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Show r - . . -y. - j - -.- - ti l '-Z;:GfJA .. " rr ..... ' ' 7 " ' i i --. ; i ! .. . r '"'' ' i ' ' 4 ,-.'.- i , . , , , j - : ' . I : 4 ... 4 ' Darr Hatch of Tropic is glad he didn't give up trying for a buffalo permit. Finally drawing out this year after 30 years of trying, Hatch Henry Mountain Buffalo Hunt Is Successful For Darr Hatch TROPIC Darr Hatch's "once in a lifetime" chance paid off when he bagged his 1500-pound bull buffalo buf-falo on Nov. 1, the second day of the annual Henry Mountain buffalo hunt. After 30 years of trying to draw out a permit, Hatch finally drew out this year for what is literally a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. Utah law says you get one chance only, and this was it for Darr Hatch. Darr's mature prize bison was between six and seven years old with horns that measured 13 12 inches at the base and were 18 inches long. Hatch and his hunung companions compan-ions (who couldn't shoot but were along for the excitement) had to hunt hard to find their buffalo. The free-roaming herd with its several hundred animals is rarely in the same place for long. Animals will break up into small groups and individual in-dividual bison will often wander alone. On Saturday, the first day of the hunt, it rained, and the clay where the Hatch hunting party of five was located was almost impassable. On Sunday, the sun was out, and they ' could see fresh tracks, but no buf- ezperienced a little faster success on the hunt itself, bagging this beauty on the second day of the month-long hunt. falo. Climbing in the rough and rocky terrain, they finally came upon the only buffalo they were to see. He was all alone, about 90 yards above them, and running away. After about 10 yards, he turned, looked back and that is when Darr dropped him with one shot in the neck from his .264 magnum rifle. Then the hard work began as they skinned, cut up and packed out the giant animal in pieces to their ATV for hauling to their pickup. Only one non-resident permit and 15 resident permits were issued. is-sued. Conservation officers and biologists bi-ologists from the Division of Wildlife Resources, with jurisdiction jurisdic-tion over the hunt which runs from Oct. 31 through Nov. 29 this year) meet up with the hunters in the field and provide them with packets of instructions and maps, and information informa-tion on distinguishing males from females. They also provide a vial for blood to be drawn from their animal for DWR research into the health of the individual animal and information about distinguishing the males from the females as they hunt. This year's hunt is hunter's choice. Most hunters successfully fill their permit, but often not without with-out a lot of diligent tracking and searching and hard work. Helicopters are currently flying over the Henry Mountain area to count the size of the herd. The land on which the herd roams is managed man-aged by the Bureau of Land Management. Hatch will have his prize mounted at Buckley's Taxidermy in Panguitch. |