LAST EDITED ON Jan-04-11 AT 10:40PM (MST)[p]Our last big-game hunt of the year is a special one. It involves a special young man on his quest for his first elk. Back in September, Santiago was able to secure a ?youth encouragement hunt? for elk. This hunt would not happen until December 26, 2010, the day after Christmas. As the fall went by and we went on other hunts, you could tell that is he could not wait for his hunt to come. To him it was like having to wait the day after Christmas to finally open a gift.
His hunt was going to happen in a unit mainly known for normally wintering thousands of elk. So every time it would snow he would ask me how much snow had fallen in the area to move elk into the unit. As the fall and winter went by, very little snow hit the high country and most of the elk herds were still in another unit across the highway. I was a little nervous but I knew that some elk had already migrated into the unit and hopefully they would be waiting for us opening morning. It was comforting to know that we had 5 days off to hunt if we needed. The whole family was on Christmas break.
Our Christmas visit with our extended family and friends was cut a little short the evening before the hunt. We needed to get home early to make sure we had enough time to get our gear ready and get to bed early. Our gear was pretty much ready to go in the truck where had left it the weekend before from a previous hunt. All we need to throw into the truck the next morning would be ourselves, the cooler with food/beverages, Santiago?s rifle, ammo, and his elk license. That's the good thing of this being the last hunt of the year. All the gear is ready to go. Not like the first hunt of the year. It takes longer to prepare for those hunts because the hunting gear is scattered everywhere.
Opening morning came quick. In fact, we got up late. I had set the alarm for 4 AM. We wanted to be on the road by 5. I guess I must have hit the snooze button one too many times. The next thing I know its 4:47 and I'm up trying to get the boys up. Not to worry, we got ready, warmed the truck, our neighbor Roberto walked on over from his house, and we were on our way by 5:15. On our way we talked about our hunt strategy. We wanted to be at the edged of a timbered area and the open prairie grassland before legal shooting hours. This is an area we had hunted before in the late season and seen lots of elk. Usually as the sun is rising the elk would be leaving the open areas and hitting the timber. Our focus was to glass them up in the open and try to get a shot before they got into heavy pinon tree cover.
As it started getting light, we glassed intensely trying to find anything that looked like an elk. There was one flat open ridge that always had elk this time of year. If they were anywhere in this area, they had to be there. If not, all bets were off. As we glassed this area, no elk were glassed so we moved on. As we were driving down the road to get another high glassing vantage point, we notice a bunch of tiny dark specks out in wide open to our right. We put our binoculars up and instantly made out a large herd of elk in middle of nowhere, in an area more suited for antelope. As we scanned the herd, we noticed that they were already on to us and acting quite nervous. It was time to stalk these elk like they were antelope. On the open country stalk we went. We had to find some kind of cover to make our way to the elk without spooking them off. There was one small valley we wanted to get into to make our way to the elk. If we could get there we had a chance. We made it there. We only needed another 200 yards or so and we would come out on top of the elk and perhaps get a shot. Little did we know that along the way we spooked up a group of unseen elk. These elk spooked and got the bigger herd of elk all riled up and they took off out of sight. Now what? We decided to get back to the truck and try to find more elk. It was a long walk back and it was cold. The wind chill made it very uncomfortable. I could not believe that earlier in August while hunting antelope this same area, we were sweating our butts off.
We decided to look for more elk out in the open just like we were hunting antelope. On we went and as we crested over a rise, there they were another large group of elk headed toward a timbered ridge. They were trying to get to cover. They had a long way to go before they would get there. Perhaps we could intercept them before they made it to cover. That was the plan and it almost worked. We cut them off, however they got a little too ahead of us. By that time we got into position for a shot, the elk were running at just over 300 yards and would not stop for a cow call. Instead of risking a less than marginal running shot, we decided to let them keep running. They were still headed for cover. We knew we could get another chance. We need to get back in the truck, drive way around to the top of the timbered ridge and wait for them as they entered the timber or still hunt them in the timber if they beat us there.
We drove to the top of timbered ridge on a very rocky and rough road. It took forever. We thought for sure the elk had beaten us to the cover. As we got close to the timber line of the pinon, we could see the herd walking along the tree line. They were not aware of our presence. We decided to walk along the same tree line in front of us and try to get to cut them off for a shot. At this point they were about 1,000 yards away. If we use the available cover and walk towards them as they walked towards us, we would get shot for sure. The plan looked like it was working to perfection. The only thing that would mess the stalk up would be the wind. Sure enough, the wind had shifted, heck it might have not been in our favor from the beginning. The sentry lead cow?s head was in the air. She got the whole herd freaked out and led them back into the open, down an open valley below us. This would not be last time we would stumble upon the lead cow. Something must have kept her from taking herd into the timbered ridge. My guess was it was other hunters. As the herd went down the valley below, they got out of sight. We needed to circle them below and try to cut them off while they were out of sight. We rapidly walked expecting to see the herd below us at anytime. As we started getting close to the valley below us, here they came with the sentry cow in the lead. By this time they had slowed down to a brisk walk. We hit the dirt. I shortened the legs of the Bogg Pod. Santiago was going have to take a shot from the sitting shooting position. I positioned his shooting platform and he got into position for a shot. I put the binos up and ranged the lead cow at 294 yards and told Santiago to hold about 4 inches high. I blew the cow call to get them to stop. The sentry lead cow stopped and looked in our direction. That's when Santiago squeezed the trigger and sent a168 grain Barnes Triple Shock bullet from his mom?s 30-06 downrange. Immediately the lead cow was thumped right behind shoulder and buckled. She spun around and began to sway. She was not going anywhere. We have learned to keep shooting until they hit the ground, so Santiago chambered another cartridge and shot her again in the lung area to put her down for good. This was some great shooting. Santiago was cool as cucumber through the whole thing, and then he got excited once he knew had taken first elk. As we walked up to the downed elk, I put my arm around Santiago and congratulated him on his first elk. This was a great feeling. Francisco Jr. and Roberto had heard the shots and came on over to share in the experience. Roberto hugged Santiago (Saint) and congratulated him. Francisco Jr. gave his brother a high five. As customary, we thanked everyone that needed to be thanked, did our photo shoot, and got to work on the field dressing. We were shocked how big this cow was. We could barely move her. I told Santiago that this cow elk was a true trophy. Not because of antler size, because it was antlerless, but because it was the leader of the herd with numerous hunts under her belt. I explained that this is elk was the true guardian of the herd and smartest in the bunch. I told him that this elk was probably smarter that any bull in the woods. This put a big smile on his face.
This concludes our 2010 big game hunting year. It was a good one. We can't wait until next year. Hopefully we are blessed by having more opportunities next year, to be out in the field together, enjoying what we like doing so much.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/4842santiago_first_elk_008_br_1.jpg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/4127santiago_first_elk_003_br_1.jpg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/7255santiago_first_elk_022_br_1.jpg
His hunt was going to happen in a unit mainly known for normally wintering thousands of elk. So every time it would snow he would ask me how much snow had fallen in the area to move elk into the unit. As the fall and winter went by, very little snow hit the high country and most of the elk herds were still in another unit across the highway. I was a little nervous but I knew that some elk had already migrated into the unit and hopefully they would be waiting for us opening morning. It was comforting to know that we had 5 days off to hunt if we needed. The whole family was on Christmas break.
Our Christmas visit with our extended family and friends was cut a little short the evening before the hunt. We needed to get home early to make sure we had enough time to get our gear ready and get to bed early. Our gear was pretty much ready to go in the truck where had left it the weekend before from a previous hunt. All we need to throw into the truck the next morning would be ourselves, the cooler with food/beverages, Santiago?s rifle, ammo, and his elk license. That's the good thing of this being the last hunt of the year. All the gear is ready to go. Not like the first hunt of the year. It takes longer to prepare for those hunts because the hunting gear is scattered everywhere.
Opening morning came quick. In fact, we got up late. I had set the alarm for 4 AM. We wanted to be on the road by 5. I guess I must have hit the snooze button one too many times. The next thing I know its 4:47 and I'm up trying to get the boys up. Not to worry, we got ready, warmed the truck, our neighbor Roberto walked on over from his house, and we were on our way by 5:15. On our way we talked about our hunt strategy. We wanted to be at the edged of a timbered area and the open prairie grassland before legal shooting hours. This is an area we had hunted before in the late season and seen lots of elk. Usually as the sun is rising the elk would be leaving the open areas and hitting the timber. Our focus was to glass them up in the open and try to get a shot before they got into heavy pinon tree cover.
As it started getting light, we glassed intensely trying to find anything that looked like an elk. There was one flat open ridge that always had elk this time of year. If they were anywhere in this area, they had to be there. If not, all bets were off. As we glassed this area, no elk were glassed so we moved on. As we were driving down the road to get another high glassing vantage point, we notice a bunch of tiny dark specks out in wide open to our right. We put our binoculars up and instantly made out a large herd of elk in middle of nowhere, in an area more suited for antelope. As we scanned the herd, we noticed that they were already on to us and acting quite nervous. It was time to stalk these elk like they were antelope. On the open country stalk we went. We had to find some kind of cover to make our way to the elk without spooking them off. There was one small valley we wanted to get into to make our way to the elk. If we could get there we had a chance. We made it there. We only needed another 200 yards or so and we would come out on top of the elk and perhaps get a shot. Little did we know that along the way we spooked up a group of unseen elk. These elk spooked and got the bigger herd of elk all riled up and they took off out of sight. Now what? We decided to get back to the truck and try to find more elk. It was a long walk back and it was cold. The wind chill made it very uncomfortable. I could not believe that earlier in August while hunting antelope this same area, we were sweating our butts off.
We decided to look for more elk out in the open just like we were hunting antelope. On we went and as we crested over a rise, there they were another large group of elk headed toward a timbered ridge. They were trying to get to cover. They had a long way to go before they would get there. Perhaps we could intercept them before they made it to cover. That was the plan and it almost worked. We cut them off, however they got a little too ahead of us. By that time we got into position for a shot, the elk were running at just over 300 yards and would not stop for a cow call. Instead of risking a less than marginal running shot, we decided to let them keep running. They were still headed for cover. We knew we could get another chance. We need to get back in the truck, drive way around to the top of the timbered ridge and wait for them as they entered the timber or still hunt them in the timber if they beat us there.
We drove to the top of timbered ridge on a very rocky and rough road. It took forever. We thought for sure the elk had beaten us to the cover. As we got close to the timber line of the pinon, we could see the herd walking along the tree line. They were not aware of our presence. We decided to walk along the same tree line in front of us and try to get to cut them off for a shot. At this point they were about 1,000 yards away. If we use the available cover and walk towards them as they walked towards us, we would get shot for sure. The plan looked like it was working to perfection. The only thing that would mess the stalk up would be the wind. Sure enough, the wind had shifted, heck it might have not been in our favor from the beginning. The sentry lead cow?s head was in the air. She got the whole herd freaked out and led them back into the open, down an open valley below us. This would not be last time we would stumble upon the lead cow. Something must have kept her from taking herd into the timbered ridge. My guess was it was other hunters. As the herd went down the valley below, they got out of sight. We needed to circle them below and try to cut them off while they were out of sight. We rapidly walked expecting to see the herd below us at anytime. As we started getting close to the valley below us, here they came with the sentry cow in the lead. By this time they had slowed down to a brisk walk. We hit the dirt. I shortened the legs of the Bogg Pod. Santiago was going have to take a shot from the sitting shooting position. I positioned his shooting platform and he got into position for a shot. I put the binos up and ranged the lead cow at 294 yards and told Santiago to hold about 4 inches high. I blew the cow call to get them to stop. The sentry lead cow stopped and looked in our direction. That's when Santiago squeezed the trigger and sent a168 grain Barnes Triple Shock bullet from his mom?s 30-06 downrange. Immediately the lead cow was thumped right behind shoulder and buckled. She spun around and began to sway. She was not going anywhere. We have learned to keep shooting until they hit the ground, so Santiago chambered another cartridge and shot her again in the lung area to put her down for good. This was some great shooting. Santiago was cool as cucumber through the whole thing, and then he got excited once he knew had taken first elk. As we walked up to the downed elk, I put my arm around Santiago and congratulated him on his first elk. This was a great feeling. Francisco Jr. and Roberto had heard the shots and came on over to share in the experience. Roberto hugged Santiago (Saint) and congratulated him. Francisco Jr. gave his brother a high five. As customary, we thanked everyone that needed to be thanked, did our photo shoot, and got to work on the field dressing. We were shocked how big this cow was. We could barely move her. I told Santiago that this cow elk was a true trophy. Not because of antler size, because it was antlerless, but because it was the leader of the herd with numerous hunts under her belt. I explained that this is elk was the true guardian of the herd and smartest in the bunch. I told him that this elk was probably smarter that any bull in the woods. This put a big smile on his face.
This concludes our 2010 big game hunting year. It was a good one. We can't wait until next year. Hopefully we are blessed by having more opportunities next year, to be out in the field together, enjoying what we like doing so much.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/4842santiago_first_elk_008_br_1.jpg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/4127santiago_first_elk_003_br_1.jpg
http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/7255santiago_first_elk_022_br_1.jpg
