Salute to a Marine

Nice. Can't wait for pictures and the write up.

Can't wait for the story!

Congrats Bernie! Looking forward to the story.

I love live hunt time of the year. (Work flow may suffer a little. )

Congrats, Bernie!
Woohooo

I always love this time of year! Can't wait to read more...

You are always a stand up guy, thanks for sharing your live hunts here. I know it provides motivation for a bunch of us that are waiting for the seasons to open.

great news! looking forward to the story. congrats bernie

Excellent effort and good on you BF for giving a little assistance to one of our veterans!

And a hearty congrats to Bernie.

Well played, Mr. Newberg. Well played. Congratulations Bernie.

Way cool!! As much fun as it would've been to get one on the first day, this is even better...

Randy, you are an amazing person.

Way to go Randy and big time congrats to Bernie!

Congrats guys!

Congrats!

Very nice! Look forward to the info and pics! Grats to all involved!

Well, after giving up on the big herd with the big buck, we found ourselves high on the NW end of a big block of state land. From there, you can glass every section of the public land, though the heat waves make it hard to tell good from bad, buck from doe, at long distances.

I really thought we would intercept that big herd. I was so sure, I went on a big hike, checking every coulee and making sure we did not miss something. Nope, they were gone.

The hunt was now half way over, with these Mobility Impaired hunts being only three days long. I asked Bernie what he wanted to do. In his precise dead pan humor he replied,"Shoot a buck (expletives removed)."

From our perch, I could see at least twenty antelope and a few I could make out as bucks, even with the mid-day heat waves distorting our view. It was decided we would make a big loop that would take us close to these bucks.

On our way, we met the old couple. The lady got "another shot" that morning. They were so pleasurable to visit with, you could spend the entire day talking to them. Eventually, we parted way, wishing both good luck. We determined we were the only two tags still to be filled.

We hadn't traveled but three miles when the road took us by a buck that I had not seen from above. He was bedded in tall grass, facing straight away from us, maybe 150 yards from where the big buck got shot yesterday. This seemed too good.

We parked and glassed the buck. He was only 260 yards away. If we could make it 50 yards to the fence line, Bernie could have a 210 yard shot. The buck was almost asleep.

I asked Bernie if he wanted to shoot it. He said he would let me know when we got set up. About four minutes later we were set up, him in his chair, the tripod out in front, with camera rolling. And now the buck knew something was up.

He rose from his bed and looked at us. One of those "not sure" sized bucks. Bernie got ready as the buck presented his most tempting broadside display. This was going to be classic. The buck then provided a side profile. From that, I was hoping Bernie would pass. The buck looked way better from the front view, than from the side. Small prongs and thin mass from that angle. From the front view, he might have been a shooter.

Bernie never loaded the chamber. He watched the buck through the scope, following him in the crosshairs. Eventually, the buck tired of our antics and trotted off, making our decision for us.

Dang, why couldn't we find a bigger lone buck that was that cooperative? Oh well, off to look at some of the others we knew were nearby. Was exciting to see that we could pull this off, with enough opportunities. I could see Bernie's spirits were lifted.

Back in the truck, we took a hard east turn, going toward the spot where some white dots had been located from up high. We no more than made the turn and two small bucks were laying about 75 yards of the road. They refused to stand, but Bernie gave them a quick glass and decided to pass. The buck he had just passed was bigger then either of these two.

Not sure what had changed their behavior, but we suddenly had bucks blocking our progress like trees blown down across a trail. If only one of them would be of the size that met Bernie's trigger itch.

We moved on, now very excited and feeling the wind was now at our backs. Big Mo was turning our way. It was just a matter of time. Or so we hoped, and maybe even stated such.

You are a great man Randy for doing what you're doing! I hope Bernie connects on a great buck! Please thank Bernie for his service to this great country! I'm taking my son on his first trip to Montana, he too served this great country in Iraq and received one Purple Heart !

As I guided the Titan down the washboard road, we talked about what size buck Bernie was looking for. I got to the cut-across two-track that would allow us to go back NW toward the antelope I spotted scattered across this big flat grassland.

I cranked the wheel hard left and we bounced down an old two track following a fence line. By the looks of it, there had been a lot of traffic on this old trail over the last couple days. We continued our discussion of what size, shape or characteristic Bernie had in mind. I guess Bernie's comments could be summarized by "I'll know it when I see him."

Not much further, I noticed a white object stand from the mixed sage and grass. The black face made him out to be a buck, for sure. I glassed and could see he was bigger than any of the last three bucks, but looked to have a broken prong.

I turned the truck sideways so Bernie could glass out his window without wrenching his back. He glassed the buck for about 1.5 seconds, dropped his binos and pronounced, "That's him."

Now, how to close the gap?

I pulled the truck a little further forward, trying to use the tight woven fence as an object where we could be partially obscured from his view down the fence line.

Before I even got stopped, Mike was out the door, setting up his sticks, and mounting his camera on the tripod plate. Before I grabbed the rifle and tripod, I suggested that Bernie could move down the fence line a bit and get closer. By the time Mike and I caught up, Bernie had closed another 50 yards. The fence posts were so close together and the angle between us and the buck so sharp, the fence was a very good barrier.

When we reached Bernie, the buck was now looking our direction and had moved out away from the fence. He knew something was up, but not sure just what.

I ranged him. 199 yards, broadside. Bernie took another look as I set up the tripod for him to rest on. "I'd be happy with that one." Off to our right, Mike rose his sticks to clear the stands of wire connecting the fence. He gave Bernie permission to shoot whenever he was ready.

I had barely dropped my range finder and got my binos on the buck, when "Boom! Thwack!"

No mistaking that sound, especially when the buck takes off like a dart, his belly only and inch off the ground, zig zagging like only a mortally hit antelope can do. Within 75 yards, the buck did a face plant.

Bernie let out a big sigh. I assured him it was a great shot. A rifleman like Bernie is more concerned with the quality of his shot than the size of the animal. I assured him that with the slightly quartering angle, it was a great shot, maybe a rib or two back from perfect, but a very good shot, given the chaos of filming, his struggle to get out of the truck, and the fact he was shooting from the standing position with only one point of bracing provided by the tall tripod.

I hope the expressions and satisfaction come through on video half as good as they were expressed out in the field. Bernie's hunting days are not over. We embraced, shook hands, smiled, and did some big back slaps.

Bernie asked me to hurry and make sure the buck was dead. Knowing the buck was expired, I hesitated slightly, but knowing how important it is to Bernie that the animal be dispatched as quick and humanely as possible, I trotted ahead to confirm. My initial impressions were proven correct. I shouted to Bernie the buck was indeed dead and it was a good shot.

Upon hearing that, his pace quickened and I could hear his deep burly laugh coming across the sage. Something about success in the hunt that gets the level of chatter to a crescendo. This was no exception.

Hunter, camera man, and helper were talking simultaneously, repeating the events from their perspective, congratulating the other, and giving thanks to have been there to share the experience. Those who have been part of these truly remarkable hunting experiences know exactly what I am talking about.

Pics were taken and the stories continue. We quickly loaded the buck and drove to a grove of P-J where Mike and I told Bernie to sit in his chair as we took care of the business. In addition to being a damn good camera guy, Mike also does taxidermy. I took the task of quartering and deboning while Mike caped and readied Bernie's buck for mounting.

Within an hour, the buck was in pieces and on ice. It was then time to fill in the TV details that connect the story highlights, do some interviews, and wrap up the work that makes for a good episode.

Now finished and looking back at it, I am so glad I talked Bernie into applying for this hunt. For my own selfish reasons, I hope it is not the last time I get to help someone on a special hunt. Words do are not adequate to express the blessing of being asked to help a true friend and when asked, have it turn out as good as this did.

This buck was Bernie's 40th antelope, including bucks and does. He is an accomplished hunter beyond what I could ever hope for. He has two full grand slams of mountain sheep on his wall, all accomplished while as he says, "Never having made enough money to worry about counting it." How you go to Canada and kill two Stone rams on that salary demonstrates two things; that hunting is a priority in his life, and that his wife, Laurie, understands his passion for hunting.

Thanks Bernie. It was a truly remarkable experience, for which I am further indebted to you. No matter what success we have this year, it will be hard to top the pleasure and gratification I have found in this one.

Good on you boys. The old adage applies here....gotta be in it to win it. One NR unguided tag and Bernie pulled the proverbial needle out of the haystack. Nice of you to encourage him to throw the hat in the ring, and even better, you boys pulled it off.

Great story on the hunt and a great buck. Congrats to Bernie on antelope #40!

Outstanding. Really enjoyed reading along, thanks Randy.