2 Hunters + 2 spike tags = 2 spikes

kodiakfisher · 10-28-2002, 07:48 AM

Truely a great year I took a rookie out for his first big game hunt. On the way out he spotted a big horn sheep I also spotted a sheep, many many turkeys, he had a very very close encounter with a three point walked within six feet of him. And he spotted what seems to have turned out to be a wolf. His description was that it looked like a big husky. Since he doesn't know the description that the ODFW uses and his words and theirs were the same I tend to think wolf and not coyote.

To start the story he had been paying attention to the areas that I was hunting and another person that was hunting. Now he says he doesn't snore but he did ALL NIGHT anyways since my sleep was limited I slept in and he went to the spot I was going to hunt, smart guy. I would have done the same. I get up an hour or so later and head up the mountain. Anyways he spots a herd of 20 with two spikes. He has time to calm himself down as the herd is 300-350 yds away, he makes a really good decision and doesn't shot and is rewarded with the herd comming down the mountain within 200yds and the last spike in the group stops to take a look at what was moving. This is when my partner makes a great 200yd steep uphill shot. The only good spot he had to shoot at was the center of the chest and he nailed it. At this point the heard splits into two groups headed down the mountain. Since we have gained over 1000' feet of elevation we have quite a drag. We get the Elk down to where I can get my atv to it and we gut it out. We decide to hunt back to camp and try and find the second spike in the heard. We see lots of tracks but no Elk. At one point my partner can hear them moving about 75-100yds from a truck that other hunters had driven up so we try and surround them, I one point I can smell them no luck can't find the elk anywhere. We decide to give up have some lunch and take the atv up to get the first spike. I inform him of the rule never leave camp without your rifle never know what you might find standing over your elk. Anyways we go get the elk put the whole thing on the back of my atv and on the way back I see movement where my partner had previously heard the elk. I jump off my atv put my clip in slam the bolt closed and look for an opening in the trees find what I figure is a big enough hole to shoot through and watch six cows go through my scope the last elk turned out to be the second spike in the bunch. Well I put him in the dirt as the shot was only 75 yds. One bit of learning was that just because the scope shows a clear path doesn't mean the bullet has a clear path. My bullet deflected by a large margin causing a high back hit. The animal was promptly dispatched with a second shot once I walked through the trees. One funny note was that before my partner could register that the last elk was a spike I had knocked it down having identified it as a spike prior to it reaching the "opening" that I was shooting through. He kept saying it is a spike are you sure it is a spike. There was never any question. Anyways truely a great year.

Kodiakfisher

TheRogue · 10-28-2002, 08:09 AM

Awesome!!! Great Report, thanx for sharing.

gorge_fisherman · 10-28-2002, 08:15 AM

Good job kodiakfisher . What unit were you guys in? Well for the second year in a row I had to come home cursing spike only hunting. Last year I could have shot a nice 5 point at about 20 yards and had to let him walk away. This year I came around a nole first thing in the morning to see a herd of 50+ elk standing at the edge of a clear grassy field. They were about 175 yards away and had spotted me. Most of them walked over the rise of the hill but bringing up the rear was a nice mature bull, no Raghorn. I also got a glimpse of multiple other Raghorn size bulls before they dropped over. I could tell they were going side hill so I kept going in the direction they were moving. The whole herd came out around the hill about 250 yards out and into the East with very low light. I started scanning from the front to back of the herd. There were atleast 6 branched bulls including the big one at the rear, but I could not find a spike in the bunch. The only one which may have been a spike/fork was right in the middle of the cows and I had no shot.

The next day I found the Elk again but they had already gone over the hill onto private property. What was kinda weird was that the big bull was still bugling to beet the band. Had to listen to him all morning about 300 yards on the other side of the fence.

kodiakfisher · 10-28-2002, 09:33 AM

I have had to watch a herd of 50 go by at the far end of my shooting range 400+ yds in the timber. Very frustrating.

I believe the wapati elk spirits have blessed me with the ability to think like an elk and have also blessed me with a large dose of plain old luck.

I do believe in the fact the "chance favors the prepared mind". My gear maps etc are always ready to go and any glitches worked out so I can concentrate on hunting and watching and this has led to better than average success.

I feel your pain and frustration, we normally have to see at least 15-20 cows twice could be same herd to get a least one spike. This year we or I was lucky. BTW the elk was only about 300yds from the camper. After four years of climbing and crawling to get to my elk I finally got an "easy" one to drag out

Kodiakfisher

Small Fry · 10-28-2002, 10:33 AM

Way to go. I wish I could have been there to see Jason. The first one is always the best one. You just had to wait and shoot one close to the road the one year we don't hunt together. It's nice to know that area still has the herds in the same area as last year.

Since we used my points this year I suppose we'll be hunting up there next year.

Let me know when were doing pepperoni.

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'ZZZZzzzzzz' · 10-28-2002, 01:36 PM

Nice Job KF!

I agree that luck is preparation awaiting opportunity. You are a blessed Elk Hunter. Keep up the good!

Z's.

kodiakfisher · 10-28-2002, 02:02 PM

I have to give a bunch of the credit to small frys father, small fry and his wife who is one heck of a hunter they took me under there wing and taught me well. This in turn allowed me to pass it on to another person that probably wouldn't have taken to hunting without the benefit of having someone to show him.