Skykarp
Active Member
- Messages
- 274
Ill Try and keep this shortish and sweet for my first post.
Since I was a kid my Dad and I had waterfowl hunted and he had started sending me in for bonus / preference points for big game in CA as well as other states. He was hoping one day the big game bug would bite and take hold. We had shot does in states that we could as a side activity to waterfowl hunting.
Well three years ago I don't know what happened but it all clicked and I was hooked. Hunting in California tho as some of us unfortunate enough to live here know deer seasons are a cruel joke at best. Should of had buck the last two years but stuff happens and sometimes you try and stare some to death.
This year I had the amazing opportunity to take part in a NM late season elk hunt. I was excited, confused, and nervous all at the same time.
Day 1
we located a mature 6x6 but he was buried inside 75-100 cows still. As anyone can imagine that many eyes in rolling terrain can make it tough. We actually got within 150 yards are the crow flies but didn't see two cows lagging behind that busted us.
Day 2
The weather flipped the script on us. It was 22 the first morning and now it was 39 and the lire in the box was calling it to be almost 80. We had a small piece of that we could hunt that was holding a bull. Unfortunately when we got set that morning same story as the first day the bull was standing in cows. As the sun came up they jumped the one fence we couldn't have them jump and poof they were gone.
Day 3
Weather was still an issue but it was a hair cooler. We glassed up a 5x5 that seemed good through the glass so we made a move on him. We spent some time looking at him and I decided I was going to be picky. That afternoon we found a really cool looking mature 5 that wasn't super wide but was heavy and tall. We actually chased him till dark but he kept giving us the slip.
That night the weather man really decided to rain on the parade and the snow we thought was going to miss us was going to center punch us. Only having a couple of days left do to a family obligation I made my mind up it was time to shoot an animal.
Day 4
We ended up back in the general area we started day 1 in and right as light started to break we had 2 bulls working there way out of a draw. One was a small 5x5 and the other was the perfect bull for the situation. We shifted 100 yards down the knob we were on and they walked in to 250 yards. Squeezed the trigger and heard the whap. Jacked another round in and he started to moon walk backwards and then he was down.
When I got to him I could see the scares in his haunches and shoulders even better.He did his fair share of fighting. I know hes broken to hell but the character he had is part of the story.
It turned out we lost all viability Day 5 so the decision felt even sweeter.
It was amazing to see the amount of animals we did coming from Southern California. What started as a hope from my dad that I may get interested later and give us another season to hunt together has evolved into a full blown sickness.
Looking forward popping 17 points in CA this year and seeing what comes of it.
Hes not the biggest bull we had seen
He wasn't the coolest looking bull we had seen
Hes my First
and He was the perfect one for the moment.
Since I was a kid my Dad and I had waterfowl hunted and he had started sending me in for bonus / preference points for big game in CA as well as other states. He was hoping one day the big game bug would bite and take hold. We had shot does in states that we could as a side activity to waterfowl hunting.
Well three years ago I don't know what happened but it all clicked and I was hooked. Hunting in California tho as some of us unfortunate enough to live here know deer seasons are a cruel joke at best. Should of had buck the last two years but stuff happens and sometimes you try and stare some to death.
This year I had the amazing opportunity to take part in a NM late season elk hunt. I was excited, confused, and nervous all at the same time.
Day 1
we located a mature 6x6 but he was buried inside 75-100 cows still. As anyone can imagine that many eyes in rolling terrain can make it tough. We actually got within 150 yards are the crow flies but didn't see two cows lagging behind that busted us.
Day 2
The weather flipped the script on us. It was 22 the first morning and now it was 39 and the lire in the box was calling it to be almost 80. We had a small piece of that we could hunt that was holding a bull. Unfortunately when we got set that morning same story as the first day the bull was standing in cows. As the sun came up they jumped the one fence we couldn't have them jump and poof they were gone.
Day 3
Weather was still an issue but it was a hair cooler. We glassed up a 5x5 that seemed good through the glass so we made a move on him. We spent some time looking at him and I decided I was going to be picky. That afternoon we found a really cool looking mature 5 that wasn't super wide but was heavy and tall. We actually chased him till dark but he kept giving us the slip.
That night the weather man really decided to rain on the parade and the snow we thought was going to miss us was going to center punch us. Only having a couple of days left do to a family obligation I made my mind up it was time to shoot an animal.
Day 4
We ended up back in the general area we started day 1 in and right as light started to break we had 2 bulls working there way out of a draw. One was a small 5x5 and the other was the perfect bull for the situation. We shifted 100 yards down the knob we were on and they walked in to 250 yards. Squeezed the trigger and heard the whap. Jacked another round in and he started to moon walk backwards and then he was down.
When I got to him I could see the scares in his haunches and shoulders even better.He did his fair share of fighting. I know hes broken to hell but the character he had is part of the story.
It turned out we lost all viability Day 5 so the decision felt even sweeter.
It was amazing to see the amount of animals we did coming from Southern California. What started as a hope from my dad that I may get interested later and give us another season to hunt together has evolved into a full blown sickness.
Looking forward popping 17 points in CA this year and seeing what comes of it.
Hes not the biggest bull we had seen
He wasn't the coolest looking bull we had seen
Hes my First
and He was the perfect one for the moment.
