Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

[RedDirtRifleman]

I drew a cow tag for this once in a lifetime hunt in southwestern Oklahoma. It is two and a half days (Dec 17-19) of hunting, preceded by one day of orientation and scouting. You are expected to leave the refuge at sundown each day, so it is really two and half separate day hunts.

I have never gone elk hunting, nor have I ever hunted in this kind of terrain. I'm used to hunting whitetail in eastern Oklahoma; dense woods, steep hills, the occasional rocky cliff, all staying within a couple miles of camp. To my understanding, WMWR is supposed to be rolling plains and rocky/bouldery hills, and way bigger.

So, what gear should I be looking at?

My winter gear needs a general upgrade, especially for layering options and/or weight savings. I have decent high cut waterproof boots. I've got my Savage .270 ready to go. I've got a few options of monoculars and binoculars for scouting/glassing.

I have nothing in the way of a hunting/hiking pack, only typical urban/school backpacks.

So, I welcome any advice you've got, and I'm happy to answer questions about stuff I have or to help you give me better answers.

 

[Buttermilk]

I'm envious...

Congrats on the draw. I've acquired 19 preference points now myself...

I can't offer much in the way of how to hunt them (I've only been to the refuge a couple times for sight seeing).

Terrain looks rugged. Probably need some real good footwear, as it's quite rocky, and I'd describe the area as "small mountains" instead of "rolling hills".

You'll be limited to 5 shells per day, probably a good pack for packing in what you might need for the day and also likely need to bring what ever you want for food for each day as well. The pack might be needed for packing an animal out as well (I know of some who got assistance from the hunt personnel in getting one out, but that might not be the norm). From what little I know, the advice given to you by those assisting with the hunt is well worth listening to.

There's even some youtube videos on that exact place as well, plus the Wildlife Department also has at least one video out on the WMNR elk hunt too. It's worth watching.

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

"Small mountains" vs "rolling hills" is definitely worth noting, and since I've only seen the place on google I will definitely heed the warning. Thanks for the tip on the videos as well.

Based on the information sheet, hunt guides/staff will help pack a carcass into a truck and to the check station, but only if I can get the carcass to the road by myself, or with the assistance of other hunters or one guest helper.

I think I'll make a day trip down there this summer and test out my boots while sight seeing some.

 

[Frog4aday]

The Wichita Mountains are beautiful and they are mountains, but not in the Rocky Mountain sense of the word, but you will be climbing and the terrain is rocky, but more the 'rounded' rocks vs. the sharp granite you might find further west (NM, CO, WY, UT, etc.) The good news is all the roads are low, so any elk pulling will be on level ground or downhill from where you shoot it (generally speaking.) Get a Deer Sleigh'R (magnum version) to help you get the elk to a point someone will help you with it. (Gutting it first gets rid of a lot of weight.)

The mountains are right by the city of Lawton, so you have lots of hotels and places to eat and gas up. There is even a restaurant in the 'park' (buffalo burgers!) so you can get to food easily without having to go too far. It will be an 'easy' hunt compared to the mountains of CO/NM-type terrain. You'll see what I mean when you get down there to scout it out a bit.

Get some WIND-BLOCKING clothes. When the cold weather comes through there, it is like the wind just 'cuts' through you. Stop the wind and you stay so much warmer.

I'm happy for you. I saw elk nearly every time I went there with friends and family, so your odds of bringing one home is good. As for backpacks, consider:

1) Kuiu Ultra; light; strong; quality (expensive!)
2) Mystery Ranch Metcalf (I like the webbing straps for keeping the "deer sleigh'r" attached)
3) Badlands 2200 pack; I like this one because you can get it in BLAZE ORANGE (and you know OK is serious about that crap) and it is more reasonably priced. It has a 'shelf' I like, too. Really this would be the one I could afford/buy AND the blaze orange helps you meet the 'so-many-square-inches-of-orange-must-be-showing' requirements.

 

[Elkeater]

Never hunted OK but for elk hunting you need several key items.

Good boots! Sounds like you got this covered.

Layers. Kuiu, Sitka, Cabela's/basspro, first lite, etc. all offer good layering systems. Chances are you will be both on the move and sitting for hours in the same day.

Good binos. 10x40s work for me and I like my 15x50 vipers on a tripod. Good pack

Good pack. Needs to be comfortable and capable of carrying 50-100 lbs. I'd suggest alps outdoorz, kuiu, mystery ranch, badlands.

And that .270 will work just fine. Just use a good heavy (accubond, Barnes, Hammer, a frame etc.) 140gr+ bullet.

Then learn the gutless method. In rough terrain you are not going to like trying to drag even a cow elk more than 50'. Just skin it and break it down and haul it out in pieces. I use a havalon knife these days.

Congrats on drawing a fun hunt!!!

 

[Buttermilk]

Medicine Park is close by. Worth staying at too.

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

So, since I now have a start for what gear to be looking for, what should I know about hunting cows in December?

 

[slas]

Did that same hunt a few years ago. It was an awesome experience and I loved the area. Had perfect weather, a bit warm for the time of year, but great memories. I ended up buying more "stuff" than I actually needed, dead sled, spotting scope, etc. Here's my take on what was important to me.

Boots first. I screwed up and bought some new ones and didn't have them broke in enough and had blisters the second day after hiking up and down mountains (small) all day long. I had hiked (trying to get into shape) in them for a few weeks before the hunt but not to the degree I did there. My hiking was very minimal the second day, of course, so mostly hunkered down and waited at crossings.

Be sure to keep your allocated 5 bullets somewhere other that a butt stock holder. I ended up losing several while going through heavy brush and didn't realize it until an hour later.

Decent Binoculars. I enjoyed watching much of the wildlife even if I was unable to get to it most times.

Ended up with my cow early the second morning. Was sitting on a mountain side eating granola when I saw two bulls and one cow come out and cross the road and start to go up another mountain side. About 300 yards and took the shot with my newly purchased Winchester Model 70 300 Win Mag, Nosler 180 Accubond. The cow didn't flinch and they all just stood there looking around. Wasn't sure how I could have missed but tried to relax and took my second shot and dropped her. Found out while cleaning that the first shot actuall did hit, just right of the heart on the broadside shot just slightly forward of the stomach. I was amazed that the cow had not reacted in any way to the hit. The point being that these are tough animals so be sure to have the firepower to put it down and probably more practice with your rifle than I had had with mine. Fortunately the cow was only about 50 yards from the road. I went ahead and had all in game bags and ready to go when the pick up arrived. Best of luck on your hunt.

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

So here's maybe a stupid question: can anybody who's done this hunt comment on how much of the carcass I need to pack out? Seems like if I do gutless method I'm leaving a lot of torso in the field.
I ask because my dad mentioned when he did this hunt 30 years ago most people he saw ended up carrying out whole carcasses to be processed offsite.

 

[Rifleman513]

Congrats on the tag! I did this hunt last year in January. Really depends where you shoot them. Some places its just not realistic to get an elk carcass out. If you have to quarter it a good set of game bags are worthwhile. A cheap set of the game bags "Alaskan Game Bags" work fine for quarters if you leave it on the bone. Boned out meat bags are good for loose meat so it all doesn't end up as a big ball in bags that stretch. I shot my bull about a half mile from the closest road so we just took the quarters, straps, loins, and then started taking cuts from the neck and whatever else we could get.

Make sure your boots are good and broken in as someone mentioned. Hiking type boots are really the best option in this type terrain. Living in CO I haven't hunted in "hunting boots" in years. High quality hiking/mountaineering boots work great. The terrain isn't too bad by elk hunting standards but is pretty good for Oklahoma. Try to glass from higher points and then move. I walked nearly 10 miles the first day before shooting my bull later in the day. I ran into the same heard 3-4 times throughout the day before finding them again and deciding to take one. I went back out the second day to see if anyone needed help packing and the fog was so thick you couldn't see 2-300 yards nearly all day. I was happy I took one the first day cause there were only maybe 4 elk brought in the second day. Overall it's a fun hunt and a good experience.

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

I got my cow down at 9:30 on Tuesday morning. Couldn't really ask for a better hunting day.

Monday was orientation. Short history of the elk herd, rules of the hunt, safety procedures, general recommendations for the hunt. Short RMEF sales pitch with a challenge for helpers to volunteer to help more than just their hunter. Then we went and toured the borders of our zones. I was in zone J, the southwest corner of the refuge. I found a spot I wanted to start my hunt, claimed my dropoff spot, and after the tour, went back to my dropoff point to scout my path to my theoretical first spot so i wouldn't be doing it for the first time in the dark.

Tuesday morning, got to the check station, loaded into the truck, made small talks and shared plans with the hunters being dropped off closest to me. None of us had any plans to move near each other. I get dropped off and move to my spot by 6:30. Sunrise is 7:34, hunt starts at 7:04. I make myself comfortable and enjoy the cool air.

Around 8:30, I've already heard a shot to my east where I was hoping some elk might come through, so when there's no movement I start moving west northwest along the south ridge of the draw I'm squatting. I make a couple stops to glass and hydrate, and seeing nothing, divert due west to follow some day old droppings across a creek bed towards a treeline where my hunt leader said she had seen cows the morning before orientation. No luck when I get there.

I moved north to get uphill before turning back east to return to my original draw I was hunting. I stumble downhill towards a gully that's the upstream of the creek I already crossed once, and find myself staring down at two cows staring back up at me.

I rush to a nice knee height rock, lay down and brace my rifle across the stone. I get sighted in on the first cow as they run up the hillside in front of me. She stops, I pull the trigger, *CLICK*... I forgot to chamber a round. I run the bolt, get back on my scope, get her in the crosshairs, follow her up the ridge, she steps behind a tree. I move my scope to the second cow, standing directly behind her companion but clear of the tree. She stops, looks in my direction, I pull the trigger. I know the shot is good, but she doesn't react, she just casually steps behind the tree. Both cows step out to the right of the tree, I run the bolt and get back on target. The first cow runs off, my cow throws her head in the air, her front legs buckle, and she flops over.


This is the first time I've killed a large game animal. Fish, squirrels, pest birds, never a whitetail yet as much as I've tried. I scream "YES!", sit up and pull out my phone to take a picture of where she dropped and my view from where I took the shot. I'm very glad I did that, as what follows is an hour of me looking for my dead elk because I get turned around climbing the gully, and end up searching for her about 100 yards to the right of where she dropped. And since she was moving to the right in the first place, I figure if she got up and ran while I was climbing, it certainly wouldn't have been to the left, where she was actually laying dead right there. After searching, calling my hunt leader for advice, and generally freaking out for about 50 minutes, I returned to my shooting spot, handily documented on my phone, said a small prayer, and started glassing for my cow. I found her, thanked the lord and got to her much more carefully this time.

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

Harvesting the animal was an adventure in itself, as you can imagine. I've read and watched as many tutorials on field dressing deer and elk as you could ask a man. Gutless and gutting. But experience goes a long way. I failed to pack my Havalon knife, but I figured I should be able to get started with my Benchmade Mini Griptillian. Maybe I could have made it work with a stronger grip or putting more weight behind the blade, but between the chipped blade tip, tough hide, and my own nervousness about getting into the guts, I couldn't make much headway into gutting the animal. My dad shows up on the road about 11:45 and I have to go retrieve him. We get back to the carcass about 12:15 and start breaking her down gutless style, and everything goes pretty much without incident. First hindquarter comes off with hide including udders attached for proof of sex. I learn how much force I really could have put into the hide to get started (remember, first time field dressing *anything*). We get all four quarters, the backstraps, the tenderloins, and the heart. We considered getting more, but we are starting to run out of light and have reached the end of his experience breaking down an animal this large. We decide to pack out, we get the meat out in two trips (four pack loads) over the .75 mile hike back to the road. I know it's not far, but for two first timers (he's only ever used a cart for elk) in rough, unfamiliar terrain, it felt like a lot! We go back for one last trip for our two daypacks and the rifle, and my hunt leader gives us a ride back to the check station.

Could not ask for a better Tuesday.

 

[Korhil78]

Good job. It's exciting to hunt elk. Even better to enjoy the meat with your friends and family!

 

[RedDirtRifleman]

Only really worthwhile photos I got. Between the wind freezing my fingers and the excitement I didn't take as many as I'd have liked.