Maybe - elk hunting the morning

[sabotloader]

We have an open elk season going on right now... cows only... in the unit I normally hunt. The season started Aug 1 and goes to Sept 15 - but there are some problems.... It is hot really hot - so hot and dry I really have not got to excited about heading out. I have made it out a couple of times but i was packing my Tikka WinMag because it was so dry and tender I worried about shooting a ML out there.

We got a little bit of rain yesterday and some more again early this morning... so I gathered up a couple of ML's and headed to the rock pit to verify their POI. The first gun I wanted to shoot was the Knight Extreme 50 cal. It is/was sighted in with the Lehigh .458/277 grain, in a MMP Orange saboat, 120 grains of T7-2f. I am really anxious to try this new to me projectile - I have done my research and have shot the bullet quite a bit so I am more than confident it will do the job.

I set up 3 clay pigeons @ 100 yards - popped a couple of caps ran a windex patch and loaded up for the first clay bird. Got all three - one shot each... The gun is ready

One of the rules is that you must be within 1 mile of a cultivated farm field and you can not be on USFS lands... I have a spot we hunt late in the year (December) that I have been going to. I think it provides me an opportunity to ambush a group moving from water back to the termal cover in the south. I just have to pick the right day. I am working on the thought that a few resident elk that remain in this area most of the year. There are two large trianlges of area that I can observe from two different ground stands - certainly can not move to them - way to noise.

I figure I can hunt from daylight to about 8:00am... can not go much after that as it would be to hot to win the battle with the yellow jackets... I have to have it skinned and halved, and out to the truck by 10. If I make that time line I have a chance to win the bug battle & not get any meat spoilage (bone sour)

Here is an aerial photo of the area...

[jhm]

I wanna see what that bullets does to an elk.

[whyohe]

now this is just my thought and could easily be wrong, but IMO you are on the wrong side of the creek. i fit is that hot there they will probably stay on the east bank of corral creek cause the sun wont reach there till later in the morning and stay cooler longer. they also have the pasture in the east for food and water in the creek close by. I'd be watching the fork in the creek. it looks like it has a nice hollowed out spot with cover for bedding. good luck to ya and have fun! nice looking area for lots of game!

[grouse]

I would Love to be doing that. Good Luck

[sabotloader]

whyohe

but IMO you are on the wrong side of the creek. i fit is that hot therethey will probably tsay on the east bank of corral creek caause the sun wont reach there till later in the morning and stay cooler longer.

Absolutely correct.... but a couple of problem... the field east of Corral Creek is private property - posted.... I have permission to hunt on the Private property to the north and west but not on the east. The creek area is definitely cooler but it is verticle up and down. From the label W Fk Corral creek it falls very rapidly. The depth at the label is probably 75 feet - goes deeper as you go down stream. It is my felling I need to shoot something up in the old clear cuts to get it out is a timely manner.

they also have the pasture in the east for food and water in the creek close by. I'd be watching the fork in the creek. it looks like it has a nice hollowed out spot with cover for bedding.

This bunch of elk is not much on eating in the fields - they would much rather browse in the old CC's they are loaded with red stem and other good brush. Then they move back into the thick time back to south - where the sun never shines much...

The walls of the creek are full of basalt rock and it really gets warm in there when the sun reaches in there.

It is a toss-up...

[whyohe]

This bunch of elk is not much on eating in the fields - they would much rather browse in the old CC's they are loaded with red stem and other good brush. Then they move back into the thick time back to south - where the sun never shines much...

[/quote]

if that is the case your stand are in good a area. catch them as they are heading south back to the beds from the CCs. good luck!!

[sabotloader]

Report..



2 groups of whitetail did exactly what i was hoping some elk would do... no such luck.





Did not hear any either. But as I as walking my way in it was evident that a lot of the low brush had been browsed. Could not distinguish enough sign to be sure they were in the area. It did rain pretty decent last might early... but then it cleared off and the Moon did its thing...



Got another spot that i will try Wednesday....



Darn come to think about did not even see or hear any Turkeys...

[davewolf]

I would love to try elk with my ML. Hope you keep us posted, sounds like and interesting hunt! Good luck!
Have a great day!
Dave

[sabotloader]

davewolf

This is the cow I got in 2007 with a Rem 700ML...

[davewolf]

Great!!
We have few truly big game animals in PA, a very limited elk hunt, by drawing only and white-tails and black bear. How far did she go after the shot and what loads were you using?
Have a great day!
Dave

[sabotloader]

davewolf

Dave she turned 180 degress and went down, none of which I got to see because of the smoke....







and this is the best pic of all - Loaded whole in the pick-up with a canopy on.....



This is the bull from 3 years ago....



Elk hunting for me is an addiction...

[whyohe]

nice pics ! my wife likes elk meat, burger better than steaks for some reason. maybe i didnt cook them right? i hope to go elk hunting some day.

[davewolf]

Thanks a lot, I love to read and see photo of addicted hunters and their hunting opportunities. Hope to get a chance at an elk one day with the inline, until then I'm wound-up about our upcoming inline season--does only, but I have good property to hunt and am hoping for the best.
Need to test this Triumph on a nice doe!
Have a great day and thanks!
Dave

[jhm]

Sabotloader your killing me. I see those pictures and I want to go elk hunting bad. These cool mornings here in MI already have given me the fever. I will admit it I am jealous of you guys out west the have elk in your backyard. Mountains and Elk, don't get much better than that.