- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
So As most of you guys know I've been down and out with some rather serious spine problems. I've been sitting around the house and going to doctors appointments for over a month. Two weeks ago I went in and had some minor procedures done to try and relieve the pressure on the nerves that exit my neck and into the left side of my body.
The procedures were a partial success. The pain is reduced by 80% but the part that didn't come back was the feeling in my left hand. It is numb. So anyway the day before 4th combined elk season started I had an appointment with the nuro guy. he said "you need to take it easy don't exert yourself."
WHAT does he know anyway?
So that afternoon I loaded the camper grabbed ole faithful (my trusty .375H&H) and headed for the hills with Tim my hunting buddy. We got into camp at about 20:30 set up gulped down a brewski and some nachos and hit the sack.
The next morning before dark we hit the road headed for one of my favorite elk meadows. The road to get to the area I like to hunt is a steep, winding, snow packed, death ride so before we got into the really nasty stuff we pulled over to put the tire chains on.
This is one minute into legal shooting light. I open my door and across the road in the sage brush flat about 70 elk stand up. I slip ole trusty out of the front seat slowly amble across the road walk my mandatory distance off the road. By now the elk are getting nervous and starting to amble off. I slid a round into the chamber line up on a big cow and gently squeeze the trigger. I hear the loudest sound in hunting "CLICK". The bolt hadn't picked up a round! Not only that but I caught myself dunking the muzzle when I inadvertently dry fired the rifle. I was in the full fury and control of buck fever.
I calmly, with shaking hands and ragged breath jacked in a round. believe it or not my big cow is still standing there looking back at me with an expression that was kind of like "hey lookie there, an amateur with a rifle I wonder if he can pull this off?"
I now forced myself to calm down and think about the shot. The second time I pulled the trigger that boom thing happened shattering the cold morning silence. I lost the cow in recoil and muzzle flash. The herd thundered and up the steep hill into the timber and out of sight.
I stood there in disbelief. I had missed a standing elk at less than 100 yards. I started to mentally scold myself for losing my cool and dejectedly started to the spot where I shot at the cow to look for blood. About the time I am getting close to the area where she was standing I am convinced that I've missed one of the easiest shots of my life. I'm feeling pretty ashamed. I stand looking around for a sign in the now all encompassing silence. the only noise I hear is the faint ringing in my ears from the violent blast of the shot.
Then in the still gloomy dark of the frigid morning I see thin tendril steam rising above a large thicket of sage. I take one more step and see one of the most beautiful sights a hunter ever witnesses. A tawny back laying in the snow a very big very dead cow elk.
The bullet had taken her through the back of the ribs angled up and exited just behind the off shoulder just nicking the spine and dropping her instantly out of my view, falling behind a sage brush that was about 3 feet tall completely hiding the prostrate elk.
I let the moment sink in and standing in grateful silence and watch the sun rising over the snow covered Rockies, the forest starts to come to life. I slowly take out my knife and begin the age old process of making this beautiful majestic animal into the finest trophy one could ask for. Delicious healthy meat that will feed my family for the winter to come.
This elk was a gift. No two ways about it. I didn't think that I could still get so excited by a cow elk. I was like a 15 year old kid out for the first time. Just goes to show you that no matter how long you've been doing this. It is still one of the most exciting gratifying activities known to man.
P.S.
The picture looks much darker than it was outside due to the flash.
The procedures were a partial success. The pain is reduced by 80% but the part that didn't come back was the feeling in my left hand. It is numb. So anyway the day before 4th combined elk season started I had an appointment with the nuro guy. he said "you need to take it easy don't exert yourself."
WHAT does he know anyway?
So that afternoon I loaded the camper grabbed ole faithful (my trusty .375H&H) and headed for the hills with Tim my hunting buddy. We got into camp at about 20:30 set up gulped down a brewski and some nachos and hit the sack.
The next morning before dark we hit the road headed for one of my favorite elk meadows. The road to get to the area I like to hunt is a steep, winding, snow packed, death ride so before we got into the really nasty stuff we pulled over to put the tire chains on.
This is one minute into legal shooting light. I open my door and across the road in the sage brush flat about 70 elk stand up. I slip ole trusty out of the front seat slowly amble across the road walk my mandatory distance off the road. By now the elk are getting nervous and starting to amble off. I slid a round into the chamber line up on a big cow and gently squeeze the trigger. I hear the loudest sound in hunting "CLICK". The bolt hadn't picked up a round! Not only that but I caught myself dunking the muzzle when I inadvertently dry fired the rifle. I was in the full fury and control of buck fever.
I calmly, with shaking hands and ragged breath
jacked in a round. believe it or not my big cow is still standing there looking back at me with an expression that was kind of like "hey lookie there, an amateur with a rifle I wonder if he can pull this off?"I now forced myself to calm down and think about the shot. The second time I pulled the trigger that boom thing happened shattering the cold morning silence. I lost the cow in recoil and muzzle flash. The herd thundered and up the steep hill into the timber and out of sight.
I stood there in disbelief. I had missed a standing elk at less than 100 yards. I started to mentally scold myself for losing my cool and dejectedly started to the spot where I shot at the cow to look for blood. About the time I am getting close to the area where she was standing I am convinced that I've missed one of the easiest shots of my life. I'm feeling pretty ashamed. I stand looking around for a sign in the now all encompassing silence. the only noise I hear is the faint ringing in my ears from the violent blast of the shot.
Then in the still gloomy dark of the frigid morning I see thin tendril steam rising above a large thicket of sage. I take one more step and see one of the most beautiful sights a hunter ever witnesses. A tawny back laying in the snow a very big very dead cow elk.
The bullet had taken her through the back of the ribs angled up and exited just behind the off shoulder just nicking the spine and dropping her instantly out of my view, falling behind a sage brush that was about 3 feet tall completely hiding the prostrate elk.
I let the moment sink in and standing in grateful silence and watch the sun rising over the snow covered Rockies, the forest starts to come to life. I slowly take out my knife and begin the age old process of making this beautiful majestic animal into the finest trophy one could ask for. Delicious healthy meat that will feed my family for the winter to come.
This elk was a gift. No two ways about it. I didn't think that I could still get so excited by a cow elk. I was like a 15 year old kid out for the first time. Just goes to show you that no matter how long you've been doing this. It is still one of the most exciting gratifying activities known to man.
P.S.
The picture looks much darker than it was outside due to the flash.
" but it seems you came out two thumbs up... as it were.
