Ya Ever Have One of those days???

[Smokinyotes]

The alarm went off at 5:30 this morning and i jumped in the shower. Made myself a nutritious breakfast of a banana and " not so special" brownie that the wife made last night. Turned on the Keurig and made myself 2 cups of extra strong black coffee for the road.

Went outside to find it snowed a couple inches last night. I thought perfect, fresh tracks. Jumped in the truck and headed to my favourite "honey hole". I arrived at 7:29, pulled out my GPS and saw that legal light was 7:47. I got out of the truck through on my pack and grabbed my rifle. As i slowly walked west thinking i should get into my spot right at legal light.

After walking to the west fence line i turned south to go along it, as i approached the top of the hill i see ears. Mule deer ears, nope elk ears. 1,2,3,4,5,6. Holy crap six sets of elk ears not 50 yards away. Then i see horn tips sticking up, thinking is he legal, he lifts his head enough that i can see his ears and enough points that he is legal. My heart starts to pound. Im thinking if he lifts his head enough im going to drive him in the side of the melon.

Then all of a sudden i have 4 sets of cow eyes pinned on me and they are doing about a buck ten heading south. I then run over the hill and up the next one. Now my heart has hit the redline and im thinking i might need an Aspirin 81. I come over the hill to see the bull trotting broadside at about 200 yards. I shoulder my rifle as im gasping for air and take a free hand shot. Clean miss. I go and check where he was standing no blood. Followed the tracks for another 300 yards, not a drop of blood.

Oh well, some days you just cant win. My biggest problem is i shoot lots from sticks, bipod and the bench and not near enough free hand. Oh well next summer im going to get myself a mountain TI and practice free handing pie plates at 500 yards.

[58thecat]

Range time is important but free hand at 200 yards is tuff, 500

Throw In the hunt factor...elevated heart rate, the rush etc...even 100 yards gets tuff...good luck in the quest.

[SSTL]

its an experience I'm sure you'll never forget. can't prepare for elk fever - no matter how many encounters you have.

[Bub]

Freehand at a moving object at 200 yards with your heart pumping like that? You are lucky you missed him, in my opinion. Could have a been a never recovered dead animal long ways from where you shot him.

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by Bub

Freehand at a moving object at 200 yards with your heart pumping like that? You are lucky you missed him, in my opinion. Could have a been a never recovered dead animal long ways from where you shot him.

You are quickly becoming "that guy" always something negative to say or imply. Watch this guy mods, I am guessing he won't make it till xmas.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

...Oh well next summer im going to get myself a mountain TI and practice free handing pie plates at 500 yards.

This will be key to future success. Glad you've realized it. LOL

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Bub

Freehand at a moving object at 200 yards with your heart pumping like that? You are lucky you missed him, in my opinion. Could have a been a never recovered dead animal long ways from where you shot him.

Bobalong
You are quickly becoming "that guy" always something negative to say or imply. Watch this guy mods, I am guessing he won't make it till xmas.

I don't recall any of his other posts but I got to say I kind of agree with this comment. 200 yards freehand is damn tough shooting. Doing it after running a half mile is just asking for trouble. I too am glad it was a clean miss. I don't care how much practice you get, 200 yards freehand on a big game animal is a LOW percentage shot. It isn't one I would take and I shot a lot of big bore silhouette.

[Supergrit]

Some times I carry trigger sticks use them as kind of walking stick / shooting stick a person can use them in a pinch and gives pretty solid rest. Freehand at 200 is tough specially after running but it is doable and it was worth a try most of us don’t get much try’s at an elk especially this time of year.

[Bub]

Originally Posted by bobalong

You are quickly becoming "that guy" always something negative to say or imply. Watch this guy mods, I am guessing he won't make it till xmas.

“That guy”, eh? Lol. You still did not answer my question in the other thread that was created specifically for “guys like me” or now “those guys”, lol.

I stated my opinion. I stand by it. 200 yards freehand is not an easy shot. Running and adrenalin already pumping prior to that as the op stated, makes that shot even harder. Add to that a moving target and it becomes a shot not to attemp since it was a live target. That’s my opinion though.

Also, at least my post was related to the subject at hand and so is this one.

And lastly, which Christmas? Lol. As for the “always something negative to say or imply”, feel free to look through all of my posts here. Have you done that? Lol. But yes, I am the one who is “that guy”. Lol again. Thanks for the entertainment.

Good luck to the op in his hunt!

[H380]

Originally Posted by Supergrit

Some times I carry trigger sticks use them as kind of walking stick / shooting stick a person can use them in a pinch and gives pretty solid rest. Freehand at 200 is tough specially after running but it is doable and it was worth a try most of us don’t get much try’s at an elk especially this time of year.

I wasnt gonna chime in on this one cause so many threads these days go sideways BUT .. " iT'S WORTH A TRY MOST OF US DON'T GET MUCH TRY AT AN ELK " ?? Are you for real ? I dont think of myself as the ethics police but who takes crazy shot like that , and the only reason being cause we dont get many chances .. come on .

[coolpete1]

couple years ago me and a friend were out for elk , unlike every other trip in the 10 years prior we finally see a legal bull , broadside at 220 yards . my friend is the best shot i've ever met ,thread a needle kinda guy, the elk doesnt see us so he prones out , we are finally gonna break the bad luck on elk streak. 7mm goes off , elk doesnt even flinch , he puts the cross hairs on him again and gently squeezes the trigger . elk continues eating for a half a minute , turns , gives us the finger and leaves. we go back to camp and buddy obliterates 3 targets and a box of shells , all shots dead on. it was elk fever or divine intervention and i'm leaning heavy on divine intervention. screw elk , we stick to moose now.

[cornuteo]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

couple years ago me and a friend were out for elk , unlike every other trip in the 10 years prior we finally see a legal bull , broadside at 220 yards . my friend is the best shot i've ever met ,thread a needle kinda guy, the elk doesnt see us so he prones out , we are finally gonna break the bad luck on elk streak. 7mm goes off , elk doesnt even flinch , he puts the cross hairs on him again and gently squeezes the trigger . elk continues eating for a half a minute , turns , gives us the finger and leaves. we go back to camp and buddy obliterates 3 targets and a box of shells , all shots dead on. it was elk fever or divine intervention and i'm leaning heavy on divine intervention. screw elk , we stick to moose now.

I too had a similar encounter, Elk broadside 175 yrds first two shots Elk did not move. Rifle and optics were dialed in and I wondered if somehow the scope had been bumped. Aimed a little higher and the Bull went down. Upon skinning the animal the three shots made a perfect triangle. Hope you had a look when your Elk walked away. Elk can do some funny stuff.

[coolpete1]

Originally Posted by cornuteo

I too had a similar encounter, Elk broadside 175 yrds first two shots Elk did not move. Rifle and optics were dialed in and I wondered if somehow the scope had been bumped. Aimed a little higher and the Bull went down. Upon skinning the animal the three shots made a perfect triangle. Hope you had a look when your Elk walked away. Elk can do some funny stuff.

for sure, we scoured the area for a good hour , nothing anywhere.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

next summer im going to get myself a mountain TI and practice free handing pie plates at 500 yards.

You be sure to post the video. LOL