Please pardon the intrusion, but I'm a VERY proud father tonight, and I just have to share it with someone.

I have been up in the mountains of Northern Arizona with my 13 year old son, Christopher, since last Thursday evening, sharing with him his second elk hunt. Last year we tried, but were unsuccessful, but not wanting to let that get us down, we decided to try again this year.

The weekend didn't get off to a good start, in fact the only elk we saw the first day (Friday), were the fleeting rumps of four cow elk in the thick forest... happening so fast that Christopher was unable to get a clean shot off in time. We then went for three full days, not seeing a single elk, but finding lots of sign, just not finding the animals that made the sign. We saw lots of deer, turkey, antelope, squirrels, rabbits and even saw a porcupine, just no elk.

Finally, late Monday we found what appeared to be an elk freeway, with more track than I have ever seen in one area. We decided to set up an ambush for the first thing the next morning (Tuesday), from across a canyon where we could tell by the sign, the elk would have to travel.

I rolled Christopher out of bed this morning (Tuesday) @ 4:45am, because I wanted to get to the spot we had selected and be set-up well before the sun came up. We were in place long before sun-up, shivering both from the cold and the anticipation. As it became light enough to see, about 700 yards away I could see three cow elk moving up the trail we had found the day before. I nudged Christopher and whispered "Here they come... get ready". You should have seen his eyes. I think at this point he had more or less given up on getting an elk for the second year... much as I had. As the elk got closer, I had Christopher focus on a opening between two trees on the far side of the canyon, some 200 yards distant (electronic rangefinder, saved the day!). As the lead cow stepped into the clearing, I whistled and she stopped immediately and looked in our direction. She had no sooner stopped when Christopher shot... and missed her completely, shot right over her back!!! The "kid-who-never-misses" is human after all!!! The cow took off like greased lighting and ran for another 100 yards, then stopped and turned around to see what had made all the noise. I had the rangefinder on her as she stopped, 310 yards, and told Christopher to put the horizontal crosshair even with her back. I no sooner got those words out when he touched off the second shot, this one connected and she dropped in her tracks. I glanced at my watch, it was 6:30am.

We both sat there in complete shock, fully expecting her to get up and run off, but she stayed down. I didn't want to take the field glasses off of her, for fear that she would get up and I wouldn't be able to find her again. Finally, I pulled my face away from the binoculars and looked over at Christopher who had a huge smile on his face, both his fists clinched tightly, arms extended in the air, mouthing "YES, YES, YES!!!". Mr. Calm-Cool-and-Collected was actually excited!!!

We sat there for a couple more minutes, both of us shaking like leaves in the wind (I don't know who was more excited!!), just to make sure she stayed down, then we anxiously made our way down the canyon to where she lay. You should have seen the look on Christopher's face when we finally go close enough for him to see just how big she really was... I thought he knew, but judging by the expression on his face, I guess I was wrong.

Sorry for the long winded story (I could easily make it MUCH longer!), I have included a photo of the proud hunter and his hard earned cow elk.

Thanks,
-Mr Mike

Mike,

Congratulations to you and your son. I wish I had a son to teach. All my daughters lost interest at 13!

Now you've got a hunting partner for life, and hopefully he will pass it on also.

Thanks for sharing,
Don

Congrats-
I'm a few years behind you with my own kids. It would kill me if either looses their enthusiasm.
This was an important year for your son. From the look on his face it appears you've got him now. What was the look on the face behind the camera?
Forrest

Mr. Mike con-grats to you on rasing a fine son and we welcome him into the brother/sisterhood. Don G dont give up on your grils.

Mr. Mike, great job on the hunt. That is one huge cow elk!
My son took his first cow elk in almost exactly the same way and he has talked about it ever since. He is 24 now and we just got back last week from a moose hunt in Canada in which we each got a good moose. You've got a hunting partner for life now- congrats!- Sheister

Congrats to you and Christopher. My kids were not interested at that age, but they hunt all the time now. Both are in their 30's. I've been taking my grandson out for the last couple of years. I would rather have him shoot than me any day.

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JD

Hey congrats Mike!

Oh, and that's a mighty nice 270 your son has there! BWAHAHAHAHA!

Gentlemen,

Thank you so much for you kind words, and for allowing me to share my son's joy.

MarkWhite - I hope you won't be too disappointed to learn that the rifle is a venerable old .30-06 and not a .270.

-Mr Mike

Mike,

No not disappointed at all, actually I was just trying to be a rabble-rouser and put some humor into the old 270-on-elk controversy that seems to rear its ugly head here every once in a while.

I am curious though what bullet you were using, and also the ballistics- what range you were sighted in for and where the bullet actually hit. I couldn't really see it on the picture.

Regards,

Mark

Mark,

No not disappointed at all, actually I was just trying to be a rabble-rouser and put some humor into the old 270-on-elk controversy that seems to rear its ugly head here every once in a while.

Sorry, I guess I missed that thread... is the consensus for or against the .270 for elk? In my limited experience, I would suppose that it would be OK, with a lot of IF's involved.

I am curious though what bullet you were using, and also the ballistics- what range you were sighted in for and where the bullet actually hit. I couldn't really see it on the picture.

He was using a handloaded 165g Nosler Partition traveling @ 2,800fps. We had it sighted in to be about 1.8" high @ 100 yards, which should have put it dead on @ 200... He was shooting downhill at the cow, the bullet hit midway up the body just behind the right front shoulder, exited on the left side right at the elbow joint and lodged in the joint. Like it was designed, the front portion seperated and all we were able to recover was the rear section.

If you look closely at the picture, you can see a slight blood stain between the rifle buttstock and the elks left elbow joint, that was from the exit wound.

Thanks,
-Mr Mike