Helper for Wichita Mountain Controlled Hunt

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dennishoddy

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I went down as a helper when my buddy drew a bull.
Helpers have to wait in the corral area parking lot. You can come and go, but that is where the ODW guys that drive the trucks on the refuge roads come and go.

Here is how it happens. First day, mandatory briefing in the auditorium. You are assigned an area and a driver. First afternoon, you look at maps, talk you your driver and the Federal folks that work there every day to figure out where you want to hunt, then load up in your truck, and go scout the area. You will be given a small traffic cone to be put on the side of the road where you want to be dropped off and picked up.

Before daylight the hunters have to meet with their designated drivers at the corrals. Helpers can be there too. They go to their trucks and are taken into the refuge to be dropped off at their cones. You start your hunt.
Every hour or so, the driver drives up and down the same road you were dropped off on. If you take an elk, your best option is to get down to the road and have them notify your helper that your ready for assistance. Then go back to field dress your animal while help is on its way.
There is a chalk board at the Check in station with the hunters names on it that are out in the field. When the ODW driver comes into the corrals on one of his runs, and has a hunter with an elk down, a check mark is put beside the name so their helpers know to load up and go. The ODW drivers will take helpers back in on his next scheduled run.
With this method, your helper can go get lunch, and come back seeing his hunter needs help. They also announce over a loud speaker if someone is hunting without helpers that a person needs volunteers.

While the helpers were milling around and visiting, a call came in for help. An 80 year old guy and his 60 year old daughter had a cow down, needing help. A guy from Duncan that was there to help his dad if needed, and myself volunteered to go help. Rode out and met them on the side of the road. How that 80 yr old guy got up that rocky bluff I don't know but the cow was down and field dressed.
The guy from Duncan had a couple of the Deer sleighs that are nothing but plastic sheets with grommets around the side to lay a deer on for dragging. Knowing how big an elk is, he brought two so we got the cow rolled over onto the sheets and proceeded to lace her in like a spiderweb. That plastic was so slick that we had to put a rope behind it to slow down the slide down the slope. Once we got it to the bottom where it is just grass, I had brought a dual wheeled deer cart that had a load rating of 500 lbs. Cabella's brand. Laid the cart on its side, rolled the cow into it, and rolled both upright. Tied her down and off we rolled to the road and cone. Done by noon.
Next day, early morning a guy with no helpers killed a bull up on a ridge. They called out for volunteers again, so the same guy from Duncan and I teamed up again. This one had been quartered out and put in game bags already, but the path down was like mountain climbing. We found a couple of spots we could let the quarters down on ropes, climb down, and repeat. There are some REALLY rough areas out there.
Late afternoon after getting back in, saw a checkmark on my buddy's name, so I asked the same guy if he was up for another, and off we went. Got my buddy's out on the cart right at dark.
Others were volunteering as well. I think most were just bored sitting around the corral.

Here is the rub. A guy killed one first morning way up and way back in a remote area. Son went up to help. They had quartered out the bull, and were doing a relay carrying the meat and head all day. They had a radio and contacted somebody that they were exhausted and lost.
You go over that scenario in your first meeting. You are allowed to spend the night if lost and start a warming fire if necessary for survival.
An off duty federal employee that worked on the refuge was there when the report came in, and he thought he knew where they were at by the description they gave. The night was going to be very cold, and he said his job was likely going to be in jeopardy, but he went and got a 4 wheeler on a trailer. They put it behind one of the ODW trucks and several of us jumped in. He drove the 4 wheeler away, and about an hour later came back with the dad riding behind him. Several trips later, the son and meat made it out. The Fed employee said that they would be more than happy to help on the hunts to recover animals, but fed regs about overtime, etc didn't allow it.
The whole show is put on by the ODW, and they do a very good job with it. If you end up going without help, I'll bet you will get some.
 
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slas

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I went down as a helper when my buddy drew a bull.
Helpers have to wait in the corral area parking lot. You can come and go, but that is where the ODW guys that drive the trucks on the refuge roads come and go.

Here is how it happens. First day, mandatory briefing in the auditorium. You are assigned an area and a driver. First afternoon, you look at maps, talk you your driver and the Federal folks that work there every day to figure out where you want to hunt, then load up in your truck, and go scout the area. You will be given a small traffic cone to be put on the side of the road where you want to be dropped off and picked up.

Before daylight the hunters have to meet with their designated drivers at the corrals. Helpers can be there too. They go to their trucks and are taken into the refuge to be dropped off at their cones. You start your hunt.
Every hour or so, the driver drives up and down the same road you were dropped off on. If you take an elk, your best option is to get down to the road and have them notify your helper that your ready for assistance. Then go back to field dress your animal while help is on its way.
There is a chalk board at the Check in station with the hunters names on it that are out in the field. When the ODW driver comes into the corrals on one of his runs, and has a hunter with an elk down, a check mark is put beside the name so their helpers know to load up and go. The ODW drivers will take helpers back in on his next scheduled run.
With this method, your helper can go get lunch, and come back seeing his hunter needs help. They also announce over a loud speaker if someone is hunting without helpers that a person needs volunteers.

While the helpers were milling around and visiting, a call came in for help. An 80 year old guy and his 60 year old daughter had a cow down, needing help. A guy from Duncan that was there to help his dad if needed, and myself volunteered to go help. Rode out and met them on the side of the road. How that 80 yr old guy got up that rocky bluff I don't know but the cow was down and field dressed.
The guy from Duncan had a couple of the Deer sleighs that are nothing but plastic sheets with grommets around the side to lay a deer on for dragging. Knowing how big an elk is, he brought two so we got the cow rolled over onto the sheets and proceeded to lace her in like a spiderweb. That plastic was so slick that we had to put a rope behind it to slow down the slide down the slope. Once we got it to the bottom where it is just grass, I had brought a dual wheeled deer cart that had a load rating of 500 lbs. Cabella's brand. Laid the cart on its side, rolled the cow into it, and rolled both upright. Tied her down and off we rolled to the road and cone. Done by noon.
Next day, early morning a guy with no helpers killed a bull up on a ridge. They called out for volunteers again, so the same guy from Duncan and I teamed up again. This one had been quartered out and put in game bags already, but the path down was like mountain climbing. We found a couple of spots we could let the quarters down on ropes, climb down, and repeat. There are some REALLY rough areas out there.
Late afternoon after getting back in, saw a checkmark on my buddy's name, so I asked the same guy if he was up for another, and off we went. Got my buddy's out on the cart right at dark.
Others were volunteering as well. I think most were just bored sitting around the corral.

Here is the rub. A guy killed one first morning way up and way back in a remote area. Son went up to help. They had quartered out the bull, and were doing a relay carrying the meat and head all day. They had a radio and contacted somebody that they were exhausted and lost.
You go over that scenario in your first meeting. You are allowed to spend the night if lost and start a warming fire if necessary for survival.
An off duty federal employee that worked on the refuge was there when the report came in, and he thought he knew where they were at by the description they gave. The night was going to be very cold, and he said his job was likely going to be in jeopardy, but he went and got a 4 wheeler on a trailer. They put it behind one of the ODW trucks and several of us jumped in. He drove the 4 wheeler away, and about an hour later came back with the dad riding behind him. Several trips later, the son and meat made it out. The Fed employee said that they would be more than happy to help on the hunts to recover animals, but fed regs about overtime, etc didn't allow it.
The whole show is put on by the ODW, and they do a very good job with it. If you end up going without help, I'll bet you will get some.
Thanks for all the info. Were you offered any compensation when you helped? I would assume a little meat at least..
 

dennishoddy

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Thanks for all the info. Were you offered any compensation when you helped? I would assume a little meat at least..
Actually no we weren't, But we didn't have that as a requirement before volunteering. We did it because we were bored and it gave us an opportunity to go into the refuge to see places we might actually get to hunt if drawn one of these days. My buddy did give me 1/2 when we got home, but it wasn't asked for nor expected.
I've been putting in since the 70's. Still no draw. Congrats on your tag.
 

Buzzgun

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I'm sure there were. I'm equally sure they have to be cleared through Refuge HQ. Some of the hunts are in the Restricted Use areas, where access is severly limited. The OP could find out by calling Refuge HQ.


Cleared by Refuge HQ??

Never saw any helper being cleared by anyone.??

I am aware that many of the hunts are conducted in restricted areas......my hunt and those I helped on were in a restricted area. Helpers are transported to the hunt areas by the Wildlife Dept. guys or refuge employees.

Like I said, I have hunted once and helped twice....none of my helpers were "cleared by refuge HQ" and, when I was a helper none of us were "cleared by refuge headquarters".....so I have no idea what you are talking about when you say they have to be cleared by refuge HQ??
 

kilowm

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I drew in last year, I had a helper but these are the things that helped me the most. Game sled, the roll up kind, can be bought on Amazon for about 25-30 bucks. Game bags to put the quarters in. and most importantly a battery operated reciprical saw. I shot a 600 lb cow elk and took everything except the head and gut pile. I took the hide, ribs quarters, tenderloins, everything. Game Warden said he never saw anyone whip out a sawzall before. Made quick work of getting through those bones. Also bring plenty of knives and a sharpener. Load it all on the sled tie it up and use a drag harness to drag it all out.
After I got it home and boned all the meat I had 250 lbs of boned tasty Elk meat. Get those ribs and scrape them out and dont forget to cut the ivories out of their mouth.
 

slas

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I drew in last year, I had a helper but these are the things that helped me the most. Game sled, the roll up kind, can be bought on Amazon for about 25-30 bucks. Game bags to put the quarters in. and most importantly a battery operated reciprical saw. I shot a 600 lb cow elk and took everything except the head and gut pile. I took the hide, ribs quarters, tenderloins, everything. Game Warden said he never saw anyone whip out a sawzall before. Made quick work of getting through those bones. Also bring plenty of knives and a sharpener. Load it all on the sled tie it up and use a drag harness to drag it all out.
After I got it home and boned all the meat I had 250 lbs of boned tasty Elk meat. Get those ribs and scrape them out and dont forget to cut the ivories out of their mouth.

Great advice and much appreciated. I'll start looking to order a sled. I have several knives and was just looking at sharpeners yesterday at Cabelas but didn't buy one because I couldn't decide on which one to get. Any input on those? My dad has a great sharpener, a diamond infused metal one that you use dry, it was a gift years ago but I never see any of that type for sale.

I assume by cutting ivories out of their mouth you mean teeth? What do you do with them?
 

kilowm

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Great advice and much appreciated. I'll start looking to order a sled. I have several knives and was just looking at sharpeners yesterday at Cabelas but didn't buy one because I couldn't decide on which one to get. Any input on those? My dad has a great sharpener, a diamond infused metal one that you use dry, it was a gift years ago but I never see any of that type for sale.

I assume by cutting ivories out of their mouth you mean teeth? What do you do with them?
The ivories you can make earrings or a ring out of them. Traditional to give the ivories to your sweetie. A local jeweler can make something inexpensive for you. Several online places as well but they are high dollar. As far as a sharpener i just take a diamond honing steel with me. Plus those Outdoor Edge knives are great. I skined and quartered the whole elk without having to change the blade. Check Academy (cheaper there) or Bass Pro for the Knife and steel.
The good thing is you dont have to take your whole pack with you, If you have a helper they can bring it out, or you can take it, I brought a large Army field pack with me plus a normal backpack to put water/food, etc in. I parked the large bag by the pick up point and hiked around looking for Elk.

Another little hint. Bring one of those cheap battery phone chargers with you plus keep your phone in your pocket with a hot hands warmer. Will keep the battery from draining.
 

slas

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Again, thanks for the great, and useful, advice.

Any advice on the best way to skin in order to save the most hide? Also, did you tan the hide yourself or take it somewhere?
 

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