I had a pretty interesting week elk hunting. I did this write up for my hunting buddies , thought you might enjoy it.
I drew a Silvies tag this year. The Silvies unit is in just about the center of Oregon in the Ochoco Mountains. I camped at about 5400 ft, most of the time I was hunting between 6-7000 ft. I was supposed to hunt the second bull elk season with a few other guys but I failed to check the info and hunt no. before the license clerk submitted, and ended up with the late cow tag instead.
I headed out with Ben (my setter) to the Snow Mt. area friday before. Snow Mt. is the high peak in that immediate area, about 7200 ft elev. and a commanding view of the surrounding woods and terrain. I set up camp looked around the area for a couple hours as it began to snow, things were looking pretty good. Up early on Sat, couple inches of fresh snow and lots of tracks and sign around. I didn't connect over the weekend, but was getting a pretty good idea of their travel patterns and the terrain.
My buddy Mark showed up midday monday to be my eye in the sky and we kept after em. Tuesday morning dawned with 17 head on a flat a mile out from our perch, off I went. Before I even got half way, another group spooked them into a canyon......D---! Later tuesday morning Mark rings in from the summit with 5 elk strolling into a sage flat within a few hundred yds of my position. I had just run into a couple guys from another party so after a brief conversation about whose first shot this was we settled in against some junipers and waited. Before long the elk were drifting along behind a tree line toward us. Lead cow was just about to step into a clearing 50 - 60 yds away when somebody's two way radio beeped - ARRGHHH! Thanked them, wished them luck, and moved on..
We went back up top for the evening glass, and there were 7 elk in a juniper flat about a mile away. 4:00, plenty of time so off the top I go to get em. I get down there, crawl to the edge of the cover, and range em at 475 yds. A little long for me with my 308 so I back out, move along the edge to a line of small trees that would get me within 300, so on my belly in the snow and sage again, make the last tree, and get set up. Pretty close to dark now but I have a good broadside look at a cow, settle in on the sticks and sqeeze one off - whaaap. Cool, I walk up thinking good looking animal, about a mile downhill pack out to a road, things are looking good.
NO ELK! What? OK, it's dark, she ran a little, I'll find her within a couple hundred yds along the line the rest of the herd ran. It's completely dark now, but I finally find a blood trail, radio up to Mark to hang tight til I catch up with her. After tracking her for three and a half hours, I hit a private property line and have to break off. The blood trail is pretty thin and things are not looking good. I call Mark and we pick a spot to meet, I get there half an hour later and we pack it in for the night.
We spent the next morning glassing from the top and trying to reach the landowner without any luck. Ran into a couple guys that picked up the trail where she left the private land and it didn't look like she was bleeding much at all, maybe a small drop every few steps, and still moving along well. The sun was out and snow was melting, and reluctantly make the call that she was likely not going down and we weren't likely to catch up with her. I have no idea what happened to that shot other than the partition hit the shoulder and glanced or o/w never penetrated.
So, back at it we go. Another couple of days with good sign and tracks all around but didn't connect. A quick trip back to Sisters for Thanksgiving dinner and back to camp in time to glass a little friday afternoon. We hit the top and it's 25 degrees, blowing 30+, snowing hard, fog rolling through here and there, so of course off the top I go. I get to the cover edge I wanted to watch and the fog cloud rolls in within 2-3 minutes and I'm down to 30 yds visibility. I walked around the flat a little hoping to stumble on something but no luck, it's dark now so I head off by compass in the dark to meet Mark about a mile away at the appointed spot.
It snowed overnight a few inches at camp and 8-10" at the top. We reached the top a little before 7 and nothing in sight, so I decided to drop back down and follow some fresh tracks we drove over on the way up. I set out a little after 7 and followed 'em til a little before 10. I'm standing eating a sandwich when there's a volley of 6-7 shots up ahead from at least a couple guys. S---, well maybe they'll double back so I back up against a big ponderosa and wait. Sure enough a couple minutes later 3 elk come charging down the hill, slow to a trot and then a walk as they stepped into the clearing.. I finally connected. I took a few minutes with the animal to appreciate it and where all this fits in for me. I passed on any pictures of the animal. For me on that day it was a private deal and a picture didn't have any place in it.
I called Mark and gave him my location and got to work. He got there a half hour later and a couple hours later we were back at camp with the quarters and other goodies in the truck.
After lunch and a quick game of cribbage we start breaking camp. (Went 10 for 12 in cribbage for the week too!)
As we are packing the rigs Mark calls over - Hey, I put your gun case in the trooper!
Ok, thanks, how about the rifle?
I don't know, don't see the rifle.
Ha Ha, come on, where's the rifle.
No Rifle!
OOPS, little excited are we Glenn?
Mark rode back and hoofed into the kill site while I finished breaking camp. Luckily the trusty Howa was still leaning against the same tree and it was all good!
We got home about 9 sat night. Mark and another buddy came over the next afternoon and along with my wife and daughter we butchered, then topped it off with tenderloins on the grill. We spent a good part of yesterday and tuesday making sausage.
Great hunt, full freezer, life is good.
