Tumbleweed
Well-Known Member
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]As the sun came up on Friday morning, I could see that wonderful white color of a bull moving through the dense reprod. Once the spotting scope was set up, I could see he was a very nice, mature 5 point Roosevelt bull. I ranged the distance and finally got a reading back on my rangefinder, he was 1,137 yards. This was exciting to see and comforting as this was the day before opening morning for our Coast Elk Hunt and I had something nice to pursue the next morning. My prayer at this point was for good weather conditions for the next morning, the reports were not looking so good. By early afternoon the bad weather had indeed arrived with it's fog and I was not able to put this bull to bed.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Opening morning arrived and I was off early in the dark for my 3 mile walk to get to the shooting position. Even in the dark I could tell that the weather conditions were actually pretty good as far as visibility and wind. Once in my shooting area, I set up the rifle and got out my necessary equipment in order to be ready quickly when I could identify this bull again. Once I had just enough light to see, I was pleasantly surprised to see this bull show up down the ridge a little farther and at a closer distance to me. I put the spotting scope on him to verify horns and then ranged his distance, he was 1,003 yards this time. After a slight angle and altitude correction my scope elevation was ready. I watched my Kestrel for a few seconds and it was holding steady at 1 mph left to right. Through the spotting scope I could see no foliage moving near the bull. I made my wind correction and settled in for the shot. I watched through the rifle scope for a few minutes waiting for a good broadside with a full body view of the bull, every few seconds wiping the fog off of my scope lens. This waiting was good in that it allowed me to slow my heart rate and let that little bit of adrenaline ease away. Then it was time, he turned full broadside and I sent the Berger 210VLD at 3100fps. I could tell from his reaction that it was not a solid hit as he ran 5 yards and stopped. I immediately decided I needed more wind dope. I held the reticule another 18 inches into the wind and let another go, this time he stumbled, fell and than hid behind a small fir tree. I lost him for a few minutes but located him again in the spotting scope with part of his shoulder not hidden by the tree. I gave him another right into his shoulder. Up he hops, ran and hid behind another small tree. Once again I was able to locate his neck and part of his head uncovered in the spotting scope. With the reticule on his neck, I let the last shot go. He got up and ran 5 yards but this time stumbling and wobbling stepped behind a cluster of larger trees out of sight. I watched for a while and when he didn't reappear, I decided it was time to go see the results.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Four miles and a couple of hours later I started down the ridge that he was on. As I sifted through the thick and terrible brush and small trees, I was getting very concerned because I was not locating some of my land markers that I had spotted from the shooting position. Finally, having gone too far down the ridge I was able to look back up and spot the small clearing my bull had been it. A few minutes later I was finding tracks and sign but no bull. Soon however, I began to smell elk and with much joy and excitement I located the last spot I had seen him where he was laying dead. With a solid, crushing hit to his shoulder taking out one of his lungs as well as a good neck hit, he wasn't going to survive. It was a bit overwhelming, honestly as this is the best bull that I have taken by far and this is my first 1000+ yard kill (actually anything remotely close to 1000). The years of practice, equipment improvements, education and patience had finally paid off, with the help of the Lord on this day it all came together. My naysayers and those ones who had always told me that I 'could not shoot that far' were witnesses and were finally silenced. This is a hunt that I will never forget![/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Opening morning arrived and I was off early in the dark for my 3 mile walk to get to the shooting position. Even in the dark I could tell that the weather conditions were actually pretty good as far as visibility and wind. Once in my shooting area, I set up the rifle and got out my necessary equipment in order to be ready quickly when I could identify this bull again. Once I had just enough light to see, I was pleasantly surprised to see this bull show up down the ridge a little farther and at a closer distance to me. I put the spotting scope on him to verify horns and then ranged his distance, he was 1,003 yards this time. After a slight angle and altitude correction my scope elevation was ready. I watched my Kestrel for a few seconds and it was holding steady at 1 mph left to right. Through the spotting scope I could see no foliage moving near the bull. I made my wind correction and settled in for the shot. I watched through the rifle scope for a few minutes waiting for a good broadside with a full body view of the bull, every few seconds wiping the fog off of my scope lens. This waiting was good in that it allowed me to slow my heart rate and let that little bit of adrenaline ease away. Then it was time, he turned full broadside and I sent the Berger 210VLD at 3100fps. I could tell from his reaction that it was not a solid hit as he ran 5 yards and stopped. I immediately decided I needed more wind dope. I held the reticule another 18 inches into the wind and let another go, this time he stumbled, fell and than hid behind a small fir tree. I lost him for a few minutes but located him again in the spotting scope with part of his shoulder not hidden by the tree. I gave him another right into his shoulder. Up he hops, ran and hid behind another small tree. Once again I was able to locate his neck and part of his head uncovered in the spotting scope. With the reticule on his neck, I let the last shot go. He got up and ran 5 yards but this time stumbling and wobbling stepped behind a cluster of larger trees out of sight. I watched for a while and when he didn't reappear, I decided it was time to go see the results.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Four miles and a couple of hours later I started down the ridge that he was on. As I sifted through the thick and terrible brush and small trees, I was getting very concerned because I was not locating some of my land markers that I had spotted from the shooting position. Finally, having gone too far down the ridge I was able to look back up and spot the small clearing my bull had been it. A few minutes later I was finding tracks and sign but no bull. Soon however, I began to smell elk and with much joy and excitement I located the last spot I had seen him where he was laying dead. With a solid, crushing hit to his shoulder taking out one of his lungs as well as a good neck hit, he wasn't going to survive. It was a bit overwhelming, honestly as this is the best bull that I have taken by far and this is my first 1000+ yard kill (actually anything remotely close to 1000). The years of practice, equipment improvements, education and patience had finally paid off, with the help of the Lord on this day it all came together. My naysayers and those ones who had always told me that I 'could not shoot that far' were witnesses and were finally silenced. This is a hunt that I will never forget![/FONT]
