Jamen
Well-known member
well before everyone gets upset yes I shot this elk in a corn stubble with cattle in it but I will tell my hunt. I shot this 5x5 bull this morning is southeast ND. my hunt started in Sept was out in the badlands for 6 days. the weather was anything but ideal 98 degrees and rain every day. despite that we went out every morning putting miles on the boots Saturday we spotted our first heard of 10 one nice 6x6 and 9 cows but on posted land "elk horn ranch" this was awesome I got out my bugle and tested to see if all my practicing paid off this summer. I was so nervous I messed up on the first bugle but I regained my composure and went again. there was a brief pause and then I seen him in the binoculars lean his head back and let out a bugle. goose bumps ran down my arms and I new the work was starting to pay off. it was getting close to dark so we stayed and we bugled back and forth for 15-20 minutes.
went back to the hotel and set up a game plan for the next day which was Monday and E4 opened up for us E3 hunters. had a spot picked out got out there AT 2:30 am to ensure we had the spot pouring rain we hiked out before daybreak. I could hear a bugle in the distance and I bugled back and we snuck in. light started to come and we couldn't spot the elk. we sat and listened and waited and soon a cow popped out with a calf and then they poured out 12 elk about 150 yards away and one giant 6x7 all in the park I tried a few cow calls got the bulls attention but he rounded up his cows and they started off I got a few bugles in and he bugled back. so we packed out that afternoon. we went back the next evening trying different spots before then and a nice 6x6 came out but still in the park later a 5x5 with a cow and a calf came out came close to the fence but didn't cross. just for the record I do not like hunting by the park fence but you got to go where the elk are at. that was the end of hunt one.
we went out this last weekend and back to the same spot by the park hiked over 7 miles that day. we sat on a butte and glassed for awhile. then out came about 12 elk running hard towards us a real nice bull with cows they veered off and into another finger of the park. then one minute later 5 more came running at the fence and headed south so I dropped my gear and started a fast trot to see if they would cross over one nice 5x5 in that group with 4 cows. next thing I know we hear 3 shots rang out in the park first thing that came to mind someone got desperate and shot one in the park later to find out they are reducing the herd again. but 15 elk came running out one nice 6x6 at the back so I again started to run in the other direction because these were running hard and I knew they would cross but where I wasn't sure. I got in place and soon the cows and calves started to cross about 100 yards in front of me but I was waiting for that bull to come by but the next thing I knew he was doubling back deeper in the park and never crossed the fence and the elk were gone over a butte and a 1/2 mile away when I got to the top. that night we drove by the elkhorn ranch and seen 23 elk there and 47 the next day. I do not have much nice things to say about that ranch so I will not go into detail.
but we came home sunday and I got a call that evening that there was an elk causing problems with some cattle. so this morning I went down there got about 75 yards away shot once hit him in the neck he walked 5 feet and tipped over. 30-06 did the trick. hugs and hand shakes with my father once he got in the field and pictures for the next 15 minutes. farmer helped us with a loader and we got him out. now shooting him was an awesome experience and my first elk but the real hunt will always be in the badlands. spending time with just me and my father was the best trophy I could ask for. he had more fun than I did and was a great experience for us both. sorry this got lengthy but that was my hunt of a lifetime.
went back to the hotel and set up a game plan for the next day which was Monday and E4 opened up for us E3 hunters. had a spot picked out got out there AT 2:30 am to ensure we had the spot pouring rain we hiked out before daybreak. I could hear a bugle in the distance and I bugled back and we snuck in. light started to come and we couldn't spot the elk. we sat and listened and waited and soon a cow popped out with a calf and then they poured out 12 elk about 150 yards away and one giant 6x7 all in the park I tried a few cow calls got the bulls attention but he rounded up his cows and they started off I got a few bugles in and he bugled back. so we packed out that afternoon. we went back the next evening trying different spots before then and a nice 6x6 came out but still in the park later a 5x5 with a cow and a calf came out came close to the fence but didn't cross. just for the record I do not like hunting by the park fence but you got to go where the elk are at. that was the end of hunt one.
we went out this last weekend and back to the same spot by the park hiked over 7 miles that day. we sat on a butte and glassed for awhile. then out came about 12 elk running hard towards us a real nice bull with cows they veered off and into another finger of the park. then one minute later 5 more came running at the fence and headed south so I dropped my gear and started a fast trot to see if they would cross over one nice 5x5 in that group with 4 cows. next thing I know we hear 3 shots rang out in the park first thing that came to mind someone got desperate and shot one in the park later to find out they are reducing the herd again. but 15 elk came running out one nice 6x6 at the back so I again started to run in the other direction because these were running hard and I knew they would cross but where I wasn't sure. I got in place and soon the cows and calves started to cross about 100 yards in front of me but I was waiting for that bull to come by but the next thing I knew he was doubling back deeper in the park and never crossed the fence and the elk were gone over a butte and a 1/2 mile away when I got to the top. that night we drove by the elkhorn ranch and seen 23 elk there and 47 the next day. I do not have much nice things to say about that ranch so I will not go into detail.
but we came home sunday and I got a call that evening that there was an elk causing problems with some cattle. so this morning I went down there got about 75 yards away shot once hit him in the neck he walked 5 feet and tipped over. 30-06 did the trick. hugs and hand shakes with my father once he got in the field and pictures for the next 15 minutes. farmer helped us with a loader and we got him out. now shooting him was an awesome experience and my first elk but the real hunt will always be in the badlands. spending time with just me and my father was the best trophy I could ask for. he had more fun than I did and was a great experience for us both. sorry this got lengthy but that was my hunt of a lifetime.
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Elk can show themselves in some funny places.Congrats.
