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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2011)
10 community may24 2011 Don Webb’s Bull Stories: The Wheeler Pond Bull By Don Webb Editors Note: During the re- cent Vernonia Sportsman’s Banquet, local hunter, fisherman and all-around nice guy, Don Webb won an award for his Mule Deer in the Horn Show. Don was also recognized for his taxidermy work on a number of the other winners. Don, who is eighty-four years old, and I got to talking later and he told me that he had shot thirty-eight bull elk in his lifetime. Recently Don began writ- ing down some of the more interesting stories, and that got me to thinking— maybe I should go hear some of these stories; it might make a good article for the paper. Well, I went over to visit with Don and listen to some of his stories, and it turns out he has a bunch of them. And they aren’t just about hunting. He has some good logging stories, some firefighting stories (he was the fire chief in Vernonia for many years), probably some good fish stories and more. I thought, there’s enough material to keep us going for at least a year or two! So here you go, the first install- ment in what will be a regular col- umn—Don Webb’s Bull Stories. “Back about thirty years ago elk season was just about to start when my brother in law Bud got sick and went into the hospital. I had to go and help my sister get in her potato crop for about a week so I missed a few days of the season. I got home on a Wednes- day and it snowed about ten inches that night. I headed out early the next it’s a good time to track a bull. The morning, drove over Rocky Point. and snow makes a lot of noise as it falls and through Clear Creek and came out on the you can get up close in this jack fir and Sunset Highway and never saw a track; brush. I parked at the elk track, put on with a good tracking snow like this if my rain gear and old red felt hat be- they were moving I should have seen cause I knew it was going to be wet out tracks. The snow there. Grabbed was still hanging on my 270 and start- the trees and the elk ed down the hill were holding tight. on the tracks. I I thought, maybe I could tell he was should run over the a fair size bull Wheeler Pond Road because he would and check for tracks. walk around low I had a good hanging limbs foot of snow up there and brush, and and one rig ahead of could see where me. I went up and he knocked snow over the top, and as off some of the I got part way down higher limbs with the other side I saw his horns. some tracks cross- I was about ing the road heading fifteen minutes down the hill, so on his track and I stopped before I the snow was ran over the tracks falling off the and sure enough trees making a lot one had stepped in of noise. I was the tire tracks of the looking down at rig ahead of me. I the tracks com- walked in the tracks ing around a jack a little and drove fir and looked down to the bot- up right into the tom of the hill to bulls eyes the Don Webb and his prize winning Mule Deer see if any more had at the 2011 Vernonia Sportsman’s Banquet. same time he crossed the road, looked at me, didn’t see any so figured that must be a only about six feet away! Now I like to lone bull. Just what I was looking for. get close, but this was a little too close By now the snow was starting for comfort. The bull moved a lot faster to drop off the trees; when this happens than I did, he blew air at me and took off and I blew air and took off in the other direction. As soon as I got my wits back together, It only took a few seconds, I snapped my scope cover and safety off, but the bull was moving down hill in thick jack fir. I ran about twenty feet and into a 150 foot clearing that I didn’t know was there. I could here the bull moving in the jack fir and thought that would be the last I would see of him. But some times they are not too smart; this bull would have had it made if he would have stayed in the jack fir, but maybe he wondered what it was that had scared the hell out of him. He ran out in that small clear- ing; I pulled up my gun but I couldn’t see a thing through my scope--my cover was hanging in front. I pushed it off and by then the bull had stopped and was looking at me about one hundred feet away. I pulled the trigger and put him down; a nice five point. By rights that bull should still be running. Well the hunt is over, and this time I didn’t mind being alone. It was a good hunt and I had a lot of luck on my side. I rolled the bull over on his back and shoved snow up on his sides to hold him, got him gutted and skinned back. I headed to the pickup, moved it down the hill so I would have a level side hill pack, had a bite to eat, grabbed my pack board and had him out in about two hours. I was even home in time for supper. This was a good hunt. I wish we had snow like this every year.” Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters Pancake Breakfast Local produce & products, Hand-crafted goods, & much more! 4th an New nu time a ! New l sea locat son Support yo ! i ur commun on! it y! A project of: C L munity Vernonia Com Learning Center g? Interested inVendin (503)449-3591 Contact Kathy at ail.com oamvernonia@gm Madison, Avenue, Downtown Vernonia June through October Phone (503) 429.2617 Kitchen Countertops Fax (503) 429.0941 Fireplace & Furniture ABSOLUTE@AGALIS.NET Tubs & Vanities www.absolutemarbleandgraniteinc.net
