First Co OTC Elk unguided public land hunt

[dzlfarmboy]

So after tons of research over the last year me and my friend set out of Maryland in the Mega Cab all loaded up and headed out west to Colorado for our very first big game elk hunt. It was on public land and unguided. We backpacked in and setup camp. We were up high in 1000+ ft at first and saw a lot of hunters, snow and few tracks. Saw some cows but not much. So we went to plan B Monday at a lower elevation around 7-8kft and no snow. Saw a good heard across the canyon first afternoon at 1400yds and spotted a good bull. Closed the distance to 800 and setup. My first shot nicked his back and I corrected and anchored him quickly with the second one after he ran 20yds. Super pumped!!! Then the worked began. Packed him all out in the Eberlestock's two miles thought the hills and two trips later( most physically challenging thing I've ever done but soo worth it.

It wasn't until Friday we spotted another good lonely bull at 1000yds, we closed the distance to 688yds and my buddy thumped him hard. We used my custom Beanland 7mm rem mag suppressed shooting the 180 bergers on both and they performed awesome. Couldn't be happier with our hunt and experience we had. Here's pics of both our bulls and also good videos of the shots I took with my iPhone through my vortex spotter






Videos of both

http://m.youtube.com/channel/UCECG1n5sTjCuRoyzkPhtzqQ

 

[Carrion Carrier]

That brow tine is awesome!

 

[blb078]

Wow first time success x2, that's awesome. Congratz

 

[justdada]

Wow! Impressive success on otc elk. Congrats! Most folks dont get that lucky first time out.
For some reason i thought suppressors were not legal in Colorado, good to know, thanks

 

[JohnCushman]

Awesome...welcome to Colorado

 

[ERSS]

That is very cool, congrats on your success and doing it yourself. Bet that drive home felt a lot shorter with those bad boys in the back!! You obviously have put in some time behind the trigger and it paid off huge.

 

[noharleyyet]

Wild headgear on your bull, congrats to both of you on the first time success. Sounds like you guys put in some time practicing long distance shooting.

 

[1_pointer]

Well done. Congrats!!!

 

[elk_hunter]

Very cool, congrats! Wicked brow for sure!

 

[Dinkshooter]

Should have backed up.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Should have backed up.

LOL.........

congrats on the good shooting.... I want too get a 7mm mag Howa... as soon as I can afford that and a new Vortex Viper scope I will....
Matt

 

[wyoming556]

Nice shooting. Pretty impressive for your first trip to say the least. Love the weird horn on yours.

Be ready for the MT and CO internet hunting police to question your shooting distance and bullet selection. They dislike people who shoot that far, that accurate, with those bullets, and are that successful on their first hunt. Thus the comments like" should have backed up".

 

[Loaded For Bear]

Nice bulls and good shooting. I'm happy to hear about the 180 Bergers as I'm working up a load for them right now.

 

[dzlfarmboy]

Thanks fellas, yeah I was super impressed with our luck we had. Yes the brow tine on mine was pretty wicked looking and very long, def adds a lot of character to it . And for the nay Sayers about the range and bergers. I don't know what to tell ya, I have a 840yd range on our farm with ar500 steel every 100 yards that I shoot weekly so they weren't just cowboy shots, i think my high shot mishap may have been from not correcting look angle properly and its pretty obvious the distance in the videos with the time delay. Anywho the Bergers performed great at those distances.

Here is the exit on my bull @786yds and he dropped instantly. And my partners didn't know what hit em and crumbled in 10 seconds

 

[huntin' lunatic]

WOW! Great job on the OTC elk. I reckon I will need to try out some of those Bergers in my 7 mag on my 2014 hunt.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Be ready for the MT and CO internet hunting police to question your shooting distance and bullet selection. They dislike people who shoot that far, that accurate, with those bullets, and are that successful on their first hunt. Thus the comments like" should have backed up".

We're not worthy!!!

 

[Khunter]

We're not worthy!!!

Indeed. No matter that you were standing in Central Wyoming when set up for the shot into Colorado.

Seriously. Congrats on your new addiction, I have to presume, to elk hunting. You should be thrilled with the plan and execution of your hunt. Come on back next year. You newby nonres are suposed to come to Colorado and drop big coin and leave without our elk... You guys beat the house odds big time!

KHunter

 

[Ghostrider]

Great job boys.Way to stay with it and have a plan b to go to. Sounds like you made some awesome shots. Congrats

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Wow. Great job on those bulls. Shots like that aren't for everyone (me especially) but your hard work at the range and long range obviously paid off big time.