500mag_guy
Well-Known Member
Well as many of the Montanans know elk hunting has taken a huge turn for the worst in the last 5+ years. The wolves have dropped our elk population to slim pickin's. Last years was rough and this year was even worse!
I can honestly say I seen less than 50 elk this whole season and that's pushing it. Most in groups of 2 or 3 and a few groups between 5-12 head. Most through the spotting scope at a mile plus right before dusk.
I finally found a group of 3 cows bedded down in some thick timber from a ridge top through my spotting scope at well over a mile. I had about 1:30 hours before end of shooting light to make two large ridges that were between us. I packed everything back into my backpack and off I went. I made it to where there was one last ridge between us and they had started feeding up the ridge away from me. I ranged them and we were at 1184 yards. Conditions were unusually perfect not a breath of wind and 30*. But due to the shortage of elk I'd seen this season and how late it was in the day I made the decision not to take any chances and close the gap a little.
As I made it to the top if my final ridge I couldn't pick them out. Nothing.... I was starting to worry they had feed them selfs over the ridge. Just then I picked one on the cows walking across a very small opening just down from the sky line.
I dropped down, set up my rifle, ranged her at 712 yards, checked my slope at 5*, and no wind. Went to grab my calculator to get an adjustment and nothing... I had left it in the truck that morning.. I figured with 5* slope if I adjusted to 700 yard on my turret it'd be money! I adjusted and got ready for the shot, nothing but a hind end left in the opening but the head of another cow was working her way into the opening I double checked range and it was the same. She worked into the opening but was quartering away hard!
I tucked the crosshairs right behind her front left shoulder at a hard quartering away shot and sent it away. She dumped like a ton of bricks, I followed her as she was sliding down through the bottom of the opening without even a twitch of movement.
I hightailed it over there and made it to her just before end of shooting light. Then the work all started.
Bullet placement was absolutely perfect, right where I sent it behind the left front shoulder and it exited through the base of the neck right side. Taking out the top of the heart and destroying her neck/spine.
After the two buddies who came up to help get her out, the elk and I made it back to the truck I checked my calculator it see how close I was with my adjustment call... Perfect!! All the practice pays off that's for sure!
Rifle is a custom 300 ultra mag pushing 230gr Berger Targets.
Thanks for reading!
I can honestly say I seen less than 50 elk this whole season and that's pushing it. Most in groups of 2 or 3 and a few groups between 5-12 head. Most through the spotting scope at a mile plus right before dusk.
I finally found a group of 3 cows bedded down in some thick timber from a ridge top through my spotting scope at well over a mile. I had about 1:30 hours before end of shooting light to make two large ridges that were between us. I packed everything back into my backpack and off I went. I made it to where there was one last ridge between us and they had started feeding up the ridge away from me. I ranged them and we were at 1184 yards. Conditions were unusually perfect not a breath of wind and 30*. But due to the shortage of elk I'd seen this season and how late it was in the day I made the decision not to take any chances and close the gap a little.
As I made it to the top if my final ridge I couldn't pick them out. Nothing.... I was starting to worry they had feed them selfs over the ridge. Just then I picked one on the cows walking across a very small opening just down from the sky line.
I dropped down, set up my rifle, ranged her at 712 yards, checked my slope at 5*, and no wind. Went to grab my calculator to get an adjustment and nothing... I had left it in the truck that morning.. I figured with 5* slope if I adjusted to 700 yard on my turret it'd be money! I adjusted and got ready for the shot, nothing but a hind end left in the opening but the head of another cow was working her way into the opening I double checked range and it was the same. She worked into the opening but was quartering away hard!
I tucked the crosshairs right behind her front left shoulder at a hard quartering away shot and sent it away. She dumped like a ton of bricks, I followed her as she was sliding down through the bottom of the opening without even a twitch of movement.
I hightailed it over there and made it to her just before end of shooting light. Then the work all started.
Bullet placement was absolutely perfect, right where I sent it behind the left front shoulder and it exited through the base of the neck right side. Taking out the top of the heart and destroying her neck/spine.
After the two buddies who came up to help get her out, the elk and I made it back to the truck I checked my calculator it see how close I was with my adjustment call... Perfect!! All the practice pays off that's for sure!
Rifle is a custom 300 ultra mag pushing 230gr Berger Targets.
Thanks for reading!
