Columnist Barb Henderson: McBeath brothers have some success during elk hunt

Barb Henderson

Friday, Dec. 26, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Christmas may have arrived early, back in November for the three McBeath brothers of Las Vegas.

The brothers, who all hold top executive positions in the Las Vegas area, had an opportunity to get together for a 2003 big-game hunting trip in the great outdoors of Nevada. Bill McBeath, the president of the Mirage; Dr. Rob McBeath, a urologist with Urology Specialists of Nevada, and Mike McBeath, a CPA/attorney for Deloitte and Touche, were in search of the majestic bull elk.

Nevada hunters realize how difficult it is to be successful in the draw for a bull elk tag. However, for those hunters who are successful in the drawing system might consider it a hunter's dream come true. Imagine all of the excitement, from drawing a tag to the experience of the hunt. Can it get any better? Probably not.

The McBeaths, who had applied for the 2003 computerized drawings, were unsuccessful in the draw. However, their cousin, Kent Pipes of Las Vegas, was successful and drew an elk tag to hunt a bull. In addition, to their cousin drawing a tag, Mike and Bill purchased two landowner compensation elk tags from a Nevada rancher near Ely.

Nevada Department of Wildlife provides landowner compensation elk tags to property owners to compensate them for damage that has been done to their crops by elk. Landowners may then use the tags themselves, or give or sell them to other hunters.

Rob didn't have an elk tag. Yet he had absolutely no plans of missing out on this prime opportunity of being in the great outdoors of Nevada with his two brothers and cousin. Besides, Rob had a carrot at the end of the stick. He owns a beautiful motor home that provided his kin with all of the wonderful creature comforts each night after the days hunt. This beautiful home on wheels offered all the guys a relaxing way of kicking back under the starlit skies.

This hunting trip was extra special. It was the first time the siblings were able to hunt together for elk in Nevada, providing each of them with an extra special hunting trip packed-full of magnificent memories. This extensive hunting trip included glassing elk with binoculars and spotting scopes, hiking through thick mahogany along steep, rocky snow covered slopes and an opportunity to ride their horses in difficult areas. These are areas, where hunters without horses probably would be unable to tread.

Although cousin Kent's bull was not measured, it was a great first elk trophy. Mike harvested an elk that measured to be close to a 320 class bull and Bill's bull elk measured a Boone and Crockett score of approximately 370.

The McBeath brothers have fond memories of hunting together since childhood. Memories that include hunting elk in the Bridger-Teton Wilderness on the South border of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming with Warren Fleming of Wolverine Creek Outfitters for the past 12 years; filling mule deer and antelope tags in Nevada since the early '70s; and Mike's two sheep tags when he harvested a couple of nice Nevada's monarchs -- a Desert bighorn sheep ram and a California bighorn sheep ram. The three have also enjoyed hunting upland game birds and waterfowl.

These hunters have now added a new 2003 Nevada hunting chapter to their memorable digest, memories that will forever be treasured deep within their heart and mind. From the friendship and pleasure of each other's company to hunting in the great outdoors, there is no doubt that the hunting tradition will continue to be a huge part of the McBeath family heritage.

In fact, Rob has already passed his love of hunting on to his twin daughters, Kylie and Jessica, along with future dreams of passing it on to daughter Carsen and his 4-year old son, Robbie.