SWMontana1
New member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
- Messages
- 337
I am one lucky SOB!!
I lucked out getting access to some public land, and I'm not sure when the last time anyone on this earth has hunted this land.... no one in the past 25 years, at least! Here is the story I posted yesterday about how I got the access... LUCK.
http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=252114
So I took the afternoon off work yesterday and went hunting!! I have never been in a place where there has been SO much elk activity/sign. As soon as I got into the thick, there was a couple trails that looked like highways and rubs everywhere. After hiking around for probably 2-3 miles, I could hear an elk bugling uphill from me. I took it really slow and the wind was perfect, blowing directly into my face as I hiked. When I got closer, I could hear a lot of cows talking and walking around.
By this time, it was pretty late... I knew they were about to make their move down the hill to make it out to the flats (private land) for the night (as the landowner had told me they did that everynight). I set up about 30 yards from the "highway trail" next to a big tree... perfect set up! I waited for about 10 mins then for some reason I looked behind me and looked in my binos and found that there was another "highway trail" about 100 yards from where I was. I listened intently to the elk and where it sounded like they were going, they where above me right in the middle of trails in a little opening (out of sight).
For the life of me I couldn't figure out which trail they were coming down on but I could tell that they were on their way down. After much personal debate and not knowing what to do, I decided to move into a small cluster of pines and set up on the trail. I'm not going to lie, I stalled, stammered, and changed my mind probably 10 times on the way to my new spot. As soon as I sat down the lead cow came through and came down the trail 25 yards from me! And kept going... More cows and calves came down the same trail. A few 5 points, small rags, and spikes came through too. I probably would have shot the first 5 point but I could hear the herd bull bugling the entire time. Soon, after what felt like an eternity, I could hear and see the herd bull... he was a nice 6 point. He came down the exact same way as all his cows and right before I was going to draw, I was looking for my call so I could give out a call before my shot. I couldn't find it and remembered that I had left it at my old set up... shit! As he was getting closer, I drew and thought I would just cough or bark so he would stop long enough for a shot.
Once he was in the opening at 25 yards, I was about to bark when he completely stopped and looked behind him, uphill. So I took the shot. I saw the arrow go right behind his shoulder where I aimed. He took off running, right at me. He passed by my small cluster of pines at about 10 yards and ended up crumpling about 75 yards away in the middle of a meadow. I sat there completely silent and watched the rest of the herd go down to flats... not even knowing I was there or that I had killed the herd bull. It was awesome!!
I actually spent the night up there. I did most of the work last night... or this morning (until about 3 am). So the meat would not spoil. This morning I packed the entire elk out by myself, yes, I had to make multiple trips but it was worth it!! It was a BLAST!! Feel guilty that the kill was truly, pretty easy and that my elk hunting is over this year... but I am not complaining too much
I followed through on all my promises to the land owner that let me cross his land and when I got down there with my first load, he said "ah... I thought you probably got him (the herd bull) didn't see him come down with the rest. And then I knew you did when your truck was still here in the mornin".
We talked some but he was busy and I was busy going back for more loads of meat. I told him how much I appreciate it and told him that I would definitely bring him some meat, if he wanted. He then told me to bring some meat and he said "some drinks... I really enjoy Henry's Blue Boar" to his house this saturday night, along with my wife, and us four would have a nice dinner. I obviously agreed!!
The generosity/pure kindness of some people, even today, amazes the hell out of me. If someone were to tell me that I was a fourth as kind as this old(er) guy, I would take it as a compliment. I'm still in awe. Total class act!!
Here are some pics!!
I lucked out getting access to some public land, and I'm not sure when the last time anyone on this earth has hunted this land.... no one in the past 25 years, at least! Here is the story I posted yesterday about how I got the access... LUCK.
http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=252114
So I took the afternoon off work yesterday and went hunting!! I have never been in a place where there has been SO much elk activity/sign. As soon as I got into the thick, there was a couple trails that looked like highways and rubs everywhere. After hiking around for probably 2-3 miles, I could hear an elk bugling uphill from me. I took it really slow and the wind was perfect, blowing directly into my face as I hiked. When I got closer, I could hear a lot of cows talking and walking around.
By this time, it was pretty late... I knew they were about to make their move down the hill to make it out to the flats (private land) for the night (as the landowner had told me they did that everynight). I set up about 30 yards from the "highway trail" next to a big tree... perfect set up! I waited for about 10 mins then for some reason I looked behind me and looked in my binos and found that there was another "highway trail" about 100 yards from where I was. I listened intently to the elk and where it sounded like they were going, they where above me right in the middle of trails in a little opening (out of sight).
For the life of me I couldn't figure out which trail they were coming down on but I could tell that they were on their way down. After much personal debate and not knowing what to do, I decided to move into a small cluster of pines and set up on the trail. I'm not going to lie, I stalled, stammered, and changed my mind probably 10 times on the way to my new spot. As soon as I sat down the lead cow came through and came down the trail 25 yards from me! And kept going... More cows and calves came down the same trail. A few 5 points, small rags, and spikes came through too. I probably would have shot the first 5 point but I could hear the herd bull bugling the entire time. Soon, after what felt like an eternity, I could hear and see the herd bull... he was a nice 6 point. He came down the exact same way as all his cows and right before I was going to draw, I was looking for my call so I could give out a call before my shot. I couldn't find it and remembered that I had left it at my old set up... shit! As he was getting closer, I drew and thought I would just cough or bark so he would stop long enough for a shot.
Once he was in the opening at 25 yards, I was about to bark when he completely stopped and looked behind him, uphill. So I took the shot. I saw the arrow go right behind his shoulder where I aimed. He took off running, right at me. He passed by my small cluster of pines at about 10 yards and ended up crumpling about 75 yards away in the middle of a meadow. I sat there completely silent and watched the rest of the herd go down to flats... not even knowing I was there or that I had killed the herd bull. It was awesome!!
I actually spent the night up there. I did most of the work last night... or this morning (until about 3 am). So the meat would not spoil. This morning I packed the entire elk out by myself, yes, I had to make multiple trips but it was worth it!! It was a BLAST!! Feel guilty that the kill was truly, pretty easy and that my elk hunting is over this year... but I am not complaining too much
I followed through on all my promises to the land owner that let me cross his land and when I got down there with my first load, he said "ah... I thought you probably got him (the herd bull) didn't see him come down with the rest. And then I knew you did when your truck was still here in the mornin".
We talked some but he was busy and I was busy going back for more loads of meat. I told him how much I appreciate it and told him that I would definitely bring him some meat, if he wanted. He then told me to bring some meat and he said "some drinks... I really enjoy Henry's Blue Boar" to his house this saturday night, along with my wife, and us four would have a nice dinner. I obviously agreed!!
The generosity/pure kindness of some people, even today, amazes the hell out of me. If someone were to tell me that I was a fourth as kind as this old(er) guy, I would take it as a compliment. I'm still in awe. Total class act!!
Here are some pics!!
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