2013 Antlerless Elk Hunt

huntinaz · December 16, 2013, 02:31 PM

Another season has come and passed. We filled 6 of 8 tags in camp, should have probably filled all 8.

My brother and a friend killed a cow and calf the first morning. Here's my brother with his calf:

I filled my tag the first afternoon. I was hunting with my friend Ben that I met in school, this was his second year hunting and he's till learning the ropes. We had a little snow a few days before the hunt and it was patchy. It softened up during the day but after about 3pm it started to freeze again and was crunchy. We were hunting thick pinon/juniper and had hit some snow. We were crunching loudly, looking for a way out of the snow when I saw movement thru the trees I knew was either deer or elk. I got on my sticks and could see an elk facing me, eating in a small sage opening. It looked like a calf (small head), shot was about 80 yards (estimated). I aimed for center of the chest and fired. The elk and another ran away. Ben said the elk "lifted" up when I shot, and given that I was on sticks at 80 yards I was sure I'd find a dead elk shortly. We found one set of tracks and followed them ~150 yards without blood until they met up with another set. I followed those back to the clearing and they were smaller like a calf so I assumed that was the elk I shot. No blood at all, which was surprising. I was expecting to find a dead elk and a blood trail. I was thinking I must have missed and was feeling pretty crappy as there was no excuse for missing a shot like that. I could not remember the trigger break so I was thinking I jerked the shot. When Ben asked "what now?" I said we have to keep following the tracks just in case, because you have to make sure you missed. We went another 50 yards or so and my elk was piled up and dead. Didn't spill a drop of blood until it stumbled and fell, which makes sense since it was a front on shot that didn't exit. 30-06, Barnes 168gr TTSX did the trick. Didn't recover the bullet, must have come out in the gut pile. Turned out to be a HUGE bull calf. I was surprised to find what looked like a young but full sized cow down. Opened its legs to gut it and low and behold there was a twig with un-dropped berries. Small head, but BIG body for a calf. Biggest calf we've ever shot, or known was a calf anyway.

Day 2 my brother took my other friend Mike to the same spot he shot one the day before, a small hill in thick juniper/pinon country that has marginal views and elk travel thru there. If you are patient, elk are likely to pass by. Mike dropped this cow with his 7mm Mag,~100 yards.

Another guy in camp shot a big cow on Day 2 near where Mike killed his, probably out of the same heard. He shot and a few minutes later the elk came by Mike. No pics of that elk.

Day 3 I was "guiding" Ben. We saw elk several times that day, Ben ripped off a shot at some running elk and was a good learning experience of what shots not to take. We followed the tracks in the snow for a long time without blood or signs of the elk slowing down, I'm confident he missed. My dad shot an elk on day 3 but I don't have pics.

Day 4 was Ben's last day, we set up on a ridge that overlooks some good country and it is typically an area that elk move thru. Sure enough, a cow and calf came by at 200 yards. They did offer a shot but due to circumstances Ben did not take the shot. 200 yards was his maximum range with his iron sighted rifle and he was losing the bead on the elk. He did not want to make a bad shot so was really taking his time, however, elk don't tend to stand there all day and these did not and walked away. So it goes.

All in all, it was a good hunt. 6 of 8 tags filled, and we're eating good again this year. I'm smoking jalapeno lava-jack sausages today. Can't wait for next year!

AllenJ · December 16, 2013, 03:18 PM

Nice job and congratulations. The meat tree picture is really nice!

Kreyzhorse · December 16, 2013, 04:35 PM

Awesome. The pictures are fantastic addition too.

I live in Kentucky, largest elk herd east of the Mississippi, and apply every year for my elk tag. Never been drawn yet.... Makes me angry. Your pictures make me hungry and a wee bit envious.

Congrats on a great year.

buck460XVR · December 16, 2013, 05:14 PM

Looks like a successful hunt, not only by the meat on the table, but by memories made.

December 16, 2013, 02:31 PM	#1
huntinaz Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2010 Location: az Posts: 1,332	2013 Antlerless Elk Hunt Another season has come and passed. We filled 6 of 8 tags in camp, should have probably filled all 8. My brother and a friend killed a cow and calf the first morning. Here's my brother with his calf: I filled my tag the first afternoon. I was hunting with my friend Ben that I met in school, this was his second year hunting and he's till learning the ropes. We had a little snow a few days before the hunt and it was patchy. It softened up during the day but after about 3pm it started to freeze again and was crunchy. We were hunting thick pinon/juniper and had hit some snow. We were crunching loudly, looking for a way out of the snow when I saw movement thru the trees I knew was either deer or elk. I got on my sticks and could see an elk facing me, eating in a small sage opening. It looked like a calf (small head), shot was about 80 yards (estimated). I aimed for center of the chest and fired. The elk and another ran away. Ben said the elk "lifted" up when I shot, and given that I was on sticks at 80 yards I was sure I'd find a dead elk shortly. We found one set of tracks and followed them ~150 yards without blood until they met up with another set. I followed those back to the clearing and they were smaller like a calf so I assumed that was the elk I shot. No blood at all, which was surprising. I was expecting to find a dead elk and a blood trail. I was thinking I must have missed and was feeling pretty crappy as there was no excuse for missing a shot like that. I could not remember the trigger break so I was thinking I jerked the shot. When Ben asked "what now?" I said we have to keep following the tracks just in case, because you have to make sure you missed. We went another 50 yards or so and my elk was piled up and dead. Didn't spill a drop of blood until it stumbled and fell, which makes sense since it was a front on shot that didn't exit. 30-06, Barnes 168gr TTSX did the trick. Didn't recover the bullet, must have come out in the gut pile. Turned out to be a HUGE bull calf. I was surprised to find what looked like a young but full sized cow down. Opened its legs to gut it and low and behold there was a twig with un-dropped berries. Small head, but BIG body for a calf. Biggest calf we've ever shot, or known was a calf anyway. Day 2 my brother took my other friend Mike to the same spot he shot one the day before, a small hill in thick juniper/pinon country that has marginal views and elk travel thru there. If you are patient, elk are likely to pass by. Mike dropped this cow with his 7mm Mag,~100 yards. Another guy in camp shot a big cow on Day 2 near where Mike killed his, probably out of the same heard. He shot and a few minutes later the elk came by Mike. No pics of that elk. Day 3 I was "guiding" Ben. We saw elk several times that day, Ben ripped off a shot at some running elk and was a good learning experience of what shots not to take. We followed the tracks in the snow for a long time without blood or signs of the elk slowing down, I'm confident he missed. My dad shot an elk on day 3 but I don't have pics. Day 4 was Ben's last day, we set up on a ridge that overlooks some good country and it is typically an area that elk move thru. Sure enough, a cow and calf came by at 200 yards. They did offer a shot but due to circumstances Ben did not take the shot. 200 yards was his maximum range with his iron sighted rifle and he was losing the bead on the elk. He did not want to make a bad shot so was really taking his time, however, elk don't tend to stand there all day and these did not and walked away. So it goes. All in all, it was a good hunt. 6 of 8 tags filled, and we're eating good again this year. I'm smoking jalapeno lava-jack sausages today. Can't wait for next year! __________________ "When there’s lead in the air, there’s hope in the heart”- Hunter’s Proverb "Feed me, or feed me to something. I just want to be part of the food chain." -Al Bundy

December 16, 2013, 04:35 PM	#3
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Awesome. The pictures are fantastic addition too. I live in Kentucky, largest elk herd east of the Mississippi, and apply every year for my elk tag. Never been drawn yet.... Makes me angry. Your pictures make me hungry and a wee bit envious. Congrats on a great year. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

December 16, 2013, 03:18 PM	#2
AllenJ Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,766	Nice job and congratulations. The meat tree picture is really nice!

December 16, 2013, 05:14 PM	#4
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	Looks like a successful hunt, not only by the meat on the table, but by memories made.