Rocksteady goes hunting in 2015

[rocksteady]

Starting the annual thread.

Killed my 6 by 5 bull elk this morning at 08:00. Got it to the butcher around 5:00.

way too tired to write up more than that.

maybe tomorrow

[Brew]

One picture? Pleeaaase

[Rackmastr]

Aweosme buddy!!! Congrats!!

[Rhyno]

I hate you.


Congrats! Look forward to the story.

[Everett]

Times two!! Holy crap Mike you don't waste any time.


I hate you.


Congrats! Look forward to the story.

[Ddog]

the thing is to,, packing this animal out was 20c and not a cloud in the sky,,got some sunburned shoulders,,thanks...damn elk,,,damn mike

[Sitkaspruce]

Great Job Mike!!!

Looking forward to the story and picts!!!

Cheers

SS

[GoatGuy]

Awesome good to hear.......

[albravo2]

put me on the 'hate you' list.

good for you! that's not wasting any time.

[todbartell]

jeeze what took you so long? We had one down by 6:15am and in the cooler by 2 :mrgreen:

congrats

[rocksteady]

So here is how it played out.

Started hiking into a road closure about 6:30. 20 minutes later on a viewpoint overlooking and area where it's private land on the far side of the water course.

No bugle. Quiet, except for all the geese. About 7:30 a cow and calf came out waded the water and meandered around in the flatlands.

Got antzy figured maybe I had missed the herd. Took spotting scope off tripod, packed it away, shouldered my pack and went to try to locate the pair and hopefully the rest of the herd. Walked maybe 50 metres and there is a stream of elk crossing water. Binos up.. cow. Cow. Calf. Cow. Calf calf BULL... spike... I think.

Fumbled in the pack mad scramble to get spotting scope and tripod put back together. .. look down. Bigger bull. Binos. Yup. Looks like a 6.

Get the spotter on it. Confirmed 6. He turned around and went back across the water. Stopped and bugle halfway across. . Waited a minute or 2. He went back into timber. Came out following about 8 cows and calves.

Waited til they got to the Crown side. In the flats.

Went prone, bipod down scope to 9.

Breathe... hold. Sight picture looked good. Trigger squeeze. Boom... sand flies from behind him.

Dummy... they are almost 400 yards.. hold top of shoulder.

He stood broadside again. Aimed top of shoulder. BOOM.....KER-WHACK...AND HE BUCKLED...

Sweet... a minute later he gets up and tries to head back to the water shot a couple more til he stayed down for good.

Was concerned about bears this year, so brought the 338WM instead. Definitely did the job.

[Wrj]

nice work, no where are the pics!?!?!? lol

[rocksteady]

Got down to him. Texted Ddog for assistance. As always he said "on my way ".

Butchered it completely on site. 2 game carts loaded. Some really crappy terrain til we got to the old road.

Had it to the butcher around 5:00

4 quarters weighed about 220 lbs. With our packs of pure meat (back strap, tenderloin, neck meat, brisket ) easily another 110 +lbs of pure boneless.

Big thanks to my buddy Darryl.. what hunting buddies are all about....

Sitting on the Bull texting about an hour after I shot him. A single cow came out of the timber, waded the water and walked by me at 30 yards. Had no clue.

Take me a bit to post pics. All are on my cell and I have a hell of a time putting them on photo bucket with phone. Will have to email them to myself and then get on computer to post.

Tired and sore today but a good feeling for cutting my elk tag so early. Remember, last year I went elk less. 2nd time in 19 years.... Not a good feeling..

This year, feeling satisfied...

[luckofthedraw]

Sounds like a good one. Congrats.

[Ddog]

you forgot to mention, sitting there on that bull , cleaning , butchering and watching some nice trout eat the little tidbits coming off the meat as we washed it and cooled it down, a nice fat little WT buck decided to come into the river and have a drink and pass by us about 80 yards,, then back at the truck watching 2 more fat little bucks , Mike could have punched his tags and been sitting comfortably at home until the does open. Ya,, all in all it was a good day,, lots of exercise, some good meat in the cooler and a gorgeous day.

[budismyhorse]

Nice Job Mike!

[rocksteady]

Can't type worth shat on my phone D... you know that... was gonna put in the 3 bucks thing when I did the pics.

[375shooter]

Good job. Thanks for the story. Looking forward to seeing the pics.

[HarryToolips]

Good job, congrats!

[riflebuilder]

Congrats, we saw 1 legal bull yesterday but he was over 2km from the road and up the side of the mountain, my old knees can't do that anymore. 4 bulls out of the 10 elk we saw. 3 spikes and the legal bull a 5x6. We also saw a hell of a black bear just couldn't find him after the 25 minute quad ride to get there. But hey it was a great day. Glad you got yours so fast good eats in the freezer what it is all about.

[1 shot 1 kill]

Great job! Congrats...the 338wm is nice for sure just sighted mine in few days ago

[rocksteady]

Had another great day. One of my hunting buddies called looking for help to pull a 6 out of the bush.

his daughter shot it. She's 24 (I think). First big game animal. They were hunting in one of my favourite spots. Hoochie mama the lone bull from 600 plus yards to 30. Perfect neck shot. Drt... Game cart, couple hundred yards to the truck.

happy for her and her dad. Love to see hunters get their first. Friggin awesome.

no pics though. Not my kid or elk, so just got the story

[doubled]

Awesome Rock, was going to head over there to kick you in the nuts for starting a thread that way but luckily you finished the write up. Looking forward to our trip in October.

[rocksteady]

Been helping buddies chase and call elk as much as I can. No luck.

been seeing a few bucks, but no shots at anything near a road. I am not gonna shoot a spike 2 km in on a road closure ...

anyways doe doe season opened today. Went out and put on the miles today without seeing a single deer.

Went out for a drive this evening. Storm coming, windy, ugly black clouds to the west.

Doing the first gear idle putt putt down a fence line in a xmas tree permit area.

Big grey Doe all by herself. As I get out and load the gun I am saying run away, you got time, you stay here and I am taking you home. She never moved. Til I shot her at 50 yards right in the throat patch with the .243. Then she fell over backwards...

Tough drag... At least 4 blown down trees and a 4 strand barb wire fence :)

not or sure if I should fill another doe tag or wait for a buck.

She was truly dry. No bag, no remnants of milk

[rocksteady]

No need for pics. ..just a typical WT doe

[rocksteady]

Earlier this year, before fire season got busy, i was bored in the shop one day so built a tray/rack whatever you want to call it. That is 60" wide and 18" deep. Fits into the hidden hitch, tie down loops every foot, secured with a quick pin.

Used it today for the first time. . Easy to load a deer solo. Keeps the blood out of the back of the SUV... will start a new thread once I get to my computer...

[Salty]

Good stuff rock tastey meat for the larder for you. Not surprised you're seeing some weather coming in with the big storms the last while on the coast. GL the rest of the season

[rocksteady]

Almost reminds me of Port McNeill....except it's only about 2% of the moisture and 10% of the wind speed :)

[rocksteady]

71 pounds on the hook of tasty eating. Roasts, cutlets and burger.

Now looking for a decent bucky

[kennyj]

Great season so far!! Keep up the good work.
kenny

[rocksteady]

Went for a hunt tonight. Got busted by the big buck 2 minutes in. Pissed off, left, went to other side of highway . Drove 100 yards down 2 deer. Doe and a small buck. 243 did its job again. 70 yards. Throat patch. DRT. Easy drag though, flat ground, no blowdown no fences...

nice little 2 by 3.

done for the year unless I go after goat..,

[rocksteady]

Will post pics tomorrow or Tuesday.

[Xenomorph]

Well done man. Intriguing that .243 I'm thinking of getting a 25-06 or .257 Weatherby, but I keep seeing people shoot their .243s

[j270wsm]

Where is your goat draw??

[rocksteady]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/rocksteadyrifle/my%20buck_zpsq977azmy.jpeg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/rocksteadyrifle/media/my%20buck_zpsq977azmy.jpeg.html)

[rocksteady]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/rocksteadyrifle/my%20doe_zpsizlgynit.jpeg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/rocksteadyrifle/media/my%20doe_zpsizlgynit.jpeg.html)

The doe for the ride home.

[rocksteady]

Where is your goat draw??

4-22 Bull River

[j270wsm]

Ok, I'm drawn for 4-23B