Elk season lasted all of 5 min

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Larry in wyoming

Larry in wyoming

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I had seen a herd of 6 elk a couple of times in the same spot while deer hunting. I wanted to be there at dawn on opening day. As I drove up the forest circus road there were a LOT of campers and vehicles parked along there. I parked and giked the mile plus in the dark. Just as I got to the base of the hill where I expected to find the elk when the sun came up, an elk snorted at me. I didn't hear them run off so I thought I might be ok. I continued on to my chosen spot and settled in to wait for legal light.
As it got light I scanned the far hillside 385 yards away. NOTHING. Just at legal light I heard what I was sure was elk coming through the woods to my right. I dialed my scope down to 2x anticipating a closer shot. Finally the elk stepped out at 50yds or so. I needed the cow to take two more steps to clear a tree branch. When she did I put the cross hair just behind the shoulder and fired. She swapped ends and was wobbling so I hit her again. Done at 0720. It took me three trips for a total of 11 miles to haul her out. I put the last quarter in the truck at 330. Heck of an elk season.
 
.38 Special said:
I've heard that the worst part of an elk hunt is actually shooting an elk. Apparently, all enjoyment stops at that point. :p
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My dad always said, "The fun's all over as soon as you pull the trigger." He was talking about deer and elk hunting, and in my experience, he was right. :p
I've also heard guys say, "If you ever shoot a moose, you'll never want to shoot another one."
At 74 years old, I suspect they're right too. As a matter of fact, if I ever did draw a once-in-a-lifetime Idaho moose tag (you can draw a second Idaho "cow" moose tag nowadays if you first drew that once-in-lifetime "bull" moose tag) I'd only shoot a moose that was standing next to the road, and I had a winch and a hoist on my truck. Barbecued moose ribs are the best there is, but they're not as they say, "to DIE for!" ;)
 
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.308 Norma said:
My dad always said, "The fun's all over as soon as you pull the trigger." He was talking about deer and elk hunting, and in my experience, he was right. :p
I've also heard guys say, "If you ever shoot a moose, you'll never want to shoot another one."
At 74 years old, I suspect they're right. As a matter of fact, if I ever did draw a once-in-a-lifetime Idaho moose tag (you can draw a second Idaho "cow" moose tag nowadays if you first drew that once-in-lifetime "bull" moose tag) I'd only shoot a moose that was standing next to the road, and I had a winch and a hoist on my truck. Barbecued moose ribs are the best there is, but they're not as they say, "to DIE for!" ;)
Click to expand...

Even wild boar have gotten to be on the large side for me. I generally look for little ones that will fit into the smoker - and onto my pack frame! Really, though, I've turned into an inveterate small game hunter. When I get one it takes just a few moments to clean it and pop it into my bag - and with my longbow, I almost never get one, which really extends my hunting time!
 
Larry. What Mt range in Wy? General location not your specific spot. I get to Wy fairly frequently.
 
Done at 0720. It took me three trips for a total of 11 miles to haul her out. I put the last quarter in the truck at 330. Heck of an elk season.
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High five and YES!!!!
 
Been there, hunted there!
Closest place to heaven on earth!
Fishing isn’t bad either.

Dixie National Forrest; Lake Panguich, Utah runs a close second.
 
.308 Norma said:
My dad always said, "The fun's all over as soon as you pull the trigger." He was talking about deer and elk hunting, and in my experience, he was right. :p
I've also heard guys say, "If you ever shoot a moose, you'll never want to shoot another one."
At 74 years old, I suspect they're right too. As a matter of fact, if I ever did draw a once-in-a-lifetime Idaho moose tag (you can draw a second Idaho "cow" moose tag nowadays if you first drew that once-in-lifetime "bull" moose tag) I'd only shoot a moose that was standing next to the road, and I had a winch and a hoist on my truck. Barbecued moose ribs are the best there is, but they're not as they say, "to DIE for!" ;)
Click to expand...

I had a mate over from England for moose hunting quite a few years ago. He thought it would be easy to shoot another moose by your self without any one knowing. Yea, right, not a chance. Pulling the trigger is the easy bit and whilst moose meats OK at my age a roe or fallow deer is as big as I can handle these days. Boar I will only shoot if I can get my Honda quad right up to them or within winching distance.
 
My uncle quit deer hunting for a number of years when the same thing happened on his first deer hunt. Right after legal shooting, one walked right up to him. He eventually did deer hunt again, most of those he's gotten since haven't been that easy.
Glad your hunt, though short, was a success!

As for moose, we got lucky with my dad's bull. We spotted the bull and a cow about a mile from the farm we were staying at. It expired about 50 yards from the road, we pulled it to the road with my 3/4 ton pickup, and it got hauled back to the farm we were staying at hanging from the front end loader on our host's tractor. I rigged up my pack for carrying meat out for nothing. And I'm fine with that. :)
 
Five minutes is pretty awesome.

This year, I had a 15 hour day. 5 hunting, 5 packing the elk out in three trips, 5 hours breaking camp and driving home. In elk country, happiness is when the meat is being cooled :)

I remember my gramps last white tail deer. Nice 8 pointer. He gutted it, hooked his rope on and couldn’t budge it. 84 years old. My Dad and I drug it out and hung it for him. He ended hunting there.

Heaven help, that’s the way I want to end hunting, too. No real physical ailments, just too old.
 
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Larry in wyoming said:
I had seen a herd of 6 elk a couple of times in the same spot while deer hunting. I wanted to be there at dawn on opening day. As I drove up the forest circus road there were a LOT of campers and vehicles parked along there. I parked and giked the mile plus in the dark. Just as I got to the base of the hill where I expected to find the elk when the sun came up, an elk snorted at me. I didn't hear them run off so I thought I might be ok. I continued on to my chosen spot and settled in to wait for legal light.
As it got light I scanned the far hillside 385 yards away. NOTHING. Just at legal light I heard what I was sure was elk coming through the woods to my right. I dialed my scope down to 2x anticipating a closer shot. Finally the elk stepped out at 50yds or so. I needed the cow to take two more steps to clear a tree branch. When she did I put the cross hair just behind the shoulder and fired. She swapped ends and was wobbling so I hit her again. Done at 0720. It took me three trips for a total of 11 miles to haul her out. I put the last quarter in the truck at 330. Heck of an elk season.
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That's called harvesting game. Not hunting;) I enjoy seasons like that.
 
My best season ever, I went six times in four days and tagged out (six deer). Then the season after that it took right until the last second of the season to fill one of six tags. Some years it just lines up, and some it doesn’t. That’s part of it.
 
courtgreene said:
My best season ever, I went six times in four days and tagged out (six deer). Then the season after that it took right until the last second of the season to fill one of six tags. Some years it just lines up, and some it doesn’t. That’s part of it.
Click to expand...
Some years it's tough and some it's easy. Usually, for me, it's tough. LOL
 
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