Took this decent 5 pt on Saturday. Thankfully a very easy pack out, 600 yds down hill to the truck.
This is a wintering area so with weather they move down into it. Got a little snow up top so we planned our drive in from home for first light. Worked out great. A truck stopped along the access road flagged us down as we passed him, elk on the ridge just above the road. He had a deer tag only.
We made about a 200 yd stalk to find them on the ridge above us looking down. Set up along the cattle exclusion fence when they started moving off.The spouse cow called when I asked and the bull stopped and gave me a broadside shot. A hit but he wasn't down. Another cow call stopped him and the cows from leaving for another shot, missed at 320 yds.
He turned and went down into a small aspen motte. We moved up for a follow up and he busted out the other side and started uphill. A cow call again from the spouse stopped him for a broadside 209 yd shot. Down he went hard only to get up maybe 1 minute late as we celebrated. He made his 50 yd death run and piled up. We went back to the truck and got the game cart and pack frames for the pack out.
The guy from the truck made his way down the draw after we had pushed some deer his way, no bucks big enough to take. He offered help and watched the gutless quartering method, then offered to steer the cart downhill for the "pack" out, amazed at the ease the cart worked on the ridge. We each packed a front shoulder out while the rear quarters, straps , tenders and rack were on the cart. One trip, elk out to the truck by 10:30.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Eli, thanks for the help and hope you enjoy the elk tender!
This is a wintering area so with weather they move down into it. Got a little snow up top so we planned our drive in from home for first light. Worked out great. A truck stopped along the access road flagged us down as we passed him, elk on the ridge just above the road. He had a deer tag only.
We made about a 200 yd stalk to find them on the ridge above us looking down. Set up along the cattle exclusion fence when they started moving off.The spouse cow called when I asked and the bull stopped and gave me a broadside shot. A hit but he wasn't down. Another cow call stopped him and the cows from leaving for another shot, missed at 320 yds.
He turned and went down into a small aspen motte. We moved up for a follow up and he busted out the other side and started uphill. A cow call again from the spouse stopped him for a broadside 209 yd shot. Down he went hard only to get up maybe 1 minute late as we celebrated. He made his 50 yd death run and piled up. We went back to the truck and got the game cart and pack frames for the pack out.
The guy from the truck made his way down the draw after we had pushed some deer his way, no bucks big enough to take. He offered help and watched the gutless quartering method, then offered to steer the cart downhill for the "pack" out, amazed at the ease the cart worked on the ridge. We each packed a front shoulder out while the rear quarters, straps , tenders and rack were on the cart. One trip, elk out to the truck by 10:30.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Eli, thanks for the help and hope you enjoy the elk tender!
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