Looks like he took quite the slide!
Do you have a shot of the skull without the hide? Looks like he's got a rearranged pedicle!
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2022 ELK MEAT POLE
- Thread starter fngTony
- Start date
Do you have a shot of the skull without the hide? Looks like he's got a rearranged pedicle!
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ndhuntermanND
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2022
- Messages
- 100
That spotter pic is sweeet! 6’-7”?! You sure he didn’t see you and just give up? Ha
IrkedCitizen
WKR
I'm a ninja. He didn't see me. Lol
hunt1up
WKR
My daughter Avery and her late season cow. She handled that hunt better than most guys I hunt with!
Treedagainut
FNG
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2022
- Messages
- 10
DiabeticKripple
Lil-Rokslider
My fiancé had 2 antlerless elk tags so we went out together.
We found a herd of 30-40 bulls first thing in the morning. Some nice 6x6’s in that group.
I had an idea on where I wanted to go, I figured there would be cows hanging around close to that herd of bulls.
I cut around to the north and came back south with the pickup when we spotted a herd of about 300.
We got out of the truck to try and get close enough to pick one off but the herd pushed south and away from us. I then glassed to the west and saw another herd of 300 about 2 miles away just starting to head up the hill into the coulees. I drove south on the road and we got out and cut west to try and cut the herd off. When we got to where I thought they would be, there was already tracks so we cut south a bit and found them. Missed them by 5 minutes.
Turns out there was a third herd of about 400 on the tops of the flats and these 2 herds joined into one big herd. In this pic you can see the third herd, most of the second herd is behind the hills with a couple stragglers behind one the right.
We went back to the truck and drove south to try and cut them off again but never got close, it’s so hard to stalk in on these big herds in the open prairie.
I decided to try a new area for the rest of the day to try and find a smaller group and when we headed back north, we found 3 elk 350yds from the road where I took the first picture. All 3 were antlerless. We got out of the truck, and crawled on our hands and knees behind the smallest hill until we were 300yds from the 3 elk. I dialed my fiancés scope on her Tikka 308 and when she was ready she took the shot. First one just dropped and started to flop around. She looked at me and started to tear up. I told her to rack another round and drop a second one. She hit that one and it dropped to but just laid there with its head up starting at us. The third elk for some reason just decided to bed right there.
We moved closer to get a finishing shot into each elk, and we got to 50yds when the one that was staring at us tried to get up but its back legs weren’t working. I had her shoot that one in the head and it was down for good. The other one that was flopping around had stopped, but when we walked up I kicked it and it moved. She racked another round and finished that one with a headshot from a foot away.
Both elk ended up getting spined. Turns out we had a communication issue. I dialed her scope the proper amount, but she still thought she had to hold high for the drop.
End of it all, we had shot 2 bull calves, 350yds from the truck on flat ground! It couldn’t get easier than that. It took me a little under an hour to gut them both and get them back to the truck.
Both elk 20 yds apart.
On the way back to the truck with both elk in the sled, the original herd of 300 came back over the hill.
When we got home I backed the truck into my garage and used the winch I installed in the roof to lift the elk out of the truck. I had to go to work so we cut them up the next day.
We found a herd of 30-40 bulls first thing in the morning. Some nice 6x6’s in that group.
I had an idea on where I wanted to go, I figured there would be cows hanging around close to that herd of bulls.
I cut around to the north and came back south with the pickup when we spotted a herd of about 300.
We got out of the truck to try and get close enough to pick one off but the herd pushed south and away from us. I then glassed to the west and saw another herd of 300 about 2 miles away just starting to head up the hill into the coulees. I drove south on the road and we got out and cut west to try and cut the herd off. When we got to where I thought they would be, there was already tracks so we cut south a bit and found them. Missed them by 5 minutes.
Turns out there was a third herd of about 400 on the tops of the flats and these 2 herds joined into one big herd. In this pic you can see the third herd, most of the second herd is behind the hills with a couple stragglers behind one the right.
We went back to the truck and drove south to try and cut them off again but never got close, it’s so hard to stalk in on these big herds in the open prairie.
I decided to try a new area for the rest of the day to try and find a smaller group and when we headed back north, we found 3 elk 350yds from the road where I took the first picture. All 3 were antlerless. We got out of the truck, and crawled on our hands and knees behind the smallest hill until we were 300yds from the 3 elk. I dialed my fiancés scope on her Tikka 308 and when she was ready she took the shot. First one just dropped and started to flop around. She looked at me and started to tear up. I told her to rack another round and drop a second one. She hit that one and it dropped to but just laid there with its head up starting at us. The third elk for some reason just decided to bed right there.
We moved closer to get a finishing shot into each elk, and we got to 50yds when the one that was staring at us tried to get up but its back legs weren’t working. I had her shoot that one in the head and it was down for good. The other one that was flopping around had stopped, but when we walked up I kicked it and it moved. She racked another round and finished that one with a headshot from a foot away.
Both elk ended up getting spined. Turns out we had a communication issue. I dialed her scope the proper amount, but she still thought she had to hold high for the drop.
End of it all, we had shot 2 bull calves, 350yds from the truck on flat ground! It couldn’t get easier than that. It took me a little under an hour to gut them both and get them back to the truck.
Both elk 20 yds apart.
On the way back to the truck with both elk in the sled, the original herd of 300 came back over the hill.
When we got home I backed the truck into my garage and used the winch I installed in the roof to lift the elk out of the truck. I had to go to work so we cut them up the next day.
Last edited:
Rogue Bay
WKR
Great photos and story. Thanks for sharing!
I was wanting to give muzzle loader hunts a try and while at a local shop they had one for sale so I bought it out of impulse. Went out and sighted it in at 100 yards and it was shooting good!
Next day went out to cow hunt. Spotted a small group of cows just before dark.
Next morning I went straight back to that spot and found the same cows just getting out of bed.
Stalked in for a shot and put a bullet in a big mature cow at 109 yards. Perfect double lung broadside shot. She went 10 yards and dropped dead.
Wife said you bought that muzzle loader so you better bring home some meat to offset the cost!
Meat in the freezer means a happy wife!
Next day went out to cow hunt. Spotted a small group of cows just before dark.
Next morning I went straight back to that spot and found the same cows just getting out of bed.
Stalked in for a shot and put a bullet in a big mature cow at 109 yards. Perfect double lung broadside shot. She went 10 yards and dropped dead.
Wife said you bought that muzzle loader so you better bring home some meat to offset the cost!
Meat in the freezer means a happy wife!
- Banned
- #235
Whitey Fisk 88
FNG
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2022
- Messages
- 61
Are you sure thats not a moose lol, holy crapMontana went from Indian Summer directly to Winter- no Fall for us. Hunted numerous days (and miles) in 12"+ snow (two days I hunted on snowshoes!!!!) and single digit temps. Subsequently the places I usually have had decent success, were nearly devoid of elk. Finally figured out that the elk were slowly migrating towards their winter grounds and was able to fill my cow tag- largest cow I've ever harvested.
Still have my bull tag and will get out a few more days
kitandace77
FNG
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2022
- Messages
- 70
First elk hunt - Idaho, September, OTC/leftover tag with my wife. Hunted hard for seven days with a few close calls but no opportunities. Last day shadowed a herd up a mountain for 3-4 hours before circling around and calling the bull to an opening at 32 yards after he bedded his cows. Funny thing is after I shot the first time and saw the arrow hit his mark I couldn't help myself but to say "Oh my God" out loud which stopped him long enough for me to get two more shots off. Smoked a tree on the 2nd shot but got another arrow in him on the 3rd and he went down after 50 yards. 6x6 on my first trip so I'm probably looking at 10 years of tag soup now but it was worth it lol.
My wife was a boss and packed out a rear quarter on both trips. Mainly downhill but first trip was 3 miles mainly straight down on shale rock. That was extremely unsafe so we took a longer route on the second trip where we were less likely to roll an ankle. On our way home my wife said she was retiring from elk hunting but after I got another Idaho tag she says she's coming along again!
My wife was a boss and packed out a rear quarter on both trips. Mainly downhill but first trip was 3 miles mainly straight down on shale rock. That was extremely unsafe so we took a longer route on the second trip where we were less likely to roll an ankle. On our way home my wife said she was retiring from elk hunting but after I got another Idaho tag she says she's coming along again!
Lytro
WKR
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2019
- Messages
- 530
After having to return my 2021 CO tags and losing my preference points due to a deployment, I decided to pick up a 2nd draw CO 2nd season deer tag. I wasn't planning on hunting elk concurrently due to the tag cost (and it being 2nd season OTC), but ended up grabbing one last minute for the heck of it. As I neared my hunt location on the drive in 2 days before the season, I noticed a herd of 50+ elk feeding pretty close to the major highway I was traveling. I quickly pulled up the map and saw nearby public land that the elk likely crossed through to get to where they were feeding. I marked the location so I could give it a try if I filled my deer tag early.
My deer hunt started off in knee deep snow, but I was seeing a lot of 1.5-2.5 year old bucks which gave me hope I could stumble across something to shoot. On the morning of day 3, I located a group of elk bedded on the edge of timber about 1,000 feet lower in elevation. I ended up sneaking into less than 40 yards of the elk, but none of the 5 bulls in the group were legal. This ended up being a great thing as the solo packout would have been nearly impossible in the conditions. By day 5, the deer were getting more scarce and my huntable area was shrinking due to hunting pressure and drifting snow. I woke up on day 6 to 40 mph winds and extreme snow drifts that forced me to come off the mountain before my camp became a permanent fixture until spring. I made it off the mountain and moved camp to lower elevation. With half the day wasted, I made the decision to target elk that evening where I saw the herd the week prior.
I planned my access route and hiked in just over a mile to where I thought would be the best spot to intercept the herd.. The wind was not in my favor, so I ended up stopping one drainage short of my target glassing spot in hopes they may just travel the spine of the adjacent ridge. I set up on the side hill near the foot of a steep canyon that led to the feeding area. In a perfect scenario, this would give a sub 250 yard shot regardless of where the herd came through. I sat for about 45 minutes while wondering to myself if the plan was a waste of time or not. At about 4pm elk started pouring into the feeding area from the drainage I was initially planning to sit, with some elk running down the end of the ridgeline straight across from me. The entire herd was feeding within 400 yards of where I was sitting and I quickly counted 8 legal bulls, which included an absolute GIANT 5x5 that dwarfed everything in the herd and a couple nice 6x6's. There was only one problem. They were feeding in a small strip of private ground about 100 yards across the public boundary and I needed them to feed into the drainage I was sitting in. I glassed them for over an hour and took photos helplessly as they milled around and cows were on their hind legs fighting with their front hooves. It was entertaining, although frustrating since I couldn't pull the trigger. Cows, spikes, and raghorns eventually started feeding into the public ground as the herd moved closer. A nice 6x6 was right on the fence line inching his way in while the big 5x5 was feeding only 30 yards off the line. By this time, a dozen cows were making their way up the hill right at me and less than 100 yards away. I knew it wasn't in my best interest to hold out for the 5x5 since the cows were about to be in my lap and I didn't want to blow the entire herd out. The 6x6 eventually emerged from behind a juniper offering a slight quartering-to shot at 143 yards. I put the crosshairs on the knuckle of his front shoulder in hopes of anchoring the bull where he stood to keep him on public. After the shot rang out, the bull leaned back and tipped completely backwards without taking a single step. After snapping a few photos, I quartered the bull, hung game bags in nearby trees, and made one trip out by 10pm. The rest of the solo packout was made in 4 trips the following day from sunrise til noon, and I even ran back into the entire herd within 200 yards while walking in for my first trip!
My deer hunt started off in knee deep snow, but I was seeing a lot of 1.5-2.5 year old bucks which gave me hope I could stumble across something to shoot. On the morning of day 3, I located a group of elk bedded on the edge of timber about 1,000 feet lower in elevation. I ended up sneaking into less than 40 yards of the elk, but none of the 5 bulls in the group were legal. This ended up being a great thing as the solo packout would have been nearly impossible in the conditions. By day 5, the deer were getting more scarce and my huntable area was shrinking due to hunting pressure and drifting snow. I woke up on day 6 to 40 mph winds and extreme snow drifts that forced me to come off the mountain before my camp became a permanent fixture until spring. I made it off the mountain and moved camp to lower elevation. With half the day wasted, I made the decision to target elk that evening where I saw the herd the week prior.
I planned my access route and hiked in just over a mile to where I thought would be the best spot to intercept the herd.. The wind was not in my favor, so I ended up stopping one drainage short of my target glassing spot in hopes they may just travel the spine of the adjacent ridge. I set up on the side hill near the foot of a steep canyon that led to the feeding area. In a perfect scenario, this would give a sub 250 yard shot regardless of where the herd came through. I sat for about 45 minutes while wondering to myself if the plan was a waste of time or not. At about 4pm elk started pouring into the feeding area from the drainage I was initially planning to sit, with some elk running down the end of the ridgeline straight across from me. The entire herd was feeding within 400 yards of where I was sitting and I quickly counted 8 legal bulls, which included an absolute GIANT 5x5 that dwarfed everything in the herd and a couple nice 6x6's. There was only one problem. They were feeding in a small strip of private ground about 100 yards across the public boundary and I needed them to feed into the drainage I was sitting in. I glassed them for over an hour and took photos helplessly as they milled around and cows were on their hind legs fighting with their front hooves. It was entertaining, although frustrating since I couldn't pull the trigger. Cows, spikes, and raghorns eventually started feeding into the public ground as the herd moved closer. A nice 6x6 was right on the fence line inching his way in while the big 5x5 was feeding only 30 yards off the line. By this time, a dozen cows were making their way up the hill right at me and less than 100 yards away. I knew it wasn't in my best interest to hold out for the 5x5 since the cows were about to be in my lap and I didn't want to blow the entire herd out. The 6x6 eventually emerged from behind a juniper offering a slight quartering-to shot at 143 yards. I put the crosshairs on the knuckle of his front shoulder in hopes of anchoring the bull where he stood to keep him on public. After the shot rang out, the bull leaned back and tipped completely backwards without taking a single step. After snapping a few photos, I quartered the bull, hung game bags in nearby trees, and made one trip out by 10pm. The rest of the solo packout was made in 4 trips the following day from sunrise til noon, and I even ran back into the entire herd within 200 yards while walking in for my first trip!
First time big game hunting, so happy to be able to harvest an elk. He's no wall trophy just a goofy snag horn but I pulled off the shot at 600 yards with my 300 prc. First game animal I've ever tagged, and I was alone and no guide, my buddies showed up after they heard the shot. Hell of an experience.
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