One down 4 to go!!!

[Crazymonkey]

Up in 6a and got it done  Friday  night  . Story and pictures  to come  . But here she is on here  side.

[PRDATR]

Congratulations Chris, Love 6A.

 

[Crazymonkey]

So here it goes! So as many  of you know last year I helped  on a champ hunt with  Dan and his son Aj. Well Dan made the trip from  Arkansas  out to help on my hunt . This time  he  brought  his son Cooper . What a character ! He's  a talker but new when to be quite.  So my plans were to use my tc encore  pistol  in 7-08  but there was to much water it's a 50 yd gun . So I brought  options  a 300rum  ,375ruger  ,and my 280ai  suppressed.  With Dan and Cooper I took the 280ai.  We went  to a spot i had found  a year or two . We hopped  in the sxs and Cooper  was talking  the whole  way. In at first light we were in 4 or 5 bulls . There still  screaming!  We started  in on a bull and boom a big magnum went  off . We are not the only ones in there. I soon catch cows running  thru the trees. No range on them but Dan got one to stop with  a cow call . I let it rip and immediately knew it was not a hit I pulled it .Back at it right after and there's another  boom . We caught  the group again  running  . I won't  take that shot . Dan calls and again  it stops  a cow in a small opening.  I send one and we think it's a hit so we start looking  . There were 60 plus in that group so finding  tracks was easy. No luck ! That's two misses in the morning.  Back to camp for food and a re group. So with 5 tags in camp im the only  one on elk so far . We get out again  about  330 and Dan asked  what  the plan was and I wasn't  sure yet . He says  you don't  leave elk to find elk so we head back to the same spot as in the morning.  I'm not sure there still in there but we get a bugling  bull or 3 😁.  And now we are on the hunt . Dan is now my wind checker  cow caller ,and all. We are trying  to get to the bull but need to loop around  to get the wind right and the sun it was in our face. Cooper  was a trooper  it was probably  2 miles . As I just start around  a juniper  Dan is trying  to get my attention.  He dang near had to talk full voice ( to many years in a machine  shop). I finally  stop and Dan had elk at what he originally  said  was 175 . After two missed i took my time . I sat down and rested the gun across  my knee and then we couldn't  tell if it was a cow or bull . It felt  like for ever !  I finally  get a good  look and it's a cow . Dan confirmed  it and now it's time . I got set and sent one . Just the gun crack from the suppressed  280ai  and then the thwack!!!! It's a definite  hit . She didn't  act  hit but I don't  have another  shot. We wait and another  few elk fill the window . It's now 30 minutes  after my shot and we are on the hunt . As we approached  I see her bedded  down facing  straight  away . Only one juniper  between  her and us . I get to the juniper  with  Dan and Cooper  right behind..It's a head shot or nothing.  So I take off my pack and slide it out and then get set for prone. Got a range at 125 and after the scope cleared( me breathing  hard). I sent one and her head hits the dirt for good. 

I wasn't  going  to make this trip as my daughter  had some medical  issues  and had just got out . My wife  said go and I'll let you know  if I need you . So I didn't  know how much time I had . 

Luckily  it all worked  out and I made it home  on Sunday. 

Last known  elk count is two down ! Tony was out by Stoneman and got lost but last light got a elk and then found his truck . They got back at 10.50.

I'm new to berger bullets  and was using  175 elite hunter . Just a single  entry.  No blood  and got the lungs and liver apparently  but it was not a mess inside.  Just holes in all.Is this a expected  result? It definitely worked as she only went 10 feet maybe.

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[Flatlander]

We have killed 7 or 8 elk with Berger Hybrids. Rarely get an exit wound. Even on a small mule deer there was no exit. Everything has died in sight. The hybrids leave catastrophic damage at the entrance. It usually looks like motor vehicle trauma, expands in the vitals and ends up in the opposite ribs. Very little blood trail on most of them, but to be fair its usually less than 10 yards. I was stressed after the first few animals when we didn't have exits and even the entrances were usually the diameter of the bullet unless it caught bone on the way in, but its been very consistently effective at stopping them in their tracks.

[PRDATR]

Sounds like a great hunt. Nice of Dan to make the trip to help out.

[Crazymonkey]

Updated  our group  is done. We went  3 for 5 on elk . Tony got one last night  and I just got word my buddy  Daniel  got one just a bit ago . He's  running a 300rum  and a can . Poor  girl probably  has a big Ole hole in her! 

[wildwoody]

Lots of meat.

[Crazymonkey]

Elk number  3 ! Tony and his elk and friends.  Great people  you definitely  won't  go hungry  around  camp. They were always  offering  drinks and food .

[Eli]

Congrats Chris! Looks like a great camp!

[bwana]

Congrats to all ! 

[DBZona]

Cooper had a blast and it was the first big game hunt he had ever been on.  He was a little jealous that AJ got the tag last year and was wanting a bull tag, but this cow hunt has him motivated to try and draw a youth cow tag next year.  Thanks again for having us and congrats again.  It’s a long drive from Arkansas, but worth it.  I will be back in a month for my dads 27 bull hunt.