07 Bull

[Big Fin]

Nice bull Chaser. So much for the stories that no one killed anything on the extended season.

Good job and thanks for sharing.

Were you hunting east of that subdivision down on the flats as you near the ID border, were you?

 

[ELKCHSR]

Greg...

I'll give you a call...

Fin...

The reason they weren't killing any thing is because they wouldn't get out of their trucks

Most every one I saw was either driving around or glassing the mountain sides

When I got to the top of the hill, just out of sight of the roads, there was elk sign every where and no man tracks any where...

 

[Nut]

Congrats on the elk Russ.

 

[Big Fin]

Fin...

The reason they weren't killing any thing is because they wouldn't get out of their trucks

Most every one I saw was either driving around or glassing the mountain sides

When I got to the top of the hill, just out of sight of the roads, there was elk sign every where and no man tracks any where...

For some reason, I am not surprised. Good job.

 

[cornfed]

Nice story and nice elk.Thanks for posting.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Great job Cheese! Nice photos, elk and hunt.

 

[jerrym]

Great job, you worked hard for that one. I was wondering what kind of sled you use. I saw a sled somewhere that you roll up and can put on your day pack. I was wondering how they worked. I know I have gone all the way back to the truck for game cart or sled and it seems like a wasted trip.

I might buy one of those sleds and try it next year. I hate having another thing hanging on me. I think you are in better shape then me, the hills keep getting steeper and the elk are getting heavier to pack out. Congrats again!!

 

[T Bone]

Way to ninja the elk man. You're hardcore sleeping out in cold with only natural shelter.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I am not sure...........but those ears look a little droopy to me.

Nice Sneak!!!!!!

 

[elk_hunter]

Are those your voodoo moccasins in that shelter picture?!?! No wonder you got 20yds from that bull! SOB...your secret is out!

 

[ELKCHSR]

Thanks again guys for the kudos’, I really appreciate them...

Fin...

It's easy to see now why most guys didn't get their elk, even on the extended hunt and have that haunted look of a predator who knows their going hungry

Hey Jerry...

The little sleds with no sides are hard to keep your game on; every little bump will dump your load

There are two sleds I've seen (mines the cheaper one from wall mart with sides about 10"

One thing I dislike about this sled (which I’ll be modifying soon), the pull rope is a little to small and there isn’t any tie downs to keep from dumping your load when it does tip over

The other sled, you can role a whole elk in and it will almost disappear, the sides are so high (I’m guessing at about 18”)

When I was down in Jackson Hole with the last group who went on the predation hunt, at ElkHunters place

Doug, his friend Mark and I, drug two elk by the necks out at the same time

Now that’s a lot of work

Some guys came by and offered to help, going back to their truck, brought back one of these larger sleds

We rolled the larger of the two elk in and off they went with her to help get it loaded, while I kept dragging the smaller one

I think when I take off in the back country from now on, I'm going to drag a sled with me until I get some where towards the top

Then ditch it some where, in case I need it

I personally like slogging thru miles of snow up or down hill, but I think my energies could be better used not walking up and down the mountains on extra trips and left to enjoy the wonders around me

LOL T Bone...

Dink shooter...

That's cause he was tired...

LOL E_H...

I've mentioned the use of moccasins before, I don't wear them in the snow, they just end up wet and frozen, and are a little slippery when going up ice hills

They work excellent on any other surface though and are very quiet; this is a pair I made last year

One thing I may say on this particular elk I saw of concern!!!

There wasn't much fat on him at all (maybe a couple good size handful’s when he was processed), I think these guys had been run and run on what turned out for them, a very long season...

I kinda felt sorry for the elk that had to live out the rest of the winter with little fat reserves

I think I'll generally stay in areas I know they haven't been pushed as hard, even though the meat is excellent as any young elk should be, it wouldn’t take much to push a lot of these animals over the edge and die of starvation due to lack of fat reserves

 

[mdcrossbow]

ELKCHSR; when I did Rev War trecks in the winter. I'd put pine down make a small lean-to and cover with snow if we had it and put a small fire at the edge of the doors. I would really like to do a hunt for Elk sometime in the near future. I admire the way you hunt.

 

[ELKCHSR]

PM on it's way...

 

[Moosie]

You guys are a little funny about shelters aren't you???

HAHA.. no, not me. I think there is a time and a place for them. That is alot of work and a crappy way to sleep hunting elk. Personally I would hike out 3 miles in the snow rather then build, even the simplest of shelters, unless there was no othe choice. Also, I have a tent that folds up WAY small. Me likes a nice warm/dry sleep !!! I'm jsut not as tough as you mountain men !!

 

[ELKCHSR]

LOL...

It's a little more work, but a little less than hiking 6 miles round trip...

And....

You can't sleep next to a fire to stay warm if you're in a tent (unless of course it's a wall tent with a stove)

So....

You end up dragging another heat source to keep warm inside the tent...

Besides, these are techniques utilized for tens if not hundreds of thousands of years, and they seem to work just as well...

Besides, depends on that experience your after, some a little more realistic than others...

One other thing, it only takes 1-2 minutes to pick up camp and move on...

 

[Ridge Runner]

Nice story Russ and congrats on the bull.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Heres a few more pics from the day leading to the shot, hope you enjoy...

 

[outlaw from Idaho]

Elkchsr,way to go, congrads. I also hunt Idaho, an have taken 4 bulls out of the last 4 years. I like the way you hunt. Outlaw