Elk Hunting done for this year.

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Been beaten the sage brush for 3 weeks and it finally paid off today. I am done with my elk hunting for the year. Dropped this 5x5 at 2pm and took until 9pm to get it loaded and back to the highway, then 15 mins to home. Now I just need to find a butcher since mine is gone camping. It is packed with ice right now. Time for some sleep since I was up at 4am to start looking for this elk.
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[2dogs]

Very nice job on the fuzzy horns, feels good to have the meat in the freezer for winter doesn,t it.
I am getting excited myself cause my de hunt pens on Sunday and I have seen alot of bucks and a feww dandy,s while scouting
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[prvrt]

It does feel nice, just have 2 deer now to get when Oct rolls around.
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[windriver]

Congrats. That is great to get a bull that early.

Windriver
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[ivorytip]

nice work. that fire and this cooler weather is setting things up real nice like. Congrats
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[prvrt]

Thanks. I am glad it is over. I spent 3 days every weekend for the last three weeks looking for Elk. I was done and headed back to the truck when I spotted tracks over the top of the truck and 4 wheeler tracks of vehicles that had been in this area earlier in the morning. It was about noon, but I said "Why not". I had nothing better to do all day. I started tracking them and 2.5 miles later I found where they had been bedding down. At that point there were so many tracks, I knew there was know way of following any of them and just started heading down a cow trail back to the four wheeler. About 15 mins later I just happen to see out of the corner of my eye the ass end of an elk about 40 yrds off the cow trail. I was in an opening with nothing to hide behind. I dropped to one knee and pulled the scope up. His head was behind a tree. I counted the points when he walked out from behind the tree and he was a 5x6. Just then another bull walked out behind the first one, a 5x5. He stopped and looked right at me. I thought this was it, shoot now or never see them again. But, the second bull just put his head down and went back to grazing.

By now the first one was behind other trees and the second one was behind the first tree. Just as I went to get up and reposition, 2 more bulls walked out. Both were 5x5's. I pulled up on them, but they were exactly side by side and no way I could shoot one with out dropping them both. So I waited for them to walk on by and get behind the trees.

I was then able to move and reposition myself behind a tree about 20 yrds away. I pulled up on the 5x6, but I got thinking about where I was and being alone, I did not think I wanted to attempt to try and get him out of this mess I was in. I was at least 3/4 of a mile from any road and in thick Junipers and lava rock, not to mention is was 2pm and hot. So I waited for the second bull to walk out and drilled him. Perfect shot threw both lungs and the heart. I literally disintegrated the heart, nothing left of it. Funny thing is, I was so close that the entrance and exit wounds were the same size, about a nickel.

I then got a good look at the other 3 bulls as they ran about 20 yrds and then stopped and was looking at the one I shot. Then they were gone. I got over to the bull I shot and decided to take a picture. Uh oh, cell phone is dead. I got one text off to the wife, that said "Elk Down, Get Ice." I was not even sure it went through as the phone powered down right after I sent the text. My charger of course is in the truck 15 miles away.

Time to clean the elk, woops. My knife is on the 4 wheeler 2.5 miles away along with my saw and my camera. This was not starting off so well. But I had my trusty leathermen. Pulled it out and went to town. About 30 mins later everything was done and I tried to drag him under a tree for some shade. Not an easy job. Just to big to move by myself. I did manage to roll him over and get partial shade on him. Now for the walk back to the 4 wheeler. That was one long, hot dry walk. I finally make it back and get something to drink and then drive it back to the elk. No way this will fit on the 4 wheeler. So I took the hind quarters off and it was all I could do to get those on the rack. The rest would have to wait for a return trip. 15 miles later I am back to the truck and the wife is waiting with the ice, but nothing to drink. I was going to dry up and blow away. We loaded the hind quarters in the truck and the 4 wheeler onto the trailer and headed back out to get the rest.

By now it was 5pm. A storm blew in and you could not see farther than a 1/4 to 1/2 mile. It seemed like forever getting back to where I was, and 10mph was max with the truck and all the ruts and rocks. The dust was so bad I could not see the 4 wheeler on the trailer as we drove. We get within 3 miles of the elk and unload the 4 wheeler and head off. About 1 mile from the elk I remember that the tie downs I used on the rear quarters are still in the bed of the truck. Guess I will have to improvise. We get to the elk, but the two of us can not lift the rest. Off goes the head and it is all we can do to get the front quarters on the rack. Then we put the head on top of the front quarters. I had 3 bungees on the rear rack to help hold my gun boot from moving so much, so we used them. I then ran the winch cable up over the front quarters and head and to the rear of the rack and sucked everything down. Not pretty, but will have to do for about 3 miles.

Off down the trail we go with it while it is starting to rain and the wind is blowing around 45mph and a severely overloaded 4 wheeler. We get to the truck and get everything transfered and loaded and a couple of quick pics. About 9pm, we finally get back to the highway and head for home. Good thing it is only 15 mins to home. I was one tired puppy by the time we got home and cleaned everything up.

I got him into a butcher this morning, so everything should be good to go. Now it is time to get ready for deer. This will be the first year I try hunting deer with a pistol. Just got my mounting rings today and got my scope mounted. It is a S&W 460 with a 5" barrel and a 2.5x8 Leupold Scope. Hopefully I have things together a little better when I hunt deer. At least the deer will be smaller and easier to deal with.
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[hulapopper]

what cartridge ? and rifle? i am a gun nut had to ask !
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[prvrt]

Pre 64 Model 70 30-06. 180 gr Silver Tip. I think the reason there was no expansion is I hit right between the ribs going in and coming out. Just soft tissue all the way through.
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[Belasko]

Nice elk and good job getting him out the way you did. []
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[elkhunter1]

Nice job on your elk. All my hunts seem to go the way yours did but guess what you have meat in the freezer therefore you will be one of the 25% of us that gets to say that this year.
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[Wombat911]

Congrats on the nice bull. What a way to start off the hunting season!
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[iwantabuggy]

Nice elk and a great story too! Sounds like you'll be remembering that one for a long time. Way to go.
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[chrome_junky]

great bull darren. ive got till august 30th until archery opens up and then the DXT and I will be headed into some woods if i can get away from the wolves.[frown]
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[prvrt]

It was a fun hunt. Thanks for the replies. I will have to wait now until deer season opens in Oct. I guess for now it is time for a little fishing in the high mountain lakes to pass the time. Only thing that bothered me with this hunt was the heat. Still waiting on the butcher to get it done. If I do it again, I will be better prepared and know what to do and will be able to get it done faster. I got the rack mounted this weekend and it came out great considering it was my first time mounting a rack.
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[prvrt]

I got the meat back today. 308lbs of steaks and hamburger. [] To bad I have a rack of ribs in the smoker right now. Guess I will have to wait until Saturday to have an Elk steak.
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[tob04002]

WOW!! That is a crap load of meat!!! How big was your bull compared to other bulls out there? Was it a pretty large bull or just average?

How big of a freezer do you need for that much meat?

I'm trying to get an idea of what I'll need when I kill my bull this year with my awesome tag!
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[4poundonly]

Very nice[cool]
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[prvrt]

I would say my bull was average. The average bull elk weighs in around 700lbs. As far as freezer size, I have two 7 cu ft freezers. They are full since I had 13 Salmon, a few trout, some Perch fillets, a couple smoked fish, part of a deer, few moose steaks and roasts left, 1/2 a beef, a couple of racks of ribs, and some odds and ends like veggies, ham roasts, pork chops, chicken, and a few burritos. I need to make room for 2 more deer that I am hoping to get in October along with maybe a few pheasants and grouse.
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