- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
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- 13,341
My youngest daughter came rushing up the stairs several weeks ago. She was in tears, my wife and I hurried to comfort her. What’s wrong? She was clutching her phone to her chest, “I got accepted” she replied. She turned the phone around and there was an acceptance letter from CSU School of Veterinary Medicine. After years of hard work and study she had achieved her dream of becoming a Veterinarian just like her momma.
later that afternoon my wife, in not uncertain terms, reminded me that I had not fulfilled our daughters wish this summer for a full up pack in wilderness horse trip for her birthday. Mrs H&H had an unfilled late season cow elk tag. I was immediately put to work as chief guide, outfitter and wrangler. It was redemption time.
The unit we had a tag for is a high desert area and water is a problem. I pre scouted the area and had not found any easy natural water but did have some guesses where we might find some. Day one found us arriving in camp and getting the horses settled. We had several hours of daylight left so we decided to do a little scouting ride. It felt incredible to be in saddle atop my old reliable friend “Flat”a 27 year old Appaloosa guilding that I’ve owned and rode since he was a hot headed 4 year old fresh off a cattle ranch in Southern NM. The afternoon was chilly but sunny and pleasant. The desert was emitting a smell of fresh dry grass, chola cactus and the stunted pinnon and juniper were bringing me back to my days as a young man guiding and hunting in Nothern NM. Much of it on this same horse. Watching my daughter riding her horse ahead of me and silently enjoying the day was bringing me to a happy place.
We’d rode up a wide arroyo for about 5 miles or so and I was just getting ready to turn around as my old man of a horse has become seriously moon blind and is very uncomfortable in the dark.
Just as I was getting ready to turn around in the saddle and motion our retreat, my gaze captured a tawny hide cruising across a sunlit hillside about a mile ahead. I stopped and turned to my girls and said “elk”. I tried to glass them from the vantage point of my mount. And Flat decided that this would be an opportune time to start prancing and hopping. I dismounted and climbed a small rise. There were 8 or 9 elk milling about and browsing in a small meadow about a mile ahead.
All thoughts of retreat immediately went out the window! This is a very slim elk unit, and here were a group of elk. We rode to about a half mile and tied the horses behind some trees. We were able the keep some trees and brush between us and the elk for the next 300 yards or so. It is was perfectly open between us and them. When we tried to crawl closer I noticed that we were attracting attention we back up and I set Mrs. H&H up by the side of a bushy cedar tree, placing my pack on the ground. I got Mrs. H&H and her rifle snuggled into a tight prone position.
We started glassing the herd. It was a group of cows with one long beamed spike. The furthest were just over 500 yards away. The near ones were at about 450 yards. We carefully glassed and decided to try for a big cow on the far right of the herd. She was the lead cow, the biggest and oldest cow of the herd. I watched as Mrs. H&H snuggled into her bush battered old Jeff Cooper Scout in .308 the only non original part was the newly mounted Leupold VX 6, 2x12 with a CDS dial. I turned the dial to 4.5. My daughter was lying next to her mom across from me. We heard the safety click off. My gaze returned to elk through my binos.
The evening serenity was shattered as Mrs. H&H sent a 165 Gr Accubond down range. I thought I heard a distinct thwap. The cow gave no indication of a hit. She looked up and trotted over to the main group. I kept a tight watch on her. She was now the furthest to the left and 547 yards away posing broadside. My daughter looked over and said “I think she missed” I said, “I don’t think so”. I had already dial the scope to 5.5 as our shooter stayed in the scope and kept on the big cow. I said if you’re solid try and put another one into her. I watched her exhale, this time we all heard a distinct “Thwap” at the shot the cow jerked and dropped her head. The herd turned and trotted out of sight behind some trees. They emerged single file trotting up a rise but very hesitantly and looking back.
I immediately knew they were waiting for the lead cow. The big old cow emerged from the trees walking very slowly with her head down. She was hit hard. “603” I said as I simultaneously reached over and dialed the scope. If you’re, “BLAM” the rifle interrupted my suggestion to give her another one. This time we were greeted with a loud “Crack” as the bullet busted a rib mid line exactly behind the shoulder. The cow stumbled and stepped forward. “623” BLAM! I missed that one Mrs H&H said. The elk took two more steps and stopped with her head down. BLAM Thwack. The cow went down and started rolling down the hill and crashed into some trees.
Mrs. H&H turned and explained that she’d been adjusting the the rifle into her shoulder and pulled the trigger before she was ready on the one missed shot. We just smiled as we’ve done it and seen it done before. We gathered our packs and our daughter volunteered to get the horses. We were losing daylight rapidly.
Mrs. H&H and I went to make sure the cow was down for good. We found her in a clump of cedar trees stone cold dead. I pulled her through the trees down hill. Mrs. H&H went back to help our girl collect the horses.
I snapped a picture of the cow before we lost all daylight.
later that afternoon my wife, in not uncertain terms, reminded me that I had not fulfilled our daughters wish this summer for a full up pack in wilderness horse trip for her birthday. Mrs H&H had an unfilled late season cow elk tag. I was immediately put to work as chief guide, outfitter and wrangler. It was redemption time.
The unit we had a tag for is a high desert area and water is a problem. I pre scouted the area and had not found any easy natural water but did have some guesses where we might find some. Day one found us arriving in camp and getting the horses settled. We had several hours of daylight left so we decided to do a little scouting ride. It felt incredible to be in saddle atop my old reliable friend “Flat”a 27 year old Appaloosa guilding that I’ve owned and rode since he was a hot headed 4 year old fresh off a cattle ranch in Southern NM. The afternoon was chilly but sunny and pleasant. The desert was emitting a smell of fresh dry grass, chola cactus and the stunted pinnon and juniper were bringing me back to my days as a young man guiding and hunting in Nothern NM. Much of it on this same horse. Watching my daughter riding her horse ahead of me and silently enjoying the day was bringing me to a happy place.
We’d rode up a wide arroyo for about 5 miles or so and I was just getting ready to turn around as my old man of a horse has become seriously moon blind and is very uncomfortable in the dark.
Just as I was getting ready to turn around in the saddle and motion our retreat, my gaze captured a tawny hide cruising across a sunlit hillside about a mile ahead. I stopped and turned to my girls and said “elk”. I tried to glass them from the vantage point of my mount. And Flat decided that this would be an opportune time to start prancing and hopping. I dismounted and climbed a small rise. There were 8 or 9 elk milling about and browsing in a small meadow about a mile ahead.
All thoughts of retreat immediately went out the window! This is a very slim elk unit, and here were a group of elk. We rode to about a half mile and tied the horses behind some trees. We were able the keep some trees and brush between us and the elk for the next 300 yards or so. It is was perfectly open between us and them. When we tried to crawl closer I noticed that we were attracting attention we back up and I set Mrs. H&H up by the side of a bushy cedar tree, placing my pack on the ground. I got Mrs. H&H and her rifle snuggled into a tight prone position.
We started glassing the herd. It was a group of cows with one long beamed spike. The furthest were just over 500 yards away. The near ones were at about 450 yards. We carefully glassed and decided to try for a big cow on the far right of the herd. She was the lead cow, the biggest and oldest cow of the herd. I watched as Mrs. H&H snuggled into her bush battered old Jeff Cooper Scout in .308 the only non original part was the newly mounted Leupold VX 6, 2x12 with a CDS dial. I turned the dial to 4.5. My daughter was lying next to her mom across from me. We heard the safety click off. My gaze returned to elk through my binos.
The evening serenity was shattered as Mrs. H&H sent a 165 Gr Accubond down range. I thought I heard a distinct thwap. The cow gave no indication of a hit. She looked up and trotted over to the main group. I kept a tight watch on her. She was now the furthest to the left and 547 yards away posing broadside. My daughter looked over and said “I think she missed” I said, “I don’t think so”. I had already dial the scope to 5.5 as our shooter stayed in the scope and kept on the big cow. I said if you’re solid try and put another one into her. I watched her exhale, this time we all heard a distinct “Thwap” at the shot the cow jerked and dropped her head. The herd turned and trotted out of sight behind some trees. They emerged single file trotting up a rise but very hesitantly and looking back.
I immediately knew they were waiting for the lead cow. The big old cow emerged from the trees walking very slowly with her head down. She was hit hard. “603” I said as I simultaneously reached over and dialed the scope. If you’re, “BLAM” the rifle interrupted my suggestion to give her another one. This time we were greeted with a loud “Crack” as the bullet busted a rib mid line exactly behind the shoulder. The cow stumbled and stepped forward. “623” BLAM! I missed that one Mrs H&H said. The elk took two more steps and stopped with her head down. BLAM Thwack. The cow went down and started rolling down the hill and crashed into some trees.
Mrs. H&H turned and explained that she’d been adjusting the the rifle into her shoulder and pulled the trigger before she was ready on the one missed shot. We just smiled as we’ve done it and seen it done before. We gathered our packs and our daughter volunteered to get the horses. We were losing daylight rapidly.
Mrs. H&H and I went to make sure the cow was down for good. We found her in a clump of cedar trees stone cold dead. I pulled her through the trees down hill. Mrs. H&H went back to help our girl collect the horses.
I snapped a picture of the cow before we lost all daylight.
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