Jamen
Well-known member
Just got back from my dad's ND elk hunt. He has waited over 30 years to get this tag and he finally drew for a cow. His first year putting in for a cow and he got one. I was beyond excited to go with him on his hunt of a lifetime since he was with me every step of the way on my once in a life time ND elk hunt.
We left on the 6th of Oct and we hit snow on the way up. Talked with some of the ranchers we know from mule deer hunting and they have gotten over 6 inches of rain in Sept. If you were not on a main road you were not going down many of the other ones which made it really tough to get places. We got to the ranch where we were staying at in one of their cabins that we rented last fall for mule deer.
We got unloaded and went off scouting for elk. I knew the area I wanted to be in but since conditions were not ideal we had to go 40 miles around and not wreck the ranchers trail he had. Found the area where many have said elk hang out. There are two main herds and we were trying to find the one that is close to our cabin 1-6 miles as a crow flies but 40 around when wet.
Opening day more light snow and rain. We go 40 miles around and glass up and down but fail to see an elk. There were two other hunting parties in the area we were at we were expecting to see a lot more since the elk concentrate in this area. My dad didn't want to just hunt for one animal since we had pretty good deer country on a ranch 10 minutes away from our cabin. So we went to that ranch that night and sat for deer with our archery.
I was up by a well that had two windbreaks that made a L or V depending on how you looked at it. My dad was off on the other ridge 1000 yards away or so just glassing since it was too cold for him to sit. I could not see much but what was in front of me and through the slates of wood on the windbreak. With about 45 mins of light left he texted me he seen deer coming my way. I got all ready and up on my knees incase one came to the well so I could shoot and not be sitting on the ground. I was peering through the slots trying to see any movement. I seen one spike mule deer on the other side of trees that ran down the ravine.
Next a small whitetail buck steps out on to my side of the trees. This is where I made the mistake of the trip. I moved to the end of the wind break and he must have caught my movement and he froze. I was at the end freezing my hands off waiting for him to come into view. He calms down and starts walking towards my way. Once he clears the windbreak it will be about a 35 yards shot. I look off to the SW of me and 4 more whitetail bucks are coming my way. Great I thought now I am in plain view of these other 4 and one was a real nice 5x5. so I am still and that first 3x3 whitetail steps out at 35 yards I am guessing since my range finder decided to dump on me and batteries were dead. I question to shoot him or wait and see what his big friend does. So I wait... The big one is coming right for the well and I cannot move back to the cover of my old spot only 10 feet away. Trying not to spook them I slowly turn to get into position to shoot at the big one. The small 3x3 sees movement and bolts three of the other ones bolt with him. So it is just me and the big one he doesn't seem to know what is going on. I am trying my best to guess how far he is in the failing light at a downward angle too. I am very confident out to 50 yards with my new bow I got this year. I best estimate it 45-50 more so on the 50 side. Standing broadside in a show down and light fading I pull back and put that 50 yard pin on him and let it fly. Arrow goes low in the ground... he walks away and I go grab my things and walk out. Next day I go back new battery in my range finder and it was 65 yds from my best guess at where he stood.
Back to the truck and tell my dad the story. He says you will never guess who I seen.. Puzzled to why he would have seen anyone out here I ask who. He said old Mahogany! now back track a year when we had our rifle tags. Saw this buck took a split second shot before he dipped down in the timber ravine at 180 yards. Heard the hit of the deer I thought and surely thought there was a dead deer there. I wont go on about that story but we searched all day to find no deer or no blood. Whether I hit him or not he survived the winter. He has the darkest colored horns of any muley I seen hence the nickname looks like his horns are made out of mahogany. My dad said he was as grey as his beard from his age. Finally closure on a shot that has haunted me for a year now. I didn't get to see him myself but he lives to see another day.
The days to follow are much like the first we encountered wet and no elk. We picked up a few grouse and I filled my turkey tag with a Jake. We seen a lot of nice deer nothing in bow range. Glassed for 12 hours Sunday the only nice day we had with no luck on elk. Talked with ranchers who normally have them and the same story as the last haven't seen them in awhile.
Tuesday we got 3 inches of wet snow and no elk. We say our goodbyes to the other ranchers that we brought big sacks of our garden potatoes to, the one lady said that is better than a sack of gold. It is little things like that and keep ties to these people that makes us come back. We packed up camp and headed home Wed with no sighting of elk but memories that will last a lifetime.
We will be going back out later in the season after gun is done and pressure is less. I am confident I will update this post with my old man holding a cow elk head before the season is done. It is nice to see him after over 30 years of applying to finally get to hunt his once in a lifetime hunt. We saw some really nice deer when we were out there. Hopefully I can figure this picture thing out.
We left on the 6th of Oct and we hit snow on the way up. Talked with some of the ranchers we know from mule deer hunting and they have gotten over 6 inches of rain in Sept. If you were not on a main road you were not going down many of the other ones which made it really tough to get places. We got to the ranch where we were staying at in one of their cabins that we rented last fall for mule deer.
We got unloaded and went off scouting for elk. I knew the area I wanted to be in but since conditions were not ideal we had to go 40 miles around and not wreck the ranchers trail he had. Found the area where many have said elk hang out. There are two main herds and we were trying to find the one that is close to our cabin 1-6 miles as a crow flies but 40 around when wet.
Opening day more light snow and rain. We go 40 miles around and glass up and down but fail to see an elk. There were two other hunting parties in the area we were at we were expecting to see a lot more since the elk concentrate in this area. My dad didn't want to just hunt for one animal since we had pretty good deer country on a ranch 10 minutes away from our cabin. So we went to that ranch that night and sat for deer with our archery.
I was up by a well that had two windbreaks that made a L or V depending on how you looked at it. My dad was off on the other ridge 1000 yards away or so just glassing since it was too cold for him to sit. I could not see much but what was in front of me and through the slates of wood on the windbreak. With about 45 mins of light left he texted me he seen deer coming my way. I got all ready and up on my knees incase one came to the well so I could shoot and not be sitting on the ground. I was peering through the slots trying to see any movement. I seen one spike mule deer on the other side of trees that ran down the ravine.
Next a small whitetail buck steps out on to my side of the trees. This is where I made the mistake of the trip. I moved to the end of the wind break and he must have caught my movement and he froze. I was at the end freezing my hands off waiting for him to come into view. He calms down and starts walking towards my way. Once he clears the windbreak it will be about a 35 yards shot. I look off to the SW of me and 4 more whitetail bucks are coming my way. Great I thought now I am in plain view of these other 4 and one was a real nice 5x5. so I am still and that first 3x3 whitetail steps out at 35 yards I am guessing since my range finder decided to dump on me and batteries were dead. I question to shoot him or wait and see what his big friend does. So I wait... The big one is coming right for the well and I cannot move back to the cover of my old spot only 10 feet away. Trying not to spook them I slowly turn to get into position to shoot at the big one. The small 3x3 sees movement and bolts three of the other ones bolt with him. So it is just me and the big one he doesn't seem to know what is going on. I am trying my best to guess how far he is in the failing light at a downward angle too. I am very confident out to 50 yards with my new bow I got this year. I best estimate it 45-50 more so on the 50 side. Standing broadside in a show down and light fading I pull back and put that 50 yard pin on him and let it fly. Arrow goes low in the ground... he walks away and I go grab my things and walk out. Next day I go back new battery in my range finder and it was 65 yds from my best guess at where he stood.
Back to the truck and tell my dad the story. He says you will never guess who I seen.. Puzzled to why he would have seen anyone out here I ask who. He said old Mahogany! now back track a year when we had our rifle tags. Saw this buck took a split second shot before he dipped down in the timber ravine at 180 yards. Heard the hit of the deer I thought and surely thought there was a dead deer there. I wont go on about that story but we searched all day to find no deer or no blood. Whether I hit him or not he survived the winter. He has the darkest colored horns of any muley I seen hence the nickname looks like his horns are made out of mahogany. My dad said he was as grey as his beard from his age. Finally closure on a shot that has haunted me for a year now. I didn't get to see him myself but he lives to see another day.
The days to follow are much like the first we encountered wet and no elk. We picked up a few grouse and I filled my turkey tag with a Jake. We seen a lot of nice deer nothing in bow range. Glassed for 12 hours Sunday the only nice day we had with no luck on elk. Talked with ranchers who normally have them and the same story as the last haven't seen them in awhile.
Tuesday we got 3 inches of wet snow and no elk. We say our goodbyes to the other ranchers that we brought big sacks of our garden potatoes to, the one lady said that is better than a sack of gold. It is little things like that and keep ties to these people that makes us come back. We packed up camp and headed home Wed with no sighting of elk but memories that will last a lifetime.
We will be going back out later in the season after gun is done and pressure is less. I am confident I will update this post with my old man holding a cow elk head before the season is done. It is nice to see him after over 30 years of applying to finally get to hunt his once in a lifetime hunt. We saw some really nice deer when we were out there. Hopefully I can figure this picture thing out.
