Our groups first Spike and its a big one!!!!! (with pics, more to come)

[206dawgfan]

What a hunt.

Me and 2 of my buddies started hunting 3 years ago.  Our first year has a totally you know what show.   Our Second year we were tripping over elk left and right but could never get our scope sights on a Spike.  This year we got one, and from what the old timers camped next to us said it was a big one. 

This year we chose a drainage up on Little Bald Mountain and hunted it from top to bottom.  We did not what to waste time driving from mountain to mountain looking for the best spot.  We just chose a road drove to the end and started walking.  We found some great spots and we really put some boot miles on the ground.  One day found us in 10 inch snow heading to the top of a mountain looking for elk.  I have never seen so much fresh track.  The snow only came in a day or 2 before we got there.  What a rush we could really feel them all around us.  But no luck that day just great pictures.

[elkrack]

I thought it was S.O.P to post pictures with a successful hunt . Good job stickin with it. Nothing beats being surrounded by elk

[206dawgfan]

The second day we tried to hunt below were we hunted the first day.  We put ourself in the middle of a thick forest trying to get to a pond with an clearing.  After about 4 miles through the woods we got to the clearing only to find a handful of hunters already there. :bash

The third day we struck gold.  We headed hunted in this low creek bed area last year and spooked many elk and felt this was a great spot since we felt the upper areas were over run with hunters.  We got out of the truck before dawn and begin walking we got to the end of a jeep trail and I chose to go down creek and told my buddy to go up creek.  My other buddy was about a mile down creek on the other side.  I sat for about 20 minutes as the sun began to come up.  I began to move down creek very slowly lurking through the woods.  All of sudden there was a gun shot that I heard down creek.  It felt very close.  I called my buddy that was lower on the creek on the radio.  It was not him.  Then my buddy that was up creek came on the radio.   All I heard was mumbles…

I then called him again he says “Elk Down !!!!!”

I then ran up creek to meet up with him. 

Once I got to him he was still in a days.  I said did you get him.  He goes “He came right at me”  I then asked where he was.  He could not make complete sentences yet.  The look on his face was pure adrenaline.  Being that this was his fist elk season and first elk I thought he may have missed or hit badly.  We began looking for tracks and blood.  The smell of elk was so strong in the woods.  I felt like a hound dog trying to locate that beast.  I then relized that I was about 1/4 mile up creek all jacked up my self.  I calmed my self down and moved back down to meet up with my buddy.  We stood there and began to tell me the story:

Time to put kids to bed I'll finish later

[Watimberghost]

Nice spike! As you mentioned earlier, you can get into elk all season and not see a spike. Congrats

[206dawgfan]

He said:

It was only about 10 minutes when we split up that he heard a stick pop and huff hit the ground.  He sat still for 10 or 15 minutes listening and waiting.  He began to move up the trail and slow as he could move.  He then saw 2 elk coming down the trail. He was only like 50 yards from them 
The first elk was a cow.  The cow lowered her head and could see the next elk was a spike or so he hoped.  He then then followed the antlers up to see at least 1 spike antler.  He took his rifle off safety brought to his shoulder and waited for the elk to make his move. 

The elk was facing him and he needed it to turn.  The elk then turned just enough away that he felt good about the shot.  And then bang.  Right in the shoulder.  The elk then bucked up and lurched forward.  My buddy thought the dang thing was going to come right at him. He then turned and began running through the woods and fell maybe 50 yards away. 

When we saw him on the ground I said a little thank you prayer and began the processing.   

All in all in was great.  We really worked hard these last 2 years and really feel blessed to get to harvest something this year.  We hunted hard the rest of the week and could not find them.  It was like that all took off.  Not sure what other peoples luck was like down there.  But we only saw 2 elk that week and one is in the freezer. 

Cant wait for next year. 

[206dawgfan]

I thought it was S.O.P to post pictures with a successful hunt . Good job stickin with it. Nothing beats being surrounded by elk

I was still trying to figure out how to post pics that were not turned sideways.

[pd]

Great story.  Congratulations to all 3 of you.  It is great to hunt with friends, isn't it?

[RB]

Right on way to get it done!

[muleyslayer]

Congratulations nice spike

[scoyoc5]

Congrats!

[runningboard]

good job!   

[Mark251]

Congratulations 

[X-Force]

Congrats

[PLAINSHUNTER]

Congrats!  How rewarding it must feel to finally make it happen with your buddies.

[Pete112288]

that does look like a pretty big bodied spike, awesome