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LUCK OF THE DRAW
Jim Matthews, ONS
11/20/02
Al and Vera Fols of Yucaipa were both drawn for tule elk bull tags in the Owens Valley this year. There were exactly two bull tags issued for the first period Lone Pine hunt and over 400 sportsmen applied for those two tags. Applying as a party, the Fols were drawn first and got both of them.
California elk hunters always say that getting the tag is the hard part, and Al and Vera started scouting for their November hunt the first of September, visiting the Owens Valley to look at bulls during the `bugle' or mating season, and then they returned the week before the season opened Nov. 2 to do some final scouting.
There are a lot of elk in the valley and finding the elk wasn't a problem, and with the help of guide Joel Depaoli of Tustin and Fols long-time hunting partner Walt Boysha, also of Yucaipa. The Fols had the two biggest elk in their hunt zone located along with several quality bulls as backups. Opening morning went poorly, with the two big bulls, a huge seven-by-seven bull and a nearly-as-big elk with six points per side, staying in a tule marsh and never presenting a shot.
"We went to the backup bulls for the evening hunt," said Al Fols. "We moved in on them and I took the first one. Elk starting appearing everywhere and then Vera moved in and took hers."
The bull elk was Vera Fols first big game animal. She'd hunted deer unsuccessfully with her husband for three seasons, and then bagged a unique California big game trophy. Tule elk are unique to the Golden State and many believe today's growing population recovered from a single pair of animals.
End article
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If anybody knows the Fols please invite them in here to tell their hunting story and post their pics too.
Jim Matthews, ONS
11/20/02
Al and Vera Fols of Yucaipa were both drawn for tule elk bull tags in the Owens Valley this year. There were exactly two bull tags issued for the first period Lone Pine hunt and over 400 sportsmen applied for those two tags. Applying as a party, the Fols were drawn first and got both of them.
California elk hunters always say that getting the tag is the hard part, and Al and Vera started scouting for their November hunt the first of September, visiting the Owens Valley to look at bulls during the `bugle' or mating season, and then they returned the week before the season opened Nov. 2 to do some final scouting.
There are a lot of elk in the valley and finding the elk wasn't a problem, and with the help of guide Joel Depaoli of Tustin and Fols long-time hunting partner Walt Boysha, also of Yucaipa. The Fols had the two biggest elk in their hunt zone located along with several quality bulls as backups. Opening morning went poorly, with the two big bulls, a huge seven-by-seven bull and a nearly-as-big elk with six points per side, staying in a tule marsh and never presenting a shot.
"We went to the backup bulls for the evening hunt," said Al Fols. "We moved in on them and I took the first one. Elk starting appearing everywhere and then Vera moved in and took hers."
The bull elk was Vera Fols first big game animal. She'd hunted deer unsuccessfully with her husband for three seasons, and then bagged a unique California big game trophy. Tule elk are unique to the Golden State and many believe today's growing population recovered from a single pair of animals.
End article
=========================================================
If anybody knows the Fols please invite them in here to tell their hunting story and post their pics too.
