Preparation
Scouting for Elk on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve.
Why am I doing this? This question keeps popping into my head as I prepare for an Elk hunt, the last week of November, near the Wallowa mountains in Eastern Oregon.
I’ve always wanted to harvest a deer or elk. It feels self sufficient, pioneer woman-like, and French, in its farm to table sensibility. Hunting appeals to my love of being outside in remote wild places and my commitment to wildlife and land conservation.
Having a goal of shooting a large ungulate is ambitious. This is more than a goal, it’s Bucket-list, and I’m going for it.
On the suggestion of a friend, I decided to set my sites on a cow elk. In the Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations guide that I picked up at my local sporting goods store, they are referred to as “antlerless elk”.
In the 100 page pamphlet I found the hunt number, hunt name, and dates I was looking for. I wanted the Zumwalt Prairie.
I applied in May, and by mid summer I found out I was one of the lucky ones who drew a tag. With tag in hand I applied to a Nature Conservancy Hunt on 33,000 acres that TNC manages on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve. Again, I was selected for this special tag, that allows cow elk to be hunted in order to keep the herd at a healthy and sustainable size.
Then the hard part started. For the past few weeks I’ve been getting myself sorted out. I pulled out my grandma’s old gun. Its a Ruger 270 that she bought new in the mid 1980’s. It is a bolt action and I’ve shot it many times. It has a solid scope on it and It has been used on successful hunts with my grandma, my mom, my brother, and my son.
First step was to find ammunition. This is an obstacle. You can’t just walk into Bi-mart and ask for bullets for a 270. They don’t have any, and they don’t have a waiting list. Pandemic lock downs and unrest in large cities has lead to the hoarding of not only toilet paper, but also of guns and ammunition. Luckily for me, I had two boxes stashed away and my dad had two more. I don’t need 4 boxes of bullets, but I need to practice and site my gun in properly, so that I only need 1 bullet.
Before I went shooting, I needed to clean my gun. I’ve seen and smelled guns being cleaned. It’s a very distinct odor, and in my mind goes hand in hand with just looking at a rifle or shot gun. But honestly, I can’t remember ever cleaning a gun myself. My dad always did it. So I went to my bin of hand me down hunting gear gifted to me over the years and found a cleaning kit. I laid out an old yoga mat, cut in half for padding and protection on the dining room table, and found a You tube video. Thoughts of a hunters safety course taken over 40 years ago, and slightly refreshed 10 years ago when my son took the course, came to mind. “Check the chamber” and “Muzzle Control”.
The first step to cleaning my grandmas Rugar was “remove the bolt”. Without going into too much detail, cleaning the gun turned into a trip to the local gunsmith, a trip to Bi-Mart for the right dimension cleaning rod, and finally, my gun barrel was spotless and the action was smooth.
Next step: go to the gun range.
I went solo to the Redmond gun club on a late Saturday afternoon. The gentlemen there were all very friendly, and very helpful. I put ear protection on immediately. I bought some targets when I checked in and attached them with tape to old political campaign yard signs. I decided to start with shooting from 50 yards. There were about 6-7 other groups shooting at different stations. You shoot and then when everyone seems done, the monitor releases everyone to walk out on the range and move or check on their targets. I was happy with where my bullets were hitting at 50 and moved to 100 yards. Each time I put a bullet into the chamber I took a close look at it and confirmed it was a 270. My box of bullets was labeled 1989. All went well…
My hunt is one month out. I have a rented house. My kids and some friends are joining us for almost a week in Joseph, Oregon. We will be celebrating Thanksgiving, my 55th birthday, and hopefully bagging an elk. This is a backcountry hunt. No vehicles are allowed onto the Prairie other than on designated roads. The crew is coming prepared to help pack out a big animal that will be field dressed and quartered on the prairie. A few more times shooting my gun and a few more hours of watching videos on how to field dress an elk and tips on getting it safely to the butcher.
Often, over the past few months I’ve wondered “Why aren’t I going to a yoga retreat in Mexico”, but what would be the fun in that?
