Well, we met on time and Buzz even had his boots on instead of his Hey Dudes! The initial spot we looked was void of any elk herds, although Buzz spotted two small bulls and a third bull ran in front of the truck as we moved to check another area. When we arrived at spot #2 we began to glass. I checked some suspicious dots on the skyline and they were fence posts. It's crazy to see the landscape looking like October and it's the middle of December! As I continued to glass past the fence posts, along the rim to our left I spot elk!
There aren't very many, maybe eight, and they are up and alert. The elk are below the rim in a steep draw out of the wind. At two miles it's hard to believe they are getting up and looking around. Just then I notice a coyote trotting right by the elk. After the coyote moves by the elk begin to act like they are going to bed back down and they do. We both know there is a road right on top of the rim, which is wonderful news for my ailing knee. We are going to take a road downwind and out of sight of the herd and drive on top of the rim right where we spied the fence posts. If we can peek over at the spot where the elk are, this could work out.
The first spot we look over the rim is short of where the elk are. We move across the rim some more and this time Buzz signals he sees them! After crawling to the edge, Buzz tells me to line up on one and let him know when I'm going to shoot. I say, "heck dude, you go ahead, I've already killed a big 6X5 whaletail bull this year. He argues back "yeah but I've already killed two bulls and a cow with a collar, so you go". Ok, that convinces me, but not one of those bedded elk in that steep draw are offering anything close to a good shot. Neither of us has a cow call, so I tell Buzz I'm going to make a noise to get them up. I tell him this will probably screw him up to punch a second cow. He say "whatever". Buzz is always there for his hunting buddies!
MEH, MEH! Buzz says they are looking around. MEEEH! Up stands a big ol cow and she turns perfectly broadside. The 7 mag booms and just like I thought, the herd piles around the corner without giving Buzz a chance. "Dammit Buzz." Buzz says no sweat, I had hit mine perfectly so we got one.
We watched the herd run behind a lower knob at the base of the rim. While we relived what just happened, the shot and the elk's reaction, we both noticed the elk hadn't come out from behind the knob. We figured a draw maybe hid their escape. I told Buzz I would walk back and drive the truck over and he said he would drop down and verify the demise of the elk I shot. When I returned with the truck, I walked out to the edge and immediately saw Buzz prone on the knob and the herd of elk not 200 yards in front of him. When he went down to check my cow an elk peeked from around the knob and alerted Buzz the herd was still there. Buzz levels his 7 mag and secures another cow. I think I must have shot the lead cow and the herd was reluctant to leave.
Both cows were less than 100 yds from the BLM road at the base of the rim. My knee was very grateful! The knob Buzz shot from is on the left side of the photo of my elk.
I've always found great satisfaction hunting late season elk. The hunt, friends and family, the great table fare and hunting with someone who gets it!
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