ShadowFast1
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2019
- Messages
- 223
I was blessed by winning a cow tag for the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. This would be my first elk hunt and it couldn't have been a better experience. The folks at the Refuge, the Department of Wildlife, the RMEF, and all of the volunteers that helped to carry out elk did all they could to ensure a safe and successful hunt. I want to thank all of them here. I recommend to anyone who can apply to do so.
As far as the story goes it's rather lackluster. After being dropped off at my unit, I made my way through a heavily wooded creek bed and up to a glassing point. On my way there I saw several bulls, most of them younger, but no cows. Once I reached my glassing spot, I found a fellow hunter on an adjacent ridge to my south and more young bulls midway up the mountain to my north. I decided to move away from that area to go northwest as the other hunter had a watering hole covered very well. Down the hill into the flats I got a close encounter with a whitetail doe, wrong tag unfortunately. As I made my way, I spot a good heard of cows on top of a mountain grazing and an older bull down at the base. I start making my way toward the cows and get to about 380 yards away when a bull, possibly the one from the bottom, comes up from behind them at a quick pace and they follow him around the top of the mountain heading east. Straight east of where they were is Moko Mountain and I thought if I could make my way up there quick enough I might get a vantage point for a good shot. Well the side I was on happened to be the steepest slope. So needless to say it was slow going and I missed an opportunity on some cows that were hidden up in the timber that I spooked because I didn't have my rifle in my hands at the time. So up the mountain and there are no elk to be found. I thought if the cows I pushed up headed back around where I'd seen bulls first thing that morning I might be able to sneak up on them. Nope. No sign. So I make my way down the mountain back to where I started. Back up the creek bed I went. After stopping for lunch, I stood up, and heard a loud rustling to the west, and was greeted by the back end of an elk. After a brief chase I got a good look at a big bull. Onward I go. Back to the mountain where I'd spotted the herd of cows. I got to the top and circle around ending up on the west face. Nothing. I studied my GPS for a bit and came up with a plan to make my way to a passage about a mile away. As I was about to reach the valley I heard rustling and directly in front of me were two cows I had spooked. This time I had my rifle in my hands. The larger of the two turned to look at me and gave me a perfect 75 yard broadside shot. I put a TTSX through her left shoulder. She started her way up the slope heading away from me and I sent another TTSX through her back and into her vitals. Keep hammering right? She stopped shortly, finally wavering and falling over. I had my first elk. Then the work began quartering and hauling meat out.
I spent a lot of time and money to prepare myself for this hunt. Hand loading, lots of range time, gear, losing weight, and after a lot of hard work it paid off. I still have a lot to learn on stalking but now I know I can at least be successful. Now to get back to ordinary life and to enjoy the company of my wife and daughters. Thank you for listening and God bless.
P.S. I managed to rig up some sticks to hold my phone to get a picture.
As far as the story goes it's rather lackluster. After being dropped off at my unit, I made my way through a heavily wooded creek bed and up to a glassing point. On my way there I saw several bulls, most of them younger, but no cows. Once I reached my glassing spot, I found a fellow hunter on an adjacent ridge to my south and more young bulls midway up the mountain to my north. I decided to move away from that area to go northwest as the other hunter had a watering hole covered very well. Down the hill into the flats I got a close encounter with a whitetail doe, wrong tag unfortunately. As I made my way, I spot a good heard of cows on top of a mountain grazing and an older bull down at the base. I start making my way toward the cows and get to about 380 yards away when a bull, possibly the one from the bottom, comes up from behind them at a quick pace and they follow him around the top of the mountain heading east. Straight east of where they were is Moko Mountain and I thought if I could make my way up there quick enough I might get a vantage point for a good shot. Well the side I was on happened to be the steepest slope. So needless to say it was slow going and I missed an opportunity on some cows that were hidden up in the timber that I spooked because I didn't have my rifle in my hands at the time. So up the mountain and there are no elk to be found. I thought if the cows I pushed up headed back around where I'd seen bulls first thing that morning I might be able to sneak up on them. Nope. No sign. So I make my way down the mountain back to where I started. Back up the creek bed I went. After stopping for lunch, I stood up, and heard a loud rustling to the west, and was greeted by the back end of an elk. After a brief chase I got a good look at a big bull. Onward I go. Back to the mountain where I'd spotted the herd of cows. I got to the top and circle around ending up on the west face. Nothing. I studied my GPS for a bit and came up with a plan to make my way to a passage about a mile away. As I was about to reach the valley I heard rustling and directly in front of me were two cows I had spooked. This time I had my rifle in my hands. The larger of the two turned to look at me and gave me a perfect 75 yard broadside shot. I put a TTSX through her left shoulder. She started her way up the slope heading away from me and I sent another TTSX through her back and into her vitals. Keep hammering right? She stopped shortly, finally wavering and falling over. I had my first elk. Then the work began quartering and hauling meat out.
I spent a lot of time and money to prepare myself for this hunt. Hand loading, lots of range time, gear, losing weight, and after a lot of hard work it paid off. I still have a lot to learn on stalking but now I know I can at least be successful. Now to get back to ordinary life and to enjoy the company of my wife and daughters. Thank you for listening and God bless.
P.S. I managed to rig up some sticks to hold my phone to get a picture.
