Elk hunt's joy and no joy
The wife punched her bull elk tag opening morning of the five day "any legal weapon" season by putting a Nosler 250 grain partition, from her 35 Whelen, through a walking forked horn bull. The bull did a half circle and dropped over dead-right-there. The shot was taken offhand at a later lasered 160 + yards. She passed on a much bigger bull as the only shot she had was at the seat of his pants. She also said she didn't want to shoot a big bull like she did a few years ago as that one was a stinker and we had to make sausage out of him. I watched the big guy walk off and was wishing I had that tag and my 375 H&H. Stinker or not I would have taken him. I've never had a chance at a bull that big. :(
My tag was for the nine day, one elk, aka hair tag, muzzleloader hunt that followed hers. My older son had the same tag and for the first time in several years we got to hunt together. Conditions were prefect, some fresh snow most mornings, not too much wind. Had a great time. Saw elk two different times but no chance for a shot. He hunted with a Remington 700, 50 caliber in-line and I took my Pedersoli " African Hunter" 12 bore/72 caliber rifle. I keep thinking the Pedersoli would do the job if I just gave it the opportunity. It seems the elk had an aversion to being freezer trained. Oh well, there is always next year, well at least I hope there is a next year.
Keep the wind in your face and your powder dry.
