Beaver Creek Outfitting

2007

Change is in the air at Beaver Creek Outfitters. Clayton’s bones are telling him its time to pass the reins of control for the 2008 hunting season. So, Clayton is selling out to longtime friends and residents of Lewistown, Paul and Starla Ritchey. Paul and Starla are currently involved in the process of becoming the new owners of Beaver Creek Outfitters which entails being licensed by and meeting the requirements of the Montana Board of Outfitters. This process should be completed by April 2008.

During the 2007 hunting season, Paul and his employees, Jerimi Melton and Joe Cosner, worked as guides for Clayton. Paul has hunted and outfitted in the area for years. With Paul’s guidance, Jerimi and Joe quickly became familiar with the terrain and game patterns making for a very exciting season.

Three bull elk were harvested during the first week. Twin brothers from Maine hunted hard and went home with a bull apiece. One of which was a very nice 5 x 5 bull. Paul and Jerimi were able to guide Larry Bishop from Florida to within 200 yards of a magnificent 7 point bull on Wednesday evening. They started their day with a 2 hour horseback ride to a remote ridge top. As the shadows lengthened, they spotted a dozen head of elk coming out of some green timber. The elk crossed a ridge top and began feeding in an open lush meadow. The last two elk to come into the meadow were bulls. Although half a mile separated the men and elk, Larry and the guides realized that one of the bulls was significantly larger than the other. The elk were grazing and moving at a quick pace, so Paul and Jerimi took Larry on a high hurdle race through the dead fall trees on the ridge opposite the elk. Paul and Jerimi were able to quickly cut the distance between them and the elk. This maneuver put Larry into a shooting position directing above the elk. Jerimi helped Larry locate the bigger of the two bulls in the group. With a very nicely placed shot, Larry downed the big 7 point bull.

Larry Bishop also harvested a nice no typical muley buck. We saw several mule deer bucks with antlers spreads over 30 inches wide. A couple of missed shots and being in the right spot at the wrong time gave these monsters an opportunity to just get bigger. Maybe next year we’ll get a shot at the trophies that have developed as a result of the big buck genetics in the Lost Fork drainage.

On the fifth week of the hunting season, all the hunters were successful at taking elk. We almost had the group of hunters tag out that week but we needed to harvest one more deer. Robert Yeager from Michigan took a heavy 24 inch antlered muley that week, the largest harvested that season.

Thanks to everyone who came hunting with us this year. It was a pleasure having you.

Eagerly waiting for next year,

Paul Ritchey

2006

      We had hunters for one week in Archery season. They saw elk every day. One hunter shot at a 5x5 bull at a distance of 25 yds. The arrow hit a tree branch and was deflected.

For the first week of Rifle season, we had a little snow and cold--it got warmer later in the week.

On the first afternoon, Patrick McGuire (on his 6th trip with us) went to sit and watch for game. He has two meadows that are his favorite spots to watch. He chose the lower meadow while his Guide and another hunter went up higher. Patrick was sitting by a pine tree when he heard a twig snap--there was a bull elk walking out of a patch of timber less than 100 yds, away. He got him with one shot--a nice 5x5. It was the same place where he got a bull 3 yrs. ago. This is the biggest bull Patrick has taken.

  Pat's record in the years he has been hunting with us; in 2001 - 4 pt. mule deer; 2002 - 4 pt. mule deer; 2003 - 2 pt. bull elk and a mule deer buck; 2004 - 3x4 mule deer; 2005 - 3x3 bull elk; 2006 - 5x5 bull elk.

 

  On Monday, guide-Dave Eness and hunter-Don Waggoner, were hiking through an old burn area following tracks. The Guide said he would make a big loop--hoping to drive some elk Don. He chased two bull elk towards Don--one of them turned and ran back towards the Guide who hollered at it to keep it from running over him. The other bull stepped over some logs, stopped and looked towards Don who dropped it with one shot. It was a 4x4.

 

  On Tuesday, Paul Santos (on his 10th trip with us) and Clayton were riding up the West Fork trail when they came to a deep cut. Paul spotted a deer lying down on the other side of the cut--he thought it was a doe. Clayton said "no, it's a buck." Paul said "no, it's a doe." Paul looked through the  binoculars and said "it's a doe."; Clayton still said "no, it's a buck." Paul asked "where are you looking?" When Clayton explained just exactly where he was looking, there was a nice buck lying down in an open spot. (The doe was under a tree.) They dismounted, Paul got his gun and went down below the horses. The buck got up and then another buck got up--they were very similar in size. There were about 1 doz. deer there. Both bucks started running up the hill and then stopped--one continued up the hill, the other going to one side. Clayton whistled, the buck stopped and Paul shot. They found it lying in some dead poles with it's head sticking up about 3' above the ground because it was wedged between two poles. It was a 4x5 with a 24" spread.

  Tuesday evening, guide--Dave Eness and hunter-William Loth, had spotted elk way across Lost Fork canyon up high on the ridge. The next day, towards evening, they went up to the ridge where they had spotted the elk. They were lying down over a little ridge where they could watch the meadow. They watched for quite awhile without seeing anything so when the Guide said he spotted elk coming out of the timber into the meadow, William thought he was joking. There were about 10 cows and calves who came quite close to them. (The elk were eating.) Once in awhile the elk would look up an act nervous--when they would catch a whiff of people scent. Further away a spike elk came out of the timber. When a calf started running, the spike disappeared, but he came back out again. William couldn't decide whether to shoot at the spike--there might be a bigger bull come out of the timber--so they waited. Once in awhile the elk would get a scent from them and act like they might leave. William was ready to shoot at the spike at least two times, when more elk would come out into the meadow--they were cows and calves. Finally, he decided  he'd better take the spike while he had the chance--before all the elk took off. He dropped it at about 75 yds. It was the first elk he has shot.