2023 Hunting Season

[RL338]

Congrats to everyone!

Susan and I managed to get out to the range on Wednesday after getting the last of this year's hay hauled, stacked and tarped, and the new shed built and stuff put away.
Susan is liking her new LH Browning X Bolt in 6.5 Creedmoor! Shot a .420" group with the Federal 130 gr Terminal Ascent ammo, and rang the gongs consistently out to 400 yards! She like those "sexy bullets!"n
My rifle continues to like this ammo and produced groups as small as .291".
Interestingly, my rifle's 24" Benchmark barrel is shooting this bullet out at 2843 fps (SD of 23), whereas Susan's 22" factory barrel is shooting them at 1755 fps (SD of 43).
I also finally got to shoot my new to me Steyr Mannlicher Model M FS in 270 Win, with the Federal Premium 136 gr Terminal Ascent ammo. It produced an average group size of .708" at 100 yards, shooting @ 2792 fps from its 20" barrel (SD of15) while getting it zeroed for 200 yards. Virtually producing very similar ballistics to the 6.5 CM due to the shorter barrel.

We also got to stop and pick up my stones sheep rug from the taxidermist by Fort St John on Wednesday evening. The prime winter cape turned out amazing! So soft and thick! (Now on the back of the loveseat!)

We then spent a couple of days out hunting in a couple of different areas northeast of Fort St John. It was windy and mostly clear with the winds having cleared some of the smoke away. The rain during the night had helped as well.
Spotted a legal bull moose on her friend's brother's farm where we have permission to hunt...just hope he is still around when the 2 day season opens! Saw 2 more bulls (either would be legal), a large cow and a calf moose on the neighbouring farmer's land. No bears around as he did not have oats this year.
We then headed north to hunt another area for the remainder of the day.
We saw another bull moose, a couple of dozen bison, and saw some large caribou and wolf tracks on one muddy road.
We did take 17 grouse with Susan's Remington Sporting 28 (10 spruce hens and 7 ruffies). The grouse numbers appear to be good again this year!
At one point, I shot a ruffie about 40 yards from the truck, walked out and collected it, came back to the truck, and looked up the road, and there was a nice black bear standing there watching us, not far from where I had just collected my grouse. He didn't stick around long, so Susan didn't even get a chance to get her rifle ready! We did see more bears; one young cinnamon sow with 3 of this year's cubs (2 black and a blonde), and another large sow with 2 of last year's cubs (all black).
One area we went through had burned, and still had some hot spots smoking from our fires this year.

Yesterday, we went up the Alaska Highway to Pink Mountain.
Lots of smoke. Could not even see Pink Mtn from the highway.
We did come a cross a cow elk and a calf on the way in, but they were gone in a flash, with a raghorn bull following close behind. The bull would not have been legal in that area, but the cow was...just no opportunity for Susan.
As we climbed up the back side of the mountain, we finally got above the smoke and it was a beautiful sunny day. Yu9 just couldn't see much of the neighbouring valleys and mountains due to the smoke.
The scrub birch is very red right now and Pink Mountain was living up to its name with all of the colour!
We did see a nice black bear with a beautiful white splash on his chest eating berries, and we managed to get within 138 yards. Susan was set up on the shooting sticks, but unfortunately pulled her shot just off the mark for a clean miss. The bear ran over a quarter mile down the mountain into an area where Susan would not be able to make a stalk due to the terrain with her ankle, and resumed his berry eating business.
Up around the corner of the mountain we came across a herd of 14 stones sheep ewes and lambs. We watched them for awhile as they were making there way up the mountain from the seep they were drinking at. Was a great sight to see, and we passed within 40 yards of them as we finally continued on our way. We travelled along the top of the mountain to the end of the main trail to an old lease where we took a nature break before turning around.
Coming back along the top, we came to one spot where we have seen caribou in the past, and I have harvested a couple over the years...must be just one of those natural paths in the rolling terrain that they normally use across the alpine, as here comes this lone, young caribou bull. He did not appear to notice us as he continued in our direction. I got up on this small rise where I could just see his antler tops coming. As he came up out of the depression, he finally noticed me, stopped looking at me straight on for a few seconds, before continuing on in my direction. He stopped a couple more times to look at me, but kept coming. Finally at about 45 yards he stopped and looked at me for a few moments, before moving off to my left. I collected him with a 43 yard shot with my LH Browning X Bolt, also shooting the same 130 gr Terminal Ascent ammo. He toppled over right there from the double lung shot. (complete pass through). We got the meat into the cooler last evening and the hide is going to the taxidermist for tanning with the hair on.
Saw a number of grouse, but most were very small so we passed on shooting them. Appears that there was a late hatch in this area. The more mature birds were very skittish, as there was signs of a lot more traffic in this area, and obviously people have been shooting at them!
The wind did pick up about the time we finished dressing the caribou and getting it loaded, so the trip south was very nice as the smoke was clearing. The winds were not helping a couple of forest fires still going strong just north of Fort St John, east of the Alaska Highway.

Was great to back out in the field again, see all the game, and bring home some meat!
Hope everyone else is having as much fun out on the field as we are!

Very detailed and informative. Congrats on your caribou.

 

[Todd NE WY]

I had a great Saturday morning(9/16/2023). My wonderful wife asked one of clients where she works if he allowed any elk hunting and he said sure. Turned into a great hunt, he and a couple young guys took me out and we spotted elk from the first area we stopped to glass. There was a big bull with 5 cows. He was a long ways off, so far that I could see by his body in the binoculars that he was bugling but I could just barely hear it. He headed our way when one of the guys bugled so we headed his way. We got to about the half way mark and he answered a bugle, he was close and sounded down in a deep cut. The ranch owner and one of the guys stayed behind and the other guy and I worked up slowly, the guy behind would bugle and the bull would answer, we kept slowly closing in until we were at the edge and knew he had to be below us. I belly crawled the last 10-15 yards and still couldn't see him. He finally stepped partially out from behind a couple trees, it was not the larger one we had initially seen but I am not picky and an elk inside 200 yards that doesn't know you are there is the one you want. My dilemma was the grass was tall and there was just enough of a lip I was having a hard time finding him in my pistol scope, I was shooting a TC Encore in 338-06 for this hunt. Finally after what seemed like forever, but was probably only a couple of minutes, the bull started feeding away from us down the draw but it opened up visibility. The guy with me said tell me when to stop him and I whispered back go ahead now. He bugled the bull stopped and I shot. The shot was about 180 yards the Barnes 160 TTSX did a great job, we recovered it on the far side under the hide and it weighs 159.1 gr. He took about 3 buck jumps back toward us and went out of sight. We watched for a couple minutes to make sure he wouldn't come back out. He was done. I didn't do any autopsy because we did the gutless method to get the meat but when we cut in to get the tenderloin on the first side blood spurted like old faithful so he was full of blood, it doesn't matter if I hit heart or lungs he bled out quickly. I didn't know until after but the guy with me was videoing with his phone and got the shot and the bull going down on video for me.

 

[JD338]

Congratulations on your bull. You made a great shot with your hand cannon.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Excellent report of a fine hunt. Congratulations!

 

[RL338]

I had a great Saturday morning(9/16/2023). My wonderful wife asked one of clients where she works if he allowed any elk hunting and he said sure. Turned into a great hunt, he and a couple young guys took me out and we spotted elk from the first area we stopped to glass. There was a big bull with 5 cows. He was a long ways off, so far that I could see by his body in the binoculars that he was bugling but I could just barely hear it. He headed our way when one of the guys bugled so we headed his way. We got to about the half way mark and he answered a bugle, he was close and sounded down in a deep cut. The ranch owner and one of the guys stayed behind and the other guy and I worked up slowly, the guy behind would bugle and the bull would answer, we kept slowly closing in until we were at the edge and knew he had to be below us. I belly crawled the last 10-15 yards and still couldn't see him. He finally stepped partially out from behind a couple trees, it was not the larger one we had initially seen but I am not picky and an elk inside 200 yards that doesn't know you are there is the one you want. My dilemma was the grass was tall and there was just enough of a lip I was having a hard time finding him in my pistol scope, I was shooting a TC Encore in 338-06 for this hunt. Finally after what seemed like forever, but was probably only a couple of minutes, the bull started feeding away from us down the draw but it opened up visibility. The guy with me said tell me when to stop him and I whispered back go ahead now. He bugled the bull stopped and I shot. The shot was about 180 yards the Barnes 160 TTSX did a great job, we recovered it on the far side under the hide and it weighs 159.1 gr. He took about 3 buck jumps back toward us and went out of sight. We watched for a couple minutes to make sure he wouldn't come back out. He was done. I didn't do any autopsy because we did the gutless method to get the meat but when we cut in to get the tenderloin on the first side blood spurted like old faithful so he was full of blood, it doesn't matter if I hit heart or lungs he bled out quickly. I didn't know until after but the guy with me was videoing with his phone and got the shot and the bull going down on video for me.View attachment 20962

Nice job

 

[KinleyWater]

Man, this is a great forum. Like reading stories in magazines when I was a kid, only now I'm an adult, and more than dreaming about it, I can learn and do (or at least try). So, please, keep the great tales coming.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Congratulations on your bull and with a cool looking gun. Good writeup of your hunt. Dan.

 

[salmonchaser]

Stacking them up, going to be a better winter with meat in the freezer.

 

[Blkram]

Todd, nice elk!
What kind of velocity are getting with that 160 gr TTSX with the 338-06, and what is your barrel length?

I sure like my 338-06, although it is a rifle, I get 2751 fps from a 22" barrel with the 215 gr SGK. I also get 2750 fps with the Wby 210 gr NP factory ammo. I have not tried the lighter bullets in this cartridge. I have shot the 180 gr AB ammo in my 338 Federal, but haven't yet chronied it to verify its velocity in my rifles.

 

[Todd NE WY]

Todd, nice elk!
What kind of velocity are getting with that 160 gr TTSX with the 338-06, and what is your barrel length?

I sure like my 338-06, although it is a rifle, I get 2751 fps from a 22" barrel with the 215 gr SGK. I also get 2750 fps with the Wby 210 gr NP factory ammo. I have not tried the lighter bullets in this cartridge. I have shot the 180 gr AB ammo in my 338 Federal, but haven't yet chronied it to verify its velocity in my rifles.

Blkram, I am getting 2575 out of 15" barrel, the performance was a picture perfect mushroom with the petals peeled back. Last year I worked up a load with the Nosler 210 gr Partition and was getting 2200 with it, I didn't get a chance to use it on anything. I went to the lighter bullet hoping to reduce recoil some and gain some fps flattening the trajectory.

 

[Idaho53]

Was fortunate to harvest my archery mule buck yesterday. Yesterday was one of those hunts you don't forget. We had a storm come thru that dropped the temp's and brought good amount moisture (1st snow of the season-southern Idaho). I found three different groups of bucks in one canyon (15 bucks total) One was a good 160-165 4x4...only able to get to 70 yards and he moved on. I was able to harvest this 3x3 buck at 50 yards with my bow. Deer is over for the season...now it's time to focus on my rifle bull elk starting next month. Good luck to everyone this year!

 

[RL338]

Congrats on your muley

 

[salmonchaser]

Classic mule deer looking country, well done. Good luck on your elk!

 

[DrMike]

Excellent buck. Congratulations!

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Congratulations on your muley and hope you get that elk as well. Dan.

 

[Blkram]

Susan and I went out this afternoon to look for a black bear for her.
W saw 3 grizzlies today and 3 black bears. in about a 20 square mile area.

The first young grizzly was a young blonde with dark rump and legs and about a 6' bear at less than 100 yards. Gave us a good look before it crossed in front of us and headed back into the dark timber.
About 20 minutes later, and 10 kms away, we came across a young dark brown of about the same size, at about 100 yards. It immediately headed through the thin brush for the dark timber, but at a slow pace, sowe got to see it for about a minute.
An hour later, we were checking out another valley about 20 miles south, when we came around a corner and saw another blonde bear with dark rump and legs booting down the road ahead of us! He didn't stop running, and only looked over his shoulder at us a couple of times when I tried cow moose calls and then the cow elk call. He ran down the road for about 2 kms before taking an old trail off a corner of the road into the timber. About a mile from there, I stopped to look back at the mountainside where the grizz had disappeared to see if would come out of the timber higher on the open alpine slope. Didn't see him again, but did see a very large bear climbing up that slope and crossing over the ridge, leaving the valley where that grizz was. (sorry, no pic of 3rd grizz)
I have seen multiple grizzly bears in one day before, but usually sows with cubs...never 3 lone single bears in one afternoon! Was a treat and nice to see! Always exciting to see and watch grizzlies!
As we left that valley towards dusk, as we rounded a corner in the road, we surprised a young brown black bear eating clover along the roadside...but it didn't stick around, and only gave a brief glance at his small head and large, closely spaced ears. No shot opportunity there for Susan.
And of course the one young black bear that wasn't scared of traffic was seen just after dark, eating clover along the side of the highway on the way home, about half way between the two valleys.

 

[DrMike]

Now, Gil, you know that was a figment of your imagination. The MOE insists that grizzlies are practically extinct. That's why they are protected, so city folk can drive up and look at them.

 

[JD338]

Very cool Gil.
What an exciting hunt you experienced. We were in Yellowstone last summer and hoped to see a grizzly but no such luck. Maybe next time....
Thanks for sharing the pictures!

JD338

 

[diverdown]

Susan and I went out this afternoon to look for a black bear for her.
W saw 3 grizzlies today and 3 black bears. in about a 20 square mile area.

The first young grizzly was a young blonde with dark rump and legs and about a 6' bear at less than 100 yards. Gave us a good look before it crossed in front of us and headed back into the dark timber.
About 20 minutes later, and 10 kms away, we came across a young dark brown of about the same size, at about 100 yards. It immediately headed through the thin brush for the dark timber, but at a slow pace, sowe got to see it for about a minute.
An hour later, we were checking out another valley about 20 miles south, when we came around a corner and saw another blonde bear with dark rump and legs booting down the road ahead of us! He didn't stop running, and only looked over his shoulder at us a couple of times when I tried cow moose calls and then the cow elk call. He ran down the road for about 2 kms before taking an old trail off a corner of the road into the timber. About a mile from there, I stopped to look back at the mountainside where the grizz had disappeared to see if would come out of the timber higher on the open alpine slope. Didn't see him again, but did see a very large bear climbing up that slope and crossing over the ridge, leaving the valley where that grizz was. (sorry, no pic of 3rd grizz)
I have seen multiple grizzly bears in one day before, but usually sows with cubs...never 3 lone single bears in one afternoon! Was a treat and nice to see! Always exciting to see and watch grizzlies!
As we left that valley towards dusk, as we rounded a corner in the road, we surprised a young brown black bear eating clover along the roadside...but it didn't stick around, and only gave a brief glance at his small head and large, closely spaced ears. No shot opportunity there for Susan.
And of course the one young black bear that wasn't scared of traffic was seen just after dark, eating clover along the side of the highway on the way home, about half way between the two valleys.View attachment 21039View attachment 21040

I'd swear, in that bottom picture it looks like he's sticking his tongue out at you. He knows you can't toss any lead at him.

 

[salmonchaser]

Headed to Wyoming this morning. Plan on a scenic route through Idaho to Idaho falls today then a seven hour push tomorrow to the Casper area. Actually plan on spending about 10 to 12 hours on that drive just to see some country I haven’t seen in more than 20 years.
The girls are really pissed. Danced around yesterday evening while I loaded some gear. Molly drug her kennel out of the shop so I could load it because I had obviously forgotten to do so. She actually just turned and walked over a lay down when I started scratching her ears. She is really pissed