upacreek
Well-Known Member
I have been hunting the same place for over 20 years. I know the mountain better than anyone! We pack horses in over 4 hours to camp then hunt on foot. We use the horses to retrieve game and transport gear to the truck. We set up camp the night before season opened and had time to check out a good vantage point for the last hour of light. We spotted several bulls and small herds which was good to see.
The next morning my brother and I took off before light. He decided to head to a known hot spot and based on what I saw the night before I goofed it farther accrossed the mountain to where I hoped to find a small herd. No herd.......then the report of my brothers rifle spoke volumes! The herd was in hishot spot and he had a down bull. I knew where they would go......away from me for sure! None the less I knew where they were going. I hustled over a mile to where I wanted to be just in time to see 7 cows 300 yards from me. The night before we spotted 2 bulls feeding on the opposite side of the drainage as where the cows ran so over the hill I went. It was a tough climb, but as I crested the ridge I saw the two bulls in the same place they were the night before. The problem was these were in a place horses could not retrieve. Our family has designated it a no kill zone. But being young and dumb it didn't take much convincing to make the shot.
I settled down, put my bi pods on my rifle, ranged the distance several times. Checked and verified my shooter app for elevation corrections........I basically have turned into a total yuppie! 5.2 moa up, 438 yards, one 180 Berger and he dropped where he stood.
I have spent months dialing in my rifle. I shoot regularly (over 100 bullets in the last 3 months) at 400 yards so this was in my comfort zone. First Berger I have killed anything with and the hybrids did excellent! I was very pleased!
One thing that posses me off was how hard I work for a clean ethical shot like that and on the opposite hill side next to me 400 yards was a hunter sitting there watching the same hillside. He watched me walk over the hill, set up, lay down, then hike over to my elk. He could not see the two bulls from where he was cause of the contour of the hill. When I got to my elk the other 5 point ran off and the hunter shot 4 times. I was almost in line with his shots cause one bullet ricocheted over my head. I know where he was and it's over 800 yards! Thus guy has been there the last 3 years and obviously should not be shooting that distance. Last year I bumped into him and asked if he had any idea how far he was shooting. He didn't. But he sure did wound a couple bulls trying. I know my limitations and don't exceed them. When I pull the triggger the animal drops where it stands. I have been lucky and in 25 years only wounded 1 elk that walked away. It's sad to think what some people do.
My dad got a little 5pt around 4. That pushed a small herd toward my brother in law and his 12 yr old son. I had ran into them after field dressing my bull so I hung out. After 45 minutes waiting on the herd to close the 700 yard gap down to 320 I set my nephew up with my gun on bipods to take the spike. I dialed in the scope, told him to just aim for the crease behind the shoulder and fire when the bull is standing still. Now he has his fist bull down and is excited to go back next year!
Over all it was a great year!
The next morning my brother and I took off before light. He decided to head to a known hot spot and based on what I saw the night before I goofed it farther accrossed the mountain to where I hoped to find a small herd. No herd.......then the report of my brothers rifle spoke volumes! The herd was in hishot spot and he had a down bull. I knew where they would go......away from me for sure! None the less I knew where they were going. I hustled over a mile to where I wanted to be just in time to see 7 cows 300 yards from me. The night before we spotted 2 bulls feeding on the opposite side of the drainage as where the cows ran so over the hill I went. It was a tough climb, but as I crested the ridge I saw the two bulls in the same place they were the night before. The problem was these were in a place horses could not retrieve. Our family has designated it a no kill zone. But being young and dumb it didn't take much convincing to make the shot.
I settled down, put my bi pods on my rifle, ranged the distance several times. Checked and verified my shooter app for elevation corrections........I basically have turned into a total yuppie! 5.2 moa up, 438 yards, one 180 Berger and he dropped where he stood.
I have spent months dialing in my rifle. I shoot regularly (over 100 bullets in the last 3 months) at 400 yards so this was in my comfort zone. First Berger I have killed anything with and the hybrids did excellent! I was very pleased!
One thing that posses me off was how hard I work for a clean ethical shot like that and on the opposite hill side next to me 400 yards was a hunter sitting there watching the same hillside. He watched me walk over the hill, set up, lay down, then hike over to my elk. He could not see the two bulls from where he was cause of the contour of the hill. When I got to my elk the other 5 point ran off and the hunter shot 4 times. I was almost in line with his shots cause one bullet ricocheted over my head. I know where he was and it's over 800 yards! Thus guy has been there the last 3 years and obviously should not be shooting that distance. Last year I bumped into him and asked if he had any idea how far he was shooting. He didn't. But he sure did wound a couple bulls trying. I know my limitations and don't exceed them. When I pull the triggger the animal drops where it stands. I have been lucky and in 25 years only wounded 1 elk that walked away. It's sad to think what some people do.
My dad got a little 5pt around 4. That pushed a small herd toward my brother in law and his 12 yr old son. I had ran into them after field dressing my bull so I hung out. After 45 minutes waiting on the herd to close the 700 yard gap down to 320 I set my nephew up with my gun on bipods to take the spike. I dialed in the scope, told him to just aim for the crease behind the shoulder and fire when the bull is standing still. Now he has his fist bull down and is excited to go back next year!
Over all it was a great year!
