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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
I'll add a piece on post-hunt reflections that I've been reflecting on, but in the interim, just because I'm back east doesn't mean I haven't been out hunting. Week 1 of MI Whitetail & Ducks: Being back for just over a week has been a whirlwind. Have been catching up with work, and managed to...- xebadir
- Post #15
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The official 2025 Wyoming elk hunt for Dave N thread.
Looks like tough going Dave but I’m pulling for you! Sounds like the pressure up there was pretty fierce and the elk relocated into the nasty stuff. Hope the new plan yields fruit. -
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Thank you. Yes, definitely of the south paw variety ;). I was broken to right for most things at a young age, but shooting and archery I naturally gravitate toward the left - eye is my better one as well.- xebadir
- Post #12
- Forum: Live Hunts
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Elk .... Let's see them!!!
Wyoming general tag rifle bull on a private ranch, and my first elk in my 5th year hunting. Custom 280AI I had built, first shot at 200 yards was high lung on a partial quartering, tough shooting conditions (at end of 1.75 mile run, sitting off bipod into 20 mph wind) meant that I had to take a... -
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Day 3: I happen to be in the weather business, and looking at the forecast the next morning and the following few days (on even less sleep as we needed to leave at 3:45am) I was concerned. It was a southerly wind at about 20-25 mph (and likely the same direction the next day), almost...- xebadir
- Post #10
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Day 2: If day 1 was a baptism by fire, day 2 was a bounty of riches interspersed with the temptation of Tantalus. Arriving in the early morning after leaving accommodation around 4:40am, we encountered on fog on the drive up to the ranch, and were concerned it might interfere with our ability...- xebadir
- Post #9
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Day 1: The first day of the hunt was greeted by heavy misty rainfall that persisted well into the morning - it seemed ideal to keep the elk on their feet. The view that faced us was quite stunning in its own way, cold mist driven by persistent and strong easterly winds, and we arrived at the...- xebadir
- Post #8
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Well, I have time to write up a story for each day now ;). In the meantime, you might enjoy a teaser. Yesterday we saw a bull we called 'Bobby' - early in the morning he streaked off a pivot chasing 3 cows across the hillside, and fighting with a young 5x5 who was trying to cut his lunch. He...- xebadir
- Post #7
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
So you might have noticed a delay in the past couple of days of live updates. Suffice to say its not because I've got an elk, though we've gotten into them, and hunted hard. Ironically, the other client operating this week had an elk down in a matter of a couple of hours, but instead, my lot has...- xebadir
- Post #6
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
So the big odyssey that wasn't clear for this trip was my rifle. I had a 280 AI custom built earlier this year that was specifically for elk and larger game, and capable of being suppressed, as I didn't really have anything suitable in the cupboard, and I'm a lefty, so nice rifles are hard to...- xebadir
- Post #5
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
The evening scouting mission was a success. It might seem a little odd to scout on an outfitted hunt, but for me this trip is all about seeing more elk, learning more about them and I like to pull my weight. And hey, I already had a spotter from prior hunts. Heavy thunderstorms moved through...- xebadir
- Post #4
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Those last few hours are always the worst, and I took a different route than the typical, west through the sandhill region of Nebraska and the hilly country interspersed with potholes that can be found in the west. I've been fortunate enough to cover the vast majority of the highways of the...- xebadir
- Post #3
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
Packing that last bag in the truck always seems to be the thing that makes the trip real. 200 gallons worth of coolers, decoys, hunting gear, clothing and the accoutrements for a long road trip were carefully stacked and fitted well within the vehicle, and then, before light graced the eastern...- xebadir
- Post #2
- Forum: Live Hunts
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The Elk Quest - Adventures in 2025
So this thread will be dedicated to sharing a series of hunts and hunt trips I have planned this fall. It will focus on whitetails in two states (MI, ND) and an elk hunt in WY, along with a few diversions for fin and fowl. Here in Michigan, I've done some early goose and salmon fishing, and...- xebadir
- Thread
- Replies: 14
- Forum: Live Hunts
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What are you currently reloading?
Finally got a shooter. RL23 is netting me a nice 2850 FPS at 56 gr with a 160gr AB, no pressure signs that I can see. Knew I was onto something when the first 3 shots stacked on target. Next onto dialing around there for a final number.- xebadir
- Post #469
- Forum: Ammunition and Reloading
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What are you currently reloading?
Still working on my 280AI loads. Have benched the plans around H4831SC with the 160AB due to low velocities within what I can get into a case, and loaded up a ladder test set of both RL23 and IMR4350 to see if we can do any better.- xebadir
- Post #468
- Forum: Ammunition and Reloading
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Why & what do you handload?
I reload due to having an affinity for weird calibers where production ammo can be a little harder to come by (partly cause I shoot LH rifles which can be harder to find in some of the more common calibers), or if it is available lacks quality/is expensive. My favorite hunting ammo went out of...- xebadir
- Post #42
- Forum: Ammunition and Reloading
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What are you currently reloading?
Working up my 280AI load - had a slight tangent to get my reloading bench reorganized along with the garage that has held me up, along with ridiculous heat making it uncomfortable to work out there. Much cleaner organization that I'll have to get a photo of at some point. Tested out my new...- xebadir
- Post #465
- Forum: Ammunition and Reloading
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44Hunter45 semi live climbing stand hunt
A good climber can be a great setup, provided you have decent trees to work with (unfortunately in selective cut areas, they tend to leave the wonky ones), RealMuddyboots advice is spot on for all accounts - follow those rules and you are very unlikely to have an issue. I use saddles to run and...- xebadir
- Post #32
- Forum: Gear, Gear Deals & Gear Talk
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Looking for some help in Region E Wyoming- elk hunting, general
Happen to have the same tag, but have a plan that involves an outfitter. I have spent time in the region for other hunts, so know a little about how the elk use it. Its certainly not an easy tag to hunt public. It might be useful to clarify for those you are asking for help whether you mean you...
