On the trail cam:
After:
His buddy:
Next stop.....Elk camp on Friday!
Westport King
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Island Forky....Oct 21st 2011
Hunted a local Island property by invitation last year and this year.
Opening weekend was a bust for my buddy Jeff and I but last Friday I got
off work a couple hours early and made a 5PM ferry. I rolled up the
driveway and the was a nice deer standing under a tree in the field. One
shot and Buck down....By far the easiest deer hunt ever. The rest of
the weekend didn't produce another for Jeff though he had a nice chance
that he passed on due to the direction of the shot being towards the
buildings. No worries....We were pleased to get this animal and enjoy
the hunting thing when the fishing gets packed for the winter.
On the trail cam:
After:
His buddy:
Next stop.....Elk camp on Friday!
On the trail cam:
After:
His buddy:
Next stop.....Elk camp on Friday!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Beaver Moon Elk Camp 2011 and my first elk.
Been busy at work after taking last week off to share the elk camp experience with some great friends who are also excellent hunters.
Headed over White Pass Friday the 28th and got to camp a little after 8PM. Settled my cot in and got some gear ready then a few zzzzz's. Saturday morning rolls around and our group slits into 2 locations for the initial assault on Elk mountain. Well, I chose the wrong group as we saw nothing and the other group had a spike down immediately.
Off we went to help pack that one out.... Come Saturday evening, just after getting the 1st one out and to camp, spike #2 goes down in the same zone....Night time recovery and another pack out....
Sunday morning day 2. Hike back to the same zone and I leave my buddy to his post on a clear cut and walk 50 paces....Booommm! and a blood curdling scream....Homie has his first elk down...A very nice spike. Off I go to pack this one out...Sunday evening fruitless.
Halloween fun:
A little game management:
3 spikes in the first 2 days for our camp....Off to a great start. The next 2 days are mellow hunts and 4 of our crew leave to go back to work for at least part of the week. I see a few animals but nothing I can get a bead on.
Wednesday is cow day....We have 4 hunters in camp with cow tags including myself.
The morning hunt yields naught for the crew. Didn't see a thing....I thought cow elk were easy. Not so, in the past 2 years with the group I had only seen a few.
Back to camp for lunch then head up to the ridge for the evening hunt. My buddy and his wife set up on one draw and I walk a ways further to a high rock lookout. The elk appear like clock work about a half hour before dark and I settle in for a 300 yard attempt. Propped by my back pack and steadied as I can, I let one loose at the 2nd cow that has followed another cow and calf into a momentary opening. They run off and it seems as if I had missed. Previously, on the second day, I had rolled my quad onto it's side., launching my rifle into the mud. Not a very gentle landing and the barrel was full of mud, the stock scarred and the scope hit hard. I had shot it and felt confident but didn't connect. I slowly walk down to the scene of the shot and search for half an hour.....Not a single drop. Followed the exit path and run into another big cow that I didn't see until I was 30 yards away. She bolts and runs through the forest barking away for what seems like an eternity.
I get a call from my buddy and his wife has hit a cow. They pursue it for a few and decide we will come back in the morning as it is dark and when they get close, the cow continues to dash for heavy cover.
The morning comes and we head up to find her not 75 yards from the spot they had left her and she is covered by a fresh inch of snow. Cleaned and recovered, we take her back to camp.
Thursday offers no decent opportunities but we play just the same.
Friday morning, we head to the ridge that has produced 3 of the 4 animals we have so far.
I take the lead and my buddy follows way behind. As I approach the 1st clear cut my buddy texts me that there are more than 50 elk above us and moving my way. I head up the hill to intercept. As I get close, I can hear them coming getting very close now. Snap, crack, crack, crack...Out from behind a group of small trees appears a beautiful 6x6. he takes 3 steps and turns to look at me. I am not ready...Don't have a bull tag anyway. With a snort, he bust out and the rest of the herd turns away from me. Luckily my buddy is in their path. Soon they turn again, back in my direction...Above me up the hill I have a small window and see cows starting to cross through the window. They are running. I set up on a downed tree with a view through the window and a nice cow stops. About 130 yards up hill. One shot through the upper mid section. She runs about 30 yards and falls between 2 trees and lodges herself under a 3rd tree crosswise. I am thankful. After 3 years I got the 1st one. Not a big bull, but a wonderful score in my book.
We got her cleaned up and drug her to the trail. Packed her out after a brief rest and snack.
Saturday was day of rest and clean up. A couple of the guys had cow tags but were not able to score.
Sunday we broke it down and headed back to the city. What a great 9 days with a great group of friends. I am very grateful for the sharing, the knowledge, and the good times we had during this years camp.
More pics:
Jack-O-Elk-In-Lantern:
The final tally:
A quick stop at the RimRock Store for the required wall photo.
All in all we went 5 for 8 with 3 spikes and 2 cows. Next year can't come soon enough!
Beee
Headed over White Pass Friday the 28th and got to camp a little after 8PM. Settled my cot in and got some gear ready then a few zzzzz's. Saturday morning rolls around and our group slits into 2 locations for the initial assault on Elk mountain. Well, I chose the wrong group as we saw nothing and the other group had a spike down immediately.
Off we went to help pack that one out.... Come Saturday evening, just after getting the 1st one out and to camp, spike #2 goes down in the same zone....Night time recovery and another pack out....
Sunday morning day 2. Hike back to the same zone and I leave my buddy to his post on a clear cut and walk 50 paces....Booommm! and a blood curdling scream....Homie has his first elk down...A very nice spike. Off I go to pack this one out...Sunday evening fruitless.
Halloween fun:
A little game management:
3 spikes in the first 2 days for our camp....Off to a great start. The next 2 days are mellow hunts and 4 of our crew leave to go back to work for at least part of the week. I see a few animals but nothing I can get a bead on.
Wednesday is cow day....We have 4 hunters in camp with cow tags including myself.
The morning hunt yields naught for the crew. Didn't see a thing....I thought cow elk were easy. Not so, in the past 2 years with the group I had only seen a few.
Back to camp for lunch then head up to the ridge for the evening hunt. My buddy and his wife set up on one draw and I walk a ways further to a high rock lookout. The elk appear like clock work about a half hour before dark and I settle in for a 300 yard attempt. Propped by my back pack and steadied as I can, I let one loose at the 2nd cow that has followed another cow and calf into a momentary opening. They run off and it seems as if I had missed. Previously, on the second day, I had rolled my quad onto it's side., launching my rifle into the mud. Not a very gentle landing and the barrel was full of mud, the stock scarred and the scope hit hard. I had shot it and felt confident but didn't connect. I slowly walk down to the scene of the shot and search for half an hour.....Not a single drop. Followed the exit path and run into another big cow that I didn't see until I was 30 yards away. She bolts and runs through the forest barking away for what seems like an eternity.
I get a call from my buddy and his wife has hit a cow. They pursue it for a few and decide we will come back in the morning as it is dark and when they get close, the cow continues to dash for heavy cover.
The morning comes and we head up to find her not 75 yards from the spot they had left her and she is covered by a fresh inch of snow. Cleaned and recovered, we take her back to camp.
Thursday offers no decent opportunities but we play just the same.
Friday morning, we head to the ridge that has produced 3 of the 4 animals we have so far.
I take the lead and my buddy follows way behind. As I approach the 1st clear cut my buddy texts me that there are more than 50 elk above us and moving my way. I head up the hill to intercept. As I get close, I can hear them coming getting very close now. Snap, crack, crack, crack...Out from behind a group of small trees appears a beautiful 6x6. he takes 3 steps and turns to look at me. I am not ready...Don't have a bull tag anyway. With a snort, he bust out and the rest of the herd turns away from me. Luckily my buddy is in their path. Soon they turn again, back in my direction...Above me up the hill I have a small window and see cows starting to cross through the window. They are running. I set up on a downed tree with a view through the window and a nice cow stops. About 130 yards up hill. One shot through the upper mid section. She runs about 30 yards and falls between 2 trees and lodges herself under a 3rd tree crosswise. I am thankful. After 3 years I got the 1st one. Not a big bull, but a wonderful score in my book.
We got her cleaned up and drug her to the trail. Packed her out after a brief rest and snack.
Saturday was day of rest and clean up. A couple of the guys had cow tags but were not able to score.
Sunday we broke it down and headed back to the city. What a great 9 days with a great group of friends. I am very grateful for the sharing, the knowledge, and the good times we had during this years camp.
More pics:
Jack-O-Elk-In-Lantern:
The final tally:
The Crew:
All in all we went 5 for 8 with 3 spikes and 2 cows. Next year can't come soon enough!
Beee
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