We just got back from a Elk and Deer hunt in Colorado. We scouted for 2 days hiking 13 miles in on the first day and 6 miles on the 2nd day. We also checked our zeros on the rifles at 250 and 400 meters. On opening day we decided to set up on the back side of a cliff over looking a far mountain that we had spotted some elk the previous day. We got up at 4 AM and got some breakfast and headed out to the cliff we arrived at 7 AM. We set up the Wild range finder and the 338 Nawakwa rifle on the side of the cliffs. As the side of the mountain started to light up Rob spotted some Elk in the Aspens I ranged them at 1425 meters. There was one 4x4 in the herd. I looked at the drop chart and turned in the 36 Moa for elevation and estimated 6 Moa for wind. We viewed the Elk for over 1hr feeding with his herd but decided not to shoot them. He got spooked by something and the herd ran into the black timber. Rob and I hung out in the area for the rest of the day with no success. On day 2 we decided to set up on a hill just out of camp there was 3 small deer bucks on the far mountain I ranged one of the bucks at 1850 meters. I looked at the drop chart and it called for 53.25 Moa I dialed it into the scope and put 12 Moa in for the wind and fired 3 spotter shots and made the adjustments that were required. I centered the cross hair on just behind the shoulder and squeezed the trigger. We both saw the hit. The bullet went through the deer's chest and dirt sprayed up behind him. The deer made it over the mountain into the black timber on the back side. We headed out to look for the deer. On arrival there was a good blood trail to follow into the timber I could see where the deer started to roll down the incredibly steep mountain bouncing off trees leaving a red painted look to the bark. The deer came to rest around 200 yards down the mountain and on examination where the bullet had exited I could put my fist threw the hole. We deboned him and went back to camp for some tender loin lunch. On day 3 we had 12" of new snow so we went for a long hike looking for fresh Elk tracks it was snowing so hard we could only see 100 meters most of the time. We only saw fresh deer tracks in the 12hrs we hunted that day. On day 4 we were both very tired and wanted to take it easy so we went to a meadow at the bottom of the mountain. I decided to go for a hike and left Rob to cover the mountain. I stalked to the east along the edge of the mountain. I heard some shooting to the east of where I was so I got in a clearing that I could see up to the top of the mountain. I saw a nice Elk and ranged him at 597 meters with a Leica 1200 LRF. I shot one shot as he was moving and missed. I took off running to the west to see if I could get into the next clearing before the Elk moved through the clearing. When I arrived in the clearing there was a log laying 20 meters from where I popped out of the timber. I dove to the log and laid my rifle over for support. Being the Elk looked to be about the same distance I did not range the Elk again. I put the cross hair the same distance over the Elk's back as the thickness of his body and pulled the trigger. I saw the bullet impact the Elk's side a little back from where I wanted so I put another round in the chamber and fired another and another firing 3 times. The Elk fell over and started to slide down the mountain on the 12" of snow we had. He slid over 100 meters before his antlers dug in and stopped him. I went over to where I left Rob and we went up the mountain. We quartered the Elk and removed the tender loins and back straps I had hit the Elk with all 3 bullets 2 in the lungs and one just back from the lungs.
Here is a pic from 1500 meters
More pics to come
Crow Mag
[ 10-24-2004: Message edited by: crow mag ]
Here is a pic from 1500 meters
More pics to come
Crow Mag
[ 10-24-2004: Message edited by: crow mag ]
