Boerboel guy Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 (edited) Monday morning we woke up to a steamy -17* on the north side of the San Francisco peaks in flagstaff. Unit 7e. This was our 4th day of the hunt and so far had only seen 3 bulls. We only had Tuesday morning if it didn't work out. The clock was ticking away on us. Lots of fresh tracks in the snow that morning leading up into the cinder cones. We finally jump 2 cows down low and have to hike up a cinder cone after them. They ran straight up and over and just kept going. Once we reached the top they were long gone out in the flats on the other side. We started glassing and saw tracks everywhere. All headed the same way. Straight at Colton crater. Brushing the ice out of my beard we hiked back to the truck and drove over to Colton. Tracks tracks tracks. Driving around the north side we finally saw them, 3/4 of the way up he side of a seriously steep cinder cone next to Colton. We drove up into the saddle and parked. We glassed for two hours formulating a couple plans. Plan A: wait till they get up and move and hope it is down the draw by us while there is still enough light. Plan B: Make a move and hope they don't run around the top of the hill. By 3:15 we chose plan B. I hiked 200 yards closer and got a good rest. The sun was almost in my sight picture and was making it hard to see the elk on the shadow side if the cinder cone. They were about 425-450 yards off from where I was and up about a 40* incline. I aim and squeeze the trigger. Click! Are you F'ing kidding me? When I had chambered the first round getting out of the truck I had ridden the bolt forward trying to be quiet and forgot to slap the forward assist. I got it cocked again and was back on target. Lined up and squeezed. The cow was standing broadside to me facing left. I didn't hear an impact and they all just stood there. I figured I shot low so I held over a little and let another fly. My dad was with me and called that shot way high as he saw it explode through a cedar tree branch. I lowered back to my original point of aim and fired again. This time she stumbled a little and turned facing uphill with her back and ass to me. Hit her again my dad says to me. I aim center of her back and squeeze another off. This time the whole hillside erupts with elk we had no idea were even there. She jumped to the right behind some trees. Up the hill we go, adrenaline pumping and heading straight up to where she had been. Lots of blood splatter. I followed her trail a whopping 20ft where I found her wrapped up in a cedar tree. We pulled her to the clearest spot we could find and let her slide down the hill. It took about 45 min to get her down to the truck where we gutted her out and loaded in the back. I hit her with 3 shots. 2 right next to each other straight through the left ribs and out the right shoulder, and the one just left of her spine that went through her lungs and out her right chest area. I really thought the first shot had missed but nope. We got her back to camp and got her skinned. It was so cold out the blood was freezing in sheets on our knives and looked like red wax. Got her quartered and packed up. I spent all of last night butchering and still have to deal with cutting up a few parts I saved for my dogs. This was the second time I've been drawn for elk and my first kill. I'm so stoked it all worked out and was a successful hunt after last years let down. I learned a few things. Most importantly, I need more scope. Lol. I have a leatherwood cmr 1-4x24 mounted right now and while I love thts optic I really could have used an 8x. So it looks like this rifle will be getting some new glass to swap back and forth depending on use. Equipment used: PWS Mk216, leatherwood cmr 1-4x optic, Barnes 168gr ttsx. I'll get a picture loaded when I get them from my dad. Edited December 12, 2013 by Boerboel guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magwa Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 Awesome man..... and congrats on your first elk I hope it is one of many for you...elk hunting has been one of my greatest joys in my 50+ years of hunting nothing like a good elk hunt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted December 11, 2013 Report Share Posted December 11, 2013 Good hunting brother,got yourself some meat to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planeflyer21 Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 That's great bro! Glad it all worked out so well. Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketch Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 Sweet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamO Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Way to go man!! Hoping I get drawn this year. Put in for 4 cow and one bull hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washguy Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Way to go! so the 168 barnes put the smackdown on her? :) Wash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Awesome Congrads on your first kill! Two questions, wth is a cinder cone? And why didn't you gut her where she dropped wouldn't that lightened the load for your drag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Guys, he shot this elk 15 months ago... <lmao> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKSHEEP Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Guys, he shot this elk 15 months ago... <lmao> Yeah I read about 1/3 of that and then dejavu, :ugone2far: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamO Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hahah. My bad... I Necro'd it!! Guess I Ass-u-me'd it was last Dec. Hahahah!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magwa Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 hey leave me out of this I told him congrats when he did it....... :) and shepp it is often good to leave the guts in on a long drag you get no dirt and debri in your meat keeps it much cleaner.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketch Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Sweet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joda23 Posted November 27, 2016 Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 anyone hunt this unit recently? I am heading up there next weekend for a cow hunt.. that i could not scout as my dad was fighting cancer and lost..was not even sure i was going to go but my wife told me to go ... that being said i don't even know were i am going to park my trailer - any help would be nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joda23 Posted November 27, 2016 Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 I have hunted 3B for the last 12 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikedaddyH Posted November 27, 2016 Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 5 hours ago, joda23 said: anyone hunt this unit recently? I am heading up there next weekend for a cow hunt.. that i could not scout as my dad was fighting cancer and lost..was not even sure i was going to go but my wife told me to go ... that being said i don't even know were i am going to park my trailer - any help would be nice My yard dog and his dad got a small elk (6point) a week and a half ago ,dont know the area . It was north of Payson but south of the Rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketch Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Sorry to hear about your dad joda. Wish you good hunting bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 (edited) Same here brother will say a prayer that your dad gets well soon. Have a safe hunt. Edited November 28, 2016 by unforgiven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joda23 Posted November 28, 2016 Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.