We both missed opening day on Monday - to many other irons in the fire. But, I really was not to worried about it as we have been scouting an area for several days prior to the season opener.
So Tuesday we headed out to opening day hunt... and to make matters worse I was late, so we got to the hunt a bit late, it was already past shooting light. We had devised a plan in that Larry would hunt the east side of the property and I would work the west side. I knew the elk would be on the east side but Larry explained to me that he should hunt on the east if I felt that is where the elk would be because it would be more monetarily expedient! Explanation... Larry had used his $30 dollar Idaho elk tag on a guided hunt in the Salmon River area. It was suppose to be a 5 day hunt but Larry popped a 5x5 on the first morning out. Stayed the night and drove home the next day... So now to be able to hunt during our regular ML hunt he had to buy a left-over Out of State tag at $400+. So in Larry's mind, and he is a math teacher - we should fill his $400 tag before my $30 tag. :roll:
This is the pic of his Salmon River Elk...
So with the plan in mind... I sent him east and I went West... At about 8.10 in the morning I heard him shoot - it had to be his deep throated 54 Hawken. So I waited in spot to find out the results. While waiting... 3 more shots rang out from below me and to the east. Larry is an excellent shot so now I really was confused...
I headed cross country to the east to catch up with Larry really was not seeing any sign at all. We had a fresh powder snow and it was right around 9* - the walk would do me good. Crossed my ridge and up on top of the next - then 30 yards over the other side stood two cows... easy shots but I passed they would be a bear to get out and I was sure Larry had one down. Crossed that ridge and climbing up the finally one there stand a calf - no more than 20' from me. We had a stare down for several minutes. I even raised my rifle twice - sighted in and quietly said boom! - twice - still she stood there... Finally I need to get on my way so I hissed at her - that turned her around and she headed down the draw away from me.
Got over to the west side fence gave Larry a cow call which he answered so I head towards his call. When I met him he said he had blood but could not really follow track, for some reason he does not see red very well at all. I suggested he show me where the blood was and I would track it.... But then I looked around and there were fresh elk track everywhere and I mean everywhere. I said holy cow how many did you see? he said 20+ but I only shot at one... 4 times. Now this is the hard part to follow... He took 4 shots at the same animal standing and reloading in the same spot for each shot. None of the animals seemed to care they just stood there looking around even the cow that he shot stood there. None of them could identify him. He was sure his second shot connected and he was positive that the 4th shot did... Power Belts - I hate them... he was shooting 60 yards with 110 grains of T7-3F... Will come back to the shots later...
Approximately 1 mile later - with the animal bleeding the entire distance it finally collapsed. The worst part I can not blame it all on the Power Belts. It appears the fourth shot hit low on the brisket, penetrated into the chest cavity and just must have blown up right after getting through the bone. the second shot which should have been the knock down hit the cow right in the elbow of the right from leg. It mushroomed - actually it pancaked and stay right in the elbow. The bones were broken but had no really effect on the mobility of the animal.
I tracked her for a long time and as we were coming up the second ridge there she was looking at us. Larry tried to get a shot in but to much garbage in the way. We walked to where we saw here and she had laid down an was bleeding really well. We went another 100 yards or so again and she had laid down again... At this point I suggested we go down to the truck and have lunch - let her lay down and stove up... I hate using archer tactics on a rifle shot animal but sometimes...
We returned to the trail about an hour later tracked her another 1/2 mile and then laying in a draw just above the pasture... WA-LA there she lay...
She is now stored in the garage ready for processing...
So as it turns out Larry hunted elk two days and scored two elk!!
All of this and it still was fun...
