11th hour ups and downs

[wolfpup]

What a whirlwind! This moment has been a long time coming. I was able to pick up my tag in the reissue tags so I only knew I was hunting 2 weeks before season. My brother, dad , and brother in law all drew tags during the draw. I had commitments opening day so I got to camp which for us is roughing it with 2 fifth wheels and an enclosed camper trailer. So Sunday of the hunt I had elk in my sights 20 minutes into the hunt ... I wasn’t hunting yet I was hiking to an area ... elk aren’t suppose to be 500 yards off a four wheeler trail! First lesson of many on this trip ! I couldn’t get a shot off as it was thick brush but only 75 yards. Uneventful checks on wallows active early this summer but still has snow all around in this drainage from last weeks snow. That evening I am hunting high and when I am coming off the trail at dusk I bump 2 more elk ... I estimated them at 100 yards and let the .50 cal rumble ... smoke clears and I watch them run down the hill then do a 180 and run right back by me.. I do a terrible fire drill to get reloaded, I was not ready for a follow up shot and was tossing gear and got a new round bedded. I stop them about 75 yards... here is the next lesson.... I was not ready for the first shot even .. I estimated at 100 yards but it was getting dark in the woods and after I ranged the trees they were at and it was 55 yards... deceptive distances at dusk! Not a big deal with a rifle but a .50 cal and a steep steep slope and I shit over them... clean miss as I crawled on my hands and knees for a bit to confirm no blood . Sorry going to have to post this in series as I gotta run

 

[wolfpup]

Day 2 was a nice hike with my gun but nothing... I had to head home because of work obligations for 2 days ... so Tuesday and Wednesday were working days .. like I said only 2 weeks notice I was just happy to be hunting at all. Back to elk camp Wednesday night. Thursday morning I was following a trail down to a new area I had never been. I thought I was solo but I get down to an area and these guys just killed a nice 6x6 about 45 minutes before I got there... oh well .. learned a new area.

 

[wolfpup]

Thursday afternoon and Friday were uneventful and had some atv issues from an earlier debacle ... I’ll post a story and fixes in another post. Saturday morning I was hell bent on getting something so I hiked my ass off and went up and down and high and low until I was seriously out of gas. I hunted this area hard and didn’t feel like anything would come out of it so I decided to break for late lunch and head back to camp.

 

[wolfpup]

Saturday evening it was the last hunt I had as I needed to be home Sunday. I decided a place I know nobody has been in for at least 3 days... this particular drainage is a gentle hike comparatively speaking and then splits into two drainages further up... I took the left fork and set up on a travel corridor thinking they would come in. I sat until 6:00 pm thinking I would hunt out the ridge until dark. I could not get any bugle or cow responses all week kind you. So it had been 6 days since I had even seen an elk so my positivity was running on fumes. I hiked upto the ridge that splits the drainage and let out a bugle and some chuckles. I got a mean sounding bugle immediately from I would guess 500 yards then another one maybe 500 yards the other direction that just chuckled at me. After a few more back and forth trying to locate as I knew dark was falling fast. I charged at the big bull and he was responding well so I got set up at an area that as soon as he broke the trees I had a 60 yard shot. Not sure what happened but he went silent and I couldn’t get a response for a few minutes and then I heard him way further away than before so I thought the gig was up. The other bull was still just chuckling at me. It was getting close to last light for a shot so I headed at that bull now. I crawled up the hill he was on as he was on a bench I came to find out. I stopped the last 10 yards to catch my breath and calm down. When I stopped I peered through the trees toward the first bull and he was starting at me... big bull at least 6x6 but he saw me and I ranged him at 283 yards and he walked off into the dark timber. So I crawled on my hands and knees the last 10 yards and set up got a range and shot my bull at 66 yards. After the smoke clears he ran 10 yards and stopped along with a cow. About 6 more cows and another nice bull step into the opening and I’m in awe at this point just staring. I quietly reload and watch them as they calmly start heading up the hill. Then my bull tumbled over and does the dead kicks... I was pumped but here is another mistake. He was laying there flat and I had a new round ready but when I got to 10 yards from him he picked up his head and bolted. I shot at him not hitting (not sure I even aimed). He stopped at 75 yard with his butt to me. I tried to get an angle on him to finish him but I bumped him twice in that process. It’s getting hard to see in the dark timber at this point but I finally get another shot at 70 yards. He runs downhill out of site so now I load my 4th and final bullet and panic some.

 

[wolfpup]

I circle the area this time hoping to cut off his path and found him taking his final breaths.

 

[wolfpup]

I should have been ready for a better shot as I walked up on him. Those are tough animals. I should have given him 30 minutes especially after I watched him fall. I should not have pursued him after he ran the first time but man I wanted that elk. All in all it worked out and it has been 19 years since my last elk. A lot of so close calls but could never finish the job.

 

[wolfpup]

Took and hour to quarter and I took the front quarters and the backstraps out with me via headlamp and an hour to the trailhead. My brother joined me for the second half the next morning. Pics are from the next morning as it was too dark for pics the night of.

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats!

 

[EastTNHunter]

Congrats. Sometimes it’s the ups and downs of the hunt that makes it so much sweeter when it finally works out

 

[wolfpup]

Got my euro mount finished and hung... I’m smitten

 

[nwihunter]

Great write up. Congrats on the bull!!!

 

[fallfreak]

Great lighting with the eruo.