nmelktrout
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Just getting the chance to post after getting back from my elk hunt down in the Gila with my fiancee. Tough dry and windy conditions but we were able to fill our freezer (and our neighbor's freezer) with two bulls. I could not find any of the big boys I've been watching since this summer but couldn't be happier with our harvests, especially since I got to be with Bree as she harvested her first elk! We stalked up to 100 yards of a small group of raghorns 30 minutes into opening morning and after spotting the bulls, Bree dropped this, her first elk, in its tracks. I don't know who was more excited but it was a great moment to share with my favorite hunting partner.
Bree's First Bull:
After getting her bull out of the field and only seeing one more small bull opening day, Bree headed home on Sunday so that she could get back to work. Sunday morning I got into a couple more small bulls and walked right into a herd of cows that busted me and ran off with a huge bodied bull that I just couldn't get a shot at. Dejected, I decided to hike back into a remote tank miles out in the flat, antelope country. I spent the afternoon getting battered by 50 to 60 mile an hour gusts of wind and hiking around glassing every juniper and draw for miles. Finally, I had enough and decided that I had better hoof it back to the tank to see if anything would come to water at dark. As I was making my way down the big bald ridge to the tank I looked across the flats to see a big five point making his way through the tall grass towards the water. I waited until he got behind a small ridge and hoofed it over to the tank and set up in some small junipers. A couple of minutes later I watched him jump a fenceline and make his way towards me. At around 300 yards he stopped and stood broadside out in the grass. The sun was just starting to set so I knew that I needed to take the shot. I also knew the wind was blowing extremely hard so I compensated and aimed at the front of the shoulder...turns out it wasn't enough....my first shot (bad) drifted almost 3.5 feet back and I hit him way back. He dropped and stood back up so I compensated a couple more feet on the second shot and spined him, planting him in his tracks. No regrets on this good 5x5 as I knew there just weren't many good bulls in my area this fall and besides, any elk is a trophy elk. I couldn't be happier as I've got a freezer full of prime eating for the winter and another great set of memories. The pictures didn't turn out very well but it was blowing so hard that my camera kept blowing over. p.s. I really dig that his firsts both turn straight down while the seconds kick straight up...neat character and hopefully some great eating.
Yes, elk make me grin like a little kid...
The true trophy is the meat in the freezer,
Cody
Bree's First Bull:
After getting her bull out of the field and only seeing one more small bull opening day, Bree headed home on Sunday so that she could get back to work. Sunday morning I got into a couple more small bulls and walked right into a herd of cows that busted me and ran off with a huge bodied bull that I just couldn't get a shot at. Dejected, I decided to hike back into a remote tank miles out in the flat, antelope country. I spent the afternoon getting battered by 50 to 60 mile an hour gusts of wind and hiking around glassing every juniper and draw for miles. Finally, I had enough and decided that I had better hoof it back to the tank to see if anything would come to water at dark. As I was making my way down the big bald ridge to the tank I looked across the flats to see a big five point making his way through the tall grass towards the water. I waited until he got behind a small ridge and hoofed it over to the tank and set up in some small junipers. A couple of minutes later I watched him jump a fenceline and make his way towards me. At around 300 yards he stopped and stood broadside out in the grass. The sun was just starting to set so I knew that I needed to take the shot. I also knew the wind was blowing extremely hard so I compensated and aimed at the front of the shoulder...turns out it wasn't enough....my first shot (bad) drifted almost 3.5 feet back and I hit him way back. He dropped and stood back up so I compensated a couple more feet on the second shot and spined him, planting him in his tracks. No regrets on this good 5x5 as I knew there just weren't many good bulls in my area this fall and besides, any elk is a trophy elk. I couldn't be happier as I've got a freezer full of prime eating for the winter and another great set of memories. The pictures didn't turn out very well but it was blowing so hard that my camera kept blowing over. p.s. I really dig that his firsts both turn straight down while the seconds kick straight up...neat character and hopefully some great eating.
Yes, elk make me grin like a little kid...
The true trophy is the meat in the freezer,
Cody
