# Help me decide my plans



## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

I guess the title should say 'help me pick a drainage". 

My plans for this year haven't really gone according to plan, if course. 

I'm going to try to help my wife get her first archery cow elk this weekend. I was going to go deep into the mountains for the last week of archery, but if she gets one this weekend then I'll be working on processing that meat.

Of course, life happened over the summer and I wasn't able to do any scouting deep in the mountains. I spent all my time scouting where I hunted last year, trying to figure it out a little better for my wife's hunting. 

Since I got the multi-season elk tag, I'm thinking I'm going to go deep in the mountains the first week of rifle season. I'll get up there a day early to hike around and scout as much as possible. So, I'll basically be going in blind and it may be a total crap shoot as to whether I find any bulls or not! But, I'll be covering a LOT of ground each day, so I think I should be able to at least find cows, which should lead me to bulls if they're still hanging out with them. 

Here's what I think I'm looking for in location.

1. . The elk I've been able to spot deep in the mountains seem to be in these areas. That doesn't mean much, I know, but at least they're there at one point. 

2. Get away from trail dense areas and hunter dense areas

3. Somewhere with plenty of meadows. I know when the shooting starts, they're going to head for the trees, but maybe I can find some in the open the first couple of days. 

4. Not sure what elevation to limit myself to. As long as there's not deep snow on the ground, I'd expect to still find them high, but not sure. 

5. Not more than 10-12 miles from my car (have a Honda CR-V, so I can't get too crazy with high clearance roads). 

Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out what would be best. I assume most drainages are nearly equal for holding elk... maybe that's just ignorance. I'm not really confident I'll fill my tag... I'm just looking for a good time and trying to build my confidence in the destination I end up choosing. 

If anyone feels like giving a suggestion, I'd happily welcome it, but I fully expect to not receive any specifics and I also expect to get some laughs 😉 any tips or insight or whatever would be helpful.
And yes... I'll be taking a fishing rod 😂


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Where are you going cow hunting for your wife? Archery cow/spike units close this Friday


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

You ever kill an elk rockstein? Ya might want to stick closer to your vehicle than 10 miles bud. Nobody is gonna give away their uintas spots, gotta earn those man. Pick a less popular drainage or canyon and start hunting. Success rate is in the low teens but I’m sure you’ll do fine-post up some success pics after ya get it figured out, love to see general bull pics on the UWN!


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

MooseMeat said:


> Where are you going cow hunting for your wife? Archery cow/spike units close this Friday


She has the general season archery tag, so she's actually just looking to tag whatever elk steps in front of her first, so long as it's not a calf!

She unfortunately missed an opportunity last weekend. She wasn't quite ready with bow in hand... And thought she could only shoot a bull.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Airborne said:


> You ever kill an elk rockstein? Ya might want to stick closer to your vehicle than 10 miles bud. Nobody is gonna give away their uintas spots, gotta earn those man. Pick a less popular drainage or canyon and start hunting. Success rate is in the low teens but I'm sure you'll do fine-post up some success pics after ya get it figured out, love to see general bull pics on the UWN!


Yes, shot a 4x5 last year during archery. I realize 10 miles is a long way. I'm prepared for that.

I'm NOT asking for anyone's spots. I know better than that. I've worked **** hard to learn the area I've been hunting in, and I won't tell anyone where that is. I'm only asking for general thoughts about the various drainages or things to be aware of with them. I've not been up them during rifle season, so I don't know which ones would hold a lot of hunters, which ones have outfitters, etc.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

And I don't mean specific drainages like John's canyon, or any specific info. 

Just something like "there's a lot of hunters that go up George's canyon because it's close to Salt Lake county". Or, "go up Billy's fork because there's great fishing for while you're not finding any elk" 😂


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

rtockstein said:


> The elk I've been able to spot on Google Earth deep in the Uintas seem to be in these areas.


I really don't have much in advice, but I would like to know what preferences you had set up to spot elk on Google Earth!

Good luck!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

How did you spot elk on Google Earth? 

And if you did spot some did you even look at the date that the image was taken?

A 10 mile hump with a elk on your back is quite a feat.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Cherry Creek.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

rtockstein said:


> Yes, shot a 4x5 last year during archery. I remember you posting a pic last year of some antlers that looked like they were cut off a long dead bull, cut above the bases even, I assumed you found a deadhead and started sawing--my apologies--that wasn't the usual kill shot photo so forgive we I realize 10 miles is a long way. I'm prepared for that. lotta guys say that but if ya do the math it's pretty much delta force type effort to make that happen solo and not ruin meat--maybe that's you--I don't know but lot's of internet bad boys out there so again forgive me
> 
> I'm NOT asking for anyone's spots. ya kinda are--a little! I know better than that. I've worked **** hard to learn the area I've been hunting in, and I won't tell anyone where that is. If I killed an archery bull on the general hunt I would already know where I'm hunting and wouldn't even think about any other area! I'm only asking for general thoughts about the various drainages or things to be aware of with them. I've not been up them during rifle season, so I don't know which ones would hold a lot of hunters, which ones have outfitters, etc.they will all have hunters in them, no one can predict the amount but you will probably have company--again, if ya have a great area like ya do then you are set--you have it figured out and folks should be asking you where to go!


responses in red


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

BigT said:


> rtockstein said:
> 
> 
> > The elk I've been able to spot on Google Earth deep in the Uintas seem to be in these areas.
> ...





Critter said:


> How did you spot elk on Google Earth?
> 
> And if you did spot some did you even look at the date that the image was taken?
> 
> A 10 mile hump with a elk on your back is quite a feat.


A lot of time and logic haha. I started looking in an area where I knew there is a lot of them so I could figure out what they look like in satellite images. If you see some, you'll know they are elk and they are pretty easy to spot. I can't find date stamps on me images. Supposedly you can get that information, but I haven't figured out a way to do it. I just go with what months it may likely be based on the color of the vegetation and any snow or lack thereof in the image. I can't really say whether it's helpful or not, but it is really cool to be able to find them and think... Wow a satellite in orbit is doing some scouting for me &#128514;

I honestly haven't found much benefit to "e-scouting" other than being able to find groups of Aspen's or Meadows that I might want to check out on foot.... Google Earth and real life rarely seem to match up very well.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Airborne said:


> rtockstein said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, shot a 4x5 last year during archery. I remember you posting a pic last year of some antlers that looked like they were cut off a long dead bull, cut above the bases even, I assumed you found a deadhead and started sawing--my apologies--that wasn't the usual kill shot photo so forgive we I realize 10 miles is a long way. I'm prepared for that. lotta guys say that but if ya do the math it's pretty much delta force type effort to make that happen solo and not ruin meat--maybe that's you--I don't know but lot's of internet bad boys out there so again forgive me
> ...


Yea... My photo from last year was pretty bad. I was by myself and it was dark so my first thought was getting the thing cut up and packed out ASAP. I couldn't get my knife in the right spot to get the head off and didn't have a saw.... So I just transported one of the testicles back and forth with me while packing. I luckily ran into someone the next morning who let me borrow their saw to get the antlers, with the bases!

I know the pack out distance is stupidly long and there's a lot of internet badboys. I agree if I were doing it next weekend in the heat.... That might be a bad idea and I'm glad my plans have changed. I've got plenty of knowledge to take care of the meat and with the cooler temps in October, I'm not worried much about spoilage. I also plan to give myself a 2-3 day window at the end, where I'll just have to hunt my way back to my vehicle passed that point in time. And make sure I don't shoot one that is in a really terrible spot in relation to getting back to a trail. I know I'd be able to get it done... Slowly. And my wife will definitely come help if I need it. I think she'd actually come help even if I told her not to.

Yes I would like to just hunt the area I've been learning and find one of the bulls I've got pictures of, but I also just want an adventure up there. With the possibility of having a child in the near future, I wanted to make sure I get a long trip like that in before it becomes harder in the future.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Just some info for you. 

Packing one of his nuts in your pocket is not proof of sex, neither is a severed head and antlers. That nut or at least the sack needs to be naturally attached to the meat, likewise the same goes for the head, it needs to be attached to a front quarter. 

As for the image dates on Google Earth it is at the bottom of the screen.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Critter said:


> Just some info for you.
> 
> Packing one of his nuts in your pocket is not proof of sex, neither is a severed head and antlers. That nut or at least the sack needs to be naturally attached to the meat, likewise the same goes for the head, it needs to be attached to a front quarter.
> 
> As for the image dates on Google Earth it is at the bottom of the screen.


It doesn't show it on mine. It only shows the coordinates and camera altitude. I haven't been able to find any settings to make that show up either.

As for the sex organs, yea I spaced the part about the testicles having to be physically attached to the quarter. I realized that after the fact.

Since it says head OR sex organs, don't most people just do the sex organs rather than pack a whole quarter and the head at the same time?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Yes, it would be insane to pack a head attached to a quarter. But then you also have to pack out the antlers also. 

As I also said you don't have to pack out the organs themselves but the sack 

I just looked at GE and they removed the date down by the location on the main screen. But if you click on the clock up in the tool bar on the top the date will show up.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Critter said:


> Yes, it would be insane to pack a head attached to a quarter. But then you also have to pack out the antlers also.
> 
> As I also said you don't have to pack out the organs themselves but the sack
> 
> I just looked at GE and they removed the date down by the location on the main screen. But if you click on the clock up in the tool bar on the top the date will show up.


Ah! I bet the difference is that you have it downloaded to your desktop as a program. I always just use the web application. But I think I have downloaded it before and it didn't work... I'll try again.

For the head remaining with the largest portion of the carcass, I would think the hide would count as that could arguably be larger than a quarter, depending on what they're using to define "largest portion". I know there's been some discussion on this in various threads, but I don't know if there has been any definite conclusion?


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

rtockstein said:


> Uintas. She has the general season archery tag, so she's actually just looking to tag whatever elk steps in front of her first, so long as it's not a calf!


I was going to help you, but with that attitude...


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

johnnycake said:


> rtockstein said:
> 
> 
> > Uintas. She has the general season archery tag, so she's actually just looking to tag whatever elk steps in front of her first, so long as it's not a calf!
> ...


Agggh no!!! I hope I don't disgust you in reality. Maybe it's a joke and I'm dense?

She actually does want to just shoot a cow or any bull and was thinking of also purchasing the elk control permit you have the option to buy when you get the archery general permit, just so she could shoot a cow in regular season. She didn't know until after the missed cow opportunity that she could shoot a cow with her general season archery tag.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

The absolute pinnacle of hunting is shooting fawns and calves. 

Aim for the spots baby, they're nature's bullseye


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

johnnycake said:


> The absolute pinnacle of hunting is shooting fawns and calves.
> 
> Aim for the spots baby, they're nature's bullseye


Haha... I'll have to let her know. Turns out I've been doing it all wrong!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

The table fare quality is second to none, and if you insist on shooting them far away from the truck, fawns and calves are very easy to dress and pack out


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

johnnycake said:


> The table fare quality is second to none, and if you insist on shooting them far away from the truck, fawns and calves are very easy to dress and pack out


I honestly haven't ever thought of the meat being that muh better... But I haven't known anyone that has shot a calf or fawn.

If I remember correctly, didn't you have a post showing some dry aging you did for something like 60 days? Are you or have you worked as a chef? I've got to try aging at some point. I work in the brewing industry, so microbes and fermentation are right up my alley!!

I don't think my wife would go for shooting a calf. We had one about 5 feet from us and it was staring her down... I thought I'd completely lost her as a hunter for a moment!


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

And I am apparently not tight lipped enough. I've got to get with the program!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Fawns and calves are veal--tender, mild, and sweet. I love keeping a hindquarter whole on the bone and roasting it for a big family dinner. Antelope fawns I will often keep one of them whole, just dressed and skinned then cook it like a whole lamb. Usually they can fit on a grill. 

Yeah, I once went to culinary school and worked as a chef, had a catering company, and then spent a handful of years as a scratch baker. That was fun, but the hours and pay are better being a lawyer! 

That dry aging stuff with my bison was a riot! Those steaks are pretty great, and I've had fun with them over the past several months.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

My advise...change your wife's mind about calves! What's not to like? They are still as big as a mature buck, the meat is the best there is in the woods, and two people can pack one out without any trouble at all. Even with one person, a packout is doable, but it's gonna hurt some. My further advise would be that if your wife cannot be swayed and actually shoots a 400 lb. cow, then you should load her pack up to the max with meat and have her put it on. I bet her attitude changes shortly thereafter.:grin:

If you insist on hunting 10 miles back, get 3 or 4 volunteers to go in and help you pack it out. That will make your experience so much better than a grueling death march. Usually, volunteers can be had with a cut in on the spoils.

My longest packout on an elk was 6.5 miles. I had 4 helpers and it was a really enjoyable experience. That said, we started in at 6am and didn't get out until 6:30pm. If you're back 10 miles, that is a REALLY long ways WITH help!

But I'm with Johnnycake - if you're going in 10 miles, just shoot a calf! Your wife might even mandate it after those first couple steaks or roasts...if you can convince her to shoot one first.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Critter said:


> Yes, it would be insane to pack a head attached to a quarter. But then you also have to pack out the antlers also.
> 
> As I also said you don't have to pack out the organs themselves but the sack


i've never heard that before. i leave my dogs chew toys out in the wild for the coyotes. not worth the weight, imo.

i bring an attached nipple or testicle back with me for good luck.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

i'm on the calf train when i have multiple tags. much easier to pack and very tasty. 

MWScott, the op is a different breed when it comes to long walks in the woods. i see that type of sick in the head all the time at work. mental fortitude and a diesel engine seems to be the common thread. it's a rare occurrence when you can talk them out of doing something their mind is set on.

rtock, good luck on the hunt.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

johnnycake said:


> Fawns and calves are veal--tender, mild, and sweet. I love keeping a hindquarter whole on the bone and roasting it for a big family dinner. Antelope fawns I will often keep one of them whole, just dressed and skinned then cook it like a whole lamb. Usually they can fit on a grill.
> 
> Yeah, I once went to culinary school and worked as a chef, had a catering company, and then spent a handful of years as a scratch baker. That was fun, but the hours and pay are better being a lawyer!
> 
> That dry aging stuff with my bison was a riot! Those steaks are pretty great, and I've had fun with them over the past several months.


Now if a calf walks in front of me while I'm with my wife I'll be so tempted to shoot it!!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

MWScott72 said:


> My advise...change your wife's mind about calves! What's not to like? They are still as big as a mature buck, the meat is the best there is in the woods, and two people can pack one out without any trouble at all. Even with one person, a packout is doable, but it's gonna hurt some. My further advise would be that if your wife cannot be swayed and actually shoots a 400 lb. cow, then you should load her pack up to the max with meat and have her put it on. I bet her attitude changes shortly thereafter.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





rtockstein said:


> johnnycake said:
> 
> 
> > Fawns and calves are veal--tender, mild, and sweet. I love keeping a hindquarter whole on the bone and roasting it for a big family dinner. Antelope fawns I will often keep one of them whole, just dressed and skinned then cook it like a whole lamb. Usually they can fit on a grill.
> ...


Tempted? You're still not getting it!


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

MWScott72 said:


> My advise...change your wife's mind about calves! What's not to like? They are still as big as a mature buck, the meat is the best there is in the woods, and two people can pack one out without any trouble at all. Even with one person, a packout is doable, but it's gonna hurt some. My further advise would be that if your wife cannot be swayed and actually shoots a 400 lb. cow, then you should load her pack up to the max with meat and have her put it on. I bet her attitude changes shortly thereafter.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She just thinks the calves are so cute she couldn't possibly shoot one!

And we're just going out together for archery this weekend in the area I've been hunting and learning, so the packout for that shouldn't be more than a couple miles one way. If I come up empty handed on the rifle hunt, I may seek out a calf with my bow for the remainder of the season, so maybe that will convince her.

Now, if I had an anterless rifle tag.... Johnnycake has me thinking I'd shoot a calf 10 miles out!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

APD said:


> i've never heard that before. i leave my dogs chew toys out in the wild for the coyotes. not worth the weight, imo.
> 
> i bring an attached nipple or testicle back with me for good luck.


If you have a bull tag I believe that the antlers need to come out. Likewise if you have a spike permit for rifle the antlers need to come out. If you have a either sex tag you might not be required to bring them out.

Some of these things are where people get into trouble. I have a friend who cut the head off of a buck deer and skinned it out, yep, no proof of sex on the meat. He was checked and got a ticket for it.

Hunters need to read the Field Guide book to make sure what is required for the tag that they have.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

3arabians said:


> MWScott72 said:
> 
> 
> > My advise...change your wife's mind about calves! What's not to like? They are still as big as a mature buck, the meat is the best there is in the woods, and two people can pack one out without any trouble at all. Even with one person, a packout is doable, but it's gonna hurt some. My further advise would be that if your wife cannot be swayed and actually shoots a 400 lb. cow, then you should load her pack up to the max with meat and have her put it on. I bet her attitude changes shortly thereafter.
> ...


Now if calves are all the rage, why don't I see a bunch of trail cam pictures and kill photos of all you guys sitting way behind the calf to make it look bigger? &#128521;


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

rtockstein said:


> 3arabians said:
> 
> 
> > MWScott72 said:
> ...


Ask and you shall receive. Behold the the cow calf combo.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Critter said:


> If you have a bull tag I believe that the antlers need to come out. Likewise if you have a spike permit for rifle the antlers need to come out. If you have a either sex tag you might not be required to bring them out.
> 
> Some of these things are where people get into trouble. I have a friend who cut the head off of a buck deer and skinned it out, yep, no proof of sex on the meat. He was checked and got a ticket for it.
> 
> Hunters need to read the Field Guide book to make sure what is required for the tag that they have.


yes, for spike but i believe archery and rifle bull is any elk so no need. archery is any elk and rifle is bull or spike on an anybull unit.

You must obey the following rules to
transport big game in Utah:
•The head or sex organs of the animal
you've taken must remain attached to
the largest portion of its carcass.
•If you take an elk on a spike bull unit,
the antlers must remain attached to
the animal's skull plate, and you must
transport the skull plate and antlers with
the carcass.
•You must accompany the carcass of
any big game animal you've harvested,
and you must have a valid permit that
corresponds to the tag that's attached to
the carcass.
There is one exception to this rule: you
may transport a big game animal you did
not take if you obtain a shipping permit or a
disposal receipt from the Division, or you have
a donation slip. You may not donate big game


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

rtockstein said:


> Now if calves are all the rage, why don't I see a bunch of trail cam pictures and kill photos of all you guys sitting way behind the calf to make it look bigger? &#128521;


if i were a picture taking guy i'd put the calf behind me to make it look smaller.:mrgreen:


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Alright, 3 Arabians has started it - post up photos of trophy calves! This is actually the last antlerless elk i shot a few years back. My buddy killed his a week or so later that same year. They are such a joy to pack out!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Buddy's calf...


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I don't usually take photos of my baby slaughtering, and the ones I do I don't post anywhere online as I like to pop them in the head and that just is asking for trouble. But when you shoot babies in the face, you don't lose any of that excellent meat.

But my elk body count is over 20 and yet I've only got 3 sets of ivories if that tells you anything! I've also dropped over 20 antelope but only 4 of them were adults. Deer are similar ratios too. Now I just need to get another bison tag to shoot me a nice red calf.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

I did it, and it was good! Really good! I didn't see any other hunters in 2of 3 areas I hunted. I went way back in there. Not a calf, but as small as I could go with antlers. And I got some blisters. Success!


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Way to go! How far was the pack out?


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

caddis8 said:


> Way to go! How far was the pack out?


9 - 9.5mi one way.


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## Cruiser (Oct 4, 2020)

Way to go! You earned it.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Nice job!


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Ouch. I bet that hurt packing out!


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## Hunttilidrop (Jun 12, 2018)

MW, those are not calf’s. Now this is a calf!😉


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Oh man...my back hurts just hearing about the one way mileage. And we all know it wasn't on the flat!

As has been said, good job, you earned it!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Your family is where I'm going to have to derive the satisfaction of seeing a calf shot this year. Don't let Melissa shoot the lead cow this time!! 😉


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Hunt till I drop-



MWScott72 said:


> Your family is where I'm going to have to derive the satisfaction of seeing a calf shot this year. Don't let Melissa shoot the lead cow this time!! &#128521;


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## Hunttilidrop (Jun 12, 2018)

Don’t worry MW. She does not have a tag this year, but I do! Hopefully I can luck into a nice tender young and light weight one first!😆


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

Yup, it hurt! The second trip was the one that hurt. The first wasn't so bad.

Here's my full report if anyone cares to read!

I decided to go up a drainage I hadn't been to before based on low number of trails and popularity, relatively wide basin to help spread out any hunters that were in there, and no ohv/atv roads. The trail wasn't too bad... There were some roller hills and rock boulder strewn sections, but nothing crazy. I think I was probably around 2.5 miles off the "trail" at the point of kill. Even then, that 2.5 miles wasn't bad because it was high altitude without the nasty undergrowth and deadfall you'd find elsewhere.

Day 1: Coffee with a couple of fantastic guys at the trailhead. A leisurely hike out on the trail while scouting the side areas for fresh sign. Camped near a 10,600ft large park with a beautiful trout filled stream. Watched a coyote pouncing it's prey at 450 yards while listening to a bull trying to lose it's voice maybe a quarter mile or half mile away. Put out a couple bugles to see if it would respond and it did. Game on tomorrow.

Day 2: Opening day. Let out a location bugle 30 minutes before shooting time while packing up camp to see if the bull was in the same area. 10 minutes before shooting light, a loan elk snuck up behind me and spooked off while still packing up. Pretty sure it was a bull. No bugles in response. Headed further up the basin and glassed for awhile. Spotted two other hunters off to the side on the way. Headed to another basin to eat lunch and glass. Spotted a couple of cows at 650 yards while waiting for food. Food finished cooking and spotted a nice 6 point bull. Downed food in 3 minutes, sprinted through cover to 400 yards prone. Wind was good and waited for a clear shot. Wind started swirling, then in their direction. They busted me. Danced with that herd for an hour before I gave up.

Day 3: glassed the same area in the morning and didn't see anything. Decided to head to another basin due to the wind being too tough for that area. Backtracked down the drainage, checking on a couple of.eadows along the way. Some relatively fresh sign, but nothing to get excited about. Hit the main trail then headed into the target basin. Decided to head up through the woods and skirt along the edge for wind favor. Followed some elk trails, found some recent beds, rubs, scat. Jumped one bull bedded near the trail due to not being able to see through the bright sunshine. Made it to the destination... A boulder field at treeline downwind of some scattered pines that looked promising.

I was sitting right around treeline on a boulder field glassing across the basin while eating lunch. I spotted a couple of cows out for a midday snack and then heard a bull that started screaming his head off. The deep growly type that is obviously not a hunter (or it could be an extremely skilled caller). So I sat awhile looking for him through the open spots in the timber waiting for him to peak out but I never saw anything. So I finished lunch and decided I'd head down to the trees and see if I could get set up somewhere within range of a shot if he showed up where the cows came out, or at least be in a better position to make a move if I could spot him.

As soon as I packed my bag and got down off my boulder, I looked across and there was the, or at least a bull, wallowing on the edge of the trees and occasionally bugling like he was really pissed. I couldn't tell exactly how big the antlers were since he was wallowing and I was shaking trying to get a range to see how far I'd need to go to get a shot. I could tell from the size of his body though that he was an older one.

I scrambled down the small boulder field as fast as I could while being quiet but still tumbling some rocks occasionally. The range I had on the bull was about 800, so I figured it was far enough that he wouldn't hear the rocks if he was busy wallowing. The wind was really good, a constant 5mph or less at a 90 degree angle between us, and sometimes directly at me. I put a large tree between he and I and jogged up a couple hundred yards to about 300. I ran out of cover at that point and didn't want to give him time to go back in to the trees so decided I'd drop to prone right there.

Well as soon as I was stepping out from behind the large tree and getting my pack off, there were two smaller bulls that ran in front of me out of some cover that was uphill and to the left. Then I was worried about them blowing my cover with the other bull across the marsh.. I looked across and he started bucking and thrashing and took off. I wasn't sure where he went and I wanted to stay in cover in case he or the smaller ones were still within range, because I had planned to shoot any legal bull.

I started moving slowly to the side to see if I could get a visual on the big one or the smaller ones, since they weren't moving at full speed. Sure enough, one of the smaller bulls stopped at about 110 yards (ranged after), slightly quartering away, and I had a half second pause on whether I wanted to wait for the bigger one or not and decided to take my opportunity.

After scrambling down, then jogging, then almost getting a shot at a big bull, my HR was jacked and I was trembling. But I somehow remembered to tell myself in that 1/8 second "calm" and "don't pull that trigger unless you're steady on point". My hold almost seemed more steady than any other off hand shot I've taken and the trigger pull wasn't even a thought. It felt good. Even the crack of the rifle sounded good. In that split second of watching the bull bolt through my scope, I listened to the sound of that rifle crack echo off the 1500 feet of rock walls all around me. That was awesome.

So immediately after the shot, I jacked another into the chamber but couldn't shoot because he went behind through the trees towards the marsh. I stopped and thought about the bulls reaction. He didn't seem to flinch or jerk much that I could tell... He just spun around, somewhat awkwardly, and ran hard. In my experience, that either means it's a great double lunger or a graze. There were too many trees in the way to be able to run to the side and get a visual on him before he made it into the trees on the other side of the marsh, so I figured my best option would be to stay on the spot where I shot so I could inspect it.

I went over to the spot I shot nearly immediately so i could assess the situation. I didn't find a single speck of blood or hair. I also couldn't find any tracks that looked like they'd be from the movements he made running off. I looked at a point slightly farther and did find some tracks that looked like they matched what just took place, but still no blood or hair. The hair, I could understand not finding any because the color of the ground was a near identical color match of his coat. I figured depending on the hit, since he was quartering away, maybe the bullet didn't exit and it would take a minute for blood from the entry wound to drop. At this point though, after going to each point I thought he was standing at multiple times, getting 6 inches from the ground and not finding anything, I thought I'd completely missed him and wasn't sure how. I knew it was a good shot and started to beat myself up on it thinking I had either clean missed or injured him and I'd have to punch my tag empty handed if I didn't get lucky finding him again.

I decided to follow the path I thought he took for 30 yards or so to see if I could find anything. I knew I wouldn't bump him following that much because he was hauling ass and it was a good 150+ yards before he could get back into trees to lay down. Sure enough, I saw his tan rump on the ground about 50 yards from where I shot him. I stood there for a few minutes in disbelief that he'd dropped that quickly when he had me thinking I'd missed him.

The bullet hit slightly farther back than I wanted and it hit a rib on entry. I found the bullet just under the skin on the opposite side near the shoulder. The base still intact with lead, about 104 grains left of a 180 grain Speer hot cor moving at about 2700 fps on impact. I'm thinking the front end of the bullet exploded, caught some stomach, shredded both lungs, and possibly some heart. It dumped ALL that energy into his vitals, so I'm not surprised that he dropped quickly.

I had planned to take his organs and ribs, I even packed in a saw for them. But he was swelling within minutes of death and I could see some bile looking liquid coming up from the entry, so I knew I'd caught some stomach with the bullet. So, I got all four quarters, the loins, all the neck, all the rest of the trim I could get off, and the head off and skinned with tongue removed, and into bags and resting on pine branches within about 4.5 hours. I decided I'd let the meat cool overnight in the low 30s before starting to pack.

I got my pack loaded up the next morning and started off with the first load at 7:30 for the 9.3 mile trip. I had all of my gear (about 50-52 pounds), the head/antlers, a rear quarter, and both loins in the first load. I took that to about the 6 mile mark, and decided to go back for the rest. I was worried about coyotes finding it because I'd heard them the night before and I didn't hang the meat due to there not being any suitable trees for hanging. After getting back up to the other meat, I had an empty pack so I got the rest of the meat in there. I put the other rear quarter and trim in the main bag and the two front quarters in the meat shelf area. Then took that to where I had stashed the other meat and my gear. I took a break for a few minutes, changed socks, ate, and pissed a couple times in hopes that I could deter coyotes from getting too interested.

I took that load that was already packed back to my vehicle and got there at about 4:30. I took a break again for some food and a sock change, turned down a moose steak from a couple neighboring guys that were top notch due to worrying about critters getting into my goods, and went back for the rest. I got back to my gear and meat, took a food break, changed socks, and headed out at about 7:30. Gear, head, rear quarter, two loins. I had to sit on any log i passed that was appropriate in height so that I could take the pressure off my hips. I told myself as long as I get to sit when I really want, I can keep going all night. I definitely could have packed it out over a couple of days, but I wanted to get it all out and processed in time to take my kids out to hunt on Friday. I also really didn't like the idea of unpacking and repacking that load yet again. It was tough to get all my gear and that meat adequately secured .

In the last 1.2 mile of the trail, it splits and there's two options. One has a lot of mucky marshy horse hole stuff that I thought would be awful and a river crossing that I figured I'd fall over in and drown. So I picked the other one and for some reason had it in my memory that the trail was just fine. It was not! At least 10 deadfalls across trails with massive piles that I either had to climb over or go way around, constant boulder cobble stuff with mud in between, and much more hills than the other route. That last 1.2 miles was hell, for sure. Made it back to my vehicle around 11:45PM.

Yup, that hurt. If it was the larger bull, I'd have taken a couple of days to get it out.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

You are my kind of stupid. I might have to see how I can hoodwink you into coming on a moose or sheep hunt with me.


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## rtockstein (Mar 17, 2019)

johnnycake said:


> You are my kind of stupid. I might have to see how I can hoodwink you into coming on a moose or sheep hunt with me.


Ha I don't think anyone would ever need to hoodwink me to get me to AK. My wife and I took our honeymoon there last year and it was incredible


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

You packed out your camp and a semi-mature bull elk in 2, 9+ mile one way trips? 28+ miles in one day? Wow. Your packs must have weighed 160lbs+ at a minimum! 
You might be the strongest guy on the forum! You could make some serious money packing out people's elk for them. Johnny needs you in AK!

..


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Packout said:


> You packed out your camp and a semi-mature bull elk in 2, 9+ mile one way trips? 28+ miles in one day? Wow. Your packs must have weighed 160lbs+ at a minimum!
> You might be the strongest guy on the forum! You could make some serious money packing out people's elk for them. Johnny needs you in AK!
> 
> ..


He definitely sounds like Moose Partner material.

I wonder if I could rig a seat on the pack and have him carry me!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Reading the story I envisioned myself puking 7 times on the first trip from exhaustion


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I'm not even as good once as I ever was. But it never ceases to amaze me the way physical boundaries have been pushed.


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