- Thread starter
- #41
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,314
- 5,983
Cow elk opened today. Of course, I decided to be in the field at first light. I awakened at 2:58, anticipating my alarm at three o'clock. It is a good thing I was anticipating the alarm since I forgot to set it before retiring last evening. I hurriedly donned my battle armour, brushed my teeth and slipped quietly to the kitchen. I'd need at least a pot of coffee to ensure that I was prepared to mark my territory, and to ensure that my eyes didn't snap shut at an inopportune time. As the "go juice" dripped, I went to the man cave and again inspected my kit. Everything was in order. I opened the safe, removed my Remington 673 and cased it in the appropriate gun case. Carrying these items to the front door, I paused only to pour the first cuppa' before savouring the delectable flavour of Doctor Mike's Elixir of Youth. (Funny, it doesn't always work, but that's another story). Gear secured by the door, I retreated to my computer to review Emails and the news of the morning. At 4:15, I put on my boots, loaded the truck and made ready to depart. By 4:19, I was on the road for the one hour drive to the area I intended to hunt.
Sunrise wouldn't be until almost 6:20, so I had ample time to care for final matters. I stopped about six kilometers from the last turnoff to uncase my rifle, check my cartridges, don my Leica Geovid 10X42, affix two wafers impregnated with pissoir d'elk to my hat and spray my boots with a similar malodorous liquor. Ah, this final act always brings tears to my eyes. In fact, it ensures that I am fully awake as I find it necessary to open all windows and drive as fast as I dare go to ensure that the wind wafts the scent away from me. It is fascinating to watch dogs drop to the ground, frothing at the mouth and kicking as though having seizures when I pass by. Again, that is another story.
At last, I came to the turnoff and drove about two kilometers off the main road. I stopped the truck and made ready to walk the final kilometer to the meadow where I hoped to find elk. I lifted my rifle from the seat where I had placed it, charged the magazine with three cartridges, slipped on a jacket to ward off the morning chill (three degrees Celsius) and began the careful trek that would hopefully eventuate in elk. I paused several times to test the wind, ensuring that I was approaching from upwind so as not to be detected. There was a slight breeze that would have been enough to bend a smoke column ever so slightly.
As I neared the opening, I paused ever few steps to glass the surrounding area. Though the sun wouldn't be up for at least another hour, there was a full moon that allowed me to see quite clearly. I wanted to ensure that no critters were watching my stealthy approach. I was able to make it undetected to where I would set up. Waiting a few minutes to ensure that nothing was slinking away into the trees, I gave a few soft cow chirps, hoping to receive an answer. However, nothing stirred. During the course of the next hour, I would mew again a couple of times. Other than a couple of coyotes yelping somewhere south of me, there was no sound. There were a few snowshoe hare moving about. Otherwise, it was quiet.
It was most unusual not to have even a response. I decided to walk about another kilometer to another area. Perhaps the elk were there and holding tight. However, there was no activity at that site. I peered down a couple of fingers, hoping to see elk. I saw no elk, but there was a whitetail doe and her fawn about six hundred meters to the west. She was quite nervous and continually looked behind her. At this point, I heard a wolf howl close by. He was immediately answered by two packs of coyotes in the valley south of me. Then, another wolf picked up the same lonesome song before being joined by several others strung out in the woods behind the doe. Now I knew why she was nervous. I was hopeful that I would see some of these magnificent animals, perhaps picking up a couple of pelts in the process. Alas, that was not to be as they never showed themselves, though they circled to the west. They never winded me, but neither did they show themselves. I surmised that this could explain the absence of elk this morning.
I padded back to my truck, intent on moving several kilometers north and east to another area where I often see elk. The location is about fifteen hundred meters off the main road. I would drive that far and then walk the last kilometer or so. As I neared the last opening I became aware of a cow elk startled at the strange thing that suddenly materialized before her. I confess that I was equally startled as I was peering to my left to see if there were elk grazing down lower in the valley. We stared at one another for perhaps twenty seconds before I had the presence of mind to pick up my rifle and three cartridges. Carefully opening the door to the cab of my truck, I dropped to the ground and took up a position to take a shot at this cow. At last, she had had enough of this strange apparition that had interrupted her breakfast. She whirled and trotted to the trees that were but a few meters from her. She had apparently been heading for the tree line when I came upon her. I was loathe to attempt a running shot; moreover, she had already gained the trees when she paused to look at me again for the briefest of moments.
By this time, the sun was up and the temperature was climbing. Within thirty minutes of this, the temperature had risen to eleven degrees. It was time to call it a morning and head back to town. I plan to return tomorrow morning and again on Saturday if necessary. If I don't tag out then, I am heading north where there are a large number of elk together with caribou.
Sunrise wouldn't be until almost 6:20, so I had ample time to care for final matters. I stopped about six kilometers from the last turnoff to uncase my rifle, check my cartridges, don my Leica Geovid 10X42, affix two wafers impregnated with pissoir d'elk to my hat and spray my boots with a similar malodorous liquor. Ah, this final act always brings tears to my eyes. In fact, it ensures that I am fully awake as I find it necessary to open all windows and drive as fast as I dare go to ensure that the wind wafts the scent away from me. It is fascinating to watch dogs drop to the ground, frothing at the mouth and kicking as though having seizures when I pass by. Again, that is another story.
At last, I came to the turnoff and drove about two kilometers off the main road. I stopped the truck and made ready to walk the final kilometer to the meadow where I hoped to find elk. I lifted my rifle from the seat where I had placed it, charged the magazine with three cartridges, slipped on a jacket to ward off the morning chill (three degrees Celsius) and began the careful trek that would hopefully eventuate in elk. I paused several times to test the wind, ensuring that I was approaching from upwind so as not to be detected. There was a slight breeze that would have been enough to bend a smoke column ever so slightly.
As I neared the opening, I paused ever few steps to glass the surrounding area. Though the sun wouldn't be up for at least another hour, there was a full moon that allowed me to see quite clearly. I wanted to ensure that no critters were watching my stealthy approach. I was able to make it undetected to where I would set up. Waiting a few minutes to ensure that nothing was slinking away into the trees, I gave a few soft cow chirps, hoping to receive an answer. However, nothing stirred. During the course of the next hour, I would mew again a couple of times. Other than a couple of coyotes yelping somewhere south of me, there was no sound. There were a few snowshoe hare moving about. Otherwise, it was quiet.
It was most unusual not to have even a response. I decided to walk about another kilometer to another area. Perhaps the elk were there and holding tight. However, there was no activity at that site. I peered down a couple of fingers, hoping to see elk. I saw no elk, but there was a whitetail doe and her fawn about six hundred meters to the west. She was quite nervous and continually looked behind her. At this point, I heard a wolf howl close by. He was immediately answered by two packs of coyotes in the valley south of me. Then, another wolf picked up the same lonesome song before being joined by several others strung out in the woods behind the doe. Now I knew why she was nervous. I was hopeful that I would see some of these magnificent animals, perhaps picking up a couple of pelts in the process. Alas, that was not to be as they never showed themselves, though they circled to the west. They never winded me, but neither did they show themselves. I surmised that this could explain the absence of elk this morning.
I padded back to my truck, intent on moving several kilometers north and east to another area where I often see elk. The location is about fifteen hundred meters off the main road. I would drive that far and then walk the last kilometer or so. As I neared the last opening I became aware of a cow elk startled at the strange thing that suddenly materialized before her. I confess that I was equally startled as I was peering to my left to see if there were elk grazing down lower in the valley. We stared at one another for perhaps twenty seconds before I had the presence of mind to pick up my rifle and three cartridges. Carefully opening the door to the cab of my truck, I dropped to the ground and took up a position to take a shot at this cow. At last, she had had enough of this strange apparition that had interrupted her breakfast. She whirled and trotted to the trees that were but a few meters from her. She had apparently been heading for the tree line when I came upon her. I was loathe to attempt a running shot; moreover, she had already gained the trees when she paused to look at me again for the briefest of moments.
By this time, the sun was up and the temperature was climbing. Within thirty minutes of this, the temperature had risen to eleven degrees. It was time to call it a morning and head back to town. I plan to return tomorrow morning and again on Saturday if necessary. If I don't tag out then, I am heading north where there are a large number of elk together with caribou.
