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Post by boxhead on Oct 28, 2015 20:08:23 GMT -5
My elk hunting pard for 20+ years, now 72 with bad ankles and knee, decided he wanted to try once more. This is a rather tough hunt outside Leadville Colorado so were are chasing them at 11,000 - 12,000+ feet on foot. I finally got him to agree the first shots were his as this was his last hunt. We found the herd of 65 we scouted two days earlier and they were heading away from us at ~1,000 yards. He headed down the mountain to try and head them off as they appeared to be heading to round a ridge. About twenty minutes after he left the herd about faced and headed back towards me though, even if directly in front of me, they would be 400+ yards out. To add to the twist, we met a couple heading up with the lady having a cow tag. The two of them had belly crawled clear out into the grass and the herd was heading straight to them I sat and watched not wanting to screw up her soon to be apparent shot. Suddenly the herd stopped, soon after she fired and the herd cow marched the herd away, up and towards my pard. However, a cow and the largest bull decided to head straight to me. The sun had just risen over the peaks and left me seeing about all white in my binoculars. Using my left hand to cover I did manage to get a clear view. The couple stopped at a paced 280 yards, I had my rifle resting in a small branch of what amounted to a Christmas tree. I used my left hand to cover the ocular end of my scope so I could see. Boom and down. The little Kimber Montana 270 throwing a 140 gr TSX just worked. This one hour after legal shooting light. I was done, unfortunately so was my pard. He realized that such a hunt was beyond his ability so we wrapped up the next six days hunting as he could to no avail. This was tough for both of us... For those that such things matter, the recovered bullet weighed 110 grains with all petals gone while one being recovered.
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Post by whitworth on Oct 28, 2015 20:27:23 GMT -5
Nicely done! Congratulations!
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Post by contender on Oct 28, 2015 20:27:42 GMT -5
Congrats on you getting your bull,,,, but I know it was a bit bittersweet. Luckily,,, you & your pard have over 20 years of memories to share!
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,387
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Post by Snyd on Oct 28, 2015 21:24:37 GMT -5
Wow! What a turn of events. I'm sure you were wishing your buddy would have had the shot but man, you guys have a heck of a hunt to remember. Nice job. And to pull it off at 11-12000ft?! Just being at high altitude is enough but being out in it like that is a different story. Well done. I chased those Wapiti around in western MT when I lived there but only manage a spike. Oh... Kimber MT, nice .... my only high powered rifle and I love it
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Post by bushog on Oct 28, 2015 22:24:08 GMT -5
Way to go!
Elk hunting is a true memory maker for sure.
It is amazing how events turn out and how darned quick it all goes down.
Great story.
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Post by kings6 on Oct 29, 2015 0:12:44 GMT -5
Ed, kudos to you for making a last hunt memory with your partner. I know you would have preferred the herd head to him but you guys did everything you could and he has the memories of that last hunt and I am sure some meat to savor it by. Did any of your boys get to make the trip with you and your partner? My strongest and best memories of my father were of elk camp and all that went with it.
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Post by Markbo on Oct 29, 2015 7:19:48 GMT -5
Well done. As a friend and hunting partner I feel certain that your pard appreciates you very much. That's what fond memories are made of! I well remember my last Elk hunt with my 1/2 brother and a group of his friends. We didn't all get an Elk - I was one that didn't - but the memories of the hunt are still strongly with me.
From the unbelievably steep terrain for this flat lander, 4 wheeling into the back country, to an almost black squirrel barking like crazy and throwing pine cones at me to chase me away from 'his' spot, to jumping a Mule deer doe at about 20 feet and staring each other down for 5 minutes or so, to the great camp meals and laughing and horseplay. Even all the Coloradans laughing at that stupid Texan for bathing in the near freezing water of the crick because he couldn't stand his own smell. What a good time. You will remember this one the same way I am sure.
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