Deer and elk on the same night? Sure. Why not?

bowhuntmontana

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Utah, after 30+yrs in MT
With some recently acquired experience, here is my counsel if you ever have someone ask you if it is a good idea to shoot a mule deer buck and a cow elk 6 miles deep on the same evening, solo. If you like the guy, you should say, “Probably not a great idea. One or the other, but not both.” If you don’t like the guy, you should say, “Go for it. You’d be stupid not to.” This is my experience.

Packed in six miles solo with a muzzleloader deer tag and two control cow tags. Plan was to stay through Saturday, then come back the next week if needed.

Opening day, chased bugles into a familiar hell hole basin, hoping for a cow, then sat water. Killed the surprise buck at 5:00.
Buck 1.jpg

Stayed put and killed the cow at 6:30.
Cow.jpg

Mucho work breaking them down. Work felt better using my late father's knife.
Dad's Knife.jpg

Mucho more work the next day packing 4 heavy loads 600 feet straight up to the trail. I blame any fatigue on the forced detour around a rutting bull moose on my way back to the meat that morning. Honestly, it felt good to be up for the physical and mental challenge of getting that meat up that face.
Moose.jpg

Buddy came in that night and we packed everything out in one trip the next day between our two PackWheels. Nice to have good friends who are just as sick in the head as I am.
Loaded.jpg


Nice heavy buck with a bonus little one-inch dropper. Even better, my freezer is looking real good.
Buck 2.jpg
 
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I've always said, " once you get it all packed out, it will be worth it". My daughter in law killed her first buck last month down a super steep mountain. First thing she said to me when I showed up to help her and my son pack it out was "I'm sorry". It took us 7 hours just to get it back to camp that night. Then another 3 hours to the truck the next day. But, all worth it now. Way to get er done!!
 
Congrats on some nice animals. You certainly earned them.

If I have anyone ask me, I tell the cow elk should be shot within site of the truck.
 
From your post you are happy so you did it right. And the lovesick moose didn't get you so you must be pretty swift. Now you have a lot of cutting and wrapping ahead of you.
 
I suggested to my buddy one time, that he go sit on a certain waterhole. I had already killed an elk. I heard him fire several times. We met after dark. He had a cow and a bull down !!
 
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