Elk .... Let's see them!!!
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
Guy
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- Dec 5, 2018
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If I'd shot him, I'd be in prison. Yellowstone.
TB-B4
New member
Got back into the States from a deployment on the 4th of Nov, home the 5th. Loaded up the truck on Friday the 6th of Nov and launched for CO 3rd Season on the 7th, Opening Day. Got a 5 x 5 on my second day of Hunting. Helped out looking for another Buck and Bulls. Drove up to Montana a few days later. Got the only legal bull in a large herd on my second day of Hunting. Drove home with plenty of time for Thanksgiving with Family. Drove to WY for my Cow tag on the 3rd of Dec, linked up with a coworker. Hunted walk-in areas, covered lots of ground. Tough Hunting with no snow on the ground. Heard a large herd was in the area. Found a good water source in an area nearby to where we were hunting often. Covered a lot of ground and literally drove up on a herd of over 150 and got the Cow. Freezer is filled, wife is pissed and happy at the same time since we don't have room in the freezers. Good Season of Hunting. Thanks for all the advise I've read on the site. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. God Bless you all!! Happy Hunting!
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Fields2211
Member
My buddies elk this year. Found him alone on scouting day and planned on going after him on opener. Ended up finding a herd of 50 with 2 large mature bulls and decided to go after them in hopes of doubling down. Well after a failed attempt we decided to see if he was still in the location we left him. Day 2 came around and it wasn't looking good until 2 other hunters walked between us making a bunch of noise and ended up pushing him straight to my buddy. He ended up getting a shot of at 40 feet on a dead sprint. Needless to say it was good timing and location.
RMLloyd
New member
I was not raised hunting but I did do a fair amount of fishing when I was younger. I’m late in life to the world of big game. I haven’t been very successful on my own. Through my many mistakes I’ve learned a lot about what not to do. This hunt was a big one for me and I don’t know many folks who were willing or who were able to help out. With the COVID nonsense and just getting back from a deployment there was no way I could possibly scout the area. I hired a guide and have zero regrets about paying someone for help. The things I learned and the experience I had was worth way more than what I paid. A great dude and a good group of folks who really enjoy hunting and helping guys like me.
This was by no means an easy hunt at all. We glassed and glassed, hiked and got into several situations where I just couldn’t get a good lane to shoot. On day 4 my guided glassed up 6 or 7 bulls from a long ways off, drove over and hiked about a mile to get into them. My first shot at 210 yards looked perfect through my scope and my guide’s binoculars (I zeroed in at 200). I reloaded but he was out of sight before I got a follow up. We gave him 30 or 40 minutes before we moved in. We found blood and tracks but no bull. We kept looking until dark and had to call it off. First light we were back at it (last day of the hunt) hoping to find an expired bull. Instead we picked up more blood and tracks. We followed them for almost 2 miles and finally saw him on a ridge about 500 yards away. I took several shots and narrowly missed then he took off. Away we went up the mountain following his blood and tracks. On top we lost his tacks and could not pick them up. My guide said we may have to call it. He and the other guide walked away and had a discussion as I sat on a rock, took off my hat and looked at the valley below. The feeling of wounding an animal and not being able to recover it made me sick. Physical knots in my stomach.
We grounded our packs for a break. I listened as the two guides discussed the situation and the lead guide had an idea about which way we should go. A few minutes later we were off and picked up his tracks again. We followed them down into a forested valley and saw him again through the trees but I was again not able to get a clear shot. Up out of a valley and into a flat we saw him again going up another mountain, again unable to get a shot. Up another mountain and this time, the blood trail was very pronounced and tracks very heavy. On top of this ridge one guide saw him dash to one side and lost sight of him. One guide went left, the other right, while I took the middle and none of us saw the bull. As we regrouped to discuss our next move, there he was under a tree 30 yards from all of us! So close it took me about 10 seconds (seemed like a lifetime) to spot him after they pointed him out. I fired 2 rounds into him and he dropped. Examining the bull, we found my first shot from the day before was 3 or 4 inches off his heart and shattered his shoulder. 3 or 4 inches is the difference between a 1-shot kill and a 6-mile chase through the mountains. To say I have a new-found respect for these creatures is an understatement. Not a day will go by were I wish my shot was 3 or 4 inches to the right. The work that these guys did to help me recover this animal and to ensure he was put down as ethically as possible was amazing.
This may not be the biggest bull in the world but it means the world to me. I bought my first rifle about 10 years ago and dreamed of shooting an elk or moose. I shot my first rabbit just last year. I was reminded yesterday by Facebook of a post of Randy’s I shared last year. Hunting is like a lot of life goals, we will never achieve them if we are not actively doing something to make it happen. I sat on my butt for 10 years before I finally did it and man did it feel good. I'm thankful for guys like Randy and others who share their love for hunting and the outdoors that motivated me to get living life to its fullest.
This was by no means an easy hunt at all. We glassed and glassed, hiked and got into several situations where I just couldn’t get a good lane to shoot. On day 4 my guided glassed up 6 or 7 bulls from a long ways off, drove over and hiked about a mile to get into them. My first shot at 210 yards looked perfect through my scope and my guide’s binoculars (I zeroed in at 200). I reloaded but he was out of sight before I got a follow up. We gave him 30 or 40 minutes before we moved in. We found blood and tracks but no bull. We kept looking until dark and had to call it off. First light we were back at it (last day of the hunt) hoping to find an expired bull. Instead we picked up more blood and tracks. We followed them for almost 2 miles and finally saw him on a ridge about 500 yards away. I took several shots and narrowly missed then he took off. Away we went up the mountain following his blood and tracks. On top we lost his tacks and could not pick them up. My guide said we may have to call it. He and the other guide walked away and had a discussion as I sat on a rock, took off my hat and looked at the valley below. The feeling of wounding an animal and not being able to recover it made me sick. Physical knots in my stomach.
We grounded our packs for a break. I listened as the two guides discussed the situation and the lead guide had an idea about which way we should go. A few minutes later we were off and picked up his tracks again. We followed them down into a forested valley and saw him again through the trees but I was again not able to get a clear shot. Up out of a valley and into a flat we saw him again going up another mountain, again unable to get a shot. Up another mountain and this time, the blood trail was very pronounced and tracks very heavy. On top of this ridge one guide saw him dash to one side and lost sight of him. One guide went left, the other right, while I took the middle and none of us saw the bull. As we regrouped to discuss our next move, there he was under a tree 30 yards from all of us! So close it took me about 10 seconds (seemed like a lifetime) to spot him after they pointed him out. I fired 2 rounds into him and he dropped. Examining the bull, we found my first shot from the day before was 3 or 4 inches off his heart and shattered his shoulder. 3 or 4 inches is the difference between a 1-shot kill and a 6-mile chase through the mountains. To say I have a new-found respect for these creatures is an understatement. Not a day will go by were I wish my shot was 3 or 4 inches to the right. The work that these guys did to help me recover this animal and to ensure he was put down as ethically as possible was amazing.
This may not be the biggest bull in the world but it means the world to me. I bought my first rifle about 10 years ago and dreamed of shooting an elk or moose. I shot my first rabbit just last year. I was reminded yesterday by Facebook of a post of Randy’s I shared last year. Hunting is like a lot of life goals, we will never achieve them if we are not actively doing something to make it happen. I sat on my butt for 10 years before I finally did it and man did it feel good. I'm thankful for guys like Randy and others who share their love for hunting and the outdoors that motivated me to get living life to its fullest.
Last edited:
RMLloyd
New member
Fantastic! I got an AZ late rifle bull as well. Gotta say, the snow was a life saver for me. Gongrats!!
Guy
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I did see some grouse nearby... Hmmmm...
Frozendisc
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EatWhatYouReap
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Nice
EatWhatYouReap
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Nice congrats!
EatWhatYouReap
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NiceHere's my best elk. Shot in 2010 on public land in New Mexico.
The rest of mine would be more appropriately posted in the raghorn express threads!
Scrappy
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justin_briggs
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Shortbowshot
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