All posts by Frank Biggs

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Frankie’s First Elk – Warnock Ranch – Maupin

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First Elk – Shot at 50 yards from the prone position

In the days when the Warnock’s own a very large partial of land between Bake Oven Rd and Hwy 197 The Dalles-California Hwy, Randy would give access to first time hunters.  I had called Randy Warnock in September and asked him if it would be alright for my son who turned 12 the day of the opening cow elk hunt for the Maupin Hunt Unit to hunt for a cow elk.  Randy Warnock said no problem at all for Frankie to hunt for his first elk. Randy was great host and allowed us to hunt the whole ranch, giving us some of the spots to hunt.  Linda, Frankie and I would camp down at Spring Hollow.  Looking at this country from the road one would never think that any elk would live there or even migrate through. The road isn’t called Bake Oven Road because it’s a nice place to be. Anyway the first day, all we could see were bulls and plenty of them.  Some were as close at 50 yards.  What a sight for Frankie to see and have the opportunity to experience.The next day things came up a bit better as we were venturing down into Deep Creek via Johnson Draw.  All of a sudden I spot about 400 elk up in the Power lines.  How were we going to get close as we had to go down a long road in the open?  I would have to get Frankie close to the elk for him to make a clean kill shot. We had closed the distance to about 300 yards when the gig was up with the elk.  There just were too many eyes covering the canyon with little chance to get closer.  We could only watch as the elk busted out and ran down into the bottom of Deep Creek.  Later in the day we decided to hunt an area called “The Watermelon Patch”, a spot the Randy said would be great for an evening hunt.  “The Watermelon Patch” was down in the bottom of a canyon that Deep  Creek went through on its way to the Deschutes River.  After getting to the bottom and not seeing any elk, I told Linda and Frankie to wait while I ventured up a draw that had the feeling of elk present.  It just looked like there should be elk harboring in this spot with water, cover and feed being plentiful.  Having traveled about 500 yards, I caught sight of about 25 elk with 5 bulls and 20 cows.  I quickly backed out of the area and ran down to Frankie.  I grabbed Frankie and carried him up the draw with his rifle.  We got very close to the elk which was about 50 yards.  We were on a very steep hill side with an uphill shot to a cow elk.  I lay down on the ground and had Frankie take a rest on my side, setup and take a deep breath.  Frankie made a great one shot kill on the cow elk! We were very thankful that I had a Quad and about 1000 yards of aircraft cable.

The following year Frankie, Becky and his mom had tags again for the same area and they harvested 2 elk on that trip in a blizzard.  Linda’s comment was “stop shooting it looks like a massacre.”  Two elk was enough elk to kill on this trip and then have to quarter them and pack out in the blizzard with everyone having a cold.

P.S. “The Watermelon Patch” got its name from the Warnock’s planting Watermelons there!

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Dad will get it out of here, no worry!

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Axis Deer – Lanai, Hawaii

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Island of Lanai, Hawaii – PSE Mach Flite IV – Signature Series

Non- Guide Hunt

My days in the U.S. Naval Reserves were great days, being able to go to Hawaii almost every year for about 21 days of active duty.  I was attached to the Naval Communications Area Master Station at Wahiawa, Oahu.  My crew members would be expecting me every year to come back for duty.  Besides doing my duty as a Spook, I would also help with the Physical Readiness Test, as I was the PRC for my detachment in Portland.  I was usually watch standing during my stay at the NCAMS Wahiawa, which would be 2 eves, 2 days and 2 mid-watches, with 80 hours off between the next watch.  This would allow me to find places to hunt, run or bike on the islands. 

One of my favorite places to work up a hunt was on the Island of Lanai, Hawaii.
I had made friends with the local game warden – Ken Sabino.  Ken was nice enough while he was working to loan me his Jeep.  It made it a lot easier to get around the island. 

Who would of thought that there was Axis Deer hunting on such a small island in paradise.
Well I have to tell you that the island gets big when you hunting it.  Some of the canyons are quite deep and rugged.  I loved to hunt the canyons and look for Axis Deer.  In the old days when Dole had Pineapple Plantations, they would have open arms for hunters to harvest the deer.  The Axis Deer had a passion for the Pineapple and Passion Fruit.

I had hunted the Island of Lanai twice before and harvested Axis Deer on both hunts.  It is in Hawaii where I learned how to do the Hawaiian Cut (gutting).  It has made it a lot easier to get the back strap, tenderloins, and all four (4) quarters off the game animal in the field without gutting the animal.

I would usually have to take a Cessna twin engine plane out of Oahu.  The flight was short and not to bad on the ride.  

My last hunt to Lanai was just before I retired from the Navy and it was a bowhunt.
I was successful in taking a nice Axis Deer off the Island of Lanai after two days of hunting.

Today it is a resort island and not the same as when I hunted.  There was one old hotel that looked like something that should have been in the Catskill’s in upper state New York.  It was very easy to get a tag to hunt on the Island.  I would get my tags from Dole Pineapple.  Today I believe that you go through the State of Hawaii.

If you want a rough – tough hunt for Axis Deer, you surely can have one.  On the dry side of the Island they have a bush called Long Thorn Kiawe that will give you a run for body.  The Axis Deer thrive in the stuff.  You can also hunt the wet side of the island and you better have a rain suit.

The big buck got away got away from me – I had 2 tags!

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257 Weatherby Lazermark Custom – 350 yards

Successful Hunters Previous, The Henninger's

2007 Silvies Unit Antelope – Brian Henninger PGA Tour Pro

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 Hunter Henninger with Dad’s Silvies – Antelope

Hunter Henninger already accomplished hunter:  http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20080203/SPORTS02/154881907/-1/SPORTS02

I do believe that this was the first Big Game Hunt for Brian Henninger with his son aboard in Oregon.   What a hunt for Hunter Henninger to go on, but an Antelope hunt with his dad.   He would have the chance to see game and of course watch his dad harvest a nice Pronghorn – Antelope buck.

As with the two Frank’s in another story, I loaded up a Garmin E-Map GPS for Brian with what I thought were the best waypoints for him to hunt the Silvies Unit.   Brian had waited some 12 years with his collective gathering of preference points to materialize into a Antelope hunt.   This was Brian’s first Antelope hunt in Oregon.

Once hooked on Antelope hunting one wants to hunt them forever.  Only problem it does take a long time to get a tag in Oregon.  You have a great chance in Oregon to take a Boone & Crockett Pronghorn.   You just have to wait it out and not get anxious! 

I do remember Brian’s comment to me after he harvest his dandy buck and got it pack-out to the truck.   “Frank after I left and went down the road about a 1/4 mile, I saw the biggest buck ever standing by a fence line.”   This is the typical case when it comes to Antelope hunting, especially in Oregon.  It has happen to me a number of times while archery hunting for Pronghorns.

 Hunter assisted his dad with the GPS and was an expert in a very short while, giving directions to dad in the field.  I also understand that Hunter Henninger could spot the Antelope better than dad in the field.   Kids are always quick when it comes to spotting animals once they have been trained to spot for something out of the ordinary.

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Brian Henninger with his 07 Silvies Antelope & 300 Weatherby

Check out Brian’s Children’s Foundation:

 http://www.brianhenninger.com/

http://www.brianhenninger.com/index.php

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White Knuckle Road Mule Deer – Oregon

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 257 Weatherby 120 gr. Gameking – 50 foot shot!

This was a great hunt with some fond memories, one coming from my taxidermist.  His comment came as surprise to me “bubba, couldn’t you guys find the big buck!”

I remember my first kill with my 257 Weatherby MK V Left-Handed custom rifle and what happened to the rifle after the first kill.   I had been up at Wild Bill Campbell’s place on East Birch Creek Rd, outside of Pilot Rock, OR. I had just killed a big Black Bear down in California Gulch up off of Pearson Creek.   We had gotten the bear back to the cabin and Bill had asked to see my new fancy Weatherby.   He took out a pocket knife and turned the rifle upside down and said to me “bubba, this rifle will have a lot of kills and I need to mark it for you.”   About that time Wild Bill notched the butt stock pad of the rifle.   I know sometime later that I had more than 30 notches in the butt stock pad of that rifle. So with fond memories and trying follow Wild Bill’s first notch, I took this nice buck with the 257 Weatherby.   I shot the buck so close, that I took off a dead run and did not notice the half down barbwire fence of yester year about 50 feet in front of me.   I and the Weatherby ran into the fence and had a nice landing; I also ruined a great pair of worn Levis.

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Kona Goat Hunt – Last Minute Billie

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Spanish Goats can come in many color variations.

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They don’t always spend their time down in the canyons!   

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                     Spanish Goat – Kona, Hawaii

Taken at 600 yards – 257 Weatherby -120gr. Gameking

“Guys, I am going to miss the plane”  “No worry bro, we will take care of it”  My guide was now driving in excess of 80 miles per hour on a twisting road back to Hilo, Hawaii.
One can only imagine what was going through my mind at that time.
I had been hunting with a couple of local Hawaiian Fireman that worked at the airport in Hilo.  They had arranged a goat hunt on thelarge ranch above Kona.  I was on my two days off while on my 21 days of active duty with the Naval Security Group Command at Wahiawa.  If I had missed movement (back on duty), I surely would have been up for Captain’s Mast, the U.S. Navy as no mercy for missing movement.
It had been one heck of a hunt looking for Goats.  During the daytime the goats spend their time in deep narrow rugged canyons.  One wonders how they can find a way out and I know that none of us wanted to venture down into them.
It had been really late into the afternoon when goats started to emerge from the canyons.
I had a 6:30PM flight back to Oahu and it was now 3:30PM as the two goats appeared in the direction that we would have to travel back to the truck, which was about 3 miles away.  Plus the fact that it was more than 60 miles back to the Hilo Airport!

I quickly lay down in the prone position and took rest on the black Billie and made the shot.  “Bubba shoot the other billie too!”  I missed the brown Billie that was on the move with the black Billie going down.  The distance was right at about 600 yards and the wind was blowing as it always does in the ridges above Kona.  The boys could not believe that I had made the first shot and dropped the Billie in his tracks.  Good thing that I did not get both of them.  It would have been a tough pack out with two Goats.

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Oregon Texas Dall Ram – Ashwood, OR

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Taken at 200 yards – Post Hollow – 257 Weatherby 

I remember Dynamo’s comment to me “Bubba, I think you could have shot a bigger ram, like the one I got”  Little did Dynamo realize that the Texas Dall (Corsican) Ram that I shot at 200 yards cross canyon would have a net score 105 (Gold Medal) would be the largest free ranging Texas Dall Ram ever shot in Oregon.  Al and I had glass a herd of rams and eves for about an hour as they maneuvered their way to us.  I had lots of time to decide on the type and size or ram that I wanted to shoot.

It had a been a virgin trip into Little Trout Creek, near Ashwood, OR.  We had gotten permission to hunt the Darrel Friend Ranch.  The sheep had a range of about 20 miles that they would move within from ranch to ranch and BLM.   During a spring run-off I watch sheep jump and swim across a river.  We had been the first persons other than family that got the opportunity to hunt this ranch.

Again this ban of sheep and other exotics had been turned loose some twenty years before this hunt by “Old Harry”.  He had found ranchers that would be willing to let him turn them loose for future use of paid hunting.  “Old Harry” just got to old to see where his dream went.

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Oregon Aoudad Hunt in Devil’s Canyon “Bwana Bubba”

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“John, this Frank from Portland and I am in the sporting goods business , I understand that you have free ranging Aoudads running around on your place?”  “Yes I do”!  “What can I do for you, I don’t let anyone except family hunt my ranch?”  “Just wondering if you are into horse trading?”  “What do you have to offer?”  “Well I would probably like to know what you would really like to have for the opportunity for me hunt your place for an Aoudad Billie.”  “How about a mastercase of 22LR.” “John, consider it done, anything else you might want!”

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LCDR AL Murray with my Billy shot at 650 yards with 257 Weatherby.

About two weeks later Al an old Navy buddy and myself showed up with a master case of 22 Long Rifle ammo and a Kershaw Knife. “I doubt that you boys are going to find any goats this late in the afternoon, but go ahead and try up in Devil’s Canyon, just follow the dirt road and take left before the creek and it will get you up there.”

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Junior’s Grizzly Unit Elk Hunt – Antelope, OR

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Brian Henninger – PGA Tour Player – W/JR

“Dad, your crazy”   were the words that came from my son’s mouth on an elk hunt in the Grizzly Hunt Unit, in Oregon.  This all came about because I was pushing him too hard to get on a big bull that we had spotted earlier around 1300 from about a mile out.  Plus the fact that I had just passed up shooting one of three branch bulls that we come upon while making the stalk.  Jr. could not understand why dad would not shoot a bull broadside at 150 yards and just standing there for the longest time. (Real reason I was breathing so hard from walk up out of a draw, and being at a bad angle I could not get a clear shot)  We had caught this group of elk at surprise and they were bewildered for the most part.  I just let them walk off; we had a bigger fish to fry! 

On this elk hunt, I had my son, his friend Brandon and myself for the most part and we were hunting the breaks of the John Day River in the BLM.  I did have Mike an old  hunting partner in the immediate area, but he was hunting a another unit to the north this season.  The first day of the hunt we were socked in with fog. Visibility was about 300 yards, with no breaks in the weather. Spotted a number of dandy mule deer bucks, but elk were lacking.  On the second day we were still socked in with fog, but things were about to change.  My old buddy hunting the other unit had hiked up on top of the Buttes and gave a call on the Motorola, “bubba it’s clear at the Saddle”.  Ok! I thought we can work our way down into the “Saddle” above the river.  Then over the Motorola came call from someone else other than Mike, who said “Hey Frank where are you”!  Told Mike “go to alternate channel” now!  So we go to the alternate channel, not thinking that we would still get scanned as I was asking Mike “who was that”.  “Don’t know Bubba”.  Then all of a sudden the person came back on the new channel and said “Hey Frank you dummy, this is BHH”, then I replied “What you doing”, his reply was “were up here in the sun with at least 1/2 dozen bulls in the bino’s, how long before you guys can get up here”.  BHH was the early name that I would use with Brian Hennniner.  It wasn’t very long before we set out on a single 4X4 quad cross country from the BLM to get an opportunity to hunt the Smith Ranch. It did take two hours to go 7 1/2 miles uphill to get and his brother John who were hunting the Smith Ranch.  I had line Brian Henninger and his brother John Henninger up the year before to hunt the Smith Ranch for Elk and Deer. The temperature went from about 39 degrees at the river level to 68 degrees by the time we got to Brian.  Having arrived upon Brian (I really like to call him 257 Bad) and his brother John, they were busy glassing the hills for elk.  Brian said to me “Frank you glass long enough the hills come alive”.  How true that statement was, anyone that who takes hunting seriously, know that to find game effectively, you need to glass long and hard in open country hunting.  Within about 10 minutes I spot a extremely arge bull about a mile off up on a shallow swale, the hunt was on.

Brian Henninger does find the time to enjoy the outdoors during the off season from PGA Tour.  It is always a pleasure to talk about hunting with him.

 

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Dad W/JR’s Rocky Mtn. Bull – 340 Gross