AZ late success

JDElec · Dec 12, 2008

I'm finally back home after my late Arizona hunt. I have been scouting and hunting for 11 day's straight. We did't see alot of elk but we did see a couple of real pigs unfortunately they outsmarted us we did however connect with a few respectable bulls. I also got to really test my distance shooting killing my bull at 1050 yards it ran 50 feet and died in my spotting scope. My brother in law shot his bull at 800 yards and hit it in the horn for sure and maybe somewere else we thought we had a woulded elk. Four days later we found the bull unhurt other than a hole through the horn he finished him off from 550 yards straight through the chest.

My bull is the one on the right with only a broken 3rd my brother-in-law Andy's bull was broken when he shot his hand is over the hole through the horn

Here is a picture of a shed we found within sight of a four wheeler road it is a two year off shed

JakeH · Dec 12, 2008

Awesome bull's, congrats on a good hunt.

5

4

3

2

1.....

here they come...

Jake H. MM Member since 1999.

treedagain · Dec 12, 2008

congrads on two good bulls....

rutman · Dec 13, 2008

CONGRATS ON YOUR BULLS. HOW WAS THE HUNT? DID YOU SEE ALOT OF ELK/HUNTERS? SAW ALOT OF BOTH IN 22 BUT GOT A NICE ONE.

Cam@strawberry · Dec 13, 2008

1050 yds???

Wildlife population control specialist

JDElec · Dec 13, 2008

The hunt was hard we hunted away from other elk hunters in two days scouting and seven days hunting we didn't see a single hunter other than driving past camp on the main road. Nobody in the field or even on quad roads. We also hardly saw any elk though we did find a few huge!! bulls well larger than the two we ended up taking, one we field judged between 390-400 but he was way out of range and out smarted us on twice. I did watch him through my spotting scope at 1500 yards for about an hour. We also spotted another perfect 6 point that would got around 380. All in all I would hunt the same way again even though we hunted away from the vast majority of the elk in the unit.

Blaster, yes I did take my bull from 1050 yards well into the extreme of distance shooting. I kinda have been on a distance shooting kick this year. I have taken three animals from over 450 yards this year. All three shots were as close as I felt like I could get to that animal. Including the 1050 yard shot I shot off a cliff looking downhill into a canyon with 6-12 foot tall brush once in the canyon you couldn't see 20 feet. Anyway I have practiced up to 1000 yards this year my equipment is suited for this. All three animals died fast if not almost instantly. My hunting background is stemmed from bow hunting and have killed more elk with my bow than with my rifle and to be honest with my self I feel more satisfaction using my bow but I like to mix it up from time to time and this was a fun and enjoyable hunt.

ADDICT · Dec 13, 2008

Nice job on both bulls! It's strange to imagine the elk's perspective as the bullet passes through him only to hear a distant shot a few seconds later! I would love to see a 1000yd kill shot. Congrats again.

schmalts · Dec 13, 2008

Nice bulls. Please tell us what the details of the caliber used, bullet, and what the bullet performance was at that distance. Kind of like to hear what it did.

luckynvhunter · Dec 13, 2008

jdelec, I Sent you a pm. greg

Bambistew · Dec 15, 2008

But I thougt all guys that can shoot/kill animals at those ranges never miss?

huntzall · Dec 15, 2008

They dont they hit antlers instead!! Congrats on the bulls, I cant imagine shooting at that distance. Wish I could my skills are pushing the limits at 400 lol

bragabit · Dec 15, 2008

What rangefinder are you using to get 1000+ yard readings?

JDElec · Dec 15, 2008

I shoot a Sako M995 rifle in 30-378 Weatherby caliber I do my own re-loading. I use Barnes 180 grain TTSX bullets with Ramshot Magnum Powder. My muzzle velocity is 3425 fps. I recovered 1 bullet from the elk it was fully intact and didn't fully mushroom. I had a couple bullets pass through the elks chest and didn't recover the bullets. The exit wounds were somewhat small compaired to shots on other elk from closer so I'm guessing that they also didn't expand well. I will post a pic of the bullet I recovered tonight when I get home from work.

I use a Leica 1200 rangefinder it works pretty good though I have some trouble past 1000 yard I have been able to range up to 1300 yards

dryflyelk · Dec 15, 2008

So if you were watching a real nice one at 1500 yards, why not take a shot?

Gator · Dec 15, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Dec-15-08 AT 12:27PM (MST)[p]i think I can answer that for ya, It was too far, long distance is long distance BUT we all have a limit, He got a great gun for doing what he did I have the same one and I shoot long distance too. We shoot alot ammo more then most people buy in 10 years, This year my ammo bill was around 400 what was your's.

By the way nice late season Bulls.

bragabit · Dec 15, 2008

Jd,
will your Leica range elk. or trees at 1000, or are you finding reflective targets? Thanks

JDElec · Dec 15, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Dec-15-08 AT 04:38PM (MST)[p]1500 yards is beyond the distance that I have practiced for and I wouldn't have been sure of my shot. I shoot a powerful rifle 1000 yards is already maxing out the effective energy, and it is further than I intended to shoot at an animal. I watched the elk for 1/2 hour deciding if there was a better plan to get closer in the area we were, I didn't see it. I knew I could make the shot but still worried about it. It was a perfecty calm morning or I wouldn't have shot I wouldn't recommend that just anybody take shots like that but with practice use your own judgment.

My leica 1200 won't range the actual elk I had to range the trees around the elk. I ranged many times to make sure I was getting an accurate distance.

This year I have spent around $900.00 in re-loading supplies (brass, powder, bullets, and primers) for this rifle. This does not count re-loading supplies for other rifles I own or re-loading equipment. I haven't used all of the supplies yet but that is what I have spent and am due to buy more brass and I am low on bullets.

120 brass $53.99 per 20
10 lbs powder $17.99 per lb
350 bullets $49.99 per 50
500 primers $2.49 per 100

All this plus tax

This is alot cheaper than $120.00 per 20 shots and I think more accurate though the Weatherby ammo is good.