Hound PodCast: Double U Hunting Supply · Hound Podcast; Double U Hunting Supply

Roads, Mountains and Memories: A chat with Rick Labbe

·1 hr 23 min·5 clips

Heath takes a single shot at a bull elk after a tense 45-minute bugling duel in the Wyoming mountains.

Host Heath Hyatt, a law enforcement canine trainer, interviews Rick Labbe about their recent elk hunting trip in Wyoming. The episode recounts the shared experience from Rick's perspective, focusing on the hunt's challenges and camaraderie. Heath had previously shared his version, making this a complementary narrative. Rick details the morning of the hunt, starting with a pre-dawn side-by-side ride and a hike into the mountains with their friend Toby. Heath initially heard a bull elk bugle in a canyon, prompting Rick to identify a specific wallow where he believed a large bull was located. They split from Toby, with Rick testing Heath's stamina at 10,000 feet of elevation and being impressed by his conditioning. Rick describes a strategic 45-minute calling sequence using bugles and cow calls to work the bull, which bugled back approximately 25 times. The bull proved wary, trying to circle to catch their wind without entering the open meadow. Rick eventually decided they had to aggressively pursue the bull as it threatened to leave, leading them on a steep climb through thick timber and blowdowns. Heath quietly followed in Rick's footsteps before they finally spotted the elk at roughly 200 yards. Heath took a single, well-placed shot after a moment of composed breathing, and the bull traveled only about 50 more yards before going down. After the harvest, Rick called his neighbor Anthony to help pack out the elk with horses, a decision Heath later appreciated after struggling to carry the 100-pound head and hide himself. The conversation shifts to Rick mentoring 14-year-old Jordan, Anthony's daughter, who hunted with a .50 caliber Hawkins muzzleloader. After a first day of tracking, Jordan successfully harvested a cow elk on the second day, making two shots and helping with the skinning. A surprising insight is Rick's Comanche heritage through his ancestor, Chief Kwanapaka, which he feels deeply connects him to horses and hunting. The episode highlights the emotional payoff of mentoring, as Rick found more satisfaction in Jordan's success than in his own harvest. The hosts reflect on the value of learning from experienced hunters, with Heath embodying a student's mindset and Rick emphasizing the joy of passing knowledge to a new generation. The tone is highly conversational, nostalgic, and filled with mutual respect, resembling two friends reliving a memorable adventure. The style is anecdotal, weaving specific terrain details, hunting tactics, and personal backstory into the narrative. Elk hunters and outdoors enthusiasts will love this episode for its detailed play-by-play of a successful hunt and its focus on mentorship. Listeners less interested in hunting stories or the specific logistics of backcountry elk hunting might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

An elk pack out hunting story that folds in weather, a youth muzzleloader hunt, and hard earned judgment.

This episode stays close to the parts of hunting that stick after the day is over: the pack out, the weather, the gear, and the calls that look right only in hindsight.

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Why you'd press play

You want a snowy elk-hunt story that keeps the hard parts front and center.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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