First Elk

[alrighty]

I got my first elk Thursday afternoon , sorry it wasn't a C.B.I was using a Herters rifle that had been re-chambered to .308 Norma mag.I was using my hand loads of Winchester .300 mag brass resized and trimmed.I used Federal 215 large magnum rifle primers for ignition.I loaded the case with 71.0 grains of H4831 with a 180 gr. Nosler partition protected point.It was exciting to be able to harvest an elk in my home state.We now have a herd of around 14000 I am told.This was a younger 6X6 that had been darted in 2011.The biologists tag about 50 every year and put collars on them.Some like the one I took can be tracked by a small receiver with a folding antennae , other have a more sophisticated GPS collar.It was interesting to have the biologist come out and take samples , along with the necklace.:cry:
I was hunting about 500 miles away from my home in Hazard and Knott counties.I now have a new respect for the hunters out west that harvest elk and have to quarter and pack them out.The reclaimed mountain top mines we were hunting have series of old roads that allow you get fairly close with trucks.Six men can load a elk in the back of a truck without much trouble.[smilie=w:
I was hoping to be able to use my contender rifle in 45/70 with a C/B.We were loosing daylight and 240 yards was as close as we could get.I just hadn't had the time to get the contender dialed in for a shot like that.I will try and add my cell phone pics but if it fails I do have them added in my library.

[sixshot]

Congratulations on a fine bull! I've taken a lot of them & they are never easy, shoot one down in a deep, dark canyon sometime & then realize what you've done! Hoping to take #26 next week here in Idaho.

Dick

[waksupi]

Congratulations! Our season opens tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to join you.

[Beerd]

Now that is something! A Kentucky elk, and a nice bull at that! Ya done good.:drinks:
..

[Gadabout]

Congratulations on taking a fine Bull. That is on mt "bucket list" ... someday!

[runfiverun]

that is a good elk nice job.
to add to dick's comments.
wait until you do it and your alone.
the kids are all in grade schoo,l and the wife just had surgery.
cell phones were things you seen in movies,and atv's were those things the rich guy's drove up and down the county roads all day.

btw a cow elk will fit in the trunk of a 65 chrysler newport.

[454PB]

Very nice!

I shot one back in the mid 90's, and my wife was with me at the time. It took us 2 days to pack it out in pieces, and my wife has refused to hunt with me ever since.

[alrighty]

I don't envy anyone having to pack out an elk after seeing just how big they are.After quartering it was 450 pounds of meat hanging at the processors.I thought about doing that myself but they have the facilities to let it hang for 14-16 days where I don't at my house.Now I am looking forward to those steaks.I also would like some sausage recipes if anyone has some they care to share.
Good luck to those with elk tags to fill.Our rifle season is divided into two weeks October sixth through the twelfth and the thirteenth through the nineteenth.I did get to hear and watch my bull bugle but for the most part they are through.The cow archery season comes in tomorrow and that is the toughest tag to fill by far from what I am told.