MontanaWild
New member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2012
- Messages
- 299
This year we were fortunate enough to scout before season and the first evening we located 3 mature bulls in two small draws close to the river. After two more days of scouting we knew this was the spot for opening morning.
We left the truck around 5:45 and made our way to the end of a long bench as the sun began to rise. Immediately we heard bugles in the bottom. After scanning below us and not seeing any elk we slowly drifted another 100 yards west on the ridge. Immediately I spotted a bull about 200 yards below and headed our way. There was a string of four bulls headed up the hill and we were pinned down. The three of us dropped to our knees, and I got the camera ready. We could only wait and hope they fed close enough for a shot. The wind was good and they slowly fed below us. We were on the edge of a bluff and for about 10 minutes they fed out of sight within 100 yards. Soon we could hear footsteps to our right and my friend Tyler drew his bow in anticipation of horns appearing above the grass. After two minutes he was still at full draw. Soon the tips appeared and he raised his bow at the impressive 6x6. Immediately the bull spun and was back down the hill in a flash. We all kept still and waited knowing that the other three still might be withing range below us. Travis saw a bull below that looked confused and ranged him as Tyler stood up for the shot. At 83 yards he let the arrow fly and put it right through the boiler room. The bull was quartering away and the shot was angled right at the opposite shoulder. The bulls ran over the edge in a dusty hurry.
We reviewed the footage to double check the shot placement, and we knew it was only a matter of time before Tyler laid his hands on his first elk. After thirty minutes we began tracking. The blood was sparse and we had to work slowly. Fortunately the hill was mostly sand and following his staggered footsteps was easy enough. After about 500 yards we found him piled up in the bottom of a small ravine. He had smashed into a small pine and wedged himself solidly into the sandy bottom, horns down.
It was definitely an awesome feeling to be a part of someone's first elk. Tyler's brother had failed to make it down for opening weekend and even though we knew we'd be in elk we knew we had to take him along. Even though he might not have worked very hard for his first elk it still was a moment that will last a lifetime. He's on his own for next year though.
I know lots of you guys love the Mystery Ranch packs and for good reason. We got to test our our new Long Bow and it handled that elk like a champ. We had all the meat out by 1PM and despite the temps reaching 85F we didn't lose any meat. Overall it was an opening day that will be tough to beat.
We left the truck around 5:45 and made our way to the end of a long bench as the sun began to rise. Immediately we heard bugles in the bottom. After scanning below us and not seeing any elk we slowly drifted another 100 yards west on the ridge. Immediately I spotted a bull about 200 yards below and headed our way. There was a string of four bulls headed up the hill and we were pinned down. The three of us dropped to our knees, and I got the camera ready. We could only wait and hope they fed close enough for a shot. The wind was good and they slowly fed below us. We were on the edge of a bluff and for about 10 minutes they fed out of sight within 100 yards. Soon we could hear footsteps to our right and my friend Tyler drew his bow in anticipation of horns appearing above the grass. After two minutes he was still at full draw. Soon the tips appeared and he raised his bow at the impressive 6x6. Immediately the bull spun and was back down the hill in a flash. We all kept still and waited knowing that the other three still might be withing range below us. Travis saw a bull below that looked confused and ranged him as Tyler stood up for the shot. At 83 yards he let the arrow fly and put it right through the boiler room. The bull was quartering away and the shot was angled right at the opposite shoulder. The bulls ran over the edge in a dusty hurry.
We reviewed the footage to double check the shot placement, and we knew it was only a matter of time before Tyler laid his hands on his first elk. After thirty minutes we began tracking. The blood was sparse and we had to work slowly. Fortunately the hill was mostly sand and following his staggered footsteps was easy enough. After about 500 yards we found him piled up in the bottom of a small ravine. He had smashed into a small pine and wedged himself solidly into the sandy bottom, horns down.
It was definitely an awesome feeling to be a part of someone's first elk. Tyler's brother had failed to make it down for opening weekend and even though we knew we'd be in elk we knew we had to take him along. Even though he might not have worked very hard for his first elk it still was a moment that will last a lifetime. He's on his own for next year though.
I know lots of you guys love the Mystery Ranch packs and for good reason. We got to test our our new Long Bow and it handled that elk like a champ. We had all the meat out by 1PM and despite the temps reaching 85F we didn't lose any meat. Overall it was an opening day that will be tough to beat.
