the good -the bad - the ugly

[elkaholic]

well-

 

Just got back from my elk hunt- it was actually a hard hunt for early elk - the buglin was very sparatic- never any screamers that we all dream about, who don't know when to quit. Some hunters gave up after 5 days of never seeing an elk. My standards had fallen to anything. I need meat in the freezer. So this morning I dropped a fat young cow at about 6:30-- I did miss an off hand ,150 yrd shot in wainin light, at a herd bull on the 5th evening of the hunt, guess I got a little excited, as these were the first elk I had seen!

 

the good: the highlight of my hunt came on the second morning. After an unsuccessful morning outing. I was on my way back to camp. Still looking around, as you never know what you will see. I spotted a downed,dead, elk on the hillside. It was anice 6x6 300 class bull, with a small hole just in front of the back leg, about 5 inchs down. I guess someone had shot it the night before. I called it in, and no one had reported a hit bull. I then called G&F and reported the bull and asked for someone to come check it out. The bull was not yet ripe - but was on it's way. It was gettin stiff but not yet bloated. I got a call back fron G&F , I guess a hunter had reported a lost bull. this bull was over a mile from where the shot was taken and there was one little hole that i had to pull the hairs apart to see. It never bled a drop. There is no way in heck that they would have located this bull.

 

It would have been very easy to have just tagged this bull and not said anything! I was so happy with the outcome - The hunter was a elderly-( not sure of exact age, though i did hear some thing about just retiring) Lady on her first elk hunt - You should have seen the smiles. So was so happy to have her elk- I think she was even happier that she didnt have to go up and down anymore hills- lol

 

 

the bad - Actually seeing a 350 + class bull standing in a meadow last night and not beeing able to shoot- spotted at 6:00 pm at 500 + yrds - and my limits on my 06 is 350 ish, if I have a good rest or shooting sticks . There was no way possible to approach this bull , with 15 minutes of shooting light left. Kinda made me want a 300 winmag with a 6x24 leupold scope- lol i just enjoyed the show , while it lasted.

 

 

the ugly-- I'm not one to condemn someone who doesn't know. A first time hunter kills a 6x6 320 ish bull opening night. I check it out the next morning - nice bull it's hanging from a tree - skinned. He shows me his recovered bullet - 100 gr, 243 - nice little hole in leg- shattered the heart. Great shooting. His (experienced helper) friend told me he was gonna hang it for 5 days. I'm like --WHY. - I told thats how he does it. Ok - No game bags one it - its soon to be in the direct sunlight- It's not for me to say anything. - Stop in the next day - its still hangin, looks like its got a sheet wrapped around to keep flys off - I ask why is that thing still hangin - the helper just smiles- I guess that day to keep the sunlight off the wrapped the whole thing in a GI colored tarp, it basicall hung in direct sunlight for 4-5 five hrs for 2 days.don't know if that changed durimg the night

Now it's The third day and they are leaving to go home Benson. Not an early start and they did cut up the elk and put it on a trailer. I'm at a lost - They were advised several times by experience hunters to do something to take care offf the elk - Flag is 10 miles away to a processor- get it cut up and on ice - something- The helper just smiled. I wish them luck but truly know they had no clue as to how to take care of meat here in Az. And nothin anyone said mattered . SAD I hope the hunter learned a few things on his first hunt!

 

Well got to go clean up- my 8 bags of elk meat- iced down since 10:30 and pop in the spare ice box - for at least one more day - lol

[kaibabkiller]

Congrats, she'll be tasty.

Was it an any elk hunt?

[elkaholic]

ahhhhhh - yep