Got my first Elk Sunday morning at Fort Hunter Liggett.
We arrived at the base on Friday about 2:00 pm. We set up camp and waited for my hunting partner. I brought my uncle along as a guest to help out. Pete (Big Bubba Daddy) showed up a couple of hours later. My hunting partner Brian showed up about 5:00 pm with his guest John. We went to orientation at six and got the info about Elk hunting on the base. We would have free roam of training areas 9, 12B, 15, 16, 24, 27 and 25. Jesse showed up while we were in orientation and went to go help someone who was stuck.
We decided to hunt TA 16 in the morning since there was a large herd next to it in the closed zone. (We soon found out these Elk usually stayed there.) We drove to a high spot to glass. We spotted Elk right away. Problem. They were in closed zone. We drove around in a few of the zones, but we were not able to catch any Elk moving around. The inner roads were very nasty due to the 4 inches of rain they received in two previous days. We braved a few roads and had some close calls going over a mountain and getting stuck in some really sticky mud.
We found out some Elk were taken in 12B. This area is usually closed to all hunting all year. So we decided to check it out. We drove past 12A and noticed a large herd in the middle of it. We figured they would either go to 12A or 9 to bed and we would catch them in the morning. We drove through 9 to scout it. We saw two very nice bulls, but no cows.
Sunday morning we head straight to 12B. We split up and climb up to a ridge on opposite sides. We spot a cow moving straight toward us from 12A and we wait to ambush her. She never materializes. We guess she must have bedded in the timber below us in the restricted area. We continue to walk the ridge continuously glassing. We jump a really nice 4 point buck with lots mass. He was nice. We spot two bulls on the opposite ridge in 12B/15 border. We watch them for a while but they do not have any cows with them. We get into radio contact with Brian and John. We decide to go down and move to another area. Just as we start our descent, my uncle Robert spots a large herd moving into 12B from 15. Many cows. We tell Brian and John and bust down the mountain. We finally rendezvous with John and Brian and start our stalk. We get within 200 yards with no more cover to hide us. They seem alerted so we decide to pick our cows. Brian picks the cow on left that was presenting a nice broadside shot. All the other cows were angled towards us. Brian gets jumpy and tells me to hurry up and pick one out. I decide to just do a front shot on a cow away from the crowd. Brian counts to three and we shoot. I see my cow immediately drop. Brian’s cow run away from the herd then doubles back towards the herd and then finally drops. We slowly approach the two cows. The herd, including a very large bull, just stares at us for what seems like minutes but they eventually haul out of there when John and Robert show up in the truck. We hear a few more shots and direct another hunter towards the direction of the herd and he ends up getting another cow from that herd. I believe four cows were taken from that herd that morning. Brian had the largest cow out of seven when we left Sunday afternoon at 320 lbs. I had the third largest at 286 lbs.
The crew from L-R: Pete (BBD), John, Brian, Robert, Jesse (Bubba)
Thanks to BBD and Jesse for their company. Jesse, sorry we did not get to say bye and share some Elk steaks we cooked up. Thanks to FHL staff and DFG personnel for help and info. Looking forward to getting an Bull Elk tag next time. Many Bulls in all areas.
We arrived at the base on Friday about 2:00 pm. We set up camp and waited for my hunting partner. I brought my uncle along as a guest to help out. Pete (Big Bubba Daddy) showed up a couple of hours later. My hunting partner Brian showed up about 5:00 pm with his guest John. We went to orientation at six and got the info about Elk hunting on the base. We would have free roam of training areas 9, 12B, 15, 16, 24, 27 and 25. Jesse showed up while we were in orientation and went to go help someone who was stuck.
We decided to hunt TA 16 in the morning since there was a large herd next to it in the closed zone. (We soon found out these Elk usually stayed there.) We drove to a high spot to glass. We spotted Elk right away. Problem. They were in closed zone. We drove around in a few of the zones, but we were not able to catch any Elk moving around. The inner roads were very nasty due to the 4 inches of rain they received in two previous days. We braved a few roads and had some close calls going over a mountain and getting stuck in some really sticky mud.
We found out some Elk were taken in 12B. This area is usually closed to all hunting all year. So we decided to check it out. We drove past 12A and noticed a large herd in the middle of it. We figured they would either go to 12A or 9 to bed and we would catch them in the morning. We drove through 9 to scout it. We saw two very nice bulls, but no cows.
Sunday morning we head straight to 12B. We split up and climb up to a ridge on opposite sides. We spot a cow moving straight toward us from 12A and we wait to ambush her. She never materializes. We guess she must have bedded in the timber below us in the restricted area. We continue to walk the ridge continuously glassing. We jump a really nice 4 point buck with lots mass. He was nice. We spot two bulls on the opposite ridge in 12B/15 border. We watch them for a while but they do not have any cows with them. We get into radio contact with Brian and John. We decide to go down and move to another area. Just as we start our descent, my uncle Robert spots a large herd moving into 12B from 15. Many cows. We tell Brian and John and bust down the mountain. We finally rendezvous with John and Brian and start our stalk. We get within 200 yards with no more cover to hide us. They seem alerted so we decide to pick our cows. Brian picks the cow on left that was presenting a nice broadside shot. All the other cows were angled towards us. Brian gets jumpy and tells me to hurry up and pick one out. I decide to just do a front shot on a cow away from the crowd. Brian counts to three and we shoot. I see my cow immediately drop. Brian’s cow run away from the herd then doubles back towards the herd and then finally drops. We slowly approach the two cows. The herd, including a very large bull, just stares at us for what seems like minutes but they eventually haul out of there when John and Robert show up in the truck. We hear a few more shots and direct another hunter towards the direction of the herd and he ends up getting another cow from that herd. I believe four cows were taken from that herd that morning. Brian had the largest cow out of seven when we left Sunday afternoon at 320 lbs. I had the third largest at 286 lbs.
The crew from L-R: Pete (BBD), John, Brian, Robert, Jesse (Bubba)
Thanks to BBD and Jesse for their company. Jesse, sorry we did not get to say bye and share some Elk steaks we cooked up. Thanks to FHL staff and DFG personnel for help and info. Looking forward to getting an Bull Elk tag next time. Many Bulls in all areas.
