MT Elk Down

[OntarioHunter]

Keep in mind that there can be considerable size difference in elk. Only one I ever had weighed was a big cow I shot on the third fairway of a golf course. The two halves skinned and hanging at butcher's weighed 440 lbs. I shot an absolutely huge bull in 1980 that filled the back of my stock truck. Dad took a photo of me carrying one front quarter to the saw. It looked like I was hoisting half a pool table top. The horns were probably the most edible part. A shame. One shot to the back of the head = no meat lost. Even the hamburger was chewy. Yours should be very tasty.

This bull was 1.25 miles from skid road. All downhill (most of it VERY downhill) and I got him out whole ... by myself. Key was keep him moving so he didn't have a chance to stiffen up. I used the horns as lever to pull him over deadfall.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Congrats, it looks like a fantastic hunt!

 

[Stubaby]

Nice. Is that a Benchmade Bugout? What do you use to sharpen it with?

 

[ashersdad]

I feel your pain but definitely worth it in my book. Congrats on the elk.

 

[88man]

cool congrats

 

[brockel]

Nice work. I promise you it’s smarter to shoot one 2000’ above the trailhead than 2000’ below

 

[LopeHunter]

Nice work. I promise you it’s smarter to shoot one 2000’ above the trailhead than 2000’ below

Amen, brother. Uphill is definitely not as much fun the second time. Yes, I am a slow learner.

 

[MNElkNut]

You sure deserved this after your year! Way to go M!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Hahaha! I saw the bull and my first thought was "do I really want to shoot one here?" followed by "If you won't shoot a bull 1.5 miles from the truck, all downhill on the packout, you can't call yourself an elk hunter"

The man who answers that question any other way than you did has either; (a) shot a lot of elk and doesn’t feel the need to shoot another, or (b) never shot an elk and probably never will.
Getting one down is the first concern. How to get him out is something to be figured out after the first part is taken care of.
Regretting the consequences of those priorities is part of elk hunting. And then you do it all over again the next time.
Some people learn from their mistakes. Other people remain elk hunters.

 

[TheJason]

Regretting the consequences of those priorities is part of elk hunting. And then you do it all over again the next time.
Some people learn from their mistakes. Other people remain elk hunters.

Word.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Word.

We all know where you fit on this spectrum.
And look forward to the stories and pics.

 

[Reata]

Awesome story and love that rifle!

 

[TheJason]

We all know where you fit on this spectrum. And look forward to the stories and pics.

Somewhere between dumb and dumber?

 

[brockel]

Regretting the consequences of those priorities is part of elk hunting. And then you do it all over again the next time.
Some people learn from their mistakes. Other people remain elk hunters.

I have a horrible memory

 

[44hunter45]

It was my great grandfather's. It's a model 70 in 30-06AI, with a custom stock, and was handed down to me when I was 12 years old.

Wait.. I've got something in my eye, can't read any more for a minute.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Somewhere between dumb and dumber?

Kind of like this?????

 

[EastTNHunter]

Congrats!

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

Regretting the consequences of those priorities is part of elk hunting. And then you do it all over again the next time.
Some people learn from their mistakes. Other people remain elk hunters.

I thought I was learning that I need to do more stairs in the offseason so I can make it at least a little ways further up the mountain by daybreak next season...

guess I'm still an elk hunter!

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

Nice. Is that a Benchmade Bugout? What do you use to sharpen it with?

I forgot to reply to this, yes it is a Bugout. I use a DMT sharpening kit that comes with 4 diamond stones and a multi angle jig that clamps onto the blade. I reprofiled it to a shallower edge geometry.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Congrats! Looks like you more than earned that bull