- Details
- Category: Elk
- Published: Sunday, 16 September 2012 17:49
- Written by Greg
Opening day limited entry bull elk hunt, got my elk!
Ok, the title sounds a little more glamorous than the cow elk tag I had in my pocket and a little misleading...but still a fun hunt!
This particular elk hunt was supposed to be a family affair. And the fact that this cow elk hunt coincided with the opening of the limited entry bull elk hunt was to be a bonus. However, between football games and the youth waterfowl fair & registration, I would be going solo.
Opening morning was relatively quiet, meaning I only heard a couple of distant bugles and no gun shots. It wouldn't be until later in the hunt that I would see a few bulls with their cows, close enough to get a few pictures.
Finally at 9:15 a.m., I spotted the first elk of the day, a big 6x7 bull. He was opposite my position, up on a small sidehill just inside the edge of the timber. Even though I couldn't see any other elk I knew this big ol' herd bull wouldn't be alone. I eased down into the bottom of the ravine that separated us and made my way 150 yards toward his position. As I peered up over the small rise, there in the cover of the aspen trees was the bull just 50 yards in front of me; what a magnificent sight! The only problem, I had a cow tag.
After a couple of minutes of intense searching, I finally spotted a single cow about 80 yards further into the timber. No shot. I slowly inched a long, hoping to find a clear shooting lane through the quakies. Ten minutes had passed and still no shot. The cagey old cow knew something was awry, I caught glimpses of her moving to my right and then back to my left. Then it happened, she trotted into the open. Her posture showed that she was on high alert, her nose pointed up with nostrils flared. Through my scope I witnessed her antics when suddenly she stopped. The blast of my .340 Weatherby caused the forest to erupt with the thundering hooves from about 20 elk. It's crazy how an entire herd of elk seemed to have materialized out of thin air.
After a bit of work, I was back to camp with my elk and now had the next day and a half to enjoy bugling bulls!
