2011 Central Oregon Elk Camp

 

This year’s 2011 Central Oregon Elk Camp by Cent-Wise Sporting Goods and Steve and Kathy Simpson was held at the Simpson’s private Elk ranch in Terrebonne Oregon. Nestled along the foothills of the majestic Cascade Mountain Range, the Simpson Elk Ranch features a mix of 100 cows and 100 bull Elk. The Lower Bridge herd is bred for their unique renewable resource, velvet. For centuries past, the Far East has used velvet covered Elk antler to increase energy and endurance, strengthen joints and the immune system, improve memory, and other medicinal purposes.

Me and Cathy Allman from Cent-Wise Sporting Goods

There is nothing that gets over 75 Elk hunters more excited and ready for hunting season than spending the day surrounded by beautiful mountains and a herd of over 200 head of Elk, talking Elk and Elk hunting all while sharpening their hunting skills. The action packed day featured a fantastic lineup of guest speakers and seminar topics. Hunters prepared themselves for season with a wide range of topics and a multitude of speakers such as:

•  Steve Chappell of Bugling Bull Game Calls discussed “Calling Big Bulls”

•  Blake Miller of Outdoor Quest taught “Understanding GPS and Topo Maps”

•  Karl Findling of Oregon Pack Works “10 Tips for Successful Backcountry Packing”

• Troy Niemann, co-author of the Northwest Elk Academy video “Rifle & Archery Tactics for Elk”

• Gary Lewis award winning author and host of Gary Lewis’ Adventure Journal “After the Shot Tracking & Follow-Up

• Mike Slinkard of Winner’s Choice Strings & HECS “ HECS Technology”

• Karl Matous retired Navy emergency responder “Medical & Practical Preparedness in the Wilderness”
• Scott Wegner, Wildlife Specialist with Land O’ Lakes Purina Feed Company “Successful Food & Feed Plots”
• Steve Simpson, owner of the Simpson Elk Ranch “Field Judging & Scoring Bull Elk”

Sharing my public land Elk scouting adventures to the crowd, I discussed my pre-season scouting tactics. Everyone loved seeing the multiple 300+ class public land bull Elk trail camera pictures that I integrated into my seminar. That chance at a big public land bull keeps us heading back into the high country year after year. I enjoyed having given everyone some tips on how to find those big bulls before season increasing their odds of success on public lands.

One of the trail camera photos that I shared with the audience.

Excitement was peaked while experiencing the thrill of being up close and personal with a herd of multiple 400+ class bull Elk. For lunch, award winning Outdoor Chef Kurt Ploetz, grilled up BBQ’d Bacon Swiss Elk burgers with all the fixin’s.

Troy Niemann and I with Chef Kurt getting ready to fill up on Elk burgers.

By the end of the day over $2,500 worth of door prizes were distributed to attendees with proceeds from the day’s events going to the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation. Sending out a huge thank you to Cent-Wise Sporting Goods and Steve and Kathy Simpson for putting together such a remarkable event uniting hunters and helping fulfill a lifelong hunting dream to children who have been diagnosed with a life threatening illness. I am proud to have been a small part of such an incredible day and am looking forward to participating in an even bigger event next year.

Participants looking over a few of the many door prizes at the day’s event.

Steve & Kathy Simpson
All Sports                                                                                          Sightron 10×32 Binoculars
Alpen Optics                                                                                     Shasta Ridge 390 SR Binoculars
Ameristep Blinds                                                                               Hunting Blind
AMP-3                                                                                             Professional Grade First Aid Kit
ASAT                                                                                               ASAT Camoflauge Suit
Bank of the Cascades                                                                        Howa .338 Rile Package fro Rifle
BaseImage                                                                                        Hunting Unit Topo Map Set
Bowtech Archery                                                                              Assassin Bow Package
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               Martin Firecat Bow
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               Garmin E-Trex Summit GPS
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               5 Pounds of Elk Backstrap Steak
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               Cent-Wise Elk Hats
Cent-Wise Sporting Goods                                                               4 Burner BBQ Grill
Game Plan Gear                                                                                Soft Bow Case
HECS, LLC                                                                                      HECS Suit
Hunten Outdoors                                                                               Infrared Trail Camera
Hydrographics                                                                                   Two $150 Dipping Certificates
Lifetime Memories                                                                             Wooden Hunters Photo Album
Montana Decoys                                                                               Elk Decoy
NRA                                                                                                 Three Gun Cases
Oregon Pack Works                                                                         Orion Back Pack System
Outdoor Edge                                                                                   Skin n’ Bone Knife Set
Pole Pack                                                                                         Pole Pack Unit
Land O’ Lakes                                                                                 Purina Deer & Elk Chow
Rocky Mountain Spices                                                                    Assortment of Sauces
Skulladermy                                                                                     $150 Gift Certificate