We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
10-08-2002, 07:01 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Highlands Out there! Canada
Posts: 100
We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
This is my first year hunting elk around the rut. Well, after severally weeks of hunting, we finally found the herd! We thought that we'd missed them, because the rut is usually strongest here, during the last two weeks of Sept. and we never heard a single bugle. My neigbour heard his first bugle and downed one in yesterday morning...I was out that night and finally got a response...yeeeaaah! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
We headed out this morning back to the drainage...around 5:30am I let out a cow chirp in case they were close, and I nearly fell over when a bull immediately bugled 100 yards up the clearcut above us!! The hunt was ON... we silently made our way up the edge of the cut as they continued to bugle...we could just see as we topped the rise, but they had moved into the forest on the far edge...with my partners on a rise in the middle of the cut, I started bugling from the edge...10 min. later a silouette appeared and was coming fast...it was a horney little raghorn...he stomped up to within 30 yards of them as I tried to divert him with cow calls...he was in LOOOVE and wouldn't leave us alone...after about 10 min. he left, only to return when I started bugling...the big bulls were going nuts in the background, but we couldnt get around this little sh*t without spooking him... (made for some funny video though!)
He finally left us, when the herd started moving up the mountain towards their bedroom...we followed for two hours, exchanging bugles all the way, but never saw hair again...they headed up to a ridge for the day... Our adrenaline was pounding for 3 hours straight...knowing they were only 1-200 yards away and we may get a shot any minute...<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> I'm addicted already! We'll be back out tonight...
What would you do about lil RAGHORN-EY???
Edited by - mt^boy on 10/09/2002 11:01:20
Edited by - mt^boy on 10/09/2002 12:54:27
We headed out this morning back to the drainage...around 5:30am I let out a cow chirp in case they were close, and I nearly fell over when a bull immediately bugled 100 yards up the clearcut above us!! The hunt was ON... we silently made our way up the edge of the cut as they continued to bugle...we could just see as we topped the rise, but they had moved into the forest on the far edge...with my partners on a rise in the middle of the cut, I started bugling from the edge...10 min. later a silouette appeared and was coming fast...it was a horney little raghorn...he stomped up to within 30 yards of them as I tried to divert him with cow calls...he was in LOOOVE and wouldn't leave us alone...after about 10 min. he left, only to return when I started bugling...the big bulls were going nuts in the background, but we couldnt get around this little sh*t without spooking him... (made for some funny video though!)
He finally left us, when the herd started moving up the mountain towards their bedroom...we followed for two hours, exchanging bugles all the way, but never saw hair again...they headed up to a ridge for the day... Our adrenaline was pounding for 3 hours straight...knowing they were only 1-200 yards away and we may get a shot any minute...<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> I'm addicted already! We'll be back out tonight...
What would you do about lil RAGHORN-EY???
Edited by - mt^boy on 10/09/2002 11:01:20
Edited by - mt^boy on 10/09/2002 12:54:27
10-09-2002, 11:17 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Highlands Out there! Canada
Posts: 100
RE: We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
Well, we headed back out last night and picked up where we left them, but they were gone out of the valley. We figured we they went down the back of the ridge to another drainage that we'd scouted. We hiked out and drove around in the dark to see if they were there. In mid-valley we finally got a response...
After a sleepless night, we heard a faint response in the back of the canyon...we cirlced around to the far clearcut just as legal light was breaking...my first bugle got an immediate response only 200 yards away!!! We were psyched and the hunt was ON!.. I chirped a few cow calls as we approached the clearing they were in...they were worked up, bugling and coming in...we quickly got into cover on the edge of the cut, dropped our packs and set up... as Sr. stalked up the edge towards a crest where he could hopefully see into the canyon, Eagle-Eye spotted the herd on the far ridge, about half a mile away... whew, Raghorney was with the cows and there was a 5x5 as well...
Eagle-Eye stayed back on in the corner of the cut as our 65 year old father in law disappeared up the ridge... we chirped an' bugled for about half an hour... the cows were squalking back from the ridge and the bulls were screaming, but holding their ground... suddenly there a deep bellow broke the silence followed by the tell-tale chuckle of a herd bull...he was right there... the legendary 7x8 that ended every conversation with hunters in the area...
I screamed with a chuckle back and they went nuts, tearing up the place...we couldn't take it any longer and just started up to the crest for a peek, when a CRAAAACK echoed through the valley...followed by another CRAAAACK...Yeaaaah!! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>!!! hi-5's as we sprinted up to the crest...Sr. let out a yelp and we knew he got one!! There he was standing over the biggest thing I've seen on the ground, with polished ivories sticking through the bush...<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>
He was on the crest debating about how to close the 400 yard gap to the the BIG Boy, heading up to the herd across the valley, when the satellite bull appeared 50 yards up the ridge...3 weeks and 3 intense days on their trail...he passed on the hail mary... and took a safe shot at an awesome animal. I don't know if I'd have had the restraint and patience he had, but I respect him for it...he left Legend...for us...next year!
That was my first hunt with the family and I was even more excited for him than when I shot my bucks this year!! I was thrilled to have been part of a great hunt.
After a sleepless night, we heard a faint response in the back of the canyon...we cirlced around to the far clearcut just as legal light was breaking...my first bugle got an immediate response only 200 yards away!!! We were psyched and the hunt was ON!.. I chirped a few cow calls as we approached the clearing they were in...they were worked up, bugling and coming in...we quickly got into cover on the edge of the cut, dropped our packs and set up... as Sr. stalked up the edge towards a crest where he could hopefully see into the canyon, Eagle-Eye spotted the herd on the far ridge, about half a mile away... whew, Raghorney was with the cows and there was a 5x5 as well...
Eagle-Eye stayed back on in the corner of the cut as our 65 year old father in law disappeared up the ridge... we chirped an' bugled for about half an hour... the cows were squalking back from the ridge and the bulls were screaming, but holding their ground... suddenly there a deep bellow broke the silence followed by the tell-tale chuckle of a herd bull...he was right there... the legendary 7x8 that ended every conversation with hunters in the area...
I screamed with a chuckle back and they went nuts, tearing up the place...we couldn't take it any longer and just started up to the crest for a peek, when a CRAAAACK echoed through the valley...followed by another CRAAAACK...Yeaaaah!! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>!!! hi-5's as we sprinted up to the crest...Sr. let out a yelp and we knew he got one!! There he was standing over the biggest thing I've seen on the ground, with polished ivories sticking through the bush...<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>
He was on the crest debating about how to close the 400 yard gap to the the BIG Boy, heading up to the herd across the valley, when the satellite bull appeared 50 yards up the ridge...3 weeks and 3 intense days on their trail...he passed on the hail mary... and took a safe shot at an awesome animal. I don't know if I'd have had the restraint and patience he had, but I respect him for it...he left Legend...for us...next year!
That was my first hunt with the family and I was even more excited for him than when I shot my bucks this year!! I was thrilled to have been part of a great hunt.
10-09-2002, 11:34 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Highlands Out there! Canada
Posts: 100
RE: We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
Here's the team photo...
and a few more pic's... http://community.webshots.com/user/mtboys
Cheers,
Mt^Boy
and a few more pic's... http://community.webshots.com/user/mtboys
Cheers,
Mt^Boy
10-09-2002, 06:42 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Scottsdale Arizona USA
Posts: 527
RE: We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
HIGH FIVE!!! I am heading up to 9000 feet with my bow tomorrow for a week of hunting. Only have a spike bull or cow tag. Talked to locals today and they couldn't sleep last night 'cause of the bulls screamin'. Was 20 degrees at six this morning so the cold must have put them over the edge. Tell the old coot he done good(I'm an old coot too)<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
12-06-2002, 05:57 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Highlands Out there! Canada
Posts: 100
RE: We finally got ELK... >>>Pics
EKM - here's the long version... sorry, I thought you said that you were guiding...congrats on your hard-won elk with your kids....got any pics? <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>