My friend and I hunted a parcel of about 1000 acres that his grandfather owns this morning. We know there are elk in it -- in fact, have seen them quite a few times -- we've sighted a large branch bull, a spork, and a spike on previous deer trips.
This morning I set up, and he did a drive through the orchard to run anything in there out towards me. About 20 minutes into his drive, the spike we'd seen before walks out in front of me -- looks directly at me and stops. I didn't shoot right away, in fact, I waited to see if the branch bull was following, but he wasn't, the spike was solo. Having prayed for meat this morning, not antlers, I decided -- don't look a gift elk in the mouth.
He takes a couple more steps, and looks at me again. Shot was about 80 yards, and I was using my 180 grain bullets with a flat trajectory out to 100, so I slowly raised my .30-06, took aim on his boiler room and fired -- the .30-06 round tore right into his lungs. He jumped and took off at a dead run towards the refuge. Not wanting to mess with that, I didn't want to lose him in there, I fired again hitting him high in the mid-section (which I later found out broke some ribs, but missed lungs. He ran about 60 yards, and started getting wobbly on his feet. He went over on his side, and was unable to stand again. The front of where he lay filled with bright red frothy blood, so I knew he was lung shot.
I thanked God, and called my buddy to let him know we had a bull down, and started towards him -- as I approached he kept trying to get up. I dispatched him with a final shot from about 20 yards with my .30-06 to the head.
As I gutted him out, I noticed he was double lunged, and the second shot hit instestine.
So that was less than fortunate, but he had a heck of a time going down. Tough young bull.
This was my first elk, and I grossly understimated the difficulty of gutting, skinning, quartering, and hauling out this animal. I have nothing but awe for you guys that do this kind of hunting in mountain country.
I am truly not worthy. lol
The only frustration I have as I sit down to write this is... no camera in the field. Then when I got home, I was so busy trying to get the meat taken care of and get stuff cleaned up tonight, I didn't take a picture. I have the almost 24" sabres to remember him by I guess, and the backstrap will be amazing as young as he is. The quarters and upper torso (mostly neck at this point) is hanging in my garage as we speak wrapped in sheets. All is cleaned up...(except me, I'm still covered in gore, and looking forward to a shower. Bad.)
Now, off to drink a mess of water, take a shower, drink a homebrew, eat some backstrap and potatoes for dinner, pop a mess of tylenol and magnesium, and go to bed. Yup, in that order. I'm beat. Good luck the rest of you this week if you didn't get your bull this weekend. I have three days to read up on how on earth to butcher a bull elk.
Cheers
Bulk
P.S. After today, it might be time to become the "Incredible NOT SO Bulk" before next elk season. Yipes.
Spike Down. I'm tired.
RidgeRunner
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