My wife spent last hunting season pregnant, so she's trying to make up for lost time this season. She had a succesful antelope season, bagging a 13.5" speedgoat on opener. Since the closest grandmother is in Billings, her hunting opportunities are limited for over night hunts. We've been trying to make the best of it. We are not real trophy hunters, but enjoy taking mature animals. Kara keeps saying she is going to get one mature representation of each (antelope, deer, elk). She's on her way!

Before elk opener, we had been driving to our hunting area and hiking/glassing. We had a herd worked out pretty well, and spent the day before opener setting up camp. I found that we probably wouldn't be alone. Opening morning at first light found us on a ridge looking across at the parallel ridge line that 45 head have been using every morning to ascend to dark timber. Only this morning instead of elk, there was a lone hunter (I think a fellow from Georgia that I saw around later). The guy had hiked through where the elk had been feeding at night, then directly up the path the elk had been using before sunup. He was probably wondering why the elk were not there... This happens alot on public land, and it can be discouraging. After a long descent, we met with some friends and compared notes. They dragged in a decent mulie. We formulated a plan that involved heading up the same area with our friend, Jon. It would take a couple of hours to hike to where we hoped to meet with the elk during their afternoon descent (considering that they hadn't been blown out of the country), and we figured we would have about 1/2 hr to leave. Bags packed, Jon went to get a last minute snack. As he left, I saw the impossible--the distinct color of a lone bull on the mountainside we intented to climb shortly. My rangefinder said it was 998 yds. Glassing him showed a big, wide, mature 6x6. Like children at xmas, we headed for the trees. The bull disappeared. Foolishly, we split up and I headed up the very steep, talus slope in hopes of jumping him. I'll bet he laughed. Pouring sweat, and with the afternoon heat pushing my scent up hill, I went on. Locating his bed, smelling him, I was wild-eyed and stupid. I signalled to Kara and Jon, far below, to get our packs, and I set out up the face that turned into a long, steep ridge. Like Sisyphus pushing his boulder, I shoved up hill, dumping sweat. The bull traversed into the dark timber, then climbed to the ridge. His tracks would follow the ridge then traverse again. Just before the top knob, where the three ridge fingers met, I thought I heard the stomping of his hooves. I reached a flat section and his tracks came up from below and over the other side of the ridge. I waited where I could see the traverse of the high bowl but it was for nothing. I probably heard my heart trying to jump from my chest. That bull is probably still laughing, and was probably 30 min ahead of me. A cold 45 min later my wife and friend showed up, sin packs. They had misunderstood my wild signalling and thought I was saying to get their asses up there!

We reached the spot we wanted to catch the herd in another 45min, and waited in the cold. We had no extra clothes to wait in, no snacks, no water, no lights. I had my knife and saw. And this, I tell you, is the most certain way to get an elk. Simply show up unprepared and they will present themselves. Right at sunset, I saw the biggest bull on the other side of the saddle we were waiting at. We were just off the ridge side in light cover. A spike walked nonchalently into the lightly wooded opposite side of the saddle. After an agonizing 15 min of watching several bulls of this bachelor group feed just off the edge of the clear area, a nice 5x5 fed out in the open. Another was behind him, and the 6x6 slid out a couple of min after. Kara only had this weekend to seriously hunt elk, and Jon and I had agreed she should take the big bull. Plus, it was her idea to try this spot. Jon waited patiently for Kara's bull to finally turn for at least a quartering shot. We had ranged the different aspects of the ridge and knew Jon's bull was at about 330 yds, Kara's at 310. Not wanting three bulls in this spot, I had decided to back Kara up to make certain her bull didn't make more work for us than absolutely necessary. Kara said she was ready, Jon was, and she shot him in the front of the left shoulder, burying her bullet against the skin near the back of the right shoulder. On her shot, Jon shot, and I shot at Kara's bull in nearly the same instant. The three shots sounded almost like one, and may as well have been just the one, as Jon and I both managed to miss. Jon said he watched his bull spin straight on as he shot and knew he missed. I flinched and watched myself shoot over the back of Kara's bull. The elk vanished in an instant, save Kara's. Hers ran towards us and down the side of the ridge. I shot him a second time in the right shoulder as he stopped, I think, to die anyway. He dropped at the shot and slid a bit. On inspection, we satisfied ourselves that Jon missed cleanly, then set about gutting Kara's bull. It was pitch black before we were done, but we were lucky to have a bit of moon light to walk down with. We were forced to leave her bull. The photos are from the next day--a couple of other friends came up from camp to give a hand. We spent most of that day quartering and dragging and dragging...

Details:
Kara shot the bull in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, same as her last. She shoots "W", a Tikka T3 in 308 with a 3x9 elite scope. I load her 150 gn interbonds, but am switching her to 165 gn accubonds once those run out. Her 150 gn Interbond weighed 134 gn when recovered. She shot her antelope with my 300 RUM using a 200 gn accubond at about 300 yd(I had to change her scope recently). For some reason she is very confident with my rifle, and has taken a few critters with it.

Kara after our morning hunt was blown:







About where we shot from. The elk were high on the opposite side of the saddle.

Good story. I'm not the only one who likes to hunt with his wife. My favorite hunts are with my wife. We try to hunt deer in big fields, where our talking won't spook as much. Its the only time we get alone time.

Its tough with small kids. We hunted with one in the oven last year. Her blaze orange coveralls barely zipped over her belly.

When my dad died two years ago, we lost our best babysitter. He would take a day off of hunting and play with our daughter while we hunted. This year, my sister in law is coming to camp, for babysitting duty.

Good luck on your elk.

Congrats!! I am glad y'all got to get away this year to hunt together!!

Bob

Awesome bull...congrats!

whatamonster!

That's an awesome bull and a great hunting story. Congratulations!

Do I understand correctly that she shot the bull at 310 yards with her .308 with a 150 grain interbond? I shot my first bull this year in the timber with a .308 and a 150 grain Accubond handload. It dropped him in his tracks!

Do you still have the opportunity to hunt for elk this year?

Congratulations again to both of you!

X

Congratulations Great story Great elk

Congratulations. That is a great elk. Thanks for sharing. Best regareds, Brad Starcevich

WOW! Thats a monster. Wonderful to share this with your wife.

Now all you have to do is post the GPS coordinates for the rest of us so we can ruin your spot next year.

Again, congrats.

very nice write-up and great pictures! congratulations!

Great story, GREAT elk. But man, missin' in front of your wife? You and your buddy are most likely never gonna hear the end of that.

Thanks all.

I'm very proud of Kara--she's become quite a hunter. If I get much prouder, I'm afraid I might start getting jealous!

BJA,
We're thinking about taking our baby in her backpack carrier deer hunting. Is that too redneck? We'll just carry one rifle, so that who has her does not shoot.
It is great to have that time alone, too. Kara is probably my best hunting partner, even amoung my 4 brothers and friends! She's never late (we're late together!), doesn't complain (at least while hunting), and is always ready for the challenges ahead. She's pretty to boot.

As for GPS coordinates, just keep waiting...

Great Story and Great looking bull.

Congratulations to you and your wife for being able to share that experience.

Many Thanks for sharing the story and pictures with us.

Mike,

I would say you are one lucky guy.

Awesome hunt and relationship. Congrats to you both.

Its never to redneck to take the baby with you!

Mikea- Awesome story and an AWESOME BULL your wife got there.

And as for putting the baby in the backpack carrier im all for it its how I got my start. My Dad packed me in an old army duffel when I was a baby while out chasing hogs with dogs it was great.

Heck of a nice elk! I bet that one won't be forgotten!

My question is, Does she have a sister?

Mac