2012 MT Elk Story

[jryoung]

I guess since I’m currently researching hunting for 2013 I should tell the story of 2012. I had been trying to get my brother and nephew to hunt with Dad and me for some time, and while we were close the last couple of years we just couldn’t pull it off. But, in the spring of 2012 I get my brother to commit.
So if you just want skip through to the pictures the short of it is three generations hunting together for the first time, public land, meat on the pole.
The rest of the spring and summer I spent many hours staring at maps online and on paper. By June I think I had it figured out and I booked a flight to Montana in August to check out the area. I have never gone into a hunting area blind before and maybe I overplayed it to myself but I had a lot of uncertainty if we could be successful.
Fortunately, while our trip was a short weekend we found several spots to camp, and a lot of elk sign in several different places. It may be a completely different picture in October, but we came away feeling pretty optimistic and I felt like quite a load was off my shoulders as I was the one spearheading this operation.
October came before I knew it and once again I feel like I had that weight on my shoulders. I flew to my brothers in Seattle, and Dad started his drive down from Bonners Ferry Idaho. At 5am we were eastbound and down on I-90, and pulled into our spot just after 3pm.

My Dad has a bad back (and hips, and arthritis) so we told him to wait for us, but upon arrival the wall tent was up. We got camp in a decent spot where we could finish the rest the next day and we headed out for a scout. We didn’t see much elk sign that night, but I was able to get us some dinner.

That night we enjoyed the fire and I screwed around with the camera

Before the trip I wasn’t sure if my brother would show a continued interest in hunting or if we’d ever be able to do this again so I had Mike E Miller make us some knives and I got them engraved to commemorate the occasion.

The next day was all business; my nephew channeled his inner Paul Bunyon and took to swinging the axe.

My brother, Dad and I were focused on more important tasks…like making a crapper.

Dad’s like a surgeon with his Husqvarna.

I think it will work

Who’s got the baby wipes

After camp was fully set up it was time to relax, the young Padawan took to some hunting p0rn to learn from those more experienced.

 

[jryoung]

Opening morning was relatively quiet, a few shots here and there but none of us saw elk.

As I was stalking through some timber I got a wiff of that musky smell as the wind was in my face but it turned ou to be this chick and her boyfriend. Funny enough, I saw more moose than elk the entire trip.

My brother and nephew taking in the scenery.

For the evening hunt we decided to head deeper into a valley to see what was up there. I was slowly making my way through the woods up to a lake. I felt the wind shift and was reaching for my powder to give it a squirt when I heard THUMP THUMP and all I saw was ass and antlers headed straight away out of sight as he crashed through the woods. I didn’t get a good look, but he was plenty of bull for me unfortunately light was fading and it was time to head back to camp.
After 7-8 miles on foot with rifle and pack, even the cheapest of brandies can taste like Louis XIII.

Day two started just like opening day, quiet with a few shots here and there. My brother was growing frustrated as we weren’t seeing any fresh sign I did my best to keep him focused. This morning Dad was out on his own as his back was bothering him so he took his four-wheeler to an area just south of us that was pretty flat. The plan was to meet back at camp for lunch and when Dad was late I had a good feeling. Around one he came zipping into camp and from 20yards I could see the blood on his knuckles. I chuckled to myself as it was the immobile, old guy who needs to ride a four-wheeler that was the first with blood on his hands. Oh well, and elk down is an elk down. We all rallied, grabbed some gear and jumped in the truck.
Unfortunately, I didn’t grab any pictures as we were all business, but I did get some of the important stuff. Brisket cooking…

…And heart tacos with sriracha.

The next day we headed right back to where Dad shot his elk as there was a ton of sign and we still felt they were around. Around 8am I was in some pretty thick trees and caught movement at 2 o’clock. It was a cow making her way in front of me right to left and I had a cow tag. She was about 75yards away, but I never got a good view of her as the lodgepole was thick. She disappeared behind a thick patch and I only at one shooting lane available if she were to cross it. I settled my crosshairs and could see her hoofs coming, he body entered the window and I called to stop her. The silence was shattered as she ran off. There was no blood but her trail was easy to follow in the pine duff. After about 50 yards I thought I must have missed her, but the saw her just ahead. Upon arriving I realized she was a calf, I was sort of bummed, but know she’ll eat well. I never had a chance to see her entirely as she was moving and obscured by the trees with no other elk around.

Oh well, another tag was notched and fortunately my brother was close by.

We got her cleaned up and took her out the old fashioned way.

 

[jryoung]

My boss is a huge SF Giants fan so I texted him this picture telling him I sacrificed an elk for the Giants to win the World Series.

That would be the last of the animals for the week. I had hoped to be able to find a buck somewhere or a bear, but nothing. I really had hoped to put my brother on some elk and we had some weather come and I thought we’d get lucky. We hit some tracks of 5 or 6, but we never caught up to them. Regardless my brother got the spark to go again next year and it was a wonderful trip spent with family. It just doesn’t get any better than going into a new area of public land in a state you’ve never hunted before and putting meat on the pole.
Some other pics from the week.
5 degrees this morning

I should probably look into a bino cover.

Home sweet home

The mighty hunters

Fence post pic

Obligatory meat pole pic

Self shooter

 

[Dinkshooter]

Hamby Swamp?

 

[Mica Man]

Great story and pics! Memories with family in the outdoors to be cherished for a lifetime.

 

[jryoung]

Hamby Swamp?

You're in the right mountain range...we were north of Hamby.

 

[pseshooter300]

Good pics and story

 

[noharleyyet]

Stellar thread...like the knife commemoration. Nice trip.

 

[Papa-Zulu]

As a knife nut, I love the knives! Tell us about Miller, where he is from, how much those knives cost...

 

[Carrion Carrier]

I really like this thread. Thanks for sharing!

 

[silverado11]

Great story and pics, memories forever. Would love to hear some info about the knives.

 

[dustinf]

Awesome.

 

[jryoung]

Mike Miller is on 24hourcampfire and that's how I found him, his handle is "mike_e_miller".

The knives came out great IMO, I've had Doziers and Ingrams and the finish may not be as perfect as theirs are, but they are every bit as good of a knive and for $165 they are a great deal IMO.

The olive green and sea green knives are his "beast" shape. They're heavy duty, but a perfect hunting shape. I was able to cut right up the sternum with no problem.

 

[TheTone]

Looks like fun, other than the one packing the elk out. I've done it that way once with a deer, never again.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Great photos, really fun family story. Nicely done.

 

[sluggo6850]

excellent story telling and great photos, plus the bonus of meat on the pole and fun times with family. It doesn't get any better then that. Congrats

 

[----]

Awesome! I love photo dump stories like this.

I'd take a calf over a cow any day, congrats on it. Love the hat.

 

[Mato]

Thx 4 sharing the pics, great stuff!

Gotta ask, what bullet didn't give you a blood trail on your cow?

 

[spook12]

Nice hunt with the family,Congrats. I'm really digging the knives,cool idea.

 

[wyoming556]

Really cool trip. Loved the knives and the deluxe bathroom.