Heart break!

[Customweld]

This morning found me working on an extra short range cow tag. I located a herd of about 60 first thing this morning. They had theirselves pinched between 2 4 wheeler roads in a pocket of sage. This is open desert type ground with private ag ground on the valley floor. I decided to come in from the west side of them. I parked the sxs about 2 miles from them and headed up towards them. I finally located them about a half mile above me with no way to make a play on them. I hoofed it back down to the sxs and decided to try to get to them from the top. I got to the top and parked a mile or so away and headed out the ridge towards them. I found them again about a thousand yards below me, and once again no way to make a play without being seen. I was sitting there watching them and a quad up the canyon from us made them nervous and they started heading across the hill. I figured I could get ahead of them and drop down and make a play. I finally found a draw that would allow me to drop down to them without being seen. I headed down the draw and it opened up at the bottom faster than I expected and there I was, about 500 yards above them. Once again, no way to get in closer without being seen. They continued feeding their way across the hill, so I waited for the last one to go out of sight. I boogied across the hill and set up. They finally showed up at 60 yards but were to bunched up to make a clean shot. I waited a few minutes and all of a sudden a cow threw her head up. They winded me. There were a few stragglers that didn't know what was going on and I cow called and got one to stop at 90 yards. I drew a good bead, pulled the trigger and pop.... no bang. Damn muzzy misfired. Those elk are still trucking into the next county! I hung my head and made the 2 mile trek back to my machine. To make matters worse, it started pouring rain about 5 minutes into the hike back.

Elk. They'll hear you 3 times, see you twice and smell you once. Those tan buggers are a lot of fun!

 

[mtnwrunner]

Dang. Keep at it!

Randy

 

[CAElkhunter]

such beautiful bastards.....

 

[Customweld]

such beautiful bastards.....

I’m not sure what’s worse, chukars or elk. I’m pretty sure they both have a close relationship with the devil himself!

 

[elkguide]

Don't you just love elk hunting?!?!

 

[Matt5266]

That area sounds oddly familiar . Keep at it, disappointing for sure but still better than sittin on the couch!

 

[Customweld]

Don't you just love elk hunting?!?!

It sure can be humbling!

 

[Customweld]

That area sounds oddly familiar . Keep at it, disappointing for sure but still better than sittin on the couch!

It beats the heck out of the couch!

 

[elkguide]

It sure can be humbling!

You can add frustrating, exhilarating, heart breaking, thrilling, and any other adjective that you can imagine and then next hunt something else will happen and you can add a new word to your description.

Love the elk hunting addiction!

 

[Ross]

There is a reason we think about them, a lot more than they think about us

 

[Pony Soldier]

After more than a month in the saddle, tired horses, tired me, I have lost ten pounds and witnessed the last day of all sesons. This morning 11 showed up to see if I still wanted to play.

Now I know there are still some to hunt, I can heal, gain weight and build the strength to do it again at 74.

 

[Jbehredt]

That’s how them muzzleloaders will do ya. My wife tells a very similar tale with a bull at less than 20 yards. She hasn’t picked that stoopid thing up since.