Well what a opening rifle weekend!! 8am opening morning I shot a big 6x6 elk… 2nd day my brother shot a big 7x7 elk in same spot
Headed out sept 9th afternoon with the lady friend , set up camp, grabbed crossbow and did a little hike into a spot to scout and call… nothing to get to excited about bit felt good to be out. Back to camp , dinner, few beers and bedtime… bring on opening rifle morning!!! Up early , and off to one of 3 spot sin the area I wanted to focus on based on google earth studying, a little local knowledge and a good understanding of where elk tend to be… in the thickest, ugliest stuff ever lol
Hit first spot , spent an hour hiking in, around, calls, checking for sign, nothing so we walked back to the truck. After confirming on GPS… off to spot 2 …. Out of truck and off we go… suddenly .. behind me… a bugle… but not a great bugle??? We stop, listen… glass… nothing ..hmmm sounded human but up over top of block on other side… so I let one rip… nothing ?? then 5 min later..little further away..another flute like tooodle tooodle tooodle … definitely a bad human bugle… on we go towards river. Then… a REAL bugle… in the direction im headed towards the river… and one of those bugles you know is real immediately. Now remember this is my hunting partners first ever elk hunt…. And earlier she had said she just wanted to hear one….. well it was happening.
Towards timber I go, cow chirping…. Hes quiet … I get to timber , walk in few feet to the edge ..as it drops steeply down thru blow down, thick willow, heavy timber towards river…. And I let a not to crazy bugle go… instant scream back at me!! But no closer…. So I look at her and say “we are going down there” …. As I spray her down in elk urine J all the time she is big eyed and smiling … at this time I quit calling.. I want to get into his bedroom without him pinning me down.. wind check… blowing slightly east.. he’s straight across from me (north) and slighty west ..enough that wind should be ok.
Down we go….. gross…. Trees criss crossed, roots , willows, ferns higher than me …. And everything is wet…. Down we go..over , under… and he’s screaming inside 150 yards …. But river is getting close… is he across river?? Ugh….. we get to rivers edge..yup he is obviously across it… but I do know there is a away around to that side , just not exactly where into relation to us….. as im pulling out GPS to look… movement… then ivory tines coming thru thick alders straight across from us on other side at 75 yards…. He stops at edge and stares directly at us…. Rifle up.. (its 6 point season) … scope on antlers… waiting .. turn please .. all the while im waiting to see 6 points im thinking “ how will I get to him.. I know about a road.. ill gps him… cant let him walk .. ugh” he turns … 5!!!!! (did not realize ill I got my hands on him later he was 6x6 as his top split was so tall I didn’t see his royal in the alders, only saw big “Y” on top thinking 5….) ok over to other side.. waiting ..turn please.. and on cue… he turns ..6!!!!!!!! cross hairs down onto chest/front left shoulder..slightly down hill….. squeeze… BOOM!!! 165 TTSX from my 300 WSM hits him hard .. he turns and starts running down edge of river bank with an obvious broken shoulder… BOOM BOOM !!! 2 more in seconds I throw at him.. both hitting him perfect lung shots as partner saw both red dots appear .. he goes 30 feet and goes down………. OMG……. 8am opening morning and I have a Bull elk down…. 75 yards from me ..but I cant go see him or touching him yet!!!!
We flag yellow tape across trees on bank to look for later from other side… mark GPS where elk is down and we start out back up to the top… get to truck..its all still surreal to me … get to cell service and put the calls for help out.. within minutes I have help on the way (best hunting friends a guy could ever have) … and within an hour they meet us… map check.. throw ideas around and off we go …. We take the the route that gets us to other side and approx. across from where it was on GPS… and we head in on foot….omg… what have I done… its so thick… then we run into a swamp… look at map.. around we go… flagging as we go … finally getting closer to river.. all the time im so bitchy… need to find him.. im worried, stressed, going crazy…. .. worst feeling ever… its not real to me til I touch him!!! We hit rivers edge… as per gps we should be close .. but which direction.. by looks of river bank..im thinking left… we split up they go right us left… it looks like the stuff he came out of .. bank across looks about right … 100 yards down.. I look across.. YELLOW TAPE!!!!!!! … i kkep going knowing he has to be close now… where is he?? As I start to panick….. then I look left.. and 10 feet away .. there he is!! Omg .. its huge… bone everywhere… huge body… then the excitement really hits!!! A few yells lol… and what relief!
/
retrieval and second bull continued ...
Reply With Quote
very IMPRESSIVE pair of bulls, congratulations to the hunters and their enthusiastic crews.... good to see.
