Caribou Gear Tarp

Jackson elk run...

ELKCHSR

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Nov 28, 2001
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Montana
I got down to Bill and Michells, on my way to their house, the refuge is on the right and there had to be five hundred six point bulls or better just laying about being lazy...
Bill and I headed out early the next morning to the upper end of our tags, I ran over a little hill while he checked out the flats. He had a heck of a time with the blow downs while I was into fresh tracks and closing when I ran out of time and head back to the truck for the appointed time...That's the way it seems to go alot. Dan and his friend Glen showed up that eve. They drove the thousand miles in a day and really looked done for..That had to be a tough one I'll tell you what..
For the next couple day's we ran over a number of hills and dales looking for the herds that should be appearing any time and werent. The snow in a few places was almost up to my waist, that is alot of good stuff to walk in, we were haveing temps in the single digets to minuses every night. Since I had been camping in this type of weather for the last month it wasn't bothering me much, but Dan and Glen were a little cold. The last day out, I had already planned on heading back at lunch. Things were just not seeming to going well and my wife was thinking I needed to be home since I hadn't been home much since fire season started..
We all decided to park along the road in a favorite crossing place of the migratory herds and wait to see if any would pass our way..It wasn't more than fifteen minutes past light when we started to hear shots. I jumped out of the truck when we saw the herd of 75-100 running by...Bill say's get back in well cut them off farther up the road. We hit the upper end of the butte and as soon as the truck stopped I was out in a shot, Bill motioned for me to go and not wait for every one else, There was the parking lot, then 75 yards of open space, a little rise of around 12 feet, all of which I cleared at a dead run. After hitting the top of the little hill, I saw the elk off at around 500 yards. Running across the open until I hit 300, I dropped down on my belly and tried to make a shot. There was another guy out there right in the middle of every thing not 30 yards from the herd just walking, he had apperantly shot one already. Brave soul he was with all the other hunters shooting into the crowd. I jumped up again and ran another 300 yards at a dead run to catch up to the milling elk and get a shot where I wouldn't have a chance of hitting this guy. Lying down in the snow, I took carfull aim as herd started up the hill. They were still 200 yards away from where I was, I noticed one towards the back wasn't moving so well, and the herd was really bunched, as they headed up the hill I waited for the hurt one to stop and present a shot, that is when I hit her. There was still shooting all around me so I just lay there until the girls were well up the hill. Walking over to my kill, there was one other downed animal and a couple extra blood trails running up the hill. One other fella came over and started up the hill following one of the blood trails..
This is when I realized I hadn't grabbed my pack, this has every thing including my licence in it and my knives..
Bill was nice enough to hike back to the truck and get every thing while I made sure nobody claimed my prize.. Very nice guy he is..
Well, we loaded the elk in the truck after a nice fellow and his son pulled it out with their horses. After lunch and saying my goodbys..I left a great group of people..Elkhunter, LB, DanR55, and his friend Glen...Thanks you guys were fun and I hope to do this again next year... :D :D :D
ps. The injury to the elk happened to be another shot that wiped out one whole hind quarter. This is why you must all make sure you have a good shot before pulling the trigger...The eye teeth on this cow were worn down to almost nothing.. :D :D :D
 
All of the above, but I wasn't spent and could do it all over again...LOL..And I didn't have to wear a pink dress to have my personall fun time before every one caught up... :D :D :D
 
Jesus mate thats just plain scary,people chasing a herd of animals shots going off,people wandering around,shooting an animal and sitting on it so someone can't claim it,Hells teeth you gotta have balls I'll give you that.I go bush for a week and never see another person.
 
I have to agree with you, Kiwi! That sounds like an awful dangerous situation! I'm glad none of you guys got shot. Sounds like they may pass their quota on the elk harvest goal they set as well........after they count up all the wounded and dying ones that limp off.

Glad you got your elk Russ. I hope Dan and Glenn get theirs as well. Good on ya Bill and Michele for helping these folks out,.......
 
DS, we all agreed also, it could be an accident waiting to happen. As far as getting their quota, I don't think it is going to happen. As of about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks ago, only 100 elk were taken out of the something like 1250 permits made available. On the fly overs, G&F says the canyons are jammed packed with elk but not moving. We need some snow to get the full migration on and push them out of the hills.
 
WTG!!!!!!
Congrats Again
 
I understand what you're saying, Nut. I rarely hunt any public land anymore. In California, there are a couple of military installations (mot notable is Hunter Liggett) where thjey limit the number of hunters and also the areas open are dependent on military training activity. These provide some great hunting, as game quality is also monitored more than on the open public land.

Drive through the mountains on opening day and there are trucks parked in every turnout.
 
Great story ELKCHSR...but have you lost mind


And I thought I wanted an elk really bad :D I think you wanted one worse.
 
Thanks all...It wasn't as bad as it may have sounded, one just needs to keep their heads when in the fire storm..LOL...Here is the pics..By the way, this is the first time since the late 70's that I have hunted with more than one other person, plus this is the first year in 10-12 that I have actually hunted with any one at all, took a kid earlier..Yes and normally I am in places that it is rare to bump into any one at all. Different type of hunting, keeps the adreneline pumping...LOL...I just love this stuff....Most any aspect of it...To me it is just as exciting to shoot a little doe as it is to shoot a big six by bull elk, one of which is on the wall to my right...I will post that one on this thread tomorrow maybe. Just to show...They are all trophies, the elk make the better ones though because there are ivories to show for it... :D
dan-glen.jpg

I think the yellow gleam came off of Dans Glasses....
russ-glen-bill.jpg

There was a guy that just happened to be there, so we asked him to take a pic. There is actually supposed to be an elk at the bottem of the pic. The guy must have been very carfull not to get the elk in the frame at all...Goof ball..LOL...All well. The next pic will show the girl..
girlfriend2.jpg

Here is me and my little squeeze of the day...She was still warm when this was taken..Dan didn't walk the quarter of a mile to where she was, that is why he isn't in the pic..
sunset.jpg

This is a fitting end to a great hunt and a great time. For those that don't like to stop and smell the roses, this is one of the great moments that you will alway's miss, even though you are right in the middle of some of the best country in the world to see nature at some of its most wonderful. For those that never notice it..I really feel sorry for you...In the end you will only have the stories of the next animal and not the other wonders that come along with it.... :D :D :D
 
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