My Daughter's First Elk

[bobcat]

My daughter got her first elk this evening around 6:45 PM. I'm so proud of her, she made two perfect shots with her Savage Axis 7mm-08 and 120 grain Barnes TTSX bullets. First shot was 215 yards, second shot was 260.

My daughter passed her  hunter education course a year ago at 11 years old but she wasn't quite ready to hunt yet. This year she said she wanted to hunt so I put her in for about every special permit category that exists. I expected she'd draw a youth deer permit but no luck there, but she did draw a youth antlerless elk permit.

We spent a lot of time out shooting the new 7/08 that I bought her for Christmas, and today was the very first day that she hunted elk. We got set up in our pop up blind at 3:30 PM and at 5:50 the first two elk showed up at the edge of the field. We watched them for 25 minutes before three more elk came out to feed. Ten more minutes and 20+ elk came rushing out, in a hurry to eat some of that nice green grass.

They were a little further out than she wanted to shoot at a little over 300 yards. So we were just enjoying the show, especially the nice group of bulls, one of which was a very good bull for the area. Then something spooked them, and they ran a little closer to us. They were now all bunched up so still not offering a good shot. But they calmed down and spread out a bit and most went back to feeding.

I picked up the rangefinder again and was surprised that there were a few just barely over 200 yards. I told my daughter you should get ready to shoot. She got her rifle up on the shooting sticks, but at first all the elk that offered a good broadside shot were bulls. Finally a nice cow got all by herself and was broadside at about 215 yards. I just barely got the words out of my mouth, "do you want to take her," and boom!

I saw the elk flinch a bit at the shot, through my binoculars, so I knew she was hit. She ran maybe 30 yards and stopped. I could see a spot of blood on her shoulder, and we just watched for a minute thinking she would go down, but she didn't, and then a bull came over and mounted her and I thought with him on top of her she would fall over, but still she didn't. That bull gives up so another bull decided he'd try too! He finally got off and at that point I told my daughter you need to shoot again. Took her only about two seconds and boom! Elk runs in a small circle, slows down and we watch her tip over, and I see all four legs go straight up in the air.

After a few photos, walked over to the farmer's house to see about getting permission to drive into the field. He said that was fine so drove right up to her and after a couple hours had her quartered up and loaded in the truck. So glad we get to sleep in tomorrow!

I'm amazed how well my daughter did, as this was seriously the very first time she ever went hunting, period. She has not hunted grouse, rabbits, deer, nothing. Until today, and only about three hours into her very first hunt ever, she has an elk down. Funniest thing is the first thing she said when we walked up on the deed elk was "I want to get the head mounted."   

[elkrack]

Great job to the little huntress and great job to dad!

[JWEBB]

That is so cool! Congrats!

[adamR]

  awesome!

[grundy53]

Congratulations! I bet she's excited.

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[X-Force]

Congratulations to you and her!

[bearpaw]

awesome 

[Highhuntin]

Very cool! Congrats

[TVHunts]

Awesome!  She looks like a happy girl!

[bornhunter]

Great job! And will be a great memory for both of you.

[DeerThug]

Excellent story!  Nice looking cow and good shooting.  Did the tag justice for sure.

[Curly]

 

[ctwiggs1]

Awesome!  That’s the first elk I’ve read about this year and I bet it stays the best thread all year!

[Fl0und3rz]

Awesome!  And hilarious story.  Congratulations to the hunter and proud papa.

[C-Money]

Congrats to your Daughter!! Great story!