In most walks of life we keep hearing of “quality this” and “quality that”.  The world of hunting is no different as the drop word is “quality hunting”.

Back in ’88 we was up on the Rock Crick drainage sacrificing warm toes by a nice lodge fire with a good woman and a jug of wine.  We was makin meat to keep our bellies full.  We had plenty of small trouble getin’ in and setin’ up our base camp.  Lost the rear wheels on one of our key wagons.  Did some fish-tailing getin’ in and the trip out was most near a bad dream, but I reckon all in all it boils down to a quality hunt.

Opening day found us loading up our long guns.  For those of you not knowin’, “Long Guns” are rifles capable of makin’ meat from squirl to buffalo and anything in between and smaller.  First the powder is precisely measured, (each of us havin’ our own formula for success) and poured down the barrel.  Next comes the spit patch and round ball.  These two gotta go down the barrel together.  It they don’t, the ball will roll out and you ain’t gonna make no meat.  Now here is where quality come in.  While the others was lubing their patches with regular spit, bear grease (a favorite), store bought fancy stuff and other concoctions home made, I went into the cooking lodge and got some new stuff called “Butter Flavored Crisco”!  I figured it’s made from folks like me squeezin’ the shorts off of vegetables, then pounding the shorts until it turns em into butter-looking stuff.  It’s gota be good.

Loading up was all done before first light and we started our hunt.  After nine days of quality stomping, sneeking, hiking, fallin’ in the snow, getting chased by moose and unfriendly land owners, wadin’ in knee deep water, etc., here are the results:

Wapiti Dung—8 bucks sighted, two dandy 50 yard shots in open country—no hits!

Tracker—18 bucks sighted, only one big enough to take, no shots.

No Grimace—11 bucks sighted, one 100 yard shot, one wet cap hammer drop on a two point at 50 yards, no hits.

Cherry—9 bucks sighted, one snapping cap followed by a hangfire on a nice two point at 50 yards, no hits.

Softball—14 bucks sighted, 3 excellent under 100 yard shots and one running 125 yarder, no hits.

Fat Duck—8 bucks sighted, one popped cap on wet powder at a 25 yard two point, no hits.

Bears Butt—11 bucks sighted, one 130 yard shot, through-the-trees-facing-him-head-on on a trophy class animal—one buck on the camp meat pole and liver in the bag!

All the others saw plenty of game but took no shots.

Now I’m here to tell you if it weren’t for those Crisco inspectors makin sure those vegetable shorts was all off, I’m sure I’d of missed my shot.  THAT’s QUALITY HUNTING!

Bears Butt

Nov-Dec 1988