50 Years of Hunting and Fishing: The Mis-Adventures of a Guy Who Couldn't Quit Part I

A Tribute

The purpose of life becomes more focused when viewed from the perspective of age. It is becoming increasingly obvious to me that when life’s distractions are cast aside, there is nothing more valuable than family and friends.

An appendix to an autobiography has become a book, much the result of my wife Barbara’s encouragement. Indeed, she has supported me for almost a half century. I love her dearly and we are family and friends. Although she has never understood my passion for the outdoors and hunting and fishing, she has been supportive. I recall, many years ago when she said: Ben, there is a lot of our monthly budget disappearing and I think it is being spent on your expensive habits. I responded: Hunting and fishing are cheaper than being under a psychiatrist’s care. She then told me: It may be cheaper, but it’s not working.

I introduced my oldest son, Mark, to fishing when he was three years old. I stopped at one of those pay-as-you-fish ponds in Fort Collins, Colorado. He caught three and wanted more, but I was out of money. He is addicted to fishing, builds rods, ties flies and must have caught thousands of fish by now. Mark, is it too late for one more hunt or another trip down the Kanectoc River?

My second Son, Clark is a modern Techie. But he loves to fish and hunt. His priorities are sometimes confused and he lets work and other responsibilities get in his way of outdoor pursuits. And sometimes he still uses those I-Gottem Shells. (A hunter who uses an I-Gottem Shell, has an uncontrollable urge to yell out I-Gottem when any bird falls in the general area).

My youngest Son, Scott, is the runt of the litter, but we are friends and hunters. Little did I realize, when I modestly introduced him to whitetail deer hunting that he would become so dedicated! He has also been known to carry some of those I-Gottem Shells in his pocket. Keep hunting, Scott and you will get a buck as large as the one I shot that hangs in your office.

To all those with whom I have shared many experiences, I say thank you. To: Russell Madsen, Terry Beaver, Clark Hatch, Ed Souders, Robert Ruude, Treavor Gott and the few others.. .Is there still time for one more trip?

Some companions have disappeared over time, the rest have long since died and gone to that Limited Entry Celestial Hunting and Fishing Area. I hope that some of you have sat on a ridge with the hopes of getting a shot at that lion before it lies down with the lamb.

Thanks to Dorothy Proud, my second mother-in-law, who was always telling me to write a book. But she never gave me a subject. I am sorry that she is not around to read it.

I am not sure what it is like up there. But I hope all hunters and fishermen are enjoying the following conditions: No need for snow chains The creeks are never deeper than your boots Open season all year No game and fish wardens The fish always bite Birds always flush in range Your wife is excited when you return Outfitters never lie

BEN D. MAHAFFEY

Vernal, Utah

Redneck Philosophy

Hunting and fishing are common recreational pursuits, especially in the west. They were more common in the east before the extensive settlement that now exists. Hunting and fishing activities are also more common for men than women, although some women do hunt and fish, but few in comparison to men. Scott, (my youngest son) is teaching his oldest daughter Kiane to hunt, although her long term interest is unknown at this time. Stereotypical activities are slow in changing, although it appears that these sports would be more attractive to males. One reason for this is the difficult and often dangerous environments where these activities take place.

Another interesting phenomenon is that most who hunt and fish begin when youngsters. Few adults learn to hunt and fish. This is not true for other sports, i.e., golf, hiking, etc. However, at one time, I taught an older male friend to trap shoot and then to hunt birds. He became an avid hunter! It is usually a father figure who introduces youngsters to the sport.

The other day, I was on the Internet negotiating with a guide for a possible deer hunt out of Buffalo, Wyoming. My wife, Barbara, learning of this said: Haven’t you had enough hunting, after a lifetime of it? Haven’t you killed enough animals? Good heavens! After a lifetime of me explaining to her that hunting is more than killing, she should ask these questions!

I tried to think of an example that would explain a life time of enjoying one activity. I thought of sex, but quickly changed my mind, fearing what she would say. I changed the subject to books. Barbara, just because you have read scores of books, does that mean you are not interested in reading another one with an intriguing cover? She didn’t answer me, she just went into another room and picked up a book.

The socialization process, while hunting and fishing, is an interesting phenomenon. It is not unlike golf, photography, gardening and other recreational pursuits, in that the experience comprises many activities combined into one title. A good hunting or fishing trip takes planning, scheduling, plotting, buying, packing, meetings, phone calls, budgeting (I often call this rat-holing money from the wife), etc. And all of this is before the actual hunting trip. Each experience is different but often includes driving, camping, cooking, tracking, hiking and freezing. The killing is a small part of the whole experience. I have often found that planning the trip was as enjoyable as the trip itself.

With some hunters and fishermen, especially if they are related, i.e., fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, etc., hunting and fishing experiences become a permanent part of the social and psychological bonding between and among them. Those feelings, although almost never mentioned, and often misunderstood, are real! Those memories are usually favorable. However, some experiences are negative and result in some individuals abandoning those types of recreational activities. Hunting and fishing seems to bring out the best and worst behavior in individuals. Indeed, character traits can be studied with great accuracy in these situations.

Proponents of organized recreational sports like football and basketball advocate those activities to build character, physical prowess, teamwork, etc. But in my opinion, hunting and fishing can do all of the above and more. In addition to the fundamental advantages, most hunters and fishermen can learn about ecology, wildlife management, law enforcement, sociology, psychology and human relations! Few will gain that knowledge under those names, but none-the-less, the learning often takes place.

I have three sons, Mark, Clark and Scott. We have all had these experiences, together and in different family combinations. I don’t know how these experiences have helped mold their characters, but they are all good men and hopefully, our love and association will continue to develop. I am also optimistic that they will pass down the family guns and other equipment that has been used for decades.. .With an opportunity for the grandsons and granddaughters to use them many times with their fathers.

The philosophy of spending money for hunting and fishing is not unlike spending money for other recreational activities. Most of us really don’t want to know what anything has cost us. We might want to know what it is going to cost us so that we can extort the money from our wives, but don’t remind us when the money is gone. All of us spend a lot more money that we realize and it would shock us if we computed it!

The cost of hunting and fishing licenses has really increased, far more than the average inflation rate during the past fifty years. I suspect that some state G&F economists would disagree. They would throw in all of the eco-babble of constant dollars, using graphs, pie charts, curves, break points, etc. If that wouldn’t work then they would tell about increased service, research and development programs and other excuses for what has become a state and national problem: the burgeoning, restrictive and corrupt bureaucracies.

In the early 1950’s I could buy a deer, elk and antelope permit for $5 each. The deer and elk permits also included bear, birds and fish. As a nonresident, I just mailed a check for $295, for only a deer permit. State G&F Departments are revenue generating agencies, as much, or more than natural resource managing agencies. Some states will only sell out-of-state-permits for deer and elk together. Idaho and Montana now charge around $800 for the combination license. Idaho is so efficient that you can call an 800 number, order your license and do all of the application on the phone. They charge a $25 fee for this service, in addition to the base price.

This past season, Utah sold 15,300 bucks only licenses for the northeast corner of the state. I doubt there are that many bucks in Utah and the west half of Colorado. Wyoming is so greedy that they have a special pool for out-of-state applicants. If you submit an additional $100, you have a better chance of drawing a permit.

Most of us don’t have much sympathy or understanding for what other types of recreationists spend. As an example, I cannot understand what manner of man would pay $300 for green fees to play one game of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Course, in addition to all of the ancillary expenses. I also do not understand why a golfer says that exercise is the main reason for golfing and then uses a golf cart.

Golfers ask me how I can justify two four-wheelers. That’s simple. I need one for me and for a friend when we hunt.. .a couple of times a year, more often, when possible. But I also need a boat to fish the local lakes; a pickup to pull the boat; and a camper or travel trailer to live in while fishing or hunting. It appears to me, however, that hunters and fishermen probably get more enjoyment for their money spent for these pursuits than most other outdoor recreationists. You can’t eat a golf ball! In all fairness, I have harvested some game animals that I could not eat.

I had a friend review the draft of this book. He was very concerned as he commented: If you publish this book, it will be a rallying cry for all of the environmentalist wackos and anti-hunters. It will do great harm to hunters across the country. I thought about his comments. I guess I could use the policitically correct words and phrases: harvest, reduction in numbers, annual increment, etc., but an animal is killed, and death is a part of life for animals and people. Nature is cruel and so are some people. I have never met a hunter or fisherman who intended to be cruel.

Early Memories of Hunting and Fishing

My first recollection of hunting, of any kind, was when I was about five years old. We were living in a shanty, in an oil town called Bairoil, Wyoming. This was about 1938. Dave Mahaffey (stepfather) and others poached deer in the nearby hills for meat. I recall going out late one night to meet the men who had hidden the deer.

Later, we moved to Casper, Wyoming. Until this time, we moved around Wyoming and nearby states. Dave was working in the oil patch. When I was about ten or eleven years old, I began to walk with Dave while hunting. I used to go with him occasionally while fishing but not often.

Antelope hunting is easy, usually performed from a vehicle with little walking or stalking. The shooting is more difficult because of the distance but the physical demands are not near as difficult as deer or elk hunting.

In the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, deer hunting was closed over most of the state. During WWII, few men were around to hunt but the season was opened. There will probably never be the quality of hunting as there was at that time. I was a kid and this was when I walked and hunted with Dave and began what has been a lifetime activity. We used to hunt south of Casper about 50 miles in some rugged areas that abounded with deer since the season had been closed for so long.

I never had any boots. Dave had boots. I had to hunt in low cut shoes and often they didn’t fit well. If I ever complained Dave would threaten to leave me home. So I learned to suffer in silence for the sake of the hunt. I can remember some gigantic blisters! I never asked for boots and Dave appeared to be insensitive to my needs. However, when I grew older I made sure I had adequate hunting equipment, and that my boys would not be neglected.

Fourteen was the minimum age to hunt. I never got to try to shoot before that time. I often asked Dave to help me, but beyond having me go along, I had very little training from him other than watching. I didn’t have a gun. Dave had purchased a .270 Winchester in the late 1930’s and used that gun until he quit hunting, fifty years later. He thought that the .270 was the most superior of any gun!

Until that time he used an 8mm Lebel. This was a WWI French Army rifle. As I recall, it held two in the magazine and one in the barrel. He had customized it. He cut down the barrel and the stock. It recoiled so badly that he put buckshot in the butt to help hold it down. He loaned this gun to me. But, as I recall, he never taught me how to shoot it. I just picked it up and started hunting.

I used it one season. I was out hunting in the same general area with Dave, but hunting by myself. I was walking high on a ridge. I looked down below and there were four big bucks walking below me. I sat down and fired three times at them.missing each time. Each time I shot, the recoil of the gun caused the stock to come up and hit me in the mouth! My mouth looked as if I had been in a fist fight!

Later in the day, I came up on another huge buck laying down below me. The bullet hit right between his legs; I had missed again. I didn’t do very well with iron sights! Thus ended the season. I vowed I would never use that gun again.and I didn’t. I was working at the newspaper at the time and it was located next door to the Western Auto Hardware Store. I went in and said I wanted to buy a .30-06. (I had checked around and that caliber seemed the most popular). The clerk said you and everyone else in Casper. The war was just over and there were no guns available. He told me he would put me on the list. A few months later the gun came in He called me and I bought my first gun. I put a Weaver 3.3 scope on it and I never had any serious problems missing again.

Just before I graduated from high school, I went on an elk hunting trip with Dave and others. We used horses, which I hate. I don’t mind having a horse to use for packing but I have since refused to hunt from a horse. Those experiences introduced me to deer and elk hunting. Although, I never killed any deer or elk before I went into the military, I was hooked and was anxious to go again as my military service came to an end.

My first antelope hunt was a little different than my first deer and elk hunt. I was hunting north of Casper by the river where all of the hotels and motels are now located. They were sand hills in those days and a safe haven for antelope. I had my new rifle. I hit my first antelope but it was a gut shot and Dave was very unhappy. He berated me for my poor shooting. But, although it was a poor shot, I did get the antelope. Since that time, I have an aversion for gut shots, although they occasionally happen. The animal is usually lost, especially a deer or elk. Antelope are easier to follow, if gut shot. Most of the animals that I have killed over a 50 year period have been well shot and very few animals have been lost!

I was introduced to pheasant hunting in my teens. There were other birds to hunt... ducks, geese and sage chickens but I didn’t hunt them much before returning from the military. But we often hunted pheasants. We hunted around Riverton and, occasionally, around Kaycee. Most people did not know that pheasants existed up there but it was great hunting for a few years along the valleys, in the grain fields and even in the sage brush draws.

Dave had been shooting a Winchester Model 97, 12 gauge pump. At about the time I started hunting, he bought a Winchester Model 12. This was the premium gun of the time. He let me use the Model 97. I shot it until it blew up in my face one day.

I recall shooting my first pheasant, using the Model 97. We were hunting near Kaycee along some fence rows. I had been out other times but had never touched a feather! But remember, no training or practice. I just picked up the gun and started. It was a difficult day. The birds were wild and most were hens, which we did not shoot. The wind was also blowing, as it always does, in Wyoming.

I was standing below a fence line with heavy cover. I looked south and it appeared a bird was flying down the fence!. I waited and waited and sure enough, as it grew closer, it was a large rooster! It was a long shot and I didn’t have any idea how much to lead it but I threw up that old Model 97, pulled up about ten feet ahead and let it go! Down came the rooster, with probably one pellet in the head. My first pheasant! I looked to see where Dave was, sighted him and ran to show it to him. He just looked at it, said nothing and continued walking down the fence.

I didn’t fish the creeks much during those early years. I did go with the family when we went together. We went up to the Middle Fork of the Powder River and hiked down some of the canyons fishing. I never did well in those conditions. Kids have a tough time fishing in small creeks.

However, about this time, Dave bought a boat and called it the Nita Ann after my adopted sister Juanita. We used to fish Pathfinder Reservoir. Fishing was great in those days. There were no developments on the reservoir. No ramps, camping grounds, etc. It was very unusual to see another boat on the reservoir. The boat was launched in the mud or sand or whatever conditions. The fish were Rainbows, Cutthroats and German Browns. The fish averaged 2 pounds but often were much larger.

Those experiences were about the only ones that I had with Dave. After I returned from the military and married, I usually hunted and fished with other people. I had a difficult time with Dave’s behavior. He was a poor sport, prone to losing his temper and generally unpleasant to be around. There is no other way that I can explain my feelings toward him. However, I do appreciate him introducing me to those outdoor recreation sports. I guess that I could say I enjoyed and learned from him, in spite of him.

A Lifetime of Experiences

I served In the Navy from 1950-1953 and so didn’t get to hunt or fish during those years. While in Japan, in 1952, I went to the PX and found that they sold guns. I purchased a Winchester Model 25, 12 gauge shotgun which I brought home with me. I paid $55 for it! It was a cheaper version of the great Winchester Model 12. It was a solid frame, where the Model l2 could be broken down. A great gun. I killed a lot of birds with that gun.

I returned to Casper in October of 1953. I began my apprenticeship at the newspaper at that time and renewed old acquaintances. I went deer hunting with an old friend, Bob Knoble. We went out southwest of Casper. We went out to camp but left after dark. We were in an old pickup and hit a deer going out. We rolled right over it. I told Bob that he could stop and tag that one! He didn’t think my suggestion was humorous. Later Bob got a large four pointer and I shot my first deer.. .a small three pointer.

In the eastern United States all points or tines or anything that might be considered a point on the antlers is counted, but in the west, at that time, only one side was counted. Now there is a different method to describe the points 4 x 4 or 5 x 5. However, there may be some exceptions around the country.

Hunting and fishing licenses have really changed through the