I'll give the "coles notes" version of how putting an elk on the ground this year came to be for me.
It started in late September with a buddy and I heading out for a week long hunt. Things started out slow for us and we didn't even see an elk 'til the 3rd day of the hunt...only heard a couple bulls bugle in the distance at night to tie us over. After the 4th morning we decided it would be best to break camp and head to a different location that has produced in the past.
In the new spot on morning #5 we got into elk right away. A herd of about 15 cows with a very vocal bull in with them and possibly a 2nd bull. We made a play for them but the slipped down the valley into cover before we could get into position. Previous experience in the area had me thinking we should hold back for an hour or two and then hit a trail below some of the benches they bed on. Things sort of worked and we got on the bull (a decent bull) again and called him into about 60-70 yards but just couldn't get my partner to get a shot at him through the aspens. He eventually wandered off unspooked. We pursued for a bit and ran into a smaller bull but just couldn't get the bigger one to perk back up. We pursued him for the next couple days to no avail....alas we ran out of days off and had to get back to work.
Since then I have been going out on weekends for day hunts when I had the time. This past Saturday I went back to where we started the season at. The plan was to watch fields for the first part of the morning and follow whatever lead I could muster up from there. Turns out the latter never had to happen! My walk in to where I wanted to be got interrupted by a pair of whitetails so I decided to hunker down rather than spook them and alert every critter in the countryside. Shortly after legal light rolled around I was still enjoying myself watching the doe and fawn WT feed when I spotted something about 600 yards away beyond them. A quick peek through the binos revealed a bull elk. Due to the lighting/cover/back drop I didn't quite realize how big he was at this point...just that he was a good bull.
Problem now was how to get into position for a shot...with the deer in between me and him and a whole lot of open country. While I was pondering this he started to feed somewhat towards me. This only lasted for a few steps and he was heading straight south towards the big bush again. Time to move. I slipped off the field edge to a road allowance that parallels the field. The plan was to get to an opening in the trees off the allowance where I'd be able to set-up on the fence post and have a 300 yard(ish) shot. As I was approaching the opening (crunching frosty leaves with my boots the whole way)...you guessed it...there's the pair of deer...right where I want to be...and they have me pegged....I glass the bull beyond them and at this point I got a good look at what all he had going on. Deer stomping there feet acting like they want to ruin my day....Hail Mary time...I run the rest of the distance to the opening in the trees and send the deer flying out there blowing and flags flying....Mr. Bull is now watching the deer and as I am getting set-up on the post he dials into to me....but it was too late, I squeezed the trigger. At the shot he did nothing but look straight ahead of him. I shot again and he started to run. I'll throw this out there right now...I am a dedicated shoot 'til it's all over hunter. Especially with large critters in areas where they can get into nasty country. So, I fired two more shots as he was running. After the second running shot he stopped and I hit him again and collapsed him...Game over.
The equipment: Despite having "better" rifles at home I had a real hankerin' to take my old Remington 760 .30-06 out on this day, I hadn't hunted it in about 12 years and haven't killed with it in about 14. Bullets were 165 gr. Sierra Hollow Point Gamekings over top a case full of H4350. Which average just under 1.5 MOA for me. Glass is a Leupold Vari X II 2-7x33. Distance was bang on 300 yards according to the Leica when I ranged him after he was down.
Oh and I am sure some are wondering where all them bullets landed! There were two shots (I think the first two) in the lungs...further back in the lungs than I had wanted but lung hits none the less. Two not so well placed shots even further back ( I think those were the running shots) and my final shot was just forward of the shoulder as he stopped. He only traveled ~25 yards from where he was first hit and it was all over in just a few seconds.
Enjoy the pics!
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]
Oh yeah...I also realize I can hunt a lifetime and not tip over a bull of this calibre again.
363 2/8" gross.
It started in late September with a buddy and I heading out for a week long hunt. Things started out slow for us and we didn't even see an elk 'til the 3rd day of the hunt...only heard a couple bulls bugle in the distance at night to tie us over. After the 4th morning we decided it would be best to break camp and head to a different location that has produced in the past.
In the new spot on morning #5 we got into elk right away. A herd of about 15 cows with a very vocal bull in with them and possibly a 2nd bull. We made a play for them but the slipped down the valley into cover before we could get into position. Previous experience in the area had me thinking we should hold back for an hour or two and then hit a trail below some of the benches they bed on. Things sort of worked and we got on the bull (a decent bull) again and called him into about 60-70 yards but just couldn't get my partner to get a shot at him through the aspens. He eventually wandered off unspooked. We pursued for a bit and ran into a smaller bull but just couldn't get the bigger one to perk back up. We pursued him for the next couple days to no avail....alas we ran out of days off and had to get back to work.
Since then I have been going out on weekends for day hunts when I had the time. This past Saturday I went back to where we started the season at. The plan was to watch fields for the first part of the morning and follow whatever lead I could muster up from there. Turns out the latter never had to happen! My walk in to where I wanted to be got interrupted by a pair of whitetails so I decided to hunker down rather than spook them and alert every critter in the countryside. Shortly after legal light rolled around I was still enjoying myself watching the doe and fawn WT feed when I spotted something about 600 yards away beyond them. A quick peek through the binos revealed a bull elk. Due to the lighting/cover/back drop I didn't quite realize how big he was at this point...just that he was a good bull.
Problem now was how to get into position for a shot...with the deer in between me and him and a whole lot of open country. While I was pondering this he started to feed somewhat towards me. This only lasted for a few steps and he was heading straight south towards the big bush again. Time to move. I slipped off the field edge to a road allowance that parallels the field. The plan was to get to an opening in the trees off the allowance where I'd be able to set-up on the fence post and have a 300 yard(ish) shot. As I was approaching the opening (crunching frosty leaves with my boots the whole way)...you guessed it...there's the pair of deer...right where I want to be...and they have me pegged....I glass the bull beyond them and at this point I got a good look at what all he had going on. Deer stomping there feet acting like they want to ruin my day....Hail Mary time...I run the rest of the distance to the opening in the trees and send the deer flying out there blowing and flags flying....Mr. Bull is now watching the deer and as I am getting set-up on the post he dials into to me....but it was too late, I squeezed the trigger. At the shot he did nothing but look straight ahead of him. I shot again and he started to run. I'll throw this out there right now...I am a dedicated shoot 'til it's all over hunter. Especially with large critters in areas where they can get into nasty country. So, I fired two more shots as he was running. After the second running shot he stopped and I hit him again and collapsed him...Game over.
The equipment: Despite having "better" rifles at home I had a real hankerin' to take my old Remington 760 .30-06 out on this day, I hadn't hunted it in about 12 years and haven't killed with it in about 14. Bullets were 165 gr. Sierra Hollow Point Gamekings over top a case full of H4350. Which average just under 1.5 MOA for me. Glass is a Leupold Vari X II 2-7x33. Distance was bang on 300 yards according to the Leica when I ranged him after he was down.
Oh and I am sure some are wondering where all them bullets landed! There were two shots (I think the first two) in the lungs...further back in the lungs than I had wanted but lung hits none the less. Two not so well placed shots even further back ( I think those were the running shots) and my final shot was just forward of the shoulder as he stopped. He only traveled ~25 yards from where he was first hit and it was all over in just a few seconds.
Enjoy the pics!
Oh yeah...I also realize I can hunt a lifetime and not tip over a bull of this calibre again.
363 2/8" gross.
