First ever elk

[Petras]

Welp, filled my elk tag. It was a great season. I hunted a total of about 10 days around Medora focusing mainly south in that the Game and Fish refers to as the "primary range" for elk down there. Didn't see shit..... Finally made a call to a landowner that my wife went to highschool with and he pointed us in the right direction. Friday morning my wife and I set out and made it in about 2 miles from the nearest road before we saw this guy and 5 other smaller bulls. She spotted the other 5 first as they ran up the draw right to us. When the back 2 bulls stopped and looked down the draw, I knew there was another coming so I waited. Sure enough, this guy was the biggest of the bunch and gave me a 65 yard broadside shot. I put one in the pump station with the 6.5 creedmoor and then gave him another just for good measure. All in all it was a great season. Glad my wife was able to be there to help me find this guy!

View attachment 61933

 

[Jiffy]

What bullet?

65 yards and it doesn't matter but I'm just curious.

 

[ktm450]

congrats on the nice bull!

 

[guywhofishes]

good work!

 

[LOV2HNT]

Some good eats right there.

 

[Petras]

What bullet?

65 yards and it doesn't matter but I'm just curious.

140 berger vld hunting. Definitely an effective bullet. My wife shot hers 4 years ago with this same gun/load combo and it put a baseball sized hole in the lungs... I didn't open mine up all the way to see what the damage was, but after quartering, when I sliced it open to pull the tenderloins it poured blood out...

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Congrats.
Then the fun was all over and you had to pack it out?

 

[Rowdie]

LOINS....LOINS...LOINS

 

[Wall-eyes]

Ya those VLD go inside and explode shooting long and short range congratulations.

 

[LBrandt]

Great job. How did you pack him out? And does your wife still love you. LB

 

[Petras]

Yea the pack out wasn't bad, landowner was kind enough to come help us out so it made it a lot easier. We ate the tenderloins for dinner last night so my wife definitely still loves me... kinda...

 

[CatDaddy]

Great job. How did you pack him out? And does your wife still love you. LB

Great question....you know you've found a keeper when she supports the gas bill these days! Nevermind the time spent away from the fam...

 

[wslayer]

Nice score . . .

 

[SDMF]

Yea the pack out wasn't bad, landowner was kind enough to come help us out so it made it a lot easier.

When you look at outdoor magazine and outfitter "Gear Lists" for elk hunting, "Front End Loader" is never on the list, but, I don't know anyone who DOESN'T use one given the choice. Same for Moose.