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12-06-2016, 12:44 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 72
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ELK Success
Unfortunately, due to my temporary geographical residence in Vancouver (as I attend school) I only had one precious weekend in November to get out and fill some tags back home in Alberta.
I arrived home in Calgary on Thursday night and was elated to find that it was snowing. The snow and frigid temperatures were a stark contrast to the weather my folks had been bragging about throughout the month of November in Alberta. I was up late that evening scrambling to get all my gear situated for the following morning. But despite my fatigue, sleep barely arrived, as I was too full of anticipation for the coming morning.
When my alarm finally went off, it did not take much coaxing to get out of bed and hop in the truck before picking up my hunting buddy and aiming my headlights south. When we arrived at the property we would be hunting, I was pleased to see that the snow accumulation had been even more significant down south. This only enhanced my anticipation.
We set off well before legal light with the intentions of summating the main hill system on the property before legal shooting light. My partner had an antlered mule deer tag and had, the previous week, seen a 180 ish buck on the eastern slope of the hill we had just begun to ascent. Our plan was simple, position ourselves at a glassing vantage point where we could survey the area the aforementioned buck resided, as well as the hills to the west for any lingering elk herds. As we crested the hill the early morning sun began to illuminate the valley to the west. As we stopped to catch our breaths, we seized the opportunity to peer through the glass. It did not take longer then five minutes before we had spotted a herd of elk filtering through the open fields and headed towards a patch of willow.
We now had a dilemma on our hands. Do we continue as planned and try and track down the mule deer buck? Or do we descend the hill we had just conquered and head out after the herd of 60 or so elk? We quickly surmised that we had visual contact on the elk already, including a couple bulls, whereas there was no guarantee that the buck would be roaming about, so we got to our feet and began the long two km stalk towards our quarry.
As we closed the distance between the elk herd and ourselves, we had to swing way out to the north of the herd, which was now bedded atop a hill crowned with willow. The detour to the north was necessary to remain out of their sight lines, but also to correct our wind, which was oddly blowing from a southeastern direction. As we inched closer, we tucked into a thick patch of willow to help conceal our movements while periodically poking our heads out of the thick cover to attain visual confirmation that the herd was indeed still present. Eventually we reached a cut line where we could see in full the fruits of or labor. The herd was still content and milling about in the same location we had last seen them.
We also gained visual confirmation that a legal bull was amongst the herd, a small 5X4, but a bull nonetheless. Unfortunately, they were still 650 yards in front of us presenting too difficult of a shot. Quickly my hunting partner and I formulated a plan where I would envelop the hill, on which the herd was mounted, and wait in ambush as my buddy continued through the last remaining bit of willow to either get a shot himself or startle them into my trap. We agreed that 15 minutes would be sufficient for me to move into position and so I set off, as my partner sat and stared at his watch.
As per usual the hill was much larger and much more time consuming to ascend then I originally suspected and it took an enormous amount of exertion to get to a spot I deemed suitable before my 15 minute window expired. By the time I was settled and had my gun in a comfortable position where I could cover all escape routes, I was panting and sweating profusely. I sat there patiently for another five minutes anticipating a gunshot or a stampede of elk. Then suddenly a cow emerged gingerly from the willow not 100 yards in front of me. She did not appear startled nor pressured, as I leveled my scope and prepared. The first cow was followed by a second, then a third, then a fourth… I was certain a bull would emerge, but no. A total of eight cows came forth from the willow, but nothing else came out. My friend clearly hadn’t forced the cows out, as they calmly fed onwards and out of sight.
Frustrated, I picked up my items and moved further south another 100 yards to attain a new vantage point. Then in an instant the forest erupted 200 yards in front of me as the entire herd exploded from the forest and took flight across the open field. I dropped to one knee leveled my sights and waited for the bull I had seen to emerge. Two minutes and 75 elk later all I had seen were spikes. I was dumbfounded. Had he taken a different route and escaped right from under my nose? I waited anxiously for 15 minutes before turning around to retrieve my pack when suddenly I heard a violent crash to my right approximately 50 yards in front of me.
As antler flashed before me, I quickly recognized the bull I had seen nearly an hour prior. He darted across the open field right before me, as I leveled my rifle and gave a whistle at him hoping to impede his progress. As he slowed to look in my direction I squeezed the trigger. He immediately dropped, as the valley echoed with the unmistakable sound of a bullet finding its mark. As I walked up to him I couldn’t help but laugh at how it had all played out and the effort my buddy took to sight my gun in for me while I was away from home only to have a 50 yard chip shot.
After pictures and the works it was time to get to at it. We cut and deboned and hauled the meat out on our backs the 6km back to my truck over the course of the next two days. It was definitely well earned and I will always have a fond memory of this hunt.
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12-06-2016, 12:51 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Fort McMurray, AB
Posts: 2,514
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Excellent write up
Congrats on a nice elk !
Thanks for sharing
__________________
Be sure of your target and what lies beyond.
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12-06-2016, 03:40 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 315
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Congrats!! Late season elk are tough to get. Good job!!
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I hunt because I am hungry...
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12-06-2016, 04:56 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 326
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Nice story , good hunt
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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12-06-2016, 05:20 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central AB
Posts: 1,705
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Congrats on the elk!
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12-06-2016, 05:25 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,504
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Talk about getting it done eh, congrats.
Now get back to school your late
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Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
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12-06-2016, 06:33 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 695
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Way to go. Nice elk.
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12-06-2016, 07:54 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,960
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Sounds like a great hunt, congrats
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12-06-2016, 08:31 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,886
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Well done, congrats!
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07-08-2017, 09:41 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 21
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Looks like a good eater. Nice work
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07-09-2017, 06:31 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,647
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Great story and hunt!!
Thanks for sharing!!
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07-09-2017, 07:59 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,338
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Very good 👍🏾 nice write up congrats on a fine animal
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07-09-2017, 08:11 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 121
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Awesome story i love reading these
Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
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07-09-2017, 09:45 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,446
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Great story. Loved it. Felt like I was there.
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07-10-2017, 06:00 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 718
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Flight01's post as shown in #1 above expresses my thoughts exactly.
I'll also add that your misfortune as per school location surely was made up for with fantastic Elk luck! All the best.
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Balls and Spirit!!!
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07-10-2017, 12:11 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,387
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Nice Elk, Good Hunt, Awesome Story. Thanks.
You must be taking Journalism, it was a good read!
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07-10-2017, 12:53 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 266
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great read but why the old necro? Threads almost a year old
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07-10-2017, 09:12 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Calgary
Posts: 4,083
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congrats on the bull last year
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07-10-2017, 09:33 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Edmonton Area
Posts: 4,093
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ryeguy21
great read but why the old necro? Threads almost a year old
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I think someone was trying to get to 20 post, must have an item to sell.
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07-11-2017, 01:20 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 72
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Blew the dust off this one. Was surprised to see it in the news feed lol.
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07-11-2017, 08:41 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 88
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Awesome account of your success! I've been getting into sheep hunting and got an elk bull 3 years ago with the bow. But have been stumped aince with no response from or sightings of elk. Hoping I can seal the deal this year as you did! Thanks for sharing.
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07-21-2017, 11:47 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Calgary/Nakusp
Posts: 24
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Very nice! Congrats!
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