03 November 2011, 08:48
pepper58Northern Utah Elk 2011
Just back from a great week. Looked long and hard in September and couldn't get it done on a big enough bull. I was looking for really big, or really cool, or really old. Ended up with the latter, but was really cool and old. Spotted this bull at 1500 yards, moved to 1061 and watched him and four other bulls feed, then bed. This bull was truly the dominant of the group. He had a sway back and really flat pedestals, so I figured him older. It was Thursday morning, and I love whacking a bull in morning with a lot of light to take care of him and get out. So I debated for an hour and a half, then glazed over, the chase was on, 1030am. Little cover, so I did the Tommy Land approach of going right at him (kind of). Too steep to go in a straight line, so used what little cover there was. Debated at 582 yards whether to throw one up at him, but with elk, that is too far for a reliable kill. My goal was two cedar trees that I felt would give me a 200 yard poke. When I hit the creek and started my ascent an hour later, I had fallen down twice and the bulls had stirred, then bedded again as I waited for them to calm down. On the uphill side the wind was hitting me right in the back, and I didn't know if they would be there when I made it up the hill. I altered my stalk to try to get a better wind, but at 300 yards, I couldn't see the bulls. So I backed out, looped around in a little depression and came out at the target tree. I could see the bull's head and antlers at 171 yards. The brush was so high I couldn't get on my sticks with any stability, so cranked my tripod legs out half way and extended the neck up, tipping my scope over for a rest. I had to kneel to see just over the brush. I have never fired a shot kneeling before, so I was a little unsettled.
I got my pack off, calmed myself and settled in for a long wait as it was about 1230pm. I had to wait less than 5 minutes when he stood up, stretched and I put the cross hairs on his right shoulder. I wanted to break his shoulders and get him down fast. I hit him hard the first shot, breaking his right shoulder, through his heart (both ventricles), then up through his left lung and stopped under the hide at the base of his neck. As he stood stunned, I jacked another on in and pounded him again through his diaphragm and both lung bases. I hammered a third one into the chamber as he tipped over. "Dang it! I wanted to get a third one in before he fell over". He didn't even wiggle. So I followed our guiding adage of "Shoot him again before he dies!" It worked.
I gathered my wits and my gear and started up to him. The other four bulls didn't stand up until I got 75 yards away, and then they just stood and looked at me like, where did you come from.
Great bull. 54 inch beams, 41 inch inside and really gnarly bases. He was 9 or 10 years old. A great bull to harvest and it was really a great experience all around. Great spot, great stalk, great shot, great bull.
Gear:
Rifle: D'Arcy Echols Long Range Legend, 300 wby
Bullet: 200 grain accubond - perfect performance, 64% wt retention
Scope: Leupold Vari X III 4.5 - 14
Binoculars: Leica Geovid 10x42 HD
Spotting Scope: Swarovski 65 mm HD
Tripod: Manfrotto 190XV with 501 head
Pack: Nimrod, outfitters with custom length scabbard
Deer hunt not so good. Winter mortality greater than 50% it would appear. Will take a while to recover.
Good hunting.
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