had been pushed 90 degrees in towards the bay. That weather out there is nothing to be taken lightly. Common sense goes a long ways no matter what state you are from...
