ColoradoBob
Active Member
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- 454
Just got off the mtn & have to got back in tomorrow with a couple horses to pack out the 5 point.
I saw a GOOD bull the 1st morning at first light. I was watching him for a good 1/4 mile coming along the mtn side. I was atop the ridge watching a big bowl. He could have taken 3 trails. The 1st would have been about 125 yard shot, the 2nd would have him in the middle of the bowl about 250 yards. The 3rd was at the bottom----450 yards from my stand. Guess which one he elected to use. Yep, I watched him going to the dark timber just past sun up. I stayed at that stand all day hoping he might come back out. Never saw an animal all day.
Next morning I thought I would hunt the other side of that dark timber patch. It opens into another bowl. I was there about 20 minutes before legal shooting time. Enough time for the woods to settle back down. There was nothing in the bowl & I didn't see anything in the general area. Nor did I hear the usual shooting at dawn. I waited there to about 7:30 AM---then decided to hunt down the edge of the dark timber. I've hunted this ridge for 20 years. I know the trails the elk like to use & where they like to bed. Fact is--- I've killed my 1st elk in this very spot & have taken another 4 or 5 there over the years. Anyway, I just past the main trail into the bowl. I hear "Crunch, Crunch, Crunch" ---there is about 2" or 3" of snow in the dark timber. It's old snow----freeze, thaw, freeze---so it has a layer of ice on top. Anyway---I hear it & sit down. Looking for an opening in the spruce. I can see legs moving. Then I pick out a cow, then another cow,then a calf. I've got about a 6' opening in the spruce where I can see. Then I see antlers. The bull stops just short of the opening. I can see his head, neck & horns. That lead cow has stopped----She must has caught my scent. She does a 180 degree turn & comes back down the same trail----taking all the other elk in tow. She's headed down a small ravine---I know that it comes out into a small clearing if she comes right---if she goes left---back into more dark timber.
I hussle down the edge about another 100 yards. Just where I can see into the clearing----2 elk there. The lead cow stops. Soon another cow, calf, cow. Then comes a bull---a small raghorn 4 point. I got my crosshairs on his shoulder & out of the corner of my eye I see movement. More elk coming. Cow, calf, Cow.---then come out a good looking 5 point. The lead cow is still standing---she knows something is wrong. If you hunt elk you know they don't go anyway until the lead cow decides where to go. They were just piling up behind her. I put the crosshairs on his shoulder--he is still moving a little. I'm about 60 yards from them. I hit him a little far back, he turns. The rest of the elk don't know where the shot comes from & they are still paused there. I put the next shot on the point of his front shoulder. Now, elk are moving everywhere. The bull is hit hard. He's doing that 3 legged hop----I don't know how else to describe it. He can't put any weight on that front leg. He goes about 10 steps & tries to go up an enbankment to the dark timer. He can't. Takes a step backwards & looks at me. Then he starts to wobble. He goes down.
FYI-----rifle---30/06 Model 700 LH-- Leupold 2 1/2 x 8 VarIII. 180 grain "Hornady Spire Point" handloads---56 grains of IMR 4350
I've got film at the store now. I'm kind of a computer illiterate----but---LOL--I know how to hunt elk!! Anyway, I can get a photo & e-mail to someone if they would post it for me on this thread.
The only thing I don't know is if that real GOOD bull was in the group. But, my Daddy taught me one in hand !!
I saw a GOOD bull the 1st morning at first light. I was watching him for a good 1/4 mile coming along the mtn side. I was atop the ridge watching a big bowl. He could have taken 3 trails. The 1st would have been about 125 yard shot, the 2nd would have him in the middle of the bowl about 250 yards. The 3rd was at the bottom----450 yards from my stand. Guess which one he elected to use. Yep, I watched him going to the dark timber just past sun up. I stayed at that stand all day hoping he might come back out. Never saw an animal all day.
Next morning I thought I would hunt the other side of that dark timber patch. It opens into another bowl. I was there about 20 minutes before legal shooting time. Enough time for the woods to settle back down. There was nothing in the bowl & I didn't see anything in the general area. Nor did I hear the usual shooting at dawn. I waited there to about 7:30 AM---then decided to hunt down the edge of the dark timber. I've hunted this ridge for 20 years. I know the trails the elk like to use & where they like to bed. Fact is--- I've killed my 1st elk in this very spot & have taken another 4 or 5 there over the years. Anyway, I just past the main trail into the bowl. I hear "Crunch, Crunch, Crunch" ---there is about 2" or 3" of snow in the dark timber. It's old snow----freeze, thaw, freeze---so it has a layer of ice on top. Anyway---I hear it & sit down. Looking for an opening in the spruce. I can see legs moving. Then I pick out a cow, then another cow,then a calf. I've got about a 6' opening in the spruce where I can see. Then I see antlers. The bull stops just short of the opening. I can see his head, neck & horns. That lead cow has stopped----She must has caught my scent. She does a 180 degree turn & comes back down the same trail----taking all the other elk in tow. She's headed down a small ravine---I know that it comes out into a small clearing if she comes right---if she goes left---back into more dark timber.
I hussle down the edge about another 100 yards. Just where I can see into the clearing----2 elk there. The lead cow stops. Soon another cow, calf, cow. Then comes a bull---a small raghorn 4 point. I got my crosshairs on his shoulder & out of the corner of my eye I see movement. More elk coming. Cow, calf, Cow.---then come out a good looking 5 point. The lead cow is still standing---she knows something is wrong. If you hunt elk you know they don't go anyway until the lead cow decides where to go. They were just piling up behind her. I put the crosshairs on his shoulder--he is still moving a little. I'm about 60 yards from them. I hit him a little far back, he turns. The rest of the elk don't know where the shot comes from & they are still paused there. I put the next shot on the point of his front shoulder. Now, elk are moving everywhere. The bull is hit hard. He's doing that 3 legged hop----I don't know how else to describe it. He can't put any weight on that front leg. He goes about 10 steps & tries to go up an enbankment to the dark timer. He can't. Takes a step backwards & looks at me. Then he starts to wobble. He goes down.
FYI-----rifle---30/06 Model 700 LH-- Leupold 2 1/2 x 8 VarIII. 180 grain "Hornady Spire Point" handloads---56 grains of IMR 4350
I've got film at the store now. I'm kind of a computer illiterate----but---LOL--I know how to hunt elk!! Anyway, I can get a photo & e-mail to someone if they would post it for me on this thread.
The only thing I don't know is if that real GOOD bull was in the group. But, my Daddy taught me one in hand !!
