My First Elk Hunt

[Seth]

I drew a cow elk tag along with my dad, brother in law and his dad for a late season cow elk hunt. We head out from MO last Friday around 6:30pm and arrived in Craig, CO about 19 hours later. This was my first long drive across country. The two things I learned quickly is that driving through Kansas is less exciting than watching paint dry and those few hours before day light seem to be the roughest for staying alert while driving.

Our hunt started Sunday and dad struck first that evening with a 325 yard heart/lung shot on a cow. Monday didn't produce anything, but we watched a herd of several hundred heading our way from the north from about 1.5 miles. On Tuesday morning, we arrived and as the land owner had expected, the herd was in the hay fields to the south and were crossing over to his ground. As they crossed over, my brother in laws dad was able to knock down a huge cow. My brother in law and I tried to get circled around and get another shot at the herd, but we got too far ahead and they passed behind us and got away. Nothing came back to the property that evening, but we did see another 40-50 head working there way towards us from the north again. This morning we got out at day light and glassed around for a bit and then eased our way back to the east side of the property. Right as we got to the eastern fence line, a herd of roughly 15 elk were coming up out of the bottoms and on to our side of the fence. They were 200-225 yards away and we both took shots at different cows. I hit mine and she ran off over the hill to the north and he missed on his first shot, but made a good lung shot on his follow up shot. His elk as still standing after he hit her so I followed up with a shoulder shot and put her down for the count. We waited about 30 minutes and then went to gut his and then went after mine. It had went about 70 yards and was laying in the brush with her head up so I had to put another shot in her head (actually two because I missed the first shot at 10 yards.....) and she was out.

Dad has killed plenty of elk, but this was the first elk hunt and elk for me, my brother in law and his dad. They have done western hunts for antelope, but this was my first time out west. I love it and will definitely be looking forward to coming back again! The country is beautiful out here, especially when the snow is on. I definitely need to  do a better job of getting pictures of the country side when I am here.

We're staying one more night at our hotel and then heading out early between 3-4am and making the trek back to MO with . If all goes well, we should be back home around midnight tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to the drive. We are in for a lot of work getting all of this meat trimmed up and ready for the freezer this weekend!

[Ham]

Man, that’s a lot of meat.

 

[TroutRinger]

Looks awesome!

Did you all camp or stay in a lodge/hotel?

[BilletHead]

             Well done Seth,

   You have some good groceries there young man. I concur that drive across Kansas. The best thing about that drive across Kansas IMO is what mountain states will be awaiting on the other side .

  BilletHead

[nomolites]

Congrats Seth!

I go out there often elk hunting on Red Table above Basalt usually first season; absolutely beautiful place to be.  I have always hunted high but the fourth season is when the locals all fill their tags...they(like you) are smarter than me.  KS is tough heading west, but it always seems tougher for me heading east after the hunt....still worth the trip and as BH said that is some fine eating.

Mike

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

For 4 years ive been driving from Springfield to Goodland Kansas and everywhere in between for work. It really is a horrible place. Although ive driven across Nebraska too so i know it could be worse

[Johnsfolly]

Congrats Seth! Elk is my favorite venison. As Ham stated that's a lot of meat. Show us some meals on the what's cooking thread.

[Seth]

1 hour ago, TroutRinger said:

Looks awesome!

Did you all camp or stay in a lodge/hotel?

We roughed it and stayed at the Elkrun Inn in Craig. The rough part was we had to walk up the stairs to our room. 😁

 

52 minutes ago, nomolites said:

Congrats Seth!

I go out there often elk hunting on Red Table above Basalt usually first season; absolutely beautiful place to be.  I have always hunted high but the fourth season is when the locals all fill their tags...they(like you) are smarter than me.  KS is tough heading west, but it always seems tougher for me heading east after the hunt....still worth the trip and as BH said that is some fine eating.

Mike

This was essentially a long, glorified grocery trip for some elk meat. There had been about 60 head hanging around right before we arrived, but they headed west and it took a few days before some new waves came through so we could tag out. I’ve been saving up points since right after I graduated college and I have 12 now. One of these days i will cash them in for a good unit, but I need to save up my pennies for that one.

[Seth]

27 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Congrats Seth! Elk is my favorite venison. As Ham stated that's a lot of meat. Show us some meals on the what's cooking thread.

We had some off the tenderloins from mine for dinner this evening. Dad browned the meat in flour and then throws it in a casserole dish with cream of chicken, potatoes, mushrooms and a few other things and bakes it till the potatoes are done. It was heavenly!

[Gavin]

Good for you! Great Hunt!