Wyoming elk II

BuzzH

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2001
Messages
17,323
Location
Laramie, WY
Decided yesterday to make a trip over to my hunting area and try to find a cow for my type 6 tag. With the recent storm, I figured if I could get to my usual spot, the elk would be there.

I pulled out of my driveway at 12:54 pm, planning on spending the night and hunting the next morning. But, I got there with about an hour to hunt so decided to look around.

I soon found that there was no getting into my usual spot...wayyy too much snow. I stopped on the highway in a likely looking area and in the very first spot I put my binoculars on, there is 15-20 elk.

I put my boots on, grabbed up my rifle and headed their way. Before I could get to those elk, I spotted another dozen or so about half the distance from the highway as the ones I glassed first. I edged down to 490 yards and if not for the brush, I know I could have easily made the shot. But, with all the aspens, chokecherry, etc. in the way, I decided to close the distance...plus I like to get closer when possible anyway. The wind wasnt good, but it was swirling enough that the elk werent getting my scent.

I closed about 100 yards, but as I dropped toward the elk, the brush got worse. So I just kept moving downhill until I got to 211 yards. I ranged the elk, picked a nice smaller cow, leaned up against a tree and touched the trigger. The shot felt good...and I heard the familiar smack of the bullet. The cow jogged about 30 yards and that was it. The 160 grain accu-bond worked perfectly...finally starting to trust them.

I quickly snapped a few pictures with light fading fast. I checked my gps, found I was only .4 miles from the truck. I broke the elk down and had the quarters to the truck by 8:45 pm. Drove home and was back just after 11:00 p.m. Thats it for elk in Wyoming this year for me, a 1.5 year old cow. Good way to end the elk season, saw over 150 elk, a dozen or so good mule deer, including an absolute toad, trash everywhere...200+ B&C all day long...all on public land.

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Another look, that rifle flat makes it wayyyy too easy, almost aint fair...almost:

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Congrats on another critter, any idea what the career tally is on that rifle?
 
Congrats, Buzz. When I get there tomorrow, I would give the proverbial left one, if the elk were only .4 miles from where I park. Something tells me they won't be cooperating to that level.

Been a great season for you. Will be topped off with your final Alaska adventure, which will probably be the best one of all.
 
Acutally, if I keep half of this elk, I'll finally have ONE in the freezer.

I gave half my Wyoming bull to my hunting buddy and 3/4 of my Montana bull to my Dads good friend who helped out on that hunt.

Half of this cow will go to one of the older guys I hunt with and share camp with in Wyoming...he had very limited time to hunt this year as he's dealing with his Brothers failing health.
 
Shoots-straight,

You'd laugh if you came down here to hunt elk...

Any good Montana elk hunter would find this down here an absolute piece of cake. The elk are actually kind of a pain in the ass, especially during deer season...cant get away from them anywhere I go.
 
Shoots-straight,

You'd laugh if you came down here to hunt elk...

Any good Montana elk hunter would find this down here an absolute piece of cake. The elk are actually kind of a pain in the ass, especially during deer season...cant get away from them anywhere I go.

I just might be down there in the not so distant future. Deep snows, in Nov, and hunting elk just turn me on (50 now so that's about it for me). Tjones is up in one of our old haunts this AM. Usually on a day like today there would be a 100 or so elk moving through. He saw one track.

I wouldn't laugh, I would have the Grinch grin.:D That's the way hunting should be. This BS that got our elk herds reduced to what they are is having a huge impact across the state, and people aren't happy. I think it's going to start hitting MTFW&P's in the pocket book. Lets tag sales, and applications are just the beginning.
 
I have a cow tag that starts today; you have given me at least a little inspiration to go out Saturday, if only to get rid of a deer competing elk, off the winter grounds.
 
Congrats on the elk!

I wish I would've known of ANY spots to go when I lived in laramie. I ended up traveling all the way to the western part of the state to hunt elk just because of lack of knowledge and time to get up and learn a new area myself.
 
Congrats on a nice cow Buzz. Is that the 7mm you rebuilt earlier this year? If so it looks like it served you well, congrats on a awesome season!!!!!
 
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