salmonchaser
Handloader
- Dec 13, 2013
- 4,979
- 4,930
Young master Carson asked to join our elk hunting crew. He’s been a great guide for us in Alaska so we were happy to have him. Turns out illness and family issues knocked my three partners out for the season. It was Carson and me and a couple of spike tags. Day one was crappy weather, fog and rain and 20 mph winds. Saw plenty but no shooting.
Tuesday saw us enter an area I swore I would never pack a bull of any size out of again. We were covered up in elk. About noon I had slipped into a hell hole of yew, alder and white fir. Carson is on the sunny side of the canyon watching, I had slipped in under a strong west wind, I could see 20 or so but no spikes. Finally the wind swirled and I was busted. From his vantage Carson figured there were 40 elk, one spike. Boom/wack, boom/whack, boom/whack. Carson has sent three 180 grain federal copper across the canyon, sure sounded like they hit. The ground was so steep and treacherous it took me 20 minutes to cover what the elk had done in about 2. Damn thing died in a terrible place to work on him and as soon as we started we lost him down the hill.
We were just under a mile from the truck but had 1600 feet to climb to get there. Got out at dark with one quarter, back straps and head. Went in this morning with a friend from a neighbor camp. We were back at camp with the elk hung by 1330 hours. Rained so hard our Gortex rain gear couldn’t keep us dry. About1600 I was ready to hunt again. Carson stayed in camp. Went to some general ground I knew hopefully the rain would quit. About 1700 hours I got up to move to another vantage when out stepped a bull. He’s already looking at me, no way to close the distance. I go prone, dial 500 and tap the trigger on the Jarrett. 250 grain AccuBond did the trick. I think I lost 20 feet of elevation and two hours later he was in the truck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tuesday saw us enter an area I swore I would never pack a bull of any size out of again. We were covered up in elk. About noon I had slipped into a hell hole of yew, alder and white fir. Carson is on the sunny side of the canyon watching, I had slipped in under a strong west wind, I could see 20 or so but no spikes. Finally the wind swirled and I was busted. From his vantage Carson figured there were 40 elk, one spike. Boom/wack, boom/whack, boom/whack. Carson has sent three 180 grain federal copper across the canyon, sure sounded like they hit. The ground was so steep and treacherous it took me 20 minutes to cover what the elk had done in about 2. Damn thing died in a terrible place to work on him and as soon as we started we lost him down the hill.
We were just under a mile from the truck but had 1600 feet to climb to get there. Got out at dark with one quarter, back straps and head. Went in this morning with a friend from a neighbor camp. We were back at camp with the elk hung by 1330 hours. Rained so hard our Gortex rain gear couldn’t keep us dry. About1600 I was ready to hunt again. Carson stayed in camp. Went to some general ground I knew hopefully the rain would quit. About 1700 hours I got up to move to another vantage when out stepped a bull. He’s already looking at me, no way to close the distance. I go prone, dial 500 and tap the trigger on the Jarrett. 250 grain AccuBond did the trick. I think I lost 20 feet of elevation and two hours later he was in the truck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
