After a good half day of climbing, my hunting buddy and I decided it was time to turn around and hunt back towards camp. We decided to split a ridge and hunt slow to cover the most ground possible. About a half mile from camp I took a seat on a log to rest and to ponder the lack of elk sign I had been seeing at the particular elevation. After ten minutes I gathered my wits and gear about me and headed back down the ridge. I took no more than 10 steps and I saw movement. It's an elk! in my head I'm screaming "holy S!! it's and elk!!!!". I couldn't see his head so I walked a quick few paces and put the scope on him. HORNS!!!!! At this point my heart is racing like a lab rat. I counted three points on a side, moved the crosshairs to his shoulder and let the bullet fly. Soon as I pulled the trigger the woods erupted with elk! There were probably ten other animals with him, I didn't pay attention if there were more bulls or not, I was fixated on mine. I knew I hit him pretty decent, he turned and hobbled over the ridge. Excitement got the best of me, I had to take a knee and settle down. Now I was talking aloud for no one but the woods to hear "Holy S!! I just shot an ELK!!". I walked the 100 yards down to where he stood and looked for blood, I didn't find any so I trekked in the general direction he headed. 70 yards down the hills side there he laid. When I got there I couldn't believe how big the animal was!
Shortly after getting to him I started dressing him out. My buddy followed the reports to my location and let me tell ya, I've never been so glad to see him! We got him dressed, skinned and quartered in a few hours. We hung three quarters in a tree and packed one out, went up the next day to get the rest. Tired and dirty we drove home with no feeling of defeat from past years. My first elk Nov 6, 2010!
