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Show B4 The Emery County Review, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 SPORTSMEN It’s All About the Hunt for Adventure The Hunt of a Lifetime C. Josie Luke Many hunters put in for once-in-a-lifetime hunts year after year, hoping that they will beat the odds and draw out for their dream hunt. When they do draw out and harvest an animal, the stories they have to tell, and the experience itself are sometimes more valuable to them than the trophy they bring home. Huntington resident Ted McCandless, now 75 years old, had tried for 19 years to draw out to hunt buffalo in the Henry Mountains, but was hospitalized when the time came to do so this year. McCandless, who many know because of his 36 years of teaching, was staying in the hospital after back surgery. “I was in the hospital in Provo and my kids came in and told me it was time to put in for the buffalo permit,” he said. “Now I hadn’t missed a year for 19 years, I had always put in, but never drawn out. So, I told my kids, ‘Don’t worry about it, I will probably never hunt again anyway.’” McCandless’ children didn’t listen. “My obedient children went right strait down and sent in for the buffalo permit, and I drew out” he said. “So when I was young and spry, I didn’t get the opportunity, but when I was totally incapacitated I drew.” So, on his 20th try, after six bypass surgeries, two shoulder surgeries and a recent back surgery, McCandless found himself trying to prepare for his dream hunt. Months later, though he was not in top shape, he and a number of excited family members were on their way to the Henry Mountains for the hunt. McCandless said, “It’s a beautiful place up there. Carolyn and I drove around a couple of times. The kids got their kicks because we saw literally hundreds of big bucks. You could have hit them with a rock. But you have to draw out on them too.” On Oct. 31, McCandless, joined by sons, Mike and Don, grandsons, Brandon and Nathan and friend, Mark Williams, travelled to Mount Hilgard to find a trophy buffalo. Only two days later they found what they had been looking for. “When we found the buffalo, I went down and was waiting for them in some little ravines. They [his sons] had walkie talkies and they’d yell that they [the buffalo] went one direction or the other. Finally they turned and went down in a big valley, so I drove back up on the hill, got out of the car, walked over and there were eight of them in that valley! “As soon as they saw me they started running, so I thought I probably wouldn’t get a good shot, but I got ready, and they stopped.” McCandless paused and proudly explained that his son Mike had “stepped off” the distance of his shot, finding it was 400 yards. Then continued, “I shot and I saw it hump up and it didn’t go down, and so I shot again and it went down. Five minutes later, it got up again! So I shot again, and it went down for good. “Then all my kids came down and we couldn’t even Ted McCandless, his son Mike and grandsons Brandon and Nathan, with the prize bison Ted harvested after two decades of trying to draw out for the hunt. drag it into the shade it was so heavy. We had to bring a come-along from the car and attach it to its legs to bring it over. Then we had to try to decide how to get it out. We found out it was an area you could bring your four-wheelers into, so we hiked back up and got Don’s four-wheeler. “When we finally got back down I was so tired I didn’t think I was going to make it. When I got down that time, the boys told me I wasn’t going to carry anything. Finally, I did pick up their coats and went up ahead to get to the fourwheeler. It was all I could do to get the coats up there! I waited for a while and here came Brandon and Mike. They had the head and the cape. I don’t know how they got it up there. It’s like carrying a cow. “When we dressed it out, the bullet holes were within a four inch circle, so I’m not too blind yet. It was quite a thrill to do that after all of these years. I had totally given up.” Though the hunt was a thrill for McCandless and his family, he explained that the memories, like those captured in the photos they took, were more “meaningful” than harvesting a huge buffalo. “The thing is, that picture with all of us, that to me is more meaningful than the buffalo. To have us all down there, to have us chasing round the hills too,” McCandless remarked as his eyes began to mist with tears. “I look at the obituaries every morning, and I see so many my friends. I’d rather be doing this.” He’s not ready to quit hunting though. “Now I can start putting in for those deer down there,” he said. Fish Finder Trey Crider of Price with his tiger trout from Scofield Reservoir. Photo by Daniel Keller Christy’s S alon ensations “Service With A Smile” Walk-Ins Welcome or call for an Appointment Tuesday - Friday Christy Collard Katie Brady 190 So. Main, Huntington 687-9766 T.C. West Jones Screen Print & Embroidery Authorized Dealer Home & Office Supplies Portable Music Computer Accessories Power & Batteries & Much More We never stop working for you. 185 E Main Castle Dale, UT 381-2421 Retail & Wholesale Custom Designs •Hats • Shirts • Uniforms • Sweats •Jackets Gift Shop 98 E. Main, Castle Dale 381-5054 tcwest@etv.net It’s tIme to Buy A BuIldIng For your BusIness A Building is a Business Owners 401K CAll utAh BusIness lendIng CorporAtIon We are a Direct Micro Lender for the United States Department of Agriculture 801-654-2213 Club Bowl Castle Country Candles “Makes Perfect Scents” Highly Scented*Hand Poured Always Your Best Value Holiday Gift Baskets 614-XX Interior Fuller O’BrIen Lumber • Hardware • Paint Electrical • Plumbing • Decor 381-2574 495 East Main Castle Dale WHoLEsALE • FUnD RAisERs • CUstoM oRDERs Candles • Waxed Critters • Melts • Aroma Beads Aurora Lamps • Reed Diffusers • Melting Pots Votive Warmers • Candle Crocks • Candle Holders 11 East Main • Price, Utah 435-637-6860 www.castlecountrycandles.com ABAJO MOUNTAINS: Tommi Budd reports good fishing at Blanding #3 and #4 reservoirs. Fish are hitting spinners and spoons. The water is getting colder with ice freezing on the line in the early morning. DUCK FORK RESERVOIR: Tom Ogden fished from shore for two hours on Oct. 31. He caught eight tiger trout using a sink tip line with a size 10 scud in dark green. Fish ranged from 12-16 inches. HUNTINGTON RESERVOIR (MAMMOTH RESERVOIR): Tom Ogden fished on Nov. 1 from a tube and caught two 11-inch tigers using sinking line and size 10 Canada blood leeches. One report on BigFishTackle.com indicated that fishing was exceptionally good with orange-colored flies. This water has special regulations. All cutthroat trout or trout with cutthroat markings must be immediately released. JOES VALLEY RESERVOIR: The reservoir is closed to fishing until the second Saturday in December. During the closure, Paul Birdsey suggests fishing Lowry Water, which holds tigers up to 15-inches. These can be caught with nightcrawlers. Joes Valley Reservoir is a special regulation water. Please refer to the 2008 Fishing Guidebook. LASAL MOUNTAINS: DWR Aquatics Biologist Darek Elverud fished Warner Lake on Oct. 27 and reported good fishing for rainbows ranging from 7-11 inches. Darek landed 10 fish in 40 minutes of fishing. He used a fly rod and a black wooly bugger. LOWER FISH CREEK: Tom Ogden fished on Oct. 29 and caught a lot of small brown trout on a size 14 beadhead hare’s ear. The water is shallow, requiring a stealthy approach. SCOFIELD RESERVOIR: DWR Aquatics Biologist Daniel Keller and party fished last Thursday on the east side until well past dark. The bite wasn’t consistent but the party caught some nice fish with a worm and marshmallow or a half shiner and mallow. The bite was best shortly after sundown. 435-637-4923 Thursday Night 9:00 - 11:00 $8 per person Shoe rental is included Annual Christmas Benefit Bowl The Meat Shop Wane & Orson Justice/Owners Custom Packaging Available Pork • lamb • beef Dec. 13th & 14th League Openings Call Tony or Linda www.ogdensflooring.com 268 S. Hwy 55 Price, UT Gateway Lanes 94 S. Main Helper, UT 435-472-5015 687-9000 790 N. 400 E. Huntington, UT |