My dad bagged this cow in October on the 2nd day of his season. I glassed a herd of 60 head on the opener as they fed up into a timbered basin. We got into position before daylight the next morning where they would pass thru if they were undisturbed the day before. As we were walking to our position we could hear them talking and could just make them out with binos in the darkness. We ran out of cover but the wind was right and it was dark enough that we closed the distance and set down to wait for shooting light. They never detected us but they were slowly drifting further away. I ranged the closest bunch at 168 yds. Dad had a nice yearling picked out but she got next to a spike and never cleared away from him. Dad was thinking about the best meat while I was thinking any cow. Getting him in range in this open, rocky country is no easy deal. He has a knee replacment and his other is wore out so his walking is limited. The best shot was a lone cow broadside to us. He asked if he should take the shot and not knowing how clearly he was seeing thru the scope I told him only if you can make it. He was setting down using a bipod and was rock solid. At the shot she ran about 70 yds and went down. One shot, 1 elk. He used my Mod 700 30.06 with a Federal Premium 180 gr. Nosler partition. I hope I am still around to do it at his age.
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MUDXICANHNTER
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Give your dad a big high five for me that is awsome.
That's a great story with some great pictures. I always enjoy the "meat pole" pics. That looks like a nice size cow too, you should have plenty of meat to go around.
We had a guy in our elk camp this year who is 81 years old. He's been camping in the same place and hunting the same area every year for the past 40+ years. That's proof positive that where there's a will, there's a way. Stay strong and hunt. I hope I'm able to do that at that age.
We had a guy in our elk camp this year who is 81 years old. He's been camping in the same place and hunting the same area every year for the past 40+ years. That's proof positive that where there's a will, there's a way. Stay strong and hunt. I hope I'm able to do that at that age.
We quartered her on the ground right where she dropped. Bagged the quarters and brought her home. Once home we hung the quarters, took the bags off and cleaned them of any hair, twigs or dirt they may have had on them. It was a cool enough day to leave them hang but there were still a few flies around so we put clean bags back on them. Then right before dark we took the bags off to let the air get to them and left them that way overnight. Then in the morning we bagged them again and took her to the locker in town.
I like to let my game hang the first night without a bag if possible. It's easy to do with evening kills but morning kills usually get bagged and put in the locker asap unless it's a cool day.
If I have to bone one out to get it home I usually just age the chunks in ice water for a few days before butchering. Put the meat in a cooler and cover it with ice. As the ice melts just keep adding ice, don't drain the water. The idea is to keep the water just above freezing. Works great!
I like to let my game hang the first night without a bag if possible. It's easy to do with evening kills but morning kills usually get bagged and put in the locker asap unless it's a cool day.
If I have to bone one out to get it home I usually just age the chunks in ice water for a few days before butchering. Put the meat in a cooler and cover it with ice. As the ice melts just keep adding ice, don't drain the water. The idea is to keep the water just above freezing. Works great!
