I spent my Friday before the opener driving 3 1/2-4hr and scouting a very nice and large drainage that "Timbercutter" mentioned held promise, it was my second partial day scouting the GMU. I spoke with a couple of other loggers in the field and was provided some great information and knew “exactly” where I was going to start my day. I stalked spotted a small herd and found a couple of great vantage points to glass in the morning hours. The plan was set and I felt good about it.
Later that night I meet up with my helpers “D” and “J” both of whom had significant experience elk hunting, I was set. After a good steak dinner and couple of beverages we sat down for my overview of my plan. I reviewed my plan via Google Earth and some pictures and we agreed get up, have coffee and head to this area I had planned to hunt.
The coffee stop was a gas station where we spoke with more loggers before the shop opened and they made a suggestion. We took their suggestion before first light and spent some time listening and glassing when we could. We heard some cow calls and sounds of breaking brush, however, couple of pickups pulled in a pullout not hundred yards away and walked in that spur road. We talked about it and decided, so much for that area.
On our way to the location I scouted, I wanted to make a quick stop, there was a vantage point I wanted to check out not 5 minutes from the highway. The night before after scouting it was too dark for me to get a good feeling about the view point and I wanted to check it out. “J” said screw it let’s stick to your plan. I replied it will only take 5 minutes and I think it will be worth the time. After seeing the view we felt it look promising and started glassing. We were talking about moving on when “J” said “Elk, I got them”. Shortly thereafter we all saw the golden glow of elk glistening in the morning light from the hillside almost 2 miles away.
We surveyed the roads system (maps didn't cover this area) and created our plan to fill my first elk tag. We walked carefully up a gated road re-evaluating our approach at every vantage point. After approximately 3 miles we had our plan 95% detailed and made our push up the last hill. On our approach we scanned a draw and heard an elk walking through the brush. I couldn’t see what it was but “D” said horns and as much as we all enjoy viewing wildlife, I had a cow tag. We had a distinctive group of trees to reference for the final push. At the lower of two spur road “D” said, make your choice and “get her done”.
I was still about 2-300 yards away on a NE facing slope. The temps were slowly rising and the breeze was beginning to swirl. My choice became take the upper road and try to come down from the top. I slowly worked my way to the end of road and began to question my choice. The reprod was 8-10 tall although spaced well enough there was a tremendous amount of slash cracking under every step.
What I did not know is we thought there were 8-10 animals the number was closer to 20. I bumped something and they “took off” a couple like a thunderous herd. However, I stood my ground and had a 5 minute at 20 yard statue contest with one the herd. I couldn’t make out gender, only neck and some body hide. After the 5 minutes, I slowly checked out the area and elk had all left the small draw where some of them had been bedded and the others were feeding. They had been pushed and feared this stalk was over. I was confident they weren’t pushed hard but none the less pushed.
Working my way over the bump I began scanning the hillsides. Much to my surprise, I found them again about 3-400yrd from their original position. As much as I tried I could not get in position to take a shot of less than 200yds. Between being new to Muzzy and not having confidence in the kinetic energy of 110gr of T7 FFF pushing 275gr Bloodline at 200yds. I took a risk and backed out to the hillside where I found “J” and “D” watching the second half. They confirmed my new plan and watched from a landing. My path took me two landing roads southeast in order to get a good vantage point and position. What I didn’t know the herd had split into two. While walking down a steep hillside I was being cautious as the wind was swirling. When I saw a bull ambling down a parallel trail 200 yds in front of me. We were both exposed so I sat down and waited for him to clear from view and hoped the wind didn’t give me away. He was on the left side of a knoll and I was on the right, with the wind moving from right to left.
I tried to move closer to the left doing the hunched over duck behind cover walk. After advancing through a fair amount of slash this way I took a look up and saw an elk looking in my direction. I slowly ducked and moved behind some stumps. Now the right to left breeze became an increasing concern. Slowly backing out again, being conscience of the wind I worked my way back about 75- 100yds through the slash and then began working my way forward on the opposite side of the knoll. After about 15 minutes I reached an area near the edge of the knoll and found a large log to station behind. I saw 3 bulls and 5 or 6 cows and yearlings feeding, one of the bulls was looking in my direction but the others were feeding, this gave me a high level of confidence and the wind was quartering right to left between us. I had a great 50yrd shot on the largest 5x5, downhill about 50ft in elevation and slightly quartering away. However, I had a cow tag! I waited 5 or 10 minute until I had a good clear shot on the cow I selected. My herd was settled and it was up to me to “get it done”. My shot was downhill about 100yds, with a 75ft drop in elevation. I placed my slight right in the boiler room and squeezed the trigger, the smoke cleared and there was no sign of hitting her. I quite sure I shot over her back. The entire herd jumped and alerted, but remained right where they had been feeding. I reloaded quickly behind the log, repositioned slightly and squeezed the trigger again. This time she dropped like box of rocks, her legs immediately folded.
I radioed the guys “she is down” it took them approx. 15-20 minutes to work their way to my location. We found out we got luck I dropped her 20yds from a road. We proceeded to get her into a position to quarter, bag and haul out. The guys proceeded to teach me the gutless method and I learned a lot. I hit her in the neck which is why she dropped the way she did.
After quartering and bagging “D” said he thought he found a quicker way out to the main road. This ended up becoming an adventure, the road didn’t go where we hoped and necessitated some fairly nasty brush busting. The walk in took about an hour to hour half, the loaded walk out took 4-4 ½. After hitchhiking a ride to the truck we made the decision to come back in the am. We went to town, booked a room, had a good meal and got a great night sleep. The next day another friend drove the 3 ½ hrs to help. We walked in and loaded up the remaining two quarters and bugged out in about a 1 ½ - 2 hrs.
All in all this was a great hunt, I had lots of help from people here and more important my personal pack mules and “guides". I learned a lot here which I think help me make decision in my approach, stalk, and ultimately shooting my first big game animal.
