Ok hang with me. I am not a good story teller.
Day 1.
Left work at around and made the drive from the east side of the state to the west side. Arrived about 5 mountain time. Met up with my nephew and drove to our camp. Had a bite to eat and set out to look around. Since it was 85 degrees out we just drove around and checked out some area. Not even the deer were moving. No elk sightings. Went back to camp and went to bed.
Day 2.
Woke up early and went to a few areas and did some hiking around. Spotted some really nice mule deer bucks and found some elk sign. Still no elk to be seen.
Went into town for some lunch and than drove to a different area. We left the truck and set out on a hike back in a area we thought might hold some elk. Got 2.5 miles in and my nephew went to check 1 point and I went off to glass another area. When my nephew dropped off the point he jumped 9 cows and calfs that I seen running off. Just my luck. After that we hiked back to the truck.
Went to the north cause I had seen elk in that area before but when we got there it was already occupied.
Drove to another part of that area and had some dinner. We than hiked in and glassed a few areas but no elk. The next area we started to glass and bingo elk. 7 cow and calf and a big bull. Glassed and bit more and seen the guy that was parked at the spot we wanted to check sitting above the elk.
Not wanting to screw things up for him we sat and waited. Watched the bull chase the cows and trash bushes through the spotter. After about 30 to 40 mins they start to move.
We watched the other guy shoot the bull and hoped the cows would run up the draw we were in bit no luck.
Went down to congratulate the gentleman on his ND bull.
As we talked he gave us some info on what the elk were doing in the am. We now had a plan for day 3.
Day 3.
Up early again but very optimistic. Drive to the area the gentleman told us about the night before and set out. Walking in before dropping down into the valley we glass the ag fields and sure enough the elk are exactly where he said they would be. We start hiking in trying to figure out which draw the are going to file into.
Looking at our maps we decide on the draw that leads right up to the field. We get set up and start to wait. The wait did not give me much time to worry if we were in the right draw. Less than 5 minutes and I see elk start to make there way into our draw. Watching them I could tell the lead cow was a nice 1. A few minutes later and see walked into the opening and was broadside at 90 yards. The 1st shot dropped her. I chamber another round and get back on her. She gets and and the next shot puts her down for good.
I am so elated to have been able to experience hunting elk in ND.
A special thanks goes out to my nephew for all his help. Also a very special thanks to the gentleman for the information.
Day 1.
Left work at around and made the drive from the east side of the state to the west side. Arrived about 5 mountain time. Met up with my nephew and drove to our camp. Had a bite to eat and set out to look around. Since it was 85 degrees out we just drove around and checked out some area. Not even the deer were moving. No elk sightings. Went back to camp and went to bed.
Day 2.
Woke up early and went to a few areas and did some hiking around. Spotted some really nice mule deer bucks and found some elk sign. Still no elk to be seen.
Went into town for some lunch and than drove to a different area. We left the truck and set out on a hike back in a area we thought might hold some elk. Got 2.5 miles in and my nephew went to check 1 point and I went off to glass another area. When my nephew dropped off the point he jumped 9 cows and calfs that I seen running off. Just my luck. After that we hiked back to the truck.
Went to the north cause I had seen elk in that area before but when we got there it was already occupied.
Drove to another part of that area and had some dinner. We than hiked in and glassed a few areas but no elk. The next area we started to glass and bingo elk. 7 cow and calf and a big bull. Glassed and bit more and seen the guy that was parked at the spot we wanted to check sitting above the elk.
Not wanting to screw things up for him we sat and waited. Watched the bull chase the cows and trash bushes through the spotter. After about 30 to 40 mins they start to move.
We watched the other guy shoot the bull and hoped the cows would run up the draw we were in bit no luck.
Went down to congratulate the gentleman on his ND bull.
As we talked he gave us some info on what the elk were doing in the am. We now had a plan for day 3.
Day 3.
Up early again but very optimistic. Drive to the area the gentleman told us about the night before and set out. Walking in before dropping down into the valley we glass the ag fields and sure enough the elk are exactly where he said they would be. We start hiking in trying to figure out which draw the are going to file into.
Looking at our maps we decide on the draw that leads right up to the field. We get set up and start to wait. The wait did not give me much time to worry if we were in the right draw. Less than 5 minutes and I see elk start to make there way into our draw. Watching them I could tell the lead cow was a nice 1. A few minutes later and see walked into the opening and was broadside at 90 yards. The 1st shot dropped her. I chamber another round and get back on her. She gets and and the next shot puts her down for good.
I am so elated to have been able to experience hunting elk in ND.
A special thanks goes out to my nephew for all his help. Also a very special thanks to the gentleman for the information.
