Handgun Hunting Afield

 

 

After unusually high temperatures, especially for most of October, temperatures finally went down in late October followed by a snowfall. In November Wyoming’s general elk tag becomes a cow/calf only tag in the biggest part of the state. I wasn’t able to go hunting the first weekend in November due to training days with my employer’s emergency response team, so I decided to go hunting the second weekend in November. My friend asked me to join him, to hunt together and help him if he gets an elk since he is 70. He can’t do as much as he used to 30-40 years ago but he can still do more hard hikes and pack-outs than the majority of the people half of his age.

 

The morning was cold but without strong wind, those temperatures in the teens did not feel that bad. After a 2-mile hike uphill we came out to the large hillside opening where elk can be. We slowly started moving forward, checking every bowl and other parts of that opening. There was a cow moose with her calf but no elk. As we climbed to the top of the ridge, we started seeing some elk tracks in the snow but nothing fresh. We slowly walked along that ridge but just underneath the top and stopped to glass from time to time. At about 4 miles in when we finally saw a smaller elk herd, at about 1000 yards from us, but neither of us wanted to go after them. By the time we get to them, if we are successful, it would be closer to five miles and that is too far to pack out on snow-covered and slick trails.  After an early lunch break, we started heading back to the truck. 

 

In the evening, I went solo to my last year’s spot and Roger would join me if I am able to get an elk. As soon as I climbed the hill and started glassing, I spotted elk, first one and then a few more around it. I had a little less than an hour left of legal shooting time remaining and decided to give it a go. They were in a draw about 900 yards (as the crow flys) from me on the opposite side of that canyon. When I made it there, to about 200-300 yards from that draw, I slowed down and paid more attention to be as quiet as possible while making sure I didn’t run out of shooting light.  Right before the last part of the stalk, I dropped off my backpack and continued with my S&W 629, topped with an Ultradot. When I was about to peak over the hill into that draw, I saw an elk head pop up and look at me; “She busted me” were my thoughts. They moved from the bottom of the draw towards me and one cow wanted to see what was going on. She was not further than 15 yards away from me. Quick thinking, if she stays there a few more moments longer, I may have time for a head shot but there was no time since she instantly took off. Other cows and calves followed her uphill in that draw. I grabbed my Remington XP 100 and headed to see where the elk were, hoping they didn’t go far. They stopped at about 350 yards away and then started slowly climbing the opposite side of the draw covered with a lot of deadfalls and standing dead trees. I found them in my binos but it was impossible to find them in the scope since it was the last 10 minutes of shooting light and I couldn’t get a steady position anyways. While that stalk didn’t end with an elk on the ground I was happy that most of it worked great, I managed to get within bow range of that elk, not just revolver range. Soon after that, I started picking up my stuff I noticed something unusual in the opposite direction, at the bottom of that draw there was a small flat part covered with snow. My first thought was that those were some unusual trees. Soon I realized those were elk. Probably part of that herd. Cows and calves, at about 260 yards. The side of that draw was steep and there was no time to waste. While sitting down, I placed my backpack between my legs, holding it with my legs for additional stability, and placed my handgun on top of it, my scope was turned down to 4 power so I could see the elk better in low light. After checking the time and with only two minutes left of shooting light I picked the first elk that offered me a broadside shot and sent 127 grain LRX towards it. An instant reaction of that elk was seen followed by an audible meat report. I started gathering my stuff and headed that way. It took some time to get there since I had to navigate the deadfall trees that littered the ground. 

 

Following the blood trail was easy even in places that were not covered with snow. All copper bullets provide a very consistent performance on game compared to traditional lead core, the impact was behind the shoulder, and the animal ran and collapsed soon after. When I saw it in the scope I thought it was a young cow but it turned out that was a calf. I was not too far from the road but less meat to pack out is always better and that meat is more tender. My friend helped me with this pack out; I am sure I could have packed it out alone in one heavy trip but it is always better and easier to share it with someone. 

 

This year I picked up two additional cow tags to learn new areas and if successful to have extra venison to share with some people who can’t hunt anymore. A few weeks later I went to one of the areas I have a tag for which was in the prairie. It was more to scout than to hunt since that tag is good until the end of January. It is a completely new kind of hunting for me. I managed to find some good signs and even elk but just outside the zone or just off public land. The following weekend I went to another area to try and get a cow along a creek bottom. Last year when I hunted deer there I learned that elk are present year-round along those creeks. It was an hour before sunset when I got there and I spotted elk instantly but unfortunately only a few bulls and no cows. I spent the rest of the evening glassing with the plan to continue glassing in the morning.  The wind was 25mph with gusts to 50 mph. It made glassing extremely difficult and the forecast did not show the weather improving. 

A few minutes into glassing the next morning, I spotted a group of elk in a field, about 1000 yards away. It was about 20 minutes before first light and I couldn’t tell if they were bulls or cows.  There was a big open space between my spot and the first cover I could get behind on the way to them and the decision was made to start my stalk right away; using the darkness to cover that distance with the wind covering my scent and sound. I got to the cover before the start of legal light and then got even closer to elk, almost within revolver range when I finally saw them again. It was exciting to see them so close but they were all bulls.  I wish I had a bull tag for that area, one of those elk was a dandy bull. I backed out without being spotted and went back to glassing. 

Even tho I did not harvest an elk I had a fun stalk that morning and I learned more about the area. Spending time in the outdoors is always a plus. I am looking forward to getting back in the field in the coming weeks!