The drive up was a little dicy. The road was compact snow and ice. I felt the stock trailer slide sideways once before engaging the 4wd. Our camp site had about 4" of snow.
Saturday dawned foggy and rainy. We managed to spot 20 about 1.5 miles away.
Sunday morning I returned from trick or treating with the family just at daylight. I spotted ahead of 10 or so. Before I could get a look at all of them they ran in to the bush. I drove to the next trail and took after the elk. Somehow I manged to get ahead of them. I got a quick look at all eight of them. Two big bulls with six cow and calves. A few minutes later five cows and calves walked past me at 15 yards.
Monday I headed out a skid trail I had never hunted before. I sat on a point looking down in to two draws. Just as I was getting my pack back together I noticed elk down on my left. 12 cows and 2 big bulls. I lost intrest in watching them as I made my way back up the ridge. Before turning back onto the skid trail I turned to look back at the elk. They had been joined by 8 more cows and 2 bulls I couldn't believe it, 24 elk and no spikes. About a mile further down the trail I spotted a nice elk shed below the road. Across the draw. I made my way just above the shed and took off all my extra gear even my orange. Before I headed down I look back across the draw and there was another shed! I figure I'll grab it on my way back. I walk down to the shed with just my rifle and binos. I head back up the hill toward my gear. I stop to take a breath and look to the top of the draw. Here runs over the hill but 10 or so elk. Including 2 spikes. I set down the shed and took a shot. The elk mingle together not sure where to run. It takes a moment to sort out my spike but he just stood there while the others ran around. After too many more shots my spike was DEAD!!! I don't know if my rifle is off or the angle was so sharp I was shooting high. I head back to camp after gutting the elk to get help. We managed to drive the ATV'S right below the elk. A short 200 yard drag and the elk was on the old road. We cut the elk in half and loaded the front on my back rack. The hind end and matched sheds onto the game cart. That we tied it to my ATV. We got back to camp an hour after dark.
We managed to see elk on two more days and picked up one more shed.
WHAT A GREAT HUNT!!
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(Thanks to my wife for typing this out for me)
