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Long Range Hunting & Shooting
Took most the season but elk down
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<blockquote data-quote="500mag_guy" data-source="post: 885468" data-attributes="member: 34924"><p>Well as many of the Montanans know elk hunting has taken a huge turn for the worst in the last 5+ years. The wolves have dropped our elk population to slim pickin's. Last years was rough and this year was even worse!</p><p></p><p>I can honestly say I seen less than 50 elk this whole season and that's pushing it. Most in groups of 2 or 3 and a few groups between 5-12 head. Most through the spotting scope at a mile plus right before dusk.</p><p></p><p>I finally found a group of 3 cows bedded down in some thick timber from a ridge top through my spotting scope at well over a mile. I had about 1:30 hours before end of shooting light to make two large ridges that were between us. I packed everything back into my backpack and off I went. I made it to where there was one last ridge between us and they had started feeding up the ridge away from me. I ranged them and we were at 1184 yards. Conditions were unusually perfect not a breath of wind and 30*. But due to the shortage of elk I'd seen this season and how late it was in the day I made the decision not to take any chances and close the gap a little.</p><p></p><p>As I made it to the top if my final ridge I couldn't pick them out. Nothing.... I was starting to worry they had feed them selfs over the ridge. Just then I picked one on the cows walking across a very small opening just down from the sky line.</p><p></p><p>I dropped down, set up my rifle, ranged her at 712 yards, checked my slope at 5*, and no wind. Went to grab my calculator to get an adjustment and nothing... I had left it in the truck that morning.. I figured with 5* slope if I adjusted to 700 yard on my turret it'd be money! I adjusted and got ready for the shot, nothing but a hind end left in the opening but the head of another cow was working her way into the opening I double checked range and it was the same. She worked into the opening but was quartering away hard! </p><p></p><p>I tucked the crosshairs right behind her front left shoulder at a hard quartering away shot and sent it away. She dumped like a ton of bricks, I followed her as she was sliding down through the bottom of the opening without even a twitch of movement.</p><p></p><p>I hightailed it over there and made it to her just before end of shooting light. Then the work all started.</p><p></p><p>Bullet placement was absolutely perfect, right where I sent it behind the left front shoulder and it exited through the base of the neck right side. Taking out the top of the heart and destroying her neck/spine.</p><p></p><p>After the two buddies who came up to help get her out, the elk and I made it back to the truck I checked my calculator it see how close I was with my adjustment call... Perfect!! All the practice pays off that's for sure!</p><p></p><p>Rifle is a custom 300 ultra mag pushing 230gr Berger Targets.</p><p></p><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="500mag_guy, post: 885468, member: 34924"] Well as many of the Montanans know elk hunting has taken a huge turn for the worst in the last 5+ years. The wolves have dropped our elk population to slim pickin's. Last years was rough and this year was even worse! I can honestly say I seen less than 50 elk this whole season and that's pushing it. Most in groups of 2 or 3 and a few groups between 5-12 head. Most through the spotting scope at a mile plus right before dusk. I finally found a group of 3 cows bedded down in some thick timber from a ridge top through my spotting scope at well over a mile. I had about 1:30 hours before end of shooting light to make two large ridges that were between us. I packed everything back into my backpack and off I went. I made it to where there was one last ridge between us and they had started feeding up the ridge away from me. I ranged them and we were at 1184 yards. Conditions were unusually perfect not a breath of wind and 30*. But due to the shortage of elk I'd seen this season and how late it was in the day I made the decision not to take any chances and close the gap a little. As I made it to the top if my final ridge I couldn't pick them out. Nothing.... I was starting to worry they had feed them selfs over the ridge. Just then I picked one on the cows walking across a very small opening just down from the sky line. I dropped down, set up my rifle, ranged her at 712 yards, checked my slope at 5*, and no wind. Went to grab my calculator to get an adjustment and nothing... I had left it in the truck that morning.. I figured with 5* slope if I adjusted to 700 yard on my turret it'd be money! I adjusted and got ready for the shot, nothing but a hind end left in the opening but the head of another cow was working her way into the opening I double checked range and it was the same. She worked into the opening but was quartering away hard! I tucked the crosshairs right behind her front left shoulder at a hard quartering away shot and sent it away. She dumped like a ton of bricks, I followed her as she was sliding down through the bottom of the opening without even a twitch of movement. I hightailed it over there and made it to her just before end of shooting light. Then the work all started. Bullet placement was absolutely perfect, right where I sent it behind the left front shoulder and it exited through the base of the neck right side. Taking out the top of the heart and destroying her neck/spine. After the two buddies who came up to help get her out, the elk and I made it back to the truck I checked my calculator it see how close I was with my adjustment call... Perfect!! All the practice pays off that's for sure! Rifle is a custom 300 ultra mag pushing 230gr Berger Targets. Thanks for reading! [/QUOTE]
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Took most the season but elk down
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