Post by: h20hunter on November 11, 2021, 12:01:51 PM
So.....update time now that I'm home and settled in. Pretty interesting experience. This was a meat hunt/harvest depending on what you want to call it. We set up a hunt with Rocky Mountain Elk Ranch in Idaho. They are a elk/bison high fence operation that is family owned and operated. The plan was to set up trip for myself, my dad, bro in law, and his dad. Due to medical issues my dad couldn't make it on the trip. I was to shoot a cow elk, dad a buff.
The ranch is pretty sweet....an amazing amount of property and 1200 acres, fenced or not is a lot of ground.
Elk, the elk on this trip really were like shooting fish in a barrel. Not very exciting....went out the first morning, headed to the alfalfa food plot, got on the group and we blasted two cows. I shot my 7mm, double lung, 180 gr berger blew a 4 inch hole out the other side. Brother in laws dad shot his 6.5 creed with Hornady eld(x)….I forget. Shot was right in the armpit and bullet performed perfectly, she dropped where she stood. Trailers were retrieved, elk were loaded and we went to the gutting area and got them cleaned up and hanging. Morning hunt done.
Buff. These were fun. The snow had begun while having lunch and was coming down at a 45 degree angle. This really helped. There were only two meat buffs left and were known to travel together. They were very skittish and we were told shots would have to come quick once we found them. Cagey buggers eluded us for over an hour even after we found their tracks. bumped them twice but my first shot chance they didn't hold, just turned an high tailed out of there. We were working as a pair and finally pushed them up and out of the draw. Brother law was shooting his 7mm and made a great 75 yard shot right in the heart. My guide and I heard/saw the shot and in only about 2 seconds buff one was down. I was on foot at this point and buff no 2 took a few steps and turned away from his downed buddy. Asked for range, 200 yards, I flicked off the safety on dads 270 and sent it. 130gr nosler partition, went in just above the heart. Buff did the mule kick, came completely off the ground, ran 20 yards, turned, fell over stone dead. Total time for both shots, one from each of us, less than 15 seconds. Happened fast. They were a lot of fun and overall fairly challenging.....the elk hunt lasted about 30 minutes.....it took us over 2 hours to get the shots on the buffs.
Overall, a great experience other than the fact that pops had to stay home. The family was great, good food, and did I mention we got to shoot steel from the front porch? Yep, they have gongs from 100 yards to 1400. Fog prevented longer shots but we did get to hit the 850 yard gong.
If you are looking for a buff hunt I would definitely recommend them. If looking for a quick way to make some meat or provide a hunt experience with the controlled type of hunt they offer I would say go for it.
Pics to follow.
Post by: BD1 on November 11, 2021, 12:04:08 PM
Post by: Dan-o on November 11, 2021, 12:14:25 PM
Best friends don't let best friends hunt bison without their best friend.
Post by: 7mmfan on November 11, 2021, 12:18:10 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on November 11, 2021, 12:26:53 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on November 11, 2021, 12:39:38 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on November 11, 2021, 12:41:05 PM
Post by: Bob33 on November 11, 2021, 01:03:23 PM
Post by: h20hunter on November 11, 2021, 03:50:12 PM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on November 11, 2021, 03:55:41 PM
Post by: h20hunter on November 15, 2021, 09:13:06 AM
Post by: ctwiggs1 on November 15, 2021, 10:40:20 AM
Congrats man, looks like a fantastic time.
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on November 15, 2021, 12:20:17 PM
Post by: Stein on November 15, 2021, 12:23:49 PM
Post by: h20hunter on November 15, 2021, 12:31:39 PM
Good work! Did you get the live weights of the animals before processing started?
They figured my buff about 425 450.....other one a bit bigger. Cow elk was a pretty standard healthy cow.
Post by: 92xj on November 15, 2021, 01:02:23 PM
Post by: BD1 on November 15, 2021, 01:08:22 PM
Post by: h20hunter on November 15, 2021, 02:33:56 PM
Which is what on the meat hanging photo?
I believe elk, buff, elk buff.
Post by: jason stevens on November 17, 2021, 01:36:30 PM