The Hunt: Part II

December 30th, 2011
Tags:

Mark Cardall

T Cross Owner and Manager

 

Question: What makes elk hunting at the T Cross a different experience than your typical hunt in Wyoming?

Mark: Our location is key. Most ranches aren’t located in an area where you can go elk hunting out the back door. You’d typically have to load the horses and travel; but we set out from the corrals. At the T Cross, our hunters enjoy the luxury of staying in a cabin.

 

Question: What is the daily schedule for an elk hunter?

Mark: Around 4:30 a.m. you enjoy a cup of coffee while we saddle up the horses.  We serve you a hot breakfast at 5, then head out about thirty minutes later. Once on our horses we make our way to the location we think the elk will be. After finding the elk, we set and watch on the hillsides and parks.

Mid-morning we may stay on the mountain for lunch or retreat back to the ranch. This is another convenience of the T Cross–you can enjoy the comforts of sitting down to a hot lunch, get warmed up/dried off before riding out again.

After lunch we head out for the evening hunt. Once dusk sets in, we head back to the ranch for a nice dinner and relax.

 

Question: How successful are hunters that choose the T Cross for their hunt?

Mark: We are always able to find the elk–even with the wolf population bringing the numbers down. On rifle hunts we get 100 percent. For bow hunting we usually get about 50 percent.

 

Question: How many hunters get to experience the T Cross in the fall?

Mark: We only take 2-4 hunters per season. I have to know them personally; usually they are previous guests that we’ve invited back for the hunt.

Question: How big are the elk your hunters usually score?

Mark: Our elk range from 320-330 inch bulls, which is pretty typical for Wyoming. We are a traditional hunting experience–on horseback. You witness an elk bugle echo through a valley. You ride through scenery that takes your breath away. You get to see Wyoming wildlife: mountain sheep, moose, grizzlies, wolves. It’s the complete ecosystem.

 

Question: What advice do you have for hunters?

Mark: Hunters are responsible for bringing all personal equipment. We provide everything horse related. Be sure to dress for hot to cold–the temperatures vary from 0 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ranch sets at 8,000 ft. and we only go up from there. Hunting is demanding, get in shape before you arrive.

No Comments »

The Hunt: Part I

October 17th, 2011
Tags: , ,

Danny Bartlett, Illinois

Hunter

 

T Cross: When did you first decide to come for an elk hunt at the T Cross?

Danny: I stayed at the T Cross as a guest three years ago at a neighbor’s recommendation. I met Mark Cardall and heard all about the elk hunting up here. I’ve hunted all my life–mostly deer and turkeys. I thought the T Cross would be a great place to have a hunt.

T Cross: Tell us about your experience hunting here.

Danny: This was my first time elk hunting. The country here is beautiful; the mountains are especially great. I remember the first time I heard an elk bugle–it was an amazing feeling. Being able to spend time with my guide, Mark, and wrangler, Clancey, was also very rewarding.

 

T Cross: Was your hunting trip successful?

Danny: Absolutely. My elk was 6 points and weighed between 800-900 pounds. I had the meat processed in town and look forward to enjoying it this year.

 

T Cross: Would you recommend the T Cross hunting experience to others?

Danny: Definitely, by all means.

1 Comment »

Through the Lens: Mike DeGrow Photographer Highlight

March 16th, 2011
Tags: , ,

We are excited to announce our new Through the Lens: Photographer Highlight series. The beauty and majesty of the T Cross has attracted the artistic eye of many outstanding photographers. Today we introduce you to the talented Mike DeGrow. Enjoy!

“Ever since my father gave me my first book on photography in the early ‘60s, I’ve had a keen interest in taking pictures. Many years later, I took classes in photography at Michigan State University. Although I graduated with an Advertising degree, I have continued photography as a hobby and I have also attended small workshops in Ansel Adams’ studio/darkroom at Yosemite, extended my interests to large format photography (8″x10″ and 7″x17″) and produced hand-coated platinum/palladium prints.

“Riding horseback into the wilds while trying to haul a fragile 35mm Nikon camera system around presented quite a challenge for me, but I devised a saddlebag carrier arrangement that protected the camera and lenses from dust and damage while remaining readily accessible. I always use a tripod for sharp photos and found a compact, lightweight carbon fiber one that worked well. Other riders have always been very patient with my set-up time knowing they would also benefit by getting prints of their ride, but I always have to be very cognizant of guests enjoying a ride without too many stops…and to make sure the photos are worth it!

“My wife Kathy and I have been going to T Cross for ten years or so and absolutely love the wilderness, mountains, and traditional ranch experience that’s so difficult to find anymore—and we have tried other ranches prior to T Cross to know that this ranch, by far, is the best!

“I have hiked along the beautiful Horse Creek for fantastic photos, but perhaps my favorite places are Ramshorn and Twilight Falls—both difficult to get to, but absolutely breathtaking and worth the trip.

“The trail to Twilight Falls ended abruptly at a nice picnic spot but, always looking for the best picture, I asked Mark to guide me through the thousands of loose rock up to the falls. Loaded with camera gear, I was soon to regret the arduous trek in cowboy boots and a top-heavy camera pack. However, all the work was soon rewarded with an incredible vista of the falls and creek. The trip is not for the faint of heart but, fortunately, I captured a photo I can always look at that immediately takes me back to that place.

“Perhaps another photo I really like, because it reminds me of the beauty along the trail and the incredible flora, is a simple shot of flowers by the stream—nothing out-of-the-ordinary but, again, it transports me back to the unbridled natural beauty of the ranch.

“Nowhere can a photographer find such diversity and beauty in an expansive mountain wilderness, and never see another human being, than at T Cross. Great food, wonderful people, and incredible photographs are guaranteed at the ranch—elements of a great vacation that continue to beckon me back for another adventure in the wild.”

Mike DeGrow, Eaton Rapids, Michigan

View more of Mike DeGrow’s incredible photo artistry by visiting his website here.

We offer a big “Thank you” to Mr. DeGrow for his generosity and willingness to share his view of the T Cross with our readers and friends.

 

 

1 Comment »

Dude Ranch History: An Interview with Ken Neal

March 9th, 2011
Tags: , ,

With the Equitrekking Great American Ranches show airing next month on Public Television, we are excited to share a clip featuring Ken Neal (your host Gretchen Neal-Cardall’s father and former manager/owner of the T Cross).

The show delves into the history and adventure of historic ranches in Wyoming and other Western states, and Neal tells us all about it.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxTwiQmqIg4&feature=player_embedded]

Check out the show schedule posted here, and don’t miss this chance to learn more about the T Cross Ranch!

No Comments »

Great American Ranches: The T Cross on Public Television

March 2nd, 2011
Tags: , ,

If you haven’t seen Equitrekking®, the Emmy Award-winning lifestyle travel series hosted by travel expert Darley Newman, now is the time! Starting March 30, the new fifth season of high definition episodes on Create® TV will take you around the globe—and you guessed it, the T Cross is on the list!

Newman’s Equitrekking team searches the world for the best places to ride horseback meeting local people to experience scenery and culture both in and out of the saddle.

The show includes episodes exploring exotic and exciting destinations such as Uruguay, Alberta, Turkey’s Coast, Cappadocia & Istanbul, Jordan: Wadi Rum, Aqaba & Jerash, Jordan: Petra, Royal Stables & Dead Sea, Great National Parks, Great American Ranches, Vermont, the Carolinas, Georgia Coast, Wyoming, Colorado and Spain.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNqscv3xNRQ&feature=player_embedded]

But the episode we are most excited about is the Equitrekking Great American Ranches, which delves into the history and adventure of historic ranches in Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Alberta, Texas, Maui and the Big Island. The show highlights each ranch’s geography and history–and how they influence each ranch today.

“Interviewing ranch owners and cowboys who have chosen to hold fast to their traditions and Western culture, viewers learn what it’s like to run a ranch in America, while also riding through some of the beautiful wild terrain where these ranches lie,” Newman shared.

In the T Cross episode, you’ll meet the hosts of T Cross Ranch including Ken Neal, your host Gretchen Neal-Cardall’s father and previous owner and manager of the T Cross. Neal shares with viewers what unique and priceless experiences dude ranching gives the American people and international travelers.

Darley Newman and T Cross Manager Mark Cardall ride the T Cross range with wrangler Gregg Rigby.

Don’t miss Equitrekking on Create TV, a digital channel of popular Public Television lifestyle programs that reaches over 82 percent of U.S. TV households. The show will broadcast on Wednesdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. ET. Equitrekking Great American Ranches will broadcast on Sunday, April 17. The Wyoming episode will re-broadcast on Create in May.View a full synopsis of the show, by clicking here. The schedule for the shows is posted here.

To learn more about Darley Newman’s trip to the T Cross, check out her first-hand article “Ride horses at an authentic dude ranch in the beautiful Shoshone National Forest” on Equitrekking Travel’s T Cross page. Her homepage invites viewers to “Dream, plan and learn with EquitrekkingTravel.com’s high definition horse riding videos, journals and photo galleries from each destination.”

1 Comment »