Back from Oregon

[SacFireJT]

Returned a few days ago from elk hunting on the "East side." When I arrived, I was greeted with highs in the 40's and one morning it got down-right cold! Spent nine days in the field and have a few stories to tell...and as every year chasing these elk, I learned some more about what to do...and what not to do! My goal this year was to take a large bull and hunt hard! As they say, the elk are where you find em, and once we found em, they liked to talk!

A few pictures!

And more to follow!

 

[SDHNTR]

Aww crap, don't go lame-o drawn out post Arrowslinger style on us. This place can't handle another drama queen.

 

[Hitechhunter]

Really, they must talk real slow on the eastern side of Oregon.

 

[DEERSLAM]

Come on Jeff don't do this to us...post up the money shot and quit the AS fartin around and draggin things out for days.

 

[Shay Mann]

Drag it out ! I would wait for at least 500 views before the "money" shot. To be honest, I like the supplemental photos as much or more than the grip and grin shot. I wanna see some country.

 

[Arrowslinger]

Dont' listen to Nate and Mike, drag it out and make'em suffer.......especially 'cause i already know the outcome!! Congrats on your hunt!

 

[Mikey88]

What do I have to do to get on the inside and hear about the outcomes before the week long teaser stories are posted?! LOL

 

[hatchet1]

LAME!!

 

[barel74]

 

[outdoorsman35]

[attachment=55229:images.jpg] the big man is getting a little frustrated without the money shot.

 

[Arrowslinger]

[attachment=55234ost_213...93_thumb.jpg]

 

[Family Tradition]

I say drag it out............

But I've got the pics so I'm good with it

Enjoy and nice job up dar in the OR

FT

 

[SacFireJT]

Bear with me guys, I am not on my home computer, but I have a few pictures from my black berry. When I got into the field, with my digital camera, I found that I had a 32k card in the dang thing! I was going thru old cards at home and I had forgot it was in there. So, I was only to take 7 high resolution pictures....and I wanted to save those for my Hero Shots!

Anyhow, I got to Oregon and got camp set up in an area that I know holds big bulls...but not a lot of elk! As I stated earlier, I was looking for a big bull this year. The first morning, we called up a "big bull" and a raghorn. We got to about 50 yards and the rag caught my buddy moving and it was game over! The next evening, I called in another raghorn but elected to pass. Fast forward five days--it had not seen an elk and I was begining to regret passing on the raghorn! For me it was decision time--do I relocate camp, and pack in to an area that I know holds lots of elk, but not huge bulls. Or do I stick it out and keep spinning my wheels looking for that elusive monster? Well, for me, the answer was pretty simple: I wanted to get into elk, and I wanted to fill my freezer, so I drove an 2.5 hours north and relocated. I also knew that my new location was going to require a 4 mile pack back in, up hill! Fortunatly, I had been training with new running shoes that our good friend LD sold me, so I was ready for some steep elk country!

 

[DEERSLAM]

 

[SDHNTR]

lame

 

[wyemjohnson]

hum..

this thread weak!

 

[SacFireJT]

Upon relocating to our new spot, closing Thursday afternoon, I chose to hike UP and in four miles-- I was stoked to find lots of rubs and other elk sign. That evening, I stayed in and at dark I had three bulls talking to me and coming in fast to cow calls. I got the heck out of there without em seeing or smelling me. At first light Friday morning, were were back in. that morning, we had a 260-270 class 6X6 at 80 yards feeding all by himself. We make a mistake and continued to call to him and he would just bugle to us and keep slowly moving and feeding down a canyon. In retrospect, we should have put a stalk on him...I think we could have got a shot, but I was in calling mode....lesson learned! Later that morning, I called in a 4X4 who came in silent to 40 yards, drooling...but I got busted drawing. Later that same morning, I had a spike at 50 yards, down hill, but I elected not to to take the shot. The next morning, walking in, I told myself, I was going to take any bull--I did not want to risk not having elk in the freezer! I also wanted to see if I could beat the odds and go 5 for 5--five years with five bow killed elk in Oregon. After chasing several branch antlered bulls that morning. I went back to my favorite drainage, and sat down to call at 1000 am. After calling and sitting for about 20 minutes, I had a nice spike appear below me at 80 yards coming in fast, and silent. In fact, I had just got done cow calling loudly when I saw him--he had my location pegged. As he came into 40 yards, I was able to draw when he began to veer off to my left and begin to quarter towards me. As he was walking from my right to left, I slowly swung my bow to the next shooting lane only to have a branch knock my arrow off of my fall-away rest!

He stopped but then began to slowly continue to walk. I replaced the arrow, and drew again, leaning backwards to clear the branches and find a shooting lane. When he entered the lane, I knew that this was going to be my last chance at him and I cow called, stopping him at 30 yards, slightly quartering towards me. I aimed for his arm pit ant the arrow was on the way. On the ht, he spun and began to haul As@! I frantically cow called to him and watched him stop and then bed 60 yards downhill from me. I could see him well thru the binos and saw good blood but not alot, low, in his arm pit. After watching hime for 10 minutes sititng up, looking down hill, with his ears flicking, I could not take it anymore, I began to sneak in for another shot. At 25 yards, I aimed for his vitals, and shot...he never got up--I could see blood pouring from around the second arrow, which was in to the fletchings. My Oregon elk season was over!

 

[SacFireJT]

One more...

 

[wyemjohnson]

congrats on making it 5 for 5, any elk with a bow is a trophy!

 

[hatchet1]

IF IT'S BROWN,IT'S DOWN! BETTER THAN TAG SOUP, CONGRATS ON GEEKING ONE

DAMN I LOVE THOSE ELK!!