It all started in March I knew my brother or I would be drawing an elk tag in Nevada this year. I was right we both drew and in the same area and season what are the odds of that. We were going to have company my father in laws cousin also drew the same tag so he would be hunting with us as well. We set out November 4th to get camp set up and try and find some bulls the in the days leading up to opening day. I had an idea of where i wanted to be when the sun came up on November 6th for months. When I got there the day before opener from the trail head i couldn't see any elk. I was disappointed not see any elk, not knowing if the early season hunters had pushed the elk out of this area. I couldn't just give up though I knew that's where i needed to be opening. So back at camp that afternoon an outfitter pulled in and unloaded 8 horses so I began to worry even more. I figuared my best chance would be to up at 2:00 am and beat anyone else up to the trail head. That morning my brother and I set off from the truck at 5:30. We found 7 bulls feeding about half a mile away 5 were shooters for me my brother was holding out for a monster. I wasn't aware that brother had left the range finder in the truck till were about 6 hundred yards from the bull, which was in range for the .338 win mags we were both shooting. My brother wasn't sure that a bull about 330 was big enough for him on the first day, not wanting to spoke them i held off as well not knowing how close we were either. So we decided to back out and go look in another canyon. We went back to camp to see what everyone else was up to and get a bite to eat. My brother cant leave his job at home so we went where I knew I had cell service so he could check in on everyone. Well that seemed to be a good move he was on the phone and pointed about 1200 hundred yards away at a bull. While he was on the phone I found 2 other bulls he was with 1 was about a 350 i was ready to make a move. My brother wasn't sure though so we went to get the spotting scope. Within the 30 minutes it took him to get back 3 more bulls came walking out this time i had the range finder. 1 six point bull was at 600 yards and I would have pulled the trigger had the bigger bull not been still siting there. We bedded the bigger bull down that night figured he would be there in the morning no pressure no moon. I had gotten video of 2 of the bulls so everyone at camp agreed that it was a bull worth perusing. The next morning we headed up to find the bull finally it was light enough to see and he wasn't bedded in the same place but there were 3 bulls up a ridge feeding slowly but they were about a mile and a half away. My brother and I figured they were worth going after so we took off. About a hour latter we found one bull he was staring at us my brother quickly shoulder his rifle when one more bull was to the right of him. I threw my binos up trying to trying to see what he was i was sitting to the right and just a head of my brother, i told him he should have shot at the bull. He told he he didn't want to ring my ears i told him shoot first and apologize after. the bulls took off. We headed off the mountain back towards the truck no shot no harm I told my brother, he was disappointed he only had a week to hunt. Being tired from our hike we decide to go and glass for the morning hunt we didn't see anything. Day three we went back to same spot as the day before we saw 6 bulls along way away so we drove untill we hit the wilderness boundary when we saw 2 other rigs. We hiked to try and find the guys to see if they were hunting the same bulls we couldn't find them so we backed out so we wouldn't mess up their hunt. We went back to camp and my father in law had bedded down 8 bulls, 2 bulls were definitely shooters. It was just 11:00 still plenty of time for the hike before it got dark so we headed back where he saw the bulls last. They weren't still bedded so we kept hiking, until we saw 2 bulls standing in the thick trees when we heard a gun shot. We knew it had to be the outfitters when 2 more bulls came running over the top 1 was a nice bull couldn't tell how big but it was time to move in on them. The bulls saw us and began to feed not to worried about us. We were at about 1200 yards and across one of the steepest canyons in the area. We began our decent closing in to 625 yards when the bigger bull began to get wary. It was time to shoot I held high and squeezed of the round and dropped the bull where he stood. The work had begun it was up the one of steepest mountain in the ranges. My hunt was over but i still had to help my brother and father in laws cousin. The next day we packed out the bull and by two we were back at camp drinking beer glad that one tag was filled. The following day it was time to help my brother out it wasn't long before we my dad had spotted a bull 560 yards up hill from us. My brother was trying to find a rest it was a nice bull about 340" so he was nervous to say the least. His first shot was great on elevation but not left to right he missed about a foot to the right, in front of his head. The next four were no where around him, he had two other bulls with him. It was very tall and thick pine and the elk calmly walk into the trees. My brother wanted to be heading home today but it wasn't looking like that was going to happen. My father in law said that we should head right above where my brother had shoot at the bull, not knowing where they were my brother and I went. We got up to the top quickly and we could hear the elk below us in the trees. I stated ranging all the points they should come out at so my brother didn't have to do anything but shoot. It worked three bulls came out and one went down. My brother began shouting were done were done he was so happy he had hit the bull and he was down. I told him i still have to help out John. John ended up shooting a nice 6 point which i don,t have a picture of. My brother ended up with a 6x7 and I shot a nice 5 point which grossed 309".
Late rifle hunt 072-074
- Thread starter jeremys4
- Start date
pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
Very nice.
good luck to all
the dog
good luck to all
the dog
Congrats, guys. Thanks for sharing the story here.
It is a remarkable history of how elk got placed in that area and the cooperation that occurred among NDOW, ranchers, and conservation groups. Elk have only been there about 20 years and they are flourishing. I will see if I can find the article that talks about the reintroduction in that area. It is worth the time to read it.
It is a remarkable history of how elk got placed in that area and the cooperation that occurred among NDOW, ranchers, and conservation groups. Elk have only been there about 20 years and they are flourishing. I will see if I can find the article that talks about the reintroduction in that area. It is worth the time to read it.
elk_hunter
Active member
Nice bulls and story! Congrats!
YoungNVHunter
New member
Great job, nice bulls!
ashersdad
Well-known member
Nice bulls. Congrats to you and your brother.
buckykm1
Member
Congrats, Nice Bull.
Kevin
Kevin
