Elk hunting tomorrow

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It's the first day of one of the regular seasons. Still have what looks to be 30 or 40 lbs still in the freezer, and I've kind of eaten enough elk and deer. Now that we have a little more $$$ we've switched over to beef. But still, I guess I should go out and have a look, haven't been in the woods since I got my elk last year. Not sure when the last time I went to the range was either.

I'm shooting a 30/06 with 180 grain Barnes loaded with 56 grains of 4350.

Re: Elk hunting tomorrow

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tagsoup wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:21 pm It's the first day of one of the regular seasons. Still have what looks to be 30 or 40 lbs still in the freezer, and I've kind of eaten enough elk and deer. Now that we have a little more $$$ we've switched over to beef. But still, I guess I should go out and have a look, haven't been in the woods since I got my elk last year. Not sure when the last time I went to the range was either.

I'm shooting a 30/06 with 180 grain Barnes loaded with 56 grains of 4350.
Never went elk hunting, sounds like a lot of fun!

Re: Elk hunting tomorrow

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tagsoup wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 2:27 pm
YankeeTarheel wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:44 pm Not too fond of Elks, Moose, or other lodges. Just seem like frat houses for older guys who, mostly, never went to college.
I know pretty much nothing about any of them but I'm the kind who don't look down on other people.
I don't like cliques, simple as that. Unless of course, they are a labor union.
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

Re: Elk hunting tomorrow

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INVICTVS138 wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:31 pm Trip report? How did it go???
I lived up to my username. First year I came up wanting in a long time, maybe since 2015 or something. I am still recovering from two through tears to one shoulder and the other one is bad forever, intestine pushing out through hernia up high above navel held in with elastic. I wasn't sure I could do the pack out, went 3 days and didn't have a shot anyway.

I did see a lot more sign than usual. Last year there were almost no elk taken due to closure for fire. I saw many gut piles and bones. People did a good job of getting all the meat recoverable too. Neck meat and between the rib meat, always a sign of a good meat hunter. I can still cover lots of ground, and I notice stuff, tracks, ravens.

Hunting big animals taught me a lot about ballistics, bullet construction, shot placement, etc. Elk are big and made to take some punishment. Thick hide. I've never hunted bear but I guess they are even tougher, mostly with bone and muscle. Grizzly especially. An elk shot through one lung can run off and walk for 8 hours getting away from you.

I pack out and butcher everything I shoot so the meat is pretty clean, try to hunt on cold days, gut the thing and take the hide off before I even think of going out for my frame pack. Ravens go for the guts and the rare bear does too. Bagged up quarters attract a lot less attention, not as smelly.

Still have some meat and might buy a quarter of a cow to round it out. Lots of feedlots around here.

Wish I hunted birds.

Re: Elk hunting tomorrow

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Nice write up. I come home empty handed more often than not, and I understand having injuries to work around. I could not shoot a high-powered rifle from 2015- 2017, Because of Triathlon injuries to my shoulder.

I think just getting out there in a he field is enough for me. I’m not a very good hunter, but I look at it as a bonus to getting outside.


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Re: Elk hunting tomorrow

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INVICTVS138 wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:06 am I think just getting out there in a he field is enough for me. I’m not a very good hunter, but I look at it as a bonus to getting outside.
Agreed. Deer gun season here in Wisconsin ended last Sunday. Saw many, got none. Can't wait to do it again. I go with my 15 yo daughter. She wakes me up to hunt if I hit the snooze 1 time too many. We sit together in the cold and dark, drink hot chocolate, and laugh to tears at times. She's very responsible with her rifle, and that makes me so proud. Anyone who's raised a teenager knows moments like this are priceless. Maybe our hot chocolate and laughing is why we didn't get any deer.

Glad to hear you both were able to push on through some injuries to keep going.

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