Brittany Chukarman
Well-known member
Today turned out to be a good day to look for elk. We had some snow yesterday and I like going mid-week. Right off the bat I glassed a herd on a sagebrush ridge.They were already on the move. I hiked up to cut them off and had them twice at 300 yards but just couldn't get into a steady position. They headed towards the forest. There was a chance I could spot them crossing the sage if I drove to the base of the mountains east of them. I never made it there. I'd drove a couple miles when I came across fresh tracks from another herd crossing the road. I was surprised to find them in the glass immediately. They were bedded on a ridge a mile away where they could see every approach. I drove up the road out of their view and decided to hike towards them from the north. It took me awhile to get over there and they had moved. I found where they were bedded and started following their tracks. Glassing ahead I found them bedded on an open slope a mile ahead.They were in a good place for a stalk if the ridge I would have to shoot from was within my shooting range. As I reached the top of the ridge I had to crawl the last 40 yards to a fence where I would have to shoot from. I picked out a rock jack that forked on top and was the right height to shoot from. When I got there I ranged them with my Leupold 1000 at 331 yards. I checked my reticle card and waited about 5 minutes for my heart to slow down. I picked one out and heard the bullet strike. She leaped out of her bed and circled and went down in 8-10 seconds. I was really lucky in that she went down 25 yards off an old 2 track. After taking care of her I hiked back to the truck, unloaded the 4wheeler and drove on roads right to her. She was bigger that I thought. I don't think I could have packed a hind leg without breaking it down. Freezers are now full.
