Day 14 - Do the happy dance !!!!!!

[rocksteady]

Well, all the planets finally came into alignment, not for me but my hunting partner for the day......

Be back in ten minutes.....Gotta butcher a heart for cooking for the dogs....Have pictures too...

[newhunterette]

Well, all the planets finally came into alignment, not for me but my hunting partner for the day......

Be back in ten minutes.....Gotta butcher a heart for cooking for the dogs....Have pictures too...

well gosh dern it anyhow it's about dang time Mister I was starting to think ya were just playing around

[rocksteady]

Okay, so picked up my hunting partner at 05:30, out to the bush by just after 6:00, walking into the secret spot he has picked out, AAAAGH !!! Truck parked right there...DAMN....

Fine, we do a 180 and start booking it North along a fence line, stop every 500 metres or so, let out a bugle.....Get about 2km away from the truck, bugle...Instant response...We look at each other with huge eyes and SHAT eatin grins....

Hunker down behind a stump along the fence line and Albert starts his serenade....Easily the BEST ELK CALLER I have ever hunted with....Bugles, growls, chuckles, mixed in with cow calls from his reed, as well as the hootchie mama....

This goes on for about 30 minutes, they are coming closer, closer.....Finally they hang up, so Albert says "We are going after them"....

I stand up, see movement about 150 yards ahead in the open Yellow Pine forest, up go the binos....Elk....Cow, .....NO! BULL.....

So I drop onto my arse again and the bull is a coming, no hesitation at all..As soon as I told Albert it was a bull, he grabbed his 7MM and flicked off the safety...He still could not see the bull, but it was moving quick in the thick stuff.....Eventually I do the discreet finger point, with my hand on my chest, and say "He's right here"....

The bull kept coming, I spied Albert take the stump as a rest, I put my fingers in my left ear, cause I knew this was gonna be loud and kept belting on the Hootchie....He kept coming, coming....Eventually stopping broadside at 70 yards...The 7MM rocked and I saw the vapour trail that occurs when you hit an animal in the lungs on a frosty morning.....

The bull took off straight ahead like a bat out of hell....We started chirping on the hootchies, some times that will stop a running injured bull....

Less than 75 yards later we hear the sound of the bull going down for good.......No misinterpretting that sound.....Went over to him and a great eating bull was Alberts....

Gutted him out, hard (flat ground) drag, 75 metres to the road, where we slid him into the truck from the cut bank and we were styling..
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/rocksteadyrifle/2008%20season/DSC00600.jpg
Its a 5 BY 3, but believe its a 2 1/2 year old bull. Yes, I said 5 by 3, Albert is of First Nations decent and has his status card...

Got him home, skinned out, to the butcher by 12:30.....
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/rocksteadyrifle/2008%20season/DSC00598.jpg
Bullet went between two ribs and out between two ribs, did not even expand, lungs were hit but not major damage...Went through him like a laser.....

Weird coat on this bull though, as a side note......He had white spots all over him...Not sure why......Still packing fawn spots from last year??? Some sort of Piebald genetics??? Anyone else have any suggestions....
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/rocksteadyrifle/2008%20season/DSC00599.jpg
Even though I did not cut a tag, it was still an awesome adrenaline rush and I am happy for my hunting partner.....

Hes working graveyards this week, but next weekend we already have a date...

[newhunterette]

what adorable grins y'all are wearing and rightly so with such a great harvest - true perserverance paying off and that has been great to see and read on ur part

have been waiting for this for 2 weeks dag nabbit - way to go and congrats

now as for next weekend - best of luck and straight shooting to you

Ali

[rocksteady]

Thanks...Now its time to chill, rewind and get ready for work tomorrow...But I get to sleep in til 6:30 tomorrow !!!!:biggrin:

[todbartell]

clearly the 7mm shoots bullets too fast to make them expand!

nice eating bull there for sure, congrats to you guys

[rocksteady]

Hmmmm. 156 views , only 5 replies...I guess I peed in some cornflakes:shock:

[Kody94]

Congrats Rocksteady! And WTG to your buddy. Sounds like a real fun morning!

The spots are wierd. I have noticed a number of LARGE calves by the highway still packing spots...maybe there are some funky genetics in the herd near Cranny.

I don't know if you pissed in any cornflakes, but I am sure you will get some different reactions. Personally, I don't have an issue with fair-chase hunted animals taken with respect (and even sportsmanship) by status Indians....I just take issue with the slaughters, pitlamping etc. I am happy for both you and your buddy in this case. As I said above, sounds like a great morning.

Good luck next weekend.

Cheers,
4ster

[dukester]

Love reading your updates on the elk hunting you do.. thats a great success. 70 yrds with a 3000+ ft/sec bullet thinking with the bullet choice and at that speed it wasn't designed for expansion at over 3000ft/sec?? . Any ways man alive you must have crapped your selk. 70 yrds of a horned bull elk. The horse shoe is getting closer to you.. hang in there. your turn next "Duke.

[Buckman]

Nice one !

[rocksteady]

Personally, I don't have an issue with fair-chase hunted animals taken with respect (and even sportsmanship) by status Indians....I just take issue with the slaughters, pitlamping etc.
Cheers,
4ster


Just to fill in the blanks here, as a Staus Indian, hunting in his home territory, he is allowed to harvest any animal he wishes..Bull/cow/calf....And as many as he wants..

This is the first elk that he has harvested in 4 years....He gets the meat for him, his wife and his father (who passed away last year). He is by no means a pitlamper, slaughterer or whatever other terminolgy is applied. He does not go rifle hunting til the deep freeze is barren...He still enjoys the thrill of bow hunting elk, but has not connected in 4 years.

He is one of the most ethical hunters I have ever met. If he wasn't I would not hunt with him....

Because of his heritage, I equate it to a lifetime LEH tag.....It was not our decision to grant this priveledge, it was our forefathers...If (I honestly doubt it ever will) or when it changes, I may think differently. As far as his hunting passion, ethics and sportsmanship (all is fair chase, no cheating), he can't be beat..

[BimmerBob]

Congrats on the harvest, to you and your partner. I have no issue at all with First Nations hunters, as a youngster I hunted with a number of them in the Bridge River area and don't remember them as anything other than like ourselves.

All the best on the rest of your season...

Bob

[Vossie]

Thanks...Now its time to chill, rewind and get ready for work tomorrow...But I get to sleep in til 6:30 tomorrow !!!!:biggrin:

Congratulations Rocksteady. I envy you guys living in Elk heaven.

Chill out on the counting man. Okanagan 7x6 bull elk has 18 replies on 666 views, you have 11 replies on 239 views, you are way ahead.

[lip_ripper00]

Hmmmm. 156 views , only 5 replies...I guess I peed in some cornflakes:shock:


Ya I had to look a few times,my typings sucks.......:mrgreen: well done guys!

[Kody94]

Just to fill in the blanks here, as a Staus Indian, hunting in his home territory, he is allowed to harvest any animal he wishes..Bull/cow/calf....And as many as he wants..

This is the first elk that he has harvested in 4 years....He gets the meat for him, his wife and his father (who passed away last year). He is by no means a pitlamper, slaughterer or whatever other terminolgy is applied. He does not go rifle hunting til the deep freeze is barren...He still enjoys the thrill of bow hunting elk, but has not connected in 4 years.

He is one of the most ethical hunters I have ever met. If he wasn't I would not hunt with him....

Because of his heritage, I equate it to a lifetime LEH tag.....It was not our decision to grant this priveledge, it was our forefathers...If (I honestly doubt it ever will) or when it changes, I may think differently. As far as his hunting passion, ethics and sportsmanship (all is fair chase, no cheating), he can't be beat..

RS,

I hope you did not infer any negative connotations to my post, as none were intended. As I mentioned, I am really happy for you guys and this was clearly a fairly hunted animal. I only refered to "slaughters, pitlamping, etc" to differentiate this hunt from the kind of native hunting that many of us do NOT support (and which may jade some others on ALL native hunting which is not consistent with the laws and regulations that apply to non-FNs). I certainly did NOT imply that your friend participates in any of those kinds of activities.

By quoting my message I assume you were taking issue with it. If so, let me know what about it bothers you, as I doubt we are on opposite sides here.

Cheers,
4ster

[M.Dean]

Looks good! You guys worked hard, had fun and it paid off, that's whats it's all about! Congrats! Loved the updates.

[rocksteady]

RS,

I hope you did not infer any negative connotations to my post, as none were intended. As I mentioned, I am really happy for you guys and this was clearly a fairly hunted animal. I only refered to "slaughters, pitlamping, etc" to differentiate this hunt from the kind of native hunting that many of us do NOT support (and which may jade some others on ALL native hunting which is not consistent with the laws and regulations that apply to non-FNs). I certainly did NOT imply that your friend participates in any of those kinds of activities.

By quoting my message I assume you were taking issue with it. If so, let me know what about it bothers you, as I doubt we are on opposite sides here.

Cheers,
4ster


I took no offence to anything you said, I was just trying to spell out clearly the ethics and quality of hunter my partner is...

I too apologize if you felt I was going after your response and words...Forgive me I am tired...14 days of getting up at 3:30, hunting my ass off and besides, I did not get my nap today:mad::mad: so maybe my words came across wrong...

I will go back to work tomorrow and get rested up:biggrin::biggrin:

[ianwuzhere]

beauty! who says hunting near a full moon sux?

[Little Hawk]

Congrats to you and your partner.
A good hunt'in buddy is worth his weight in gold... regardless of his race!

Good on you both!

Less than 2-weeks till I head up to the EK for my kick at it.

More 'Elk-drug'!

Cheers,
Terry

[Blainer]

Congradulations!
Gonna miss you tomorow.(day 15)
Hope there will be more stories to come.

[bsa30-06]

congrats to you and your partner, i have read every one of your posts.Maybe you can get out after work and post day 15.lol

[kootenay redneck]

congarts on the elk i enjoyed reading your columns,good luck on your next trip out

[rock]

Great job guys, being the caller in this case would be just as cool as the shooter, congrats to both

[sawmill]

Good on ya lads,just wish you had given the heart to me instead of the dogs!:mrgreen:

[stanway]

Congrats on finally connecting on a elk. That will be some awesome table fare for sure.

I enjoy reading your daily reports and you have really put the time in. Keep up the good work.

Cheers.

James

[TIKA 300]

Congrats on connecting.

I also think being the caller would be more exciting than pulling the trigger !!!!!!! :biggrin:

[brotherjack]

Right on! Mmmmmmm.... elk steaks. :)

[todbartell]

so what bullet did he use. Looks like a decent amount of damage on the ribs in the one pic

[Shed Hunter]

congrats on the elk.

[6616]

Way to go Mike, your hard work and persistence finally paid off, I knew it would.

Right now we've probably got the best elk hunting we've had in 20 years, but elk hunting is never easy. I get a big chuckle out of the guys that think killing an elk in the EK is easy as pie, one behind every tree, etc. Maybe "easier", but as any elk hunter knows, no elk is ever "easy".

Good work both of you.

PS
Nice bike.

[riflebuilder]

nice eating elk. Congrats on a fine harvest.

[Kitimat Killer]

way to go sounds like a awesome hunt got to love when it all works out for you

kk

[Koot]

Good job Guys.
Koot

[In4TheHunt]

The play by play is awsome!!!. Congrats to your partner.

The adrenaline must just have been pumpin.......

Your turn next?.....Right?

good luck.

[hunter1947]

Good for you Mike you got it done with a partner ,having a second hunter along can make a big difference at time ,as the pic showes.

Congrats to you partner and you on getting this fine animal.

Now its your turn to get one down http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

I will be hunting for them in 3 days from now ,can't wait :roll:.

[rocksteady]

Thanks for all the posts guys...and gals....

Was an absolute adrenaline rush when we worked him hard and he came in to shooting range....Almost like he was on a string....Learned more from the partner about calling in one hour than I have learned in the past 3 years watching videos by Primos etc.....

Wayne, the rut should be in full swing.......Things were starting up, then died off because of the heat and moon, but I think it should be wild when you get up here...

[rocksteady]

so what bullet did he use. Looks like a decent amount of damage on the ribs in the one pic


Factory Winchester ammo, not sure what weight....

There is actually no broken ribs, the hole you see is where I trimmed out bloodshot, so that the meat does not get tainted....

[hunter1947]

Thanks for all the posts guys...and gals....

Was an absolute adrenaline rush when we worked him hard and he came in to shooting range....Almost like he was on a string....Learned more from the partner about calling in one hour than I have learned in the past 3 years watching videos by Primos etc.....

Wayne, the rut should be in full swing.......Things were starting up, then died off because of the heat and moon, but I think it should be wild when you get up here...

Thanks for the update Mike ,I hope to see you in our camp far a visit you know where we are .

[rocksteady]

Thanks for the update Mike ,I hope to see you in our camp far a visit you know where we are .


Who knows, if I can't find a bull around here, you may wake up in the morning and find me sleeping under your truck.....:biggrin::biggrin: I hear tell you have the best honey hole in the East Koots, you just have not shot any in the past few years, leaving them to get even bigger...:eek::eek:

[Tikka7mm]

Nice Bull...lots of meat for the freezer can't wait to see some more pics when you get your next one. Congrats!

[Wildman]

Good job......good luck on one for yourself!