Weather finally changed and I caught some this morning before they left & hit the trees for the day.
Rained all day the 1st day. Nothing moving in valley.
4 cows were already leaving yesterday at 1st light after eating & drinking their fill all night .
Cold front & wind came in @ 4am and had to use the wind to get down to a place & wait for daylight.Hope there are elk again in same area and they don't smell me,see me or just leave in a different direction. 1/2 mi hike on frosty mud & grass to a group of small junipers for cover and hope for an ambush. Pinned no matter what when it gets light.
Glass as soon as I can see and nothing to my right near the windmill,look down the escape route,nothing. Turn & look right in front of me and there's 3 cows feeding. Set up my tripod to rest glasses & range and there is 4 now. I move the tripod 6" to left so I don't have to move my body as I'm right next to a 6' juniper.Last cow spots me & barks as I'm setting rifle on tripod. They are close and she's looking right at me head on. Lead cow & her calf start walking and the other cow follows,last one is staring still,barks and turns to go too....stops & gives me full side shot. I shoot & they start running away,then turn down to the escape route out. 3 cows head across valley and stop to see WTF happened and where's what's her name 800yrds away. I slowly stand & move back behind bush and head up hill to see were the 4th went to. I knew it was good shot & she was down behind a juniper.
The others just stayed way out and I tried not to spook them as a neighbor still has a tag. Snuck back the way I had come and came down the way thru the trees I usually go look from.
Would have busted them going thru the trees as the wind was heading right where they were.
So the go in the dark cross wind in the open to a spot with cover that they might come by in rifle range paid off.
Perfect setup. I was 150 yards away when I first saw them moving in dark and shot from. They had come right by my house down thru the trees to that spot.They had to be right outside when I left the house in the dark.
The other 3 were still just over the hill on my neighbors place when I drove my truck down to load her up.
Nice fat Xmas cow.
Elk gods smiled on me today.
I live the dream.
Rained all day the 1st day. Nothing moving in valley.
4 cows were already leaving yesterday at 1st light after eating & drinking their fill all night .
Cold front & wind came in @ 4am and had to use the wind to get down to a place & wait for daylight.Hope there are elk again in same area and they don't smell me,see me or just leave in a different direction. 1/2 mi hike on frosty mud & grass to a group of small junipers for cover and hope for an ambush. Pinned no matter what when it gets light.
Glass as soon as I can see and nothing to my right near the windmill,look down the escape route,nothing. Turn & look right in front of me and there's 3 cows feeding. Set up my tripod to rest glasses & range and there is 4 now. I move the tripod 6" to left so I don't have to move my body as I'm right next to a 6' juniper.Last cow spots me & barks as I'm setting rifle on tripod. They are close and she's looking right at me head on. Lead cow & her calf start walking and the other cow follows,last one is staring still,barks and turns to go too....stops & gives me full side shot. I shoot & they start running away,then turn down to the escape route out. 3 cows head across valley and stop to see WTF happened and where's what's her name 800yrds away. I slowly stand & move back behind bush and head up hill to see were the 4th went to. I knew it was good shot & she was down behind a juniper.
The others just stayed way out and I tried not to spook them as a neighbor still has a tag. Snuck back the way I had come and came down the way thru the trees I usually go look from.
Would have busted them going thru the trees as the wind was heading right where they were.
So the go in the dark cross wind in the open to a spot with cover that they might come by in rifle range paid off.
Perfect setup. I was 150 yards away when I first saw them moving in dark and shot from. They had come right by my house down thru the trees to that spot.They had to be right outside when I left the house in the dark.
The other 3 were still just over the hill on my neighbors place when I drove my truck down to load her up.
Nice fat Xmas cow.
Elk gods smiled on me today.
I live the dream.
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