elks96
Long Time Member
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Well this last week wrapped up the overwhelming majority of the hunting season in our house, (still a chance for some predator hunting but hockey season is just firing up). My son is also obsessed with ice fishing...
We had some late season cow tags. that in the end proved to be pretty darn hard to fill. We got onto elk a few times. We saw some awesome bulls a few good bucks and got to watch the rams fight over ewes and more... However we had several days with zero elk spotted and some days where we saw 50 plus bulls a day and no cow elk...
We also had several days where we worked a huge herd in the flats. Over 100 elk in the wide open and every time they got nervous they would ball up and run. They were very good at keeping them selves about 500 yards in the wide open.
Saturday morning we braved the roads (really not that horrible) made the trip from Lander over towards muddy gap. Unfortunately, we were not able to take my jeep as the bumper is starting to crack the frame and will need a significant repair. So we were in the truck (2015 Ram 2500 with the 6.7).
At first light we catch a group of elk from the highway leaving some lower private land into a great spot for a stalk. We watch for an hour until they end feeding out of sight. We make a 2.5 mile stalk from the truck. Climb up over some rocks and end up about 60 yards above where they are bedded.
In the final few feet before we would be set up for a shot I yard sell hard. Slick frozen rock under 3" light fluffy snow and I am feet over head. I have my shooting sticks, my backpack, my sons sticks and my gun all over the place. We were less that 80 yards from the elk and likely closer to 60.
I flop around and tell my son to watch for the elk and try to gather my self. Clean the scope, clear the bore, collect the stick and more. We regather and slip up to the shooting location. Right where we set up there is a single cow bedded in a nearly perfect window in the trees. We set up the sticks get my son comfortable and ready. There was a single tree branch right in the middle of her vitals. I get set up and make sure my son is solid. I lay into a cow call she turns and looks. I hit it again, still bedded. Third time I add a little distress to the call and bam she stands up. Perfect broadside shot 60 yards down hill. The vitals are framed perfect in the trees. My son squeezes off the shot and it is perfect double lungs hit... At the shot the cow runs out along with the other 7-8 cows and a small bull. She and the other elk stop after running about another 40 yards. I pick out a second cow in the rear of the group as she was clear and broadside and I squeeze the trigger and whaaap her hard. The shot was less than ideal, the herd runs off and she stay behind hurting pretty bad. I shot 3 more time and none of the times she is acting as I hit her again. As I grab my sons gun she tips over and does not move.
Both elk were down less than 80 yards from each other and it was the first time we had doubled up. We get to work in the cold after only a few poorly taken photos. We have the elk cleaned out and are headed back the truck. Jump in the truck and use the 2 tracks to close the packing distance. We pull up to a spot and debate if we should try getting a little closer. It is a hill that is not bad, but it would save us 100 yards packing and one extra up and down. I go for it, we get 3/4 way up the other side start spin. Throttle down a touch and one pop and we stop all forward progress. Crap, lost the front end and a ram with a Cummins is worthless in 2wd on the snow. Shift to reverse and hit the throttle hard. If I could climb the last little hill we came down it was all down hill to the highway. We clear the bottom of the hill but can not climb out. Crap...
We climb to service, make calls to people I know. I miss on all 3. One guy out of state, another guys side by side is in the shop, another guy does not answer. I post on FB to the WY Off Road Recovery Group, and text a guy in Riverton and call the wife. Wife heads our way to rescue and will meet us at the highway.
We pack over my elk and eat lunch double up on water and then prepare to hike down to the highway. By this time we have over 6.2 miles in on foot it is in the low teens with a semi stiff 10-12 mph wind.
We hike out the 1.8 miles to the highway and wait. Barely getting service my wife text arrives, "almost to Jeffery City." That is still 45 minutes away. We are already cold... We use our fingers and determine 30 minutes before sunset. So we decide to hike to the rest area to our north. Luckily we only cover a mile before we have some other hunters pick us up. Eventually our ride arrives and we head back to lander after dark. Once in Lander I make arrangements with 2 guys to go rescue. The next morning at 9:30 we are leaving the highway to go get the elk and the truck. We arrive to the truck, load the elk that was right there, I send my son, my daughters boyfriend and another kid with the sled to grab the other elk. We use a winch to pull me up out of the hole onto a flat. Then we go to diagnose the issue.
Front Drive Line Snapped in half. Bad news will not get 4x4 back. Good News will drive in 2wd and roll. Also broke the tranny output speed sensor so tranny is stuck in limp mode (only 1st, 4th and reverse will work and the stupid CEL is on). We strap my ram out to the highway, I give the 2 helpers some $$ for fuel and help.
When I got home last night I finish removing the DL. This morning have a new DL coming from Tom Woods and the tranny sensor was at NAPA. It was a hard frustrating 2 days but my son learned a bunch about what to do and what not to do.
In the end we were able to provide a good family friend with meat and also my my son was able to provide meat to his grand father. It will be a good story and moving forward we have some new friends and I have some pay it forward to even up... I have always been one to help rescue others, it was humbling to be one needing rescued.
Anyone who has spent time on this mountain knows it is hard on a guy. Yet the elk move effortlessly up down side ways...
My son got his first coyote early in the hunt
Big herd of elk in the wide open make it hard to pull off a stock.
The early morning hike as the sun rose...
A look into where the elk headed..
My son always has a goofy look on his face. I hope it is a phase/being a teenage boy. Sadly it might be genetic...
My elk was reached after gutting out the first elk. Been a long time cleaning an animal out instead of gutting. I was a little rusty and bloodier than normal.
Lastly after further review. I am afraid my sons looks are doomed by genetics. Poor kid probably does not have any hope. However this picture is why I will always have a beard in the WY winter...
We had some late season cow tags. that in the end proved to be pretty darn hard to fill. We got onto elk a few times. We saw some awesome bulls a few good bucks and got to watch the rams fight over ewes and more... However we had several days with zero elk spotted and some days where we saw 50 plus bulls a day and no cow elk...
We also had several days where we worked a huge herd in the flats. Over 100 elk in the wide open and every time they got nervous they would ball up and run. They were very good at keeping them selves about 500 yards in the wide open.
Saturday morning we braved the roads (really not that horrible) made the trip from Lander over towards muddy gap. Unfortunately, we were not able to take my jeep as the bumper is starting to crack the frame and will need a significant repair. So we were in the truck (2015 Ram 2500 with the 6.7).
At first light we catch a group of elk from the highway leaving some lower private land into a great spot for a stalk. We watch for an hour until they end feeding out of sight. We make a 2.5 mile stalk from the truck. Climb up over some rocks and end up about 60 yards above where they are bedded.
In the final few feet before we would be set up for a shot I yard sell hard. Slick frozen rock under 3" light fluffy snow and I am feet over head. I have my shooting sticks, my backpack, my sons sticks and my gun all over the place. We were less that 80 yards from the elk and likely closer to 60.
I flop around and tell my son to watch for the elk and try to gather my self. Clean the scope, clear the bore, collect the stick and more. We regather and slip up to the shooting location. Right where we set up there is a single cow bedded in a nearly perfect window in the trees. We set up the sticks get my son comfortable and ready. There was a single tree branch right in the middle of her vitals. I get set up and make sure my son is solid. I lay into a cow call she turns and looks. I hit it again, still bedded. Third time I add a little distress to the call and bam she stands up. Perfect broadside shot 60 yards down hill. The vitals are framed perfect in the trees. My son squeezes off the shot and it is perfect double lungs hit... At the shot the cow runs out along with the other 7-8 cows and a small bull. She and the other elk stop after running about another 40 yards. I pick out a second cow in the rear of the group as she was clear and broadside and I squeeze the trigger and whaaap her hard. The shot was less than ideal, the herd runs off and she stay behind hurting pretty bad. I shot 3 more time and none of the times she is acting as I hit her again. As I grab my sons gun she tips over and does not move.
Both elk were down less than 80 yards from each other and it was the first time we had doubled up. We get to work in the cold after only a few poorly taken photos. We have the elk cleaned out and are headed back the truck. Jump in the truck and use the 2 tracks to close the packing distance. We pull up to a spot and debate if we should try getting a little closer. It is a hill that is not bad, but it would save us 100 yards packing and one extra up and down. I go for it, we get 3/4 way up the other side start spin. Throttle down a touch and one pop and we stop all forward progress. Crap, lost the front end and a ram with a Cummins is worthless in 2wd on the snow. Shift to reverse and hit the throttle hard. If I could climb the last little hill we came down it was all down hill to the highway. We clear the bottom of the hill but can not climb out. Crap...
We climb to service, make calls to people I know. I miss on all 3. One guy out of state, another guys side by side is in the shop, another guy does not answer. I post on FB to the WY Off Road Recovery Group, and text a guy in Riverton and call the wife. Wife heads our way to rescue and will meet us at the highway.
We pack over my elk and eat lunch double up on water and then prepare to hike down to the highway. By this time we have over 6.2 miles in on foot it is in the low teens with a semi stiff 10-12 mph wind.
We hike out the 1.8 miles to the highway and wait. Barely getting service my wife text arrives, "almost to Jeffery City." That is still 45 minutes away. We are already cold... We use our fingers and determine 30 minutes before sunset. So we decide to hike to the rest area to our north. Luckily we only cover a mile before we have some other hunters pick us up. Eventually our ride arrives and we head back to lander after dark. Once in Lander I make arrangements with 2 guys to go rescue. The next morning at 9:30 we are leaving the highway to go get the elk and the truck. We arrive to the truck, load the elk that was right there, I send my son, my daughters boyfriend and another kid with the sled to grab the other elk. We use a winch to pull me up out of the hole onto a flat. Then we go to diagnose the issue.
Front Drive Line Snapped in half. Bad news will not get 4x4 back. Good News will drive in 2wd and roll. Also broke the tranny output speed sensor so tranny is stuck in limp mode (only 1st, 4th and reverse will work and the stupid CEL is on). We strap my ram out to the highway, I give the 2 helpers some $$ for fuel and help.
When I got home last night I finish removing the DL. This morning have a new DL coming from Tom Woods and the tranny sensor was at NAPA. It was a hard frustrating 2 days but my son learned a bunch about what to do and what not to do.
In the end we were able to provide a good family friend with meat and also my my son was able to provide meat to his grand father. It will be a good story and moving forward we have some new friends and I have some pay it forward to even up... I have always been one to help rescue others, it was humbling to be one needing rescued.
My son got his first coyote early in the hunt
The early morning hike as the sun rose...
A look into where the elk headed..
My son always has a goofy look on his face. I hope it is a phase/being a teenage boy. Sadly it might be genetic...
My elk was reached after gutting out the first elk. Been a long time cleaning an animal out instead of gutting. I was a little rusty and bloodier than normal.
Lastly after further review. I am afraid my sons looks are doomed by genetics. Poor kid probably does not have any hope. However this picture is why I will always have a beard in the WY winter...
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. Just goes to show how things can go sideways in a hurry and get one in serious trouble in wintery conditions…
