My 2012 Elk-scapades

[recoil junky]

Not that it was really all that exciting, but here it is anyway.
 
So I had to take a couple days off this year to make it longer than just a three day affair and coming off graveyard shift didn't help so . .
 
 
On the morning of 6 Nov I set out mostly to scout my honey hole. I envisioned myself doing a bit of hiking down another finger ridge to peek into the neighbors where the elk were hiding but my right knee had other ideas so I just wen to my usual seating area and sat down.
 
In the dark. By myself.

 
With the temperatures in the high 50's the elk were simply not moving. What we need is some weather.
 
bzzzt bzzzt bzzt. Oh! I have a text, now who could that be a 06:00. AH! Hunterbug!!!
 
"We have an elk down, can we put it in your shed"
 
"Yes, the man door is lokt, go in the horse door."
 
"OK"
 
"Be quiet so t'missus dont shoot you LOL"
 
I continued glassing and as it started to lighten up in the east,
 

 
I could start to make out elk movement on the hillside to the west.
 
OH GOODY!!
 
I got to watch two cows, a calf and a spike go single file into the oakbrush to my left (south) and disappear. I heard no shots nor saw any other hunters about but I did get in a great nap.
 
bzzzt bzzzzt bzzzt
 
Oh, Hunterbug again, it's almost noon, boy that was a good nap!!
 
"elks all hung up thanks"
 
"no problem"
 
So I went home to take care of a few things and get a nap.
 
7 Nov:
 
Back into the honey hole this morning. I spotted the same elk this morning as they fed along through the oaks, this time a bit higher on the hillside. This should be interesting as they are going to cross right where my truck is parked. I wonder when they will spot it Oh what a funny sight!! They 'bout stepped on my truck!!!
 
Here's where they came from:
 

 
And here's what they saw:
 

 
I tell ya I was rolling on the ground!!
 
Well, that was good for a laugh but seriously if we don't get some weather there's no sense even going hunting in the morning.
 
08 Nov.
 
No critters, not even a chipmunk. I did a bit more hiking today even though my knee is howling. Last night it looked like a football.
 
09 Nov. Saw a few elk today. different ones but the herd is getting bigger.
 
10 Nov. Snowing!!! I'm staying in bed!!!
 
11 Nov. It's cleared off a bit and we got a good 3 inches of snow :kiss:
 

 
And a brisk SW wind at about mach 4!!! I'll have to hole up in the rocks this morning to stay out of the wind. Good thing I brought my blanket!!! The keekee birds are out big time!!
 
SHH! lookee down there!
 

 

 
Now that's what I'm talkin about!!! All in all there were 12 legal bulls and one slipped in and bedded down not 100 yards below me. He'd found himself a place out of the wind and was quite cozy. Would I shoot him there? Not on your life. The rest spread out in the oaks as far as 450 yards away with no worries. When another hunter came in from the SW all a couple old cows did was stand up and sniff then go back to grazing or bed down again. They knew they wer safe but had no idea I was there. Boy it's a miserable day, I can't feel my thumbs, I remember a few other days hunting like this. It wasn't fun then and it certainly isn't fun now!! I'm going back to the truck!!! Broncos play this afternoon anyway.
 
RJ

[JaDub]

450 yds....................    a chip shot ole boy !!     :grin:    
 
 
   You must have a full freezer or one of `em would be linning it .  
 
 
     Thanks for the details !  
 
                                             JaDub

[recoil junky]

I had offers from friends to use their 4 wheelers to get my elk out, but, well, it was REALLY cold and my hands were so stiff all I wanted to do was get WARM.
 
RJ

[22hornet]

450 yards and freezing cold? I'm sure in your younger days you would have taken a shot!

[Hunterbug]

I'm always thankful when someone's missus doesn't shoot me. :D I am also VERY thankful for a private place to hang my elk away from prying eyes. When you have 2 elk in camp and no one else has seen any that can make you a right popular person and I don't care for that kind of attention.
 
For the record, RJ, the inside of a freshly killed elk is a great place to warm your hands and I volunteered to help pack it out.

[recoil junky]

I had the 7mm Rem mag out this year. It was feeling bad after not being taken out for so long I felt sorry for it. With the 300RUM it would have been a different story.
 
I must be getting old because even though I saw plenty of legal bulls I just didnt feel like pulling the trigger on one this year. That and my honey hole is a real bear to get a critter out of.
 
Might be why I decded to take the 7mag. The thrill of the hunt is still there.
 
RJ

[gitano]

It was feeling bad after not being taken out for so long I felt sorry for it.

A sentiment that non-Hunters cannot fathom.

Paul