royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Just so's ya'll know that I do go huntin'...........
Drove up to Wolverine parked at my spot. Visited with county commissioner who was bringing cattle over the top. He said they busted a bunch of deer and pointed to where they were holed up. Dumb commissioner - deer season closed Oct 31.
Walked up the ancient dozer road that hasn't been used in years. Light snow from yesterday (read 1/4") between muddy spots.
Got up pretty high and came around a corner where I had figured I would set up. An WOW there they/it were/was. Raised the Leica LRF quickly and took two readings. 857yds.
The first one came out of the quakies, then another and another and some more. I dumped the back pack and grabbed the shooting sticks. Layed down in the wet snow/mud and got the scope on the animals. They were coming closer but were way way across the canyon.
They never stopped moving. They were walking steadily and covering a good amount of ground. The wind and their walking had me kind of confused. Then one by one they disappeared in a swale that I couldn't see from my view point. I used the time to lay out an orange rain thinger as a ground cover and set up the spotter.
Then here comes an elk over the edge of the swale @ about 795 yds. Then another one appeared. Both were just strolling along, never stopping. I ranged them at 780 and ranged a juniper @ 754yds (this was an open hill side with no cover at all) that I figured they would pass by. I could see that they were going to pass closely by my ranged juniper and would be perfectly broad side.
I was also watching for the rest of the bunch (5 or 6 more) to come over the little ridge but it looked like one of the two in front of me would be the target.
I set the LRF aside and put "Pink" (thanks to Dave Wilson's grandson)(338RUM - 300gr SMKs) on the sticks, checked the drop chart and set the Weaver Tactical to 14X.
It was then that I started cussing the scope.
With the 7X shaking Leica they were two medium sized cows. With the Weaver on the sticks they were two fair sized elk with very puny spikes. I had to look several times to see the small spikes on the lead one as they were visible only when he was looking any direction but straight ahead.
Did you ever try to grow horns OFF of an animal?????
If I'd of had a lesser scope I'd of had me an elk. That would have lead to more problems though???????
The cows never came over that little ridge. The spikes went into the patch of big timber and never came out.
Wouldn't that just frost ya!? A 750yd shot w/99.987% confidence and ya got the wrong tag. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I hung around for quite awhile watching all exits. Nothing. They are/were still there.
I could see the expected storm front moving in and the wind picked up to gusts over 20. Too late to make the 2 hour stalk on that little basin. It was on the order of 700 yds down my side of the canyon and steep. Same on the other side.
So I came home, got my hunting buddy who had been working, went to the new Pocatello Sportsman's Warehouse where the the response to my question was; US 869...What's US869??
Went to Slotzkie's had an new Italiano Sandwich, then bought my wife a birthday gift and came home and started a fire in the fire place.
If it snows tonight like "they" say it will tomorrow will be a good huntin' day, maybe, probably, well almost.....Even if it doesn't snow.
Drove up to Wolverine parked at my spot. Visited with county commissioner who was bringing cattle over the top. He said they busted a bunch of deer and pointed to where they were holed up. Dumb commissioner - deer season closed Oct 31.
Walked up the ancient dozer road that hasn't been used in years. Light snow from yesterday (read 1/4") between muddy spots.
Got up pretty high and came around a corner where I had figured I would set up. An WOW there they/it were/was. Raised the Leica LRF quickly and took two readings. 857yds.
The first one came out of the quakies, then another and another and some more. I dumped the back pack and grabbed the shooting sticks. Layed down in the wet snow/mud and got the scope on the animals. They were coming closer but were way way across the canyon.
They never stopped moving. They were walking steadily and covering a good amount of ground. The wind and their walking had me kind of confused. Then one by one they disappeared in a swale that I couldn't see from my view point. I used the time to lay out an orange rain thinger as a ground cover and set up the spotter.
Then here comes an elk over the edge of the swale @ about 795 yds. Then another one appeared. Both were just strolling along, never stopping. I ranged them at 780 and ranged a juniper @ 754yds (this was an open hill side with no cover at all) that I figured they would pass by. I could see that they were going to pass closely by my ranged juniper and would be perfectly broad side.
I was also watching for the rest of the bunch (5 or 6 more) to come over the little ridge but it looked like one of the two in front of me would be the target.
I set the LRF aside and put "Pink" (thanks to Dave Wilson's grandson)(338RUM - 300gr SMKs) on the sticks, checked the drop chart and set the Weaver Tactical to 14X.
It was then that I started cussing the scope.
With the 7X shaking Leica they were two medium sized cows. With the Weaver on the sticks they were two fair sized elk with very puny spikes. I had to look several times to see the small spikes on the lead one as they were visible only when he was looking any direction but straight ahead.
Did you ever try to grow horns OFF of an animal?????
If I'd of had a lesser scope I'd of had me an elk. That would have lead to more problems though???????
The cows never came over that little ridge. The spikes went into the patch of big timber and never came out.
Wouldn't that just frost ya!? A 750yd shot w/99.987% confidence and ya got the wrong tag. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I hung around for quite awhile watching all exits. Nothing. They are/were still there.
I could see the expected storm front moving in and the wind picked up to gusts over 20. Too late to make the 2 hour stalk on that little basin. It was on the order of 700 yds down my side of the canyon and steep. Same on the other side.
So I came home, got my hunting buddy who had been working, went to the new Pocatello Sportsman's Warehouse where the the response to my question was; US 869...What's US869??
Went to Slotzkie's had an new Italiano Sandwich, then bought my wife a birthday gift and came home and started a fire in the fire place.
If it snows tonight like "they" say it will tomorrow will be a good huntin' day, maybe, probably, well almost.....Even if it doesn't snow.
