Before you go, know that I am an above average hunter with extreme local knowledge and it took me 20 to 30 days to shoot a spike.
Weapon choice was a .54 caliber Hawkins for two reasons, first I like to challenge myself. Secondly, some passive aggressive ahole on here question my use of a 3030 last year so I wanted to go older and slower with my weapon choice.
Since mid June I spent my time chasing two of the three full size bulls I've seen with only a couple of sightings of them. The only pictures I got of them. If I was using a standard weapon shooting the now standard 1/4 mile my taxidermy bill would have gone up.
I even set up a blind at the closest water source and sitting there half a dozen evenings, only seeing cows.
Realizing that my obligations to some friends I said I would help is coming up shortly and my wall space for elk is becoming limited (my last two bulls live in my garage now) I told myself just have fun and get some meat.
Thursday I am sitting an overlook when a calf pops up and then a cow and then a bunch of cows and then I see a couple of spikes. The conversation with myself goes on for a couple of minutes of going down there for a spike was intense and heated. I decide to try. Doing the perfect stalk I get to 40 yards or so as the sun is setting and miss. I spent a couple of hours that night and that next morning looking for evidence of a hit. Nothing
20240711_192306.mp4
Saturday evening rolls around and I go back to that spot so I could have cell signal to listen to the assignation attempt. Saturday morning my good bulls didn't show up in their spot. I actually leave early so I can eat a non microwaved dinner. I am almost half way back to the truck when I hear some calves yapping back in forth. I decided to check it out after another lengthy conversation if I wanted to see some cows.
I see them weaving through the cedars and I get closer, fully expecting to create a stampede. I get under 40 yards and the spike I shot at on Thursday jolts and stops about 30 yards from me. I settle in offhand and squeeze. Spike drops instantly.
The round ball turned into a pyramid shape. Sometimes it's good just to hunt for fun and I need to remember that.
20240711_192306.mp4
20240711_192306.mp4