sapperJ24
Well-known member
Elk B tags for the Sun River HD 425 are divided into week long hunts throughout the general season. I put in for the opening week not really thinking much about it or knowing anything about the area or that I would draw. I was surprised when I drew and started doing some research. I realized that this tag is mostly in winter range and probably better to have towards the end of the general season. I talked to the manager and he said there are some year-round resident elk so that was encouraging. I drove out over a mid-summer weekend to look at the land in person and check out the access.
The first round of October winter got my hopes up that additional elk might move into the district and last week's second blast of winter coupled with sub-zero temperatures really got my hopes up that I might have a chance. After opening weekend, I drove out ready to spend the rest of the week trying to get a cow. I arrived at the unit in the early afternoon hoping to cut some fresh tracks so I would know where to start in the morning, but there were tracks all over the place so it didn't really narrow the options down.
Late afternoon/early evening I picked a spot to glass some of the open areas near the timber and it wasn't long before elk started to trickle into the open, three or four at first then ten or twelve then twenty. There was a small, timbered rise between where I was parked and the hillside the elk were grazing on. I was content to watch them for a bit, but then I got thinking that I should go see what the topography and cover were like behind the rise. Climbing the rise I was walking through elk beds and sign which I attributed to the elk on the further hill. Ten minutes from the truck, I neared the top of the rise I dropped my pack just in case the elk had moved closer and might be in range. Usually, I don't think my plan to find elk will actually work so I have a habit of not being ready when elk are 25 yards away so I was trying to make a concerted effort to avoid that.
As I moved up the rise I could see through the timber that the elk were still feeding on the far hill. I looked around at the available cover to plan my next move over the rise and off to the left through two small trees I noticed a cow elk feeding 20 yards away! I had no shot through the two trees but I was able to watch her feet as she started to meander away. I moved to re-position myself to try to get a shot but she walked off and I assumed I was busted although I couldn't feel any wind. I followed up to the tree where I last saw her and assumed I would see her running out across the flats but there she was feeding 10 yards away with six other cows and calves!
This time I knew I would get busted before I could get a shot off, the snow was crunchy and my jacket swishy. But then as I stopped and listened, I could hear them eating and chewing and I realized they couldn't hear me. I slid down to the edge of the tree and waited for them to space out a bit. They realized something was amiss and slowly moved out in front of me. I took the shot on a mature cow broadside around 20 yards. She went 15 yards and stopped facing directly away leaving no opportunity for a followup. She stood there for a minute before another cow ran out of the timber below her and she took off after. I couldn't believe that I blew the shot at 20 yards. I went to where she was standing and could see she was coughing up blood and then I heard the crashing and breaking of branches in the timber as she died and slid down the hill.
The final resting place was about 100 yards from the road but it still took a couple of cold and windy hours (as soon as the sun went down the wind picked up) to get her through the timber, gutted and loaded. I enjoyed the hunt, although brief, and will probably put in for it again, although for later in the season perhaps. Gutted out, she weighed in at 330 pounds so that will occupy the freezer space, I'll try to update with a final edible weight after processing.The biggest downside is that it is a small area and there were quite a few other hunters but it seemed most had no intention of leaving the truck. Coming from western Montana, I really enjoy the sunrises out on the front, the way they light up the mountains we just don't get that. I attribute most of this success to the weather, luck, and thanks to everyone here for sharing your experiences over the years.
The first round of October winter got my hopes up that additional elk might move into the district and last week's second blast of winter coupled with sub-zero temperatures really got my hopes up that I might have a chance. After opening weekend, I drove out ready to spend the rest of the week trying to get a cow. I arrived at the unit in the early afternoon hoping to cut some fresh tracks so I would know where to start in the morning, but there were tracks all over the place so it didn't really narrow the options down.
Late afternoon/early evening I picked a spot to glass some of the open areas near the timber and it wasn't long before elk started to trickle into the open, three or four at first then ten or twelve then twenty. There was a small, timbered rise between where I was parked and the hillside the elk were grazing on. I was content to watch them for a bit, but then I got thinking that I should go see what the topography and cover were like behind the rise. Climbing the rise I was walking through elk beds and sign which I attributed to the elk on the further hill. Ten minutes from the truck, I neared the top of the rise I dropped my pack just in case the elk had moved closer and might be in range. Usually, I don't think my plan to find elk will actually work so I have a habit of not being ready when elk are 25 yards away so I was trying to make a concerted effort to avoid that.
As I moved up the rise I could see through the timber that the elk were still feeding on the far hill. I looked around at the available cover to plan my next move over the rise and off to the left through two small trees I noticed a cow elk feeding 20 yards away! I had no shot through the two trees but I was able to watch her feet as she started to meander away. I moved to re-position myself to try to get a shot but she walked off and I assumed I was busted although I couldn't feel any wind. I followed up to the tree where I last saw her and assumed I would see her running out across the flats but there she was feeding 10 yards away with six other cows and calves!
This time I knew I would get busted before I could get a shot off, the snow was crunchy and my jacket swishy. But then as I stopped and listened, I could hear them eating and chewing and I realized they couldn't hear me. I slid down to the edge of the tree and waited for them to space out a bit. They realized something was amiss and slowly moved out in front of me. I took the shot on a mature cow broadside around 20 yards. She went 15 yards and stopped facing directly away leaving no opportunity for a followup. She stood there for a minute before another cow ran out of the timber below her and she took off after. I couldn't believe that I blew the shot at 20 yards. I went to where she was standing and could see she was coughing up blood and then I heard the crashing and breaking of branches in the timber as she died and slid down the hill.
The final resting place was about 100 yards from the road but it still took a couple of cold and windy hours (as soon as the sun went down the wind picked up) to get her through the timber, gutted and loaded. I enjoyed the hunt, although brief, and will probably put in for it again, although for later in the season perhaps. Gutted out, she weighed in at 330 pounds so that will occupy the freezer space, I'll try to update with a final edible weight after processing.The biggest downside is that it is a small area and there were quite a few other hunters but it seemed most had no intention of leaving the truck. Coming from western Montana, I really enjoy the sunrises out on the front, the way they light up the mountains we just don't get that. I attribute most of this success to the weather, luck, and thanks to everyone here for sharing your experiences over the years.
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