The 2019 Elk Success Thread

boiler

Active Member
Dec 26, 2015
302
130
Indiana
Well, I got a little impatient, but ended up with the most impressive bull I had seen in 5 hard days of hunting. Fairly certain that my brother and I could have found a bigger one, but he was in a decent spot for packing out, put on a great show bugling and tearing up trees, and I was getting a little bit nervous about tag soup. With the cooler weather coming, and the bulls really starting to bugle, l may have ended the hunt a bit sooner than I should have, but hindsight is 20/20. The Pahvant Mts. were stunningly beautiful, and the number of elk we saw and heard was awesome! I was however amazed at how thick the unit was, and how hard it was to move in on the elk! We had several elk within 75-50 yards bugling that we couldn't see one bit of! I ended up with about a 40 yard shot in some of the "less thick" cover, and just couldn't pass it up!
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go_deep

Veteran member
Nov 30, 2014
2,650
1,982
Wyoming
2844028441
While I was glassing for doe antelope out in the middle of nowhere near elk country I came across 4 spikes and 2 cows. General tag is good for this area, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to chase elk on the prairie! I had to hike over a 2 mile loop on them to get in a small 4' draw to get as close as I could. When I came over the rise they were all feeding at 355 yards in a complete crosswind of 35 mph winds. Elk stood facing left, wind left to right, gun zeroed at 300. Put the crosshairs just over halfway up his chest, then moved about 24" left so I was out in front of his neck by probably 9". Pull the trigger, thump, because of the wind nobody but him knew what happened. The first picture is where they were, just out in the middle of a huge sage flat. I've antelope hunted this area off and on for 15 years and never seen an elk, but always take my general tag with just in case! Probably the easiest elk pack out I'll ever have in my life!
Now I get to focus on my limited quota deer tag!
 

BAKPAKR

Active Member
May 10, 2018
193
121
I shot a meat bull yesterday(spike). packing it out today, got 12 more days and another elk tag. time to look for horns
So, that is what happened to my NR tag! 😀

Good luck on finding a big bull.
 

tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,407
1,057
north idaho
bakpakr

you need to thank my buddy who let me know elk tags where selling out. getting a second tag was never an issue before. lol
 

sdhunters

New Member
Dec 22, 2018
38
27
Eastern South Dakota
59 and first year DIY. Few encounters and hoping for more this coming week. Congrats on your success. Hope to be still chasing these animals like you are for the next 15 years.

Made it back and checked a bucket list item. General Wy tag. Not the largest but as first timers had to be very pleased. Total DIY...17 mile pack out over 3 trips. Wonder if I could do it and proved persistence pays off. Climbed this mountain at least 10 times in last 3 trips and starting an early work out really made it possible. Already looking for the next elk hunt.
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