az4life Report post Posted January 21, 2012 Well folks, Like the title says, it has been such a long time, since I've stopped by to post anything. still get by to read and keep in touch a couple times a month though! I finally harvested my first Wyoming Elk this past October. The long and short of it is, the hunt had 8-10 hunters in our camp hunting out of the snowy range mountains and we hunted hard for 5 straight days losing only one AM hunt to snow. We saw many mountain lion tracks and some were even traveling in pairs and groups of 3! Not one of us saw an elk and out of 50 or so camps we had within a mile only one cow was taken on the 3rd day. we know the area and always see elk in it but this time was really different. After the 4th day several hunters decided to head out after day 5 and come back on the next weekend. we all went out for our last afternoon intending to pack up that night and the next morning. I went to a normally good spot and decided to work to a clear cut a few hundred yards farther in the timber. when I got there, I glassed around the cut area and slowly worked the edge. then I spotted a cow in the middle of the cut, moving toward me over a high spot. She was followed by another cow, I am thinking about taking the cow as it is the last 2 hours of the hunt, but I held out a bit longer and she spots me. Staring right at me and I know I'm busted at about 175 yards. She keeps watching me and I see another cow move up behind her then, I see antler tips. I can only see the tips but know it looks like a 4x4 or bigger. Seeing the only elk, and ow a bull I wait for something to happen. the cow just stares at me as I watch and see the bull step up behind her, but he is still behind the mound and a large log between him and her. I waited and he moved to the right but another cow moved in front of him. he moved a bit more and the other cow got out of the way, but all I can see is the top 10 inches of his body above the log. I decided it was now or never as the cow still staring at me seemed to be getting nervous so I slowly raised my rifle and placed the crosshairs on the bull over his lungs and about 6 inches down from his back. I fired from the standing position and saw him drop to his knees as the cow still stared at me. The other cows started running in circles and then they all finally ran away toward a treeline to the left as I chambered another round. then the bull gets up, drops down behind the mound and a downed large tree and follows them. I had no shot so the chase was on. tracking him through a marsh I lost the trail and spent 30-40 minutes circling but finally went to the other side of the marsh in the direction he was moving last and found the trail again. Now into old growth and new growth area where I found him as he jumped up and bulled through the new timber. It took another 5 minutes to head him off and finish the hunt. He was a 5x5 with one really crazy long brow tine. I wound up near the point where I started the hunt 5 days earlier. I had help sent from camp and they brought a 4 wheeler and calving sled. we got the sled to the elk and then pulled it for about 20 yards out of the new growth timber. hooked up to the 4 wheeler and followed an old log road to the truck about 300 yards away. loaded the sled and all in the truck and we were heading back to camp. For my first elk it was nice and especially since it was the only elk any of the other guys had seen on this trip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted January 21, 2012 Very nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loco4coues Report post Posted January 21, 2012 great job. thanks for sharing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elkaddict Report post Posted January 22, 2012 Tough hunt! Congrats on your bull!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
papa Report post Posted January 22, 2012 Sounds like it was a tough hunt, Good job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azslim Report post Posted January 22, 2012 nice job, not surprised you didn't see the usual number of animals, wolves have been real hard on them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted February 12, 2012 Congratulations on your elk!! Thanks for sharing the story and pics. I enjoy reading what members are doing for hunts in other states. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
izquik72 Report post Posted February 13, 2012 Tough hunt. Way to stick it out and congrats on your first Wapati Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
