Got Elk?
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We’re gearing up the whole family for second rifle season here in Colorado. Don’t know how much time I’ll be able to spend as finishing a couple of big website projects is asking much of me, but I’ll definitely get in a good three days over the coming weekend. Our son is planning on more than that, with a solo overnight in the works. Wife gets out as well, and she’s slayed a few before so the gal is our ringer.
When it comes to elk hunting I’m an amateur compared to the guys who plan year around and scout all summer. So some seasons the only shots I fire are when sighting in the rifle. But I love getting out there with the focus of stalking the wapiti, as the zen of it seems to open your mind to the environment in a way that’s truly different from any other activity I’ve experienced. The workout is pretty good too.
And if we do harvest some meat, it’s definitely the finest fruit of the mountains that’ll ever cross your taste buds. The jerky isn’t half bad either for long days of backcountry skiing.
At any rate, our arsenal is usually in good shape but we always check the accuracy of our sights before opening day, and bang off a few rounds just to make sure we can still shoot straight enough to not be throwing random lead around. Along with that, it’s a good excuse to bring out the .357 handgun and play Clint Eastwood. Kinda helps you forget about work for a few minutes, anyway. And yes, yet another subject for sensitive and gentle family photos — our Christmas card?
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| Enough with the shoulder pounding aught six, how about some wrist massage to top things off? |
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| Could this be the kid’s graduation photo? Might be a bit intense for the Christmas card, come to think of it… |
How does this relate to backcountry skiing besides as a food source? If things work out, along with numerous other gear evaluations Louie will be testing a Spot Satellite Global Messenger, the cool emergency communication device that could be the answer to all our needs for backcountry safety notification.
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33 Responses to “Got Elk?”
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Fresh elk tenderloin… lightly coated with a fine dusting of flour, sea salt and fresh black pepper, sauteed in a hot cast iron skillet for two minutes each side in butter/olive oil, placed on a bed of finely minced sauteed shallots and garlic reduced in port wine, with a side of sauteed mushrooms in butter. Truly God’s gift from the mountains!
Lou, that looks like a S&W 686 with six inch barrel, adjustable sights. From the photog angle, almost looks like a .41 Magnum or .44 Magnum.
Have fun!
Lou,
You can cure the shoulder pounding of the 06 by switching to a T/C Encore pistol in the same caliber. Won’t hurt the shoulder but the wrists do take a beating. And the muzzle blast from the 15 inch barrel blew my sandbag apart the first time I tried to sight it in.
Okay you gun freaks, gal’s long gun is a Winchester model 70, 30-06, mine and (now kid’s too) is a Remington model 700 stainless 30-06 with synthetic stock, for hunting in wet snowtorms and rain. The handgun is a Colt Cobra stainless .357, which was a gift from a guide client many years ago and still appreciated.
We store the weapons in a gun safe, handgun travels in a locked hideout box built into the truck.
We got mule kicked during target practice because we got there and all we had was 180 grain ammo, should have been using 160 for the sight-in.
Ahhhh, a family that shoots together skis together.
I love a good bit of wild game, but how does a handgun fit into the picture. They’re only good for shooting things within a few metres, no?
By the way, goose fat helps hold the deer meat together and add flavour if you’re making sausages.
Frame, we were out target shooting and grabbed the handgun for a few rounds, that’s all. Made some interesting photos, etc.
That said, shooting a handgun is good training for marksmanship as it helps train against flinching, since no rest is used. Thus, it has a purpose with regards to hunting.
We don’t use the handgun for hunting of any sort.
Also, some hunters carry a sidearm for mercy killing of wounded game instead of using a long gun in an awkward position while close to the animal, so the tool does have a purpose.
Carl, yes, but the question is how does it affect the marriage?
The skiing or the shooting?
Hmmmmm, pondering the questions of the universe…
I bought my first hunting license and deer tag this year. Mostly to shorten the food chain. I prefer land-to-animal-to-me over farm to truck to feedlot to animal to truck to slaughterhouse to grocery store to me. The environmental connection that you waxed poetically about sounds very interesting. I’ve read about that once before.
I don’t have expectations of getting an animal this year, but I’m game to try.
Well, maybe it is just my own warped views, but the post and pictures did very little for me. I am certain there are a lot of rags and internet postings out there for persons to pose with their firearms pointed in the direction of the camera. That is perhaps why I do not visit those sites, but review this one. Apparently, this post and the pictures have something to do with “mountain culture” and/or skiing. I would respectfully disagree.
Maybe not directly related to skiing, but both earning your turns and hunting give you a connection to the land that buying your food or taking a lift don’t.
I find it interesting that at least a handful of backcountry skiiers know a thing or 2 about hunting, guns, or game meat
That’s fine gmon, if everything I did made everyone happy 100% of the time that would be amazing. As for pointing firearm at camera, actually, it was the other way around and is artistic expression. But one man’s art is another man’s junk, and that’s fine too.
Lou,
It’s good to see that you have a penchant for firearms… I can strongly relate to that, but then I also believe in this fine quote from my friend J. Ventura:
“You have not hunted until you have hunted man!”
Good luck with the hunt, I wish I knew what made elk so delicious.
Your going to need lots of luck with the SPOT system if my Globalstar phone is any indicaition. My Globalstar is junk, I have a truck mount and a handheld and neither works. I’ve been forced to switch to Iridium.
Keep us posted. If Globalstar ever gets sorted, this could be a great solution.
Good to see demonstration of real American culture. One thing that is truly American is our right to keep firearms for sporting and to protect ourselves. Hooray for guns and the right to keep and bear arms!
I own a hunting rilfle, had a target pistol, and have a 9mm semi-auto S & W model 32 handgun. Just to help some folks understand American culture, that 9mm is just for protection of my family and home by using deadly force if necessary against human criminals presenting a threat- never have, just in case. In my state, as in many, a law-abiding citizen may have a Permit to carry a concealed loaded handgun. And to help the Euros and libs understand, I am happy to have my hunting rifle handy to protect my small daughter and family and even dogs against cougars and bears. In my town, cougars have roamed on the street by my home since hound hunting was outlawed in WA by Referendum. One local shot a cougar that was attacking their dog on the porch just outside the kitchen window. Bears who roam into town, take folks’ trash cans etc., and walk around town can pose a threat or attack. Humans are just slow protein in the animal world, the small ones especially are tempting.
And then, again, elk meat tastes great!
Dear Mr. Randonnee,
While I can appreciate the feelings of freedom that must come from being able to legally own a firearm, the idea of living in a culture so dangerous that the citizens truly believe that they must protect themselves at all times with concealed loaded firearms is a terrifying thought.
I too am uneasy about those photographs. Following a school shooting at Dunblane, Scotland in which 16 children and 1 teacher were killed, in 1997 the UK parliament outlawed all handguns. Even strictly controlled use for competition is banned – which, I think, is proving a little problematic for the 2012 Olympics.
Now, I’m sure that Lou and his familly are using their firearms responsibly. It’s just that some of us (certainly most of Europe) are from a different culture where this sort of thing is far from an everyday experience. Besides, over here we have little wildlife left to shoot at!
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density
US population density: 31 per km2
UK population density: 246 per km2
Which, I think, explains a lot.
In regard to the freedom and privilege to own firearms.
Of course, along with that privilege comes responsibility. For example, where I live, if one is licensed to carry a firearm, the law is strict in regard to concealing it, not using it, or even showing it or speaking of it except in justified self-defense.
It also has to do with self-sufficiency, a key American value. Having the ability to protect oneself reduces the fear that comes from being helpless. Near my home last week, at a remote public roadside rest facility, a 60 yr. old plus man was attacked by a young man wielding a whisky bottle, the young man actually swinging the whiskey bottle at the older man. After trying to get away from his attacker unsuccessfully, the older man retreived his lawfully-owned firearm from his vehicle in order to protect he and his wife. The attacker was shot, and rightly done. Every person has a right to personal safety, and in America we are able ourselves to engage in justified self-defense. Law-abiding persons in possession of firearms are an important enhancement of the peaceful society, so that armed thugs and criminals do not wield the ultimate deadly force without challenge.
Rhetorically, I ask those with questions about owning firearms: after my explanations would you knowingly break into my home or attack me or my family?
In America, we have the right to be paranoid be it about guns, challenging your political views or what kind of gear you ski with.
I worry about somebody breaking into my garage and stealing my ski gear!
Thanks for all the comments guys. I know guns are a sensitive issue and don’t intend to push it too hard, but blogging is about life, and this is our life. Backcountry skiing, hunting, automotive, more, it’s all related in our outdoor lifestyle. Subject will go back to pure skiing in a few hours when next post goes up.
As to philosophy, as far as we’re concerned guns are an interesting and somewhat demanding tool that can be used to do all sorts of things, some bad. They’re not going away any time soon and I’d just as soon be on the good side, with target shooting and hunting being the main purpose of our tools. As to the fact that said tools are used to do bad things; I’m quite a bit more concerned about the people that do those things, rather than the tools. For example, suicide bombers don’t use guns, and last time I heard passenger jets made pretty good weapons as well. Come to think of it, I’ll refrain from passenger jet photos…and like I said, back to skiing!
Living in and around ski towns, I have met many young Europeans here on work visas. A couple of winters ago I took a Scott, and a Romanian to the shooting range. We shot handguns, shotguns, and of course an “Evil Black Rifle” (AR-15), they both had a Blast!! Shooting targets and blasting cans is alot of fun!! They both enjoyed the expierience tremendously.
We’re a product of our upbringing. I was taught, “Never point a gun at anything unless you plan on shooting it.” You might want to sleep with one eye open with Louie in the house.
Hey Cory, like I said, he didn’t point the gun at the camera, I pointed the camera at the gun! Believe me, gun safety is a big deal in our family — but so is “art.” Technical: The set FX guy made sure the revolver wasn’t loaded, not cocked, and finger off trigger. To us that was safe enough for getting the photo. What inspired me is a similar composition in the ski movies we saw last week in Aspen, only in that one the gun is a toy with that big red marker on the end. Looks childish. We wanted to one-up the big time ski movie makers with something real, like the gun shooting sequence in the new PW07 ski movie. By the way, anyone notice how frequently guns crop up in the “progressive” ski movies these days?
I think Western Europeans generally attribute their level of crime and violence to an enlightened attitude and legislation. On this topic I can see the collective European heads moving side to side as they say “stupid americans and their stupid guns, they just don’t get it.” I’d like to think I as an American (and many others on this blog) am at least relatively enlightnened on a number of subjects and if legislation was as simple as some would have us believe then we would have a perfect world. But the world and this issue are far more complicated then they appear and require a review and understanding of American history, Western European history (especially since the end of WWII), and a non-judgmental recognition of the American self reliance and self defense ethic. Sorry to point out the obvious but it just always feels like Europeans (and many Americans) look down their collective nose at us gun toting, crazy Americans and take a few pictures of Lou and his family yielding weapons as some sort of threat and an affront to their sensibilities. The horrified tone to some of the posts in reaction to the pics seem to me to come from a true sense of fear and misconception. I for one got a kick out of the Dirty Harry style pic and could easliy see the gun wasn’t loaded and the finger was off the trigger. Lou, how bout’ some pics and a snow report from the last storm?
only amateurs keep thier fingers on the trigger…
Man oh man Toby, I’m buried trying to get a new backcountry skiing website going. Will probably start going for early season turns late next week or the week after. It’s going to be a LONG season so I don’t get too hot and bothered this time of year, even though I probably should for the sake of the blog.
That said, I’ve got some cool gear blogs coming up in preparation for what’s coming!
Njord, yeah, what a laugh when you see people in movies using a handgun as a pointer with their finger on the trigger. But sad too, when you hear about an accidental shooting you always wonder if the person got their gun safety from pop culture.
Hey Lou
It is great to see you believe in cultural diversity!!!.
diversity is my middle name
This is why I love this blog! It’s a slice of real American life, in the Colorado mountains. We are so blessed to be able to enjoy all that we do in this country, and especially in this state. To be able to backcountry ski on so many high peaks and hunt elk, sometimes in the same month, is incredible. Hunting, or shooting, as a sport is far less dangerous or deadly than backcountry skiing, fyi. Lou, I absolutely agree that elk or deer hunting is a great way to really get in touch with the mountains. How often do any of us just go walking alone cross-country in the mountains, carefully watching and listening to the surroundings? This was my first elk season, and although I didn’t chamber a round, let alone take a shot, it was awesome to just be up there, especially as the sun was coming up over the Gore range. Judging just from the comments, I would guess that a great many BC skiers are also gun owners and/or hunters. I think it has something to do with freedom. In fact, I spent a good amount of time thinking of combining skiing and hunting, especially with the foot+ of snow we received during this first season. I bet it’s not a bad way to get around once you get a couple feet of snow on the ground. For all the haters, this is what we really do out here, and many other parts of the US. We drive 4×4′s offroad, BC ski like it’s a job, shoot guns, go hunting and fishing, sometimes drive snowmobiles, and still hold a deep love and respect for the environment and effective conservation. They DO go hand-in-hand, when you show a little responsibility. Anyway, Lou, thanks for keeping it “real” and not keeping these types of activities from your posts because of the unrealistic stigmas. Cool pics, too.
Pierce, my son and I hunted on skis once. It was fun and interesting, but somewhat of a hassle with all the gear, issues wiith how to carry the rifle, etc. Glad we did it though…
I’ve traveled all over the world and had guns pointed in my face twice – both times in America. Responsible hunting is fine, but that photo of Louie reminded me of what the Columbine student must have seen before Eric Harris blew their brains out. I found it disturbing.
Andrew, thanks for your take. I guess that begs the question: Should a blog have edgy art that asks questions, evokes emotion and engenders discussion, or should it just be feel-good fluff or simply news style information images? I tend to want to mix in some edgy stuff, probably because I come from a family of artists, but perhaps that’s not a good idea…
What’s interesting to me is that there are probably thousands of artists for whom if you said their art was disturbing, they’d take it as the ultimate compliment. So, how should I take it?