My wife has had a few tags before (before we were together), but has never had an chance to pull the trigger on an elk. Well her dad is running cows on a ranch in Oregon that is having a BIG elk problem. the landowner turned in his bull tag and was able to get two cow tags in return issued in my wifes, and her dads names.
She has been shooting the 280 AI for a year or so for deer and had always done pretty well with it. We have been shooting her 22-250 for practice the last week or so. Before we left she was grouping 4" groups off of a bi-pod @ 300 yards. I had a ton of confidence in her skill to the 300 yard mark. I had loaded up a bunch of 140 AB out of the 280 AI doing 3190 for this elk hunt.
So on the first evening we jump five cows and a spike bull. They run up the hill and stand there at about 300 yards. She sits down, and lets one fly. I'm pretty sure she had some "cow fever" as the first shot hit a very nice cow right in the rear end, breaking her leg. The other elk started to trot off, but hers wasn't going any place. She jacked another shell in and shot again and missed. At this point I told her that the elk was not going any place. Get the bi-pod out and get steady, and put one right behind the shoulder. That did the trick, next shot, right behind the shoulder. The cow laid down and still had hear head up. Heather was not happy about that, so I told her to put another one behind the shoulder, she did, and it was over.
She was pretty dang upset with her first two shots, but seemed to feel better when I told her that my fisrt elk was a calf, and took a few more shots than her first elk did. I was proud of her keeping her cool, and making the last two shots count. They were about 3" apart, right behind the shoulder.
We were able to get the quads to her cow and I did all the dirty work. When we got back to camp and I was enjoying a good whiskey drink and boning out the meat, she had the gall to say "I don't see what the big deal about this elk hunting is. You guys make it sound like so much work". (she was joking) :lol: I just looked at her and said "says the girl with not a single drop of blood on her!" Then I Proceeded to inform her that this was more than likely going to be one of the easiest elk hunts she ever has.
We were able to get another cow yesterday as well. It came out of a herd of over 300. I have never seen anything like it before. I was starting to question why the rancher needed damage tags, but after seeing over 500 head in two herds (and a few TOAD bulls), I got the picture.
I will get the chance to go back up there in a few weeks and try to get one for my self. I'm hoping that I can get the STW bloody!
She has been shooting the 280 AI for a year or so for deer and had always done pretty well with it. We have been shooting her 22-250 for practice the last week or so. Before we left she was grouping 4" groups off of a bi-pod @ 300 yards. I had a ton of confidence in her skill to the 300 yard mark. I had loaded up a bunch of 140 AB out of the 280 AI doing 3190 for this elk hunt.
So on the first evening we jump five cows and a spike bull. They run up the hill and stand there at about 300 yards. She sits down, and lets one fly. I'm pretty sure she had some "cow fever" as the first shot hit a very nice cow right in the rear end, breaking her leg. The other elk started to trot off, but hers wasn't going any place. She jacked another shell in and shot again and missed. At this point I told her that the elk was not going any place. Get the bi-pod out and get steady, and put one right behind the shoulder. That did the trick, next shot, right behind the shoulder. The cow laid down and still had hear head up. Heather was not happy about that, so I told her to put another one behind the shoulder, she did, and it was over.
She was pretty dang upset with her first two shots, but seemed to feel better when I told her that my fisrt elk was a calf, and took a few more shots than her first elk did. I was proud of her keeping her cool, and making the last two shots count. They were about 3" apart, right behind the shoulder.
We were able to get the quads to her cow and I did all the dirty work. When we got back to camp and I was enjoying a good whiskey drink and boning out the meat, she had the gall to say "I don't see what the big deal about this elk hunting is. You guys make it sound like so much work". (she was joking) :lol: I just looked at her and said "says the girl with not a single drop of blood on her!" Then I Proceeded to inform her that this was more than likely going to be one of the easiest elk hunts she ever has.
We were able to get another cow yesterday as well. It came out of a herd of over 300. I have never seen anything like it before. I was starting to question why the rancher needed damage tags, but after seeing over 500 head in two herds (and a few TOAD bulls), I got the picture.
I will get the chance to go back up there in a few weeks and try to get one for my self. I'm hoping that I can get the STW bloody!
