08-14-2010, 09:20 PM
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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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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