FHL Elk hunt

[Mel Carter]

Ok, so after a fog and rain filled morning, we came back to the room to change and head back out. We were drinking through area 20, noticed 3 elk about half a mile out. Started glassing and there were about 40 more behind a hill, the stalk was on. We dropped down into a dry creek bed,and was able to get to 300 yards. We could see the heard just over the rise we were on, we belly crawled to the top and got ready. I picked out the biggest bull, but when I looked through my scope it was fogged. I wiped it off then it was better, but it was raining so hard it was hard to pick out the bull. I Got the scope cleared out and took the shot. After the shot, they actually ran past us, they were out of sight at first but when they came by the bull wasn't there. We looked over the rocky out cropping and found him down. We have to go back and get him out tomorrow. He was a heavy 5x5.

Here's a quick pic

 

[gdt]

Great job Mel! My 14 year old son is still trying. We have had our share of bad luck so far. Yesterday, twice while setting up for shots we had gunshots go off nearby and spooking our bulls. Then on our third stalk, we ended up losing the bulls to TA22. Today we found two bulls back in TA19, but the wind was so bad that they got our scent and blew out. The rain and wind has been intense since noon. The roads are a mess. Yesterday we hiked at least 8 miles, and a today we put in another 6 miles of hiking in the rain/wind. The bad part was my son slipped on a boulder and hurt his knee. Also the scope hit pretty hard, so we're not sure if it's on or not. We are going back home to regroup and be with family for Christmas eve/day and we'll be back Wed. afternoon to try again for a few more days.

 

[snoopdogg]

Congrats, Mel! That's still a honkin' bull for a 5x5. Way to go!

 

[Mel Carter]

Thanks guys. Here's another pic.

 

[twbowhunter]

congrats mel on a very nice bull, thanks for all the updates along the way!

 

[NastyNate]

Way to go Mel. Grats!
Nasty Nate

 

[Live2hunt]

Great to hear you tagged out. Yes I saw that bull with the herd in area 15 three weeks ago. There was a bigger herd bull that was always the tail end of the herd when on the run. Was the bigger bull not with the herd?


L2H

 

[Bossbrott]

Great job Mel! He sure looks like a great trophy to me, congratulations and merry Christmas!

 

[Mel Carter]

Great to hear you tagged out. Yes I saw that bull with the herd in area 15 three weeks ago. There was a bigger herd bull that was always the tail end of the herd when on the run. Was the bigger bull not with the herd?


L2H

This was the biggest bull in the herd.

Just want to throw out a huge thanks to everyone here who gave me info and details, it was a big help. Thanks guys!!!

 

[Live2hunt]

This was the biggest bull in the herd.

Hmmmmm........maybe the bigger one got whacked by another hunter. I'm pretty sure that bull was the one in the group we saw during Thanksgiving weekend. The herd has about 30 heads correct?

 

[rick7m]

Nice job. Great bull!

 

[weekender21]

Great looking bull, love the mass. Congrats!

 

[Mel Carter]

Hmmmmm........maybe the bigger one got whacked by another hunter. I'm pretty sure that bull was the one in the group we saw during Thanksgiving weekend. The herd has about 30 heads correct?

Yeah it was about that in the herd. There were only 2 other bulls taken in that area, neither were big.

 

[Mel Carter]

Great job Mel! My 14 year old son is still trying. We have had our share of bad luck so far. Yesterday, twice while setting up for shots we had gunshots go off nearby and spooking our bulls. Then on our third stalk, we ended up losing the bulls to TA22. Today we found two bulls back in TA19, but the wind was so bad that they got our scent and blew out. The rain and wind has been intense since noon. The roads are a mess. Yesterday we hiked at least 8 miles, and a today we put in another 6 miles of hiking in the rain/wind. The bad part was my son slipped on a boulder and hurt his knee. Also the scope hit pretty hard, so we're not sure if it's on or not. We are going back home to regroup and be with family for Christmas eve/day and we'll be back Wed. afternoon to try again for a few more days.

gdt,
If I were you I would go into 25 way back towards 29 and hunt the ridges. There are at least 15 bulls in that area that got pushed out. They will probably be back once the pressure has died down.

 

[Mel Carter]

Here's a couple better pics.

 

[gdt]

Thanks Mel. I'm heading back tomorrow morning. My son is ready to go at it again. Btw, my friend who was helping out can't make it, so if anyone is heading out there let me know.

 

[Mel Carter]

Let me know how you guys do. If you have trouble getting the elk out, call warden look he will help. He came out and picked us up in the pouring rain.

 

[acldo6390]

Mel,
Nice Bull! A buddy was with another fella who finally gave up on a big animal (not sure what he was expecting, perhaps a blue bird day and for the animal to wait alongside the road) and shot what I believe to be the smallest Elk taken I had ever seen, I gave him a pretty hard time that he should wait till they fall completely out of the womb in the future. Glad to see you got your animal it looks like a pretty fair sized body persitiance pays off.
Mark

 

[Mel Carter]

I was hoping for a 6x6, but the weather conditions were horrible and my support group was leaving Sunday night. I really just wanted a nice bull that would look good on the wall, this should do. He was probably around 450# live weight, the Byologist weighed him in at 387#

I'm very happy with him, the hunt was a great experience for sure.

 

[Kentuck]

Congrats! Nice looking bull Mel!