PREPARING FOR AN ELK HUNT

The Advantages of Truck Hunting

EDITOR'S NOTE: Steve Puppe of Hamilton, Montana, promotions director for Knight Rifles and longtime avid hunter, lives on the edge of the Bitterroot National Forest with its abundant elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer.

Question: Why do you prefer truck hunting for elk as opposed to horses and walking?
Answer: Horses require a lot more work to use to hunt elk. This morning, I just had to fire up my truck to warm it up, and now we're driving down the road. If we were going to use horses, I'd have to hook on a trailer. I'd have had to saddle horses this morning, which would have taken me a lot more time. If we were to ride these roads on horses versus a truck, it would be a lot colder. This morning was about 17 degrees.

You have to dress differently when riding a horse because you're not exercising your body. So it can be rather cold when you're on a 2- to 3-hour horseback ride. The only one working up a sweat is the horse. You can go in places with the horses you can't go in with a truck. We could get out and walk, which is not a problem. We may have to get out and walk to find some tracks if we can't catch any cutting across the road. With the truck, I can cover so many more miles at a much-more-rapid-pace. And it is much more comfortable. These leather seats with the heaters in them keep our fannies nice and warm.

To learn more about Knight Rifles, call (641) 856-2626, write them at Knight Rifles, Customer Service Dept., 21852 Hwy J46, Centerville, IA 52544, or visit their Web site www.knightrifles.com. You can contact Scott Boulanger, a dependable, expert elk guide in this section of Montana by writing him at P.O. Box 733, Darby, Montana, 59289. You can call him at (406) 821-0017, e-mail him at elkhunter@circlekbl.com, or visit his Web site www.circlekbl.com.

TOMORROW: HUNTING TRACKS