Red Dog Report post Posted March 1, 2014 Well, I've always read through the forums and just loved hearing others stories since I began hunting about a year and a half ago. I figure it's been three months since I was able to claim my first big game animal. And I thinks it's time for me to share my story! My father and I were glassing for about 4 hours. We kept joking with each other saying "elk!" Just to get each other riled up. Around dark, my father was glassing out and I saw him scan and quickly move the binoculars back where he had just scanned and he exclaimed as quietly as possible "cow elk! Cow elk cow elk!" I thought he was joking until I saw his hands shaking with excitement holding his binoculars. He pointed out approximately 900 yards away and showed me where they were coming in from. It was a spike bull with seven cows. Coming out of a small wash and starting to feed on a grassy ridge that had a lot of foliage with a few openings. We saw them and realized we were out of range and we had to move. Fast. So we decided to try the next hill which would put us closer and was near the ridge they were traveling on. When we got to the hill, my dad ranged them at 500 yards, and he said we could get closer. So we began to move closer when my dad stumbled over a huge 5 point shed from a deer. He picked it up and stuffed it quickly into his pack and continued on. We arrived to the next hill and My dad ranged the ridge the elk were on the path towards and it was 301 yards away. I quickly put up my primos shooting sticks and just got the gun on the sticks when they began to walk through the opening on the ridge. My heart at this point was pounding out of my chest and I found the biggest cow in the group and set my sights on it. Then almost instantly like you see in movies, everything went slow and got quiet and my cross hairs didn't move from the kill zone. My aim was steady right behind the top of the shoulder blade. I exhaled slowly and pulled the trigger. The loud crack and the recoil suddenly snapped me out of my "zone" and I saw the cow elk buck it's hind legs back and take off. We saw it take off into the woods and me and my dad jumped up and hugged each other and were freaking out, as this was the first shot either of us have witnessed being taken at big game let alone me being the one to shoot. We quickly marked where the shot took place and went back up the hill and packed the gear up and got out our skinning gear and packs and such. We began tracking 30 minutes after the shot and we didn't have to track far. The blood on the ground was mixed with dark and light red blood. About 500 yards from the point of impact was our prize: a cow elk. The bullet entered through her left lung and exited out of the top part of her right lung. This will surely be a hunt me and my father will cherish for the rest of our lives. Thanks for reading! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZ8 Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Awesome! Love the enthusiasm. Thats a great memory you'll relive over and over again! Congrats on a fine cow elk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elkhunter1 Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Great job and great first kill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues assassin Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Welcome to the site great story and thanks for sharing! Any pictures of the shed you found also? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Welcome to the site great story and thanks for sharing! Any pictures of the shed you found also? Here it is. Had to get my dogs outside as they were trying to take it from me! Haha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Great job, excellent write-up. Welcome to the site. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rclouse79 Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted March 2, 2014 First of all congratulations on your cow and second welcome to the site. That was a great write up for your first ever and a great picture of you and your cow. I can't wait till you score again and bless us with another good story of your hunt. Memories with your dad will forever be itched in your mind and I wish you many more. Thanks for sharing here on cwt. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Thanks everyone! @Tj I'm hoping I get drawn for elk this coming up season, me and my father put in together. I hope to write up another story if we're blessed enough to get drawn! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted March 2, 2014 What unit did you apply for? TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog Report post Posted March 2, 2014 What unit did you apply for? TJ I put in for 22n and unit 10 cow. Every time I've been in the units I always see some nice herds. Just hoping they won't be too pressured! Also going to try for bear in 22 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Great job on the cow. Snow on the ground. When was your hunt? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
papa Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Nice cow! Hunting with family is always the best. Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog Report post Posted March 2, 2014 Great job on the cow. Snow on the ground. When was your hunt? I had the unit 10 late hunt. It was absolutely freezing! Luckily I had more clothes than I'd ever need. (dad always says better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it haha.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PatrickJr Report post Posted March 2, 2014 congrats, but for clarification how far did it run from the point you shot it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
