Last week, we posted the first part of Signs West Media’s interview with Seth Morris and Rick Hutton. We loved the content and talking to these two so much, that we felt it was necessary to split it into two parts! Be sure to go give them a follow on their respective instagram handles @signswest & @rhuttonjr.
Throughout this year, we’ll be featuring their work in anticipation of our collaboration this upcoming elk season in Montana.
Until then, enjoy the 2nd part of the interview!
You guys went on your first DIY elk hunt this year, how’d that go? What would you do or not do differently next season?
Seth and Rick: It started off with Rick shooting a cow elk opening day of the general rifle season after months of scouting and preparing. We were not residents yet and Rick only had a non-resident cow tag in his pocket which was a bummer since his cow elk was standing right next to a huge 6×6 bull elk on opening day. After that success we went on the obtain residency on a Monday, Seth bought his tags on that following Wednesday and shot his first bull elk on Saturday the same week! These hunts were 100% DIY public land, before this we have never hunted the west and within our first year killed two elk and also mule deer bucks. We learned a lot of lessons the hard way this year, however we are glad to have made them now and learned from our mistakes. However, one thing we did do and will do next year is keep a positive attitude and SCOUT!
What’s the most memorable hunt or trip you’ve ever been on and why?
Seth and Rick: We would have to say that our most memorable hunts pertain to our early hunting years with our fathers. However, our most memorable hunt together would have to be Rick’s archery buck kill fall 2015. At that point we had been filming hunts together for several years and never gotten a buck kill on film. All that changed that fall when in mid-October Rick arrowed a big PA 8 point on Seth’s families farm on film. It was Rick’s biggest buck to date and quite the achievement. Not due to the animal’s size but to the fact that we finally accomplished our goal of filming a buck harvest together.
What are your craziest hunting moments of Montana so far?
Seth: We were on a late summer scouting trip into the same area where I had killed my bull later in the fall. While sitting on a high point for an evening glassing session, I ventured off to take care of some business…and within a few minutes came back and sat down to glass some more. No sooner did I sit down and glance over from where I just came and noticed a Sow Grizzly and her two cubs. I realized I was just previously seconds away from having a very serious grizzly encounter.
Rick: Seth had killed his bull right before dark on a very cold windy day. We were over 5 miles from the truck and did not plan to stay the night in the backcountry so we stripped some layers and prepared for a long walk out. I stripped down to my base layer which was full of sweat and started walking. We kept an extremely fast pace the entire way all while the temperature was dropping and the wind getting worse. I was sweating more and more as we got closer to the truck finally giving a sigh of relief when we arrived. I through my pack into the truck and sat in the passenger seat. We tore off in route to home to prepare for the next day’s pack out. I suddenly started to feel very light headed and hot. I started to loose feeling in my legs, arms, hands, and face. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I can only remember certain things from that hour long drive. But I know Seth was concerned due to my odd behavior, that I was drooling and couldn’t feel anything. As time went on I got the feeling that my hands and face were going to explode and that I was hungry. Seth bought me some McDonalds and got me home. As we got home I began violently shaking and shivering, feeling extremely odd. It was not until the next morning that both of us realized I was suffering from Hypothermia. Quite the crazy feeling indeed.
Thanks for taking the time and energy, Seth and Rick!
If you haven’t checked out their work already – go and do it!
Muddy Shutter Media 