Henry's Bison Bust

[deadibob]

It's day two of my son's cow bison hunt and here we are at home installing a transmission. Why? Because my Tahoe decided to eat a bearing two weeks ago. One of my boys said that "maybe this is a sign we aren't supposed to go on the hunt". I said "no this is a sign you are supposed to buckle down and persevere when obstacles get in the way". When it rains it pours but that is life. Hoping to get out there tomorrow.

 

[littlebighorn]

Hopefully the tranny problem is a small object lesson tucked away in a much larger adventure!
Go get em dbob and crew!

 

[deadibob]

The one and only hunt I went on with my dad was back in 1977. We lived in Holliday at the time and I had just turned six years old (my dad had recently gotten out of the Army and we had moved back from Oahu). I remember my dad had a Remington 700 BDL in 7mag he called it his elephant rifle back then. We had an old Volkswagen beetle the same color as Herbie that we took on the hunt.

I remember us driving up Parley's canyon early opening morning and having a tire blow out. We must not have had a spare because we caught a ride to the nearest filling station. It must have been a self-serve station because I remember my dad on the tire machine and the tire blew up in his face. He got another one to hold air and finally we got back on the road and onto our hunt.

Obviously we were off to a late start and had only seen a few does that morning. We drove down a rough and steep road that dead-ended at the bottom. When we went to drive out there was no way we were getting that bug out of there (I guess I should have been behind the wheel ?) . My dad had gotten us in a spot we couldn't get out of so we grabbed a couple things out of the car and started hiking out. We ran into a bunch of guys from California and they gave us a ride back to the pavement. I remember hitchhiking with my old man both of us all dressed in orange (my mom had made my hunting vest, I thought it was the coolest thing at the time) and he with a rifle on his shoulder. A kind and older couple pulled over and gave us a ride home in the bed of their truck, times have sure changed since then.

My dad went back with his brother in his truck the next day and they almost had to leave it there as well. My dad gave the Bitners the Beetle rather than retrieve it and they pulled it out with a dozer. The car was on the ranch for quite a few years after that I believe because my cousin said they would drive it around when they were kids.

We never did get a deer but if for some reason I had to lose my memory and could only keep one it would be that day with my dad on the mountain. The misadventures were only second to sharing them with dad.

 

[tailchasers]

The misadventures were only second to sharing them with dad.

Yet here you are today 40 some odd years later reflecting on this. Nice. Stick to your fatherly instincts as your dad did. Good luck on the cow!!

 

[johnnycake]

The one and only hunt I went on with my dad was back in 1977. We lived in Holliday at the time and I had just turned six years old (my dad had recently gotten out of the Army and we had moved back from Oahu). I remember my dad had a Remington 700 BDL in 7mag he called it his elephant rifle back then. We had an old Volkswagen beetle the same color as Herbie that we took on the hunt.

I remember us driving up Parley's canyon early opening morning and having a tire blow out. We must not have had a spare because we caught a ride to the nearest filling station. It must have been a self-serve station because I remember my dad on the tire machine and the tire blew up in his face. He got another one to hold air and finally we got back on the road and onto our hunt.

Obviously we were off to a late start and had only seen a few does that morning. We drove down a rough and steep road that dead-ended at the bottom. When we went to drive out there was no way we were getting that bug out of there (I guess I should have been behind the wheel ?) . My dad had gotten us in a spot we couldn't get out of so we grabbed a couple things out of the car and started hiking out. We ran into a bunch of guys from California and they gave us a ride back to the pavement. I remember hitchhiking with my old man both of us all dressed in orange (my mom had made my hunting vest, I thought it was the coolest thing at the time) and he with a rifle on his shoulder. A kind and older couple pulled over and gave us a ride home in the bed of their truck, times have sure changed since then.

My dad went back with his brother in his truck the next day and they almost had to leave it there as well. My dad gave the Bitners the Beetle rather than retrieve it and they pulled it out with a dozer. The car was on the ranch for quite a few years after that I believe because my cousin said they would drive it around when they were kids.

We never did get a deer but if for some reason I had to lose my memory and could only keep one it would be that day with my dad on the mountain. The misadventures were only second to sharing them with dad.

That's awesome. Makes me think of a Sunday when I was 4 that I convinced my dad to take us grouse hunting up behind the B in bountiful and we got a flat tire and then overheated. We flagged down the next car and gave them our home number asking that they call my mom to tell her what happened. My mom had to load all my siblings up to come find us, hours and hours later.

 

[Squaw]

Blowin a tranny means something completely different than it did 15 yrs ago

Good luck on your hunt

 

[goforbroke]

Good luck on your hunt. I helped a friend get a cow. TASTY!!

 

[Silentstalker]

Been in quite a few hunts that started off with or otherwise character building experiences. Those are the hunts you never forget!

Good luck on that Buffalo!

 

[elkassassin]

Best Of Luck To You & Your Son Bob!

Gonna Be A Cold SOB Down There!

Take Extra Heat!

I Hope You Guys Find Em!

 

[PleaseDear]

Keep the Faith man!


Go get that Buff



Robb

 

[Mooretitan]

Good Luck. I am sure you will get it figured out

 

[Robiland]

Lets hear how it went.

I was down there for the opener. Went out to help some friends. I had never done the bison hunt or been on the Henrys. WOW!!!! What a giant vast area.

Opening morning we drove out in the SxS to Tarantula flats, and hiked off a point at 1st light. Right below us was a heard of 19. As we were getting set up for the young kids shot, some in the group were a little excited (loud) and the buffs moved south, but we were still in range. Then, BANG followed by a total of 14 more shots, there were 3 dead buffs. We did not see them at 1st, but an outfitter was out there waiting on the buffs to move into position and we helped them with that. After that heard went south as far as we could see, we drove around for 3 days and didnt see another bison. But it was some cool country. My boy and another kid in the group found 2 deer sheds.

Good luck! We still have not got one yet, but I cant go. They just went down for the next few days.

 

[hoss]

We need a report on how the hunt went..Any word on how this late hunt is going with all the rain and snow??

 

[deadibob]

We got out on Monday about midnight two days before the hunt ended. We could have gotten out two days earlier but my little guy got sick and I didn't want to leave him behind. It was pretty much hurricane winds until Wednesday morning and most of that day had poor visibility from low clouds. We didn't see a buff but we tried our hardest to make the hunt work and at least we got out there. Sometimes the deck is stacked but there were no injuries and really just a lot of frustration. Overall it's one of those hunts (or attempt of a hunt) that just happens every once in a while.

I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time thinking about what I could have done differently like not flushing a transmission with 250,000+ miles on it right before the hunt. Next time I'll just drop the pan and replace the filter. I had no idea flushing an old tranny (not that kind of tranny Bess) that hasn't been maintained will kill it nearly every time.

On the bright side I'm sure our Buff hunt went better than Zim's did and as far as I know he's still lost out there nearly a couple decades later

 

[littlebighorn]

Sometimes life gets in the way of a good adventure. I'm sorry the hunt didn't turn out the way you and your son had planned.
It's kinda rare, when MMer's share the results of an empty outcome, but I know it happens way more than it's reported here.

My experience is, hunts, even LE hunts, are never as easy as they seem. Especially the way social media paints them in our minds.
Good on you deadibob, and thanks for sharing.

 

[Silentstalker]

Hunting is so much more than the kill, horns, or meat. While I’m sorry you didn’t get one, you got a chance to spend a few days with your sons and that is time that can never be taken from you.

Good luck on the next one!

 

[deadibob]

Hunting is so much more than the kill, horns, or meat. While I’m sorry you didn’t get one, you got a chance to spend a few days with your sons and that is time that can never be taken from you.

Good luck on the next one!

Thanks. You are absolutely right that hunting and a successful hunt is much more than just a notched tag, yes that is the ultimate end goal but it isn't what gave me the burning desire to hunt when I was young. I just about went into detail on the things that started the fire for me but it would probably go on and on and put us both to sleep. ?

I for sure as hell didn't get addicted to hunting because I wanted the biggest score, widest rack or the fame, glory and eventual pitfalls that come from being a Pseudo Super Hunter. I despise all of that which has become the norm for hunting in the world today.
Before the family came along I mostly hunted alone and it is the only time when I actually feel that every part of my being is completely alive. It's something that can't be explained but if you've experienced it then you know what I mean.

Thanks for the comments.