Duidery
09-06-2014, 11:13 PM
Since there hasn't been a lot of success stories posted so far this year, I thought I would post my elk hunting story. There's not much of a story but here's the story nonetheless.
I went out for my first elk hunt of the year after work on Friday. I decided to get my Chesapeake dog some exercise so brought him along with me. It was warm and windy so I wasn't expecting much. I got to my spot with plenty of light left and started with some cow calling and bugling but wasn't getting any responses. After an hour or so I decided to head over to a watering hole to watch over until dark.
I did some light cow calling on the short walk over. Just as the watering hole came into view, I saw a bull standing there watching me about 150 yards away. Since my wife harvested a nice bull moose in August (separate post), I had promised myself that I would only shoot a bull that was larger than my previous ones. After a quick glance, I could tell he was bigger. I lined up on him free hand and pulled the trigger. After the shot, he turned and ran and I could hear crashing through the bush. My heart sank as I thought I had missed.
I slowly walked over to where I thought he was standing when I shot but couldn't find any traces of blood. I started to head into the bush where I could hear the crashing but glanced to my right and noticed some antlers sticking up out of the grass. I walked over and he was stone dead. I had shot him right behind the front shoulder and he only went about 15 yards from where I shot him. My Sako 7mm Rem Mag with 165 grain Accubonds was dead on again.
I was able to get the ATV to him and drag him to a spot where he would be easier to gut. After gutting him with the ATV head lights and head lamp on, I went back to the truck and trailer, loaded the ATV up and drove down to him. I drug him onto the trailer behind the ATV and was on my way home about 2 hours after shooting him.
A short but successful elk season and more meat for the freezer. Now to convince the wife that she wants to go elk hunting more often.
http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u633/Duidery/DSC04612_zps90a83921.jpg (http://s1325.photobucket.com/user/Duidery/media/DSC04612_zps90a83921.jpg.html)
http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u633/Duidery/DSC04614_zpsad4ca5aa.jpg (http://s1325.photobucket.com/user/Duidery/media/DSC04614_zpsad4ca5aa.jpg.html)
I went out for my first elk hunt of the year after work on Friday. I decided to get my Chesapeake dog some exercise so brought him along with me. It was warm and windy so I wasn't expecting much. I got to my spot with plenty of light left and started with some cow calling and bugling but wasn't getting any responses. After an hour or so I decided to head over to a watering hole to watch over until dark.
I did some light cow calling on the short walk over. Just as the watering hole came into view, I saw a bull standing there watching me about 150 yards away. Since my wife harvested a nice bull moose in August (separate post), I had promised myself that I would only shoot a bull that was larger than my previous ones. After a quick glance, I could tell he was bigger. I lined up on him free hand and pulled the trigger. After the shot, he turned and ran and I could hear crashing through the bush. My heart sank as I thought I had missed.
I slowly walked over to where I thought he was standing when I shot but couldn't find any traces of blood. I started to head into the bush where I could hear the crashing but glanced to my right and noticed some antlers sticking up out of the grass. I walked over and he was stone dead. I had shot him right behind the front shoulder and he only went about 15 yards from where I shot him. My Sako 7mm Rem Mag with 165 grain Accubonds was dead on again.
I was able to get the ATV to him and drag him to a spot where he would be easier to gut. After gutting him with the ATV head lights and head lamp on, I went back to the truck and trailer, loaded the ATV up and drove down to him. I drug him onto the trailer behind the ATV and was on my way home about 2 hours after shooting him.
A short but successful elk season and more meat for the freezer. Now to convince the wife that she wants to go elk hunting more often.
http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u633/Duidery/DSC04612_zps90a83921.jpg (http://s1325.photobucket.com/user/Duidery/media/DSC04612_zps90a83921.jpg.html)
http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u633/Duidery/DSC04614_zpsad4ca5aa.jpg (http://s1325.photobucket.com/user/Duidery/media/DSC04614_zpsad4ca5aa.jpg.html)