# Cow Elk Hunting Thieves



## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Went up to East Canyon WMA hunting this morning, got in about a half a mile, seen a herd of about 15-20 Cow Elk, give or take 300 to 400 yards up to my left, seen 2 guys to my left on top of the hill and another guy on my right. So I was watching this herd moving around in different directions, when all of a sudden, I had them in my sight, so I layed off a couple of shots too the lead cow elk, she stopped was wandering what the hell was going on, then I layed off another shot, and Bam, she was down. By the way, I am shooting a 300 Ultra Mag, which was no problem reaching her. So, me and my girlfriend started heading up to the top of this knoll and when all of a sudden, when we got there, their was three guys already heading right for her, so we held our position and watched to see what they were doing, and all be damed, they went right for her and started taking care of business like they were the ones who shot her. A little disappointed I was, but what do ya do, with three of them and one of me, it wasn't worth it, so we turned around and went back down. I've got a few more weeks, just waiting for the next storm to roll in, been up there a couple of times and it seems, the more snow we get, the lower they come down. :| :| :|


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

You were right to turn around. Nothing worth what you were thinking. -)O(- Let me edit that, What I was thinking. :evil:


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Al, that's exactially what I was thinking, believe me I was a little P.O., by the way the guy who was up the hill, to the right of me, knew I had dropped her, he too was on his way up their to claim a cow he had shot, and when he got up to those guys, he gave them a piece of his mind, I could hear them, they were only about 100 yards up from us. Kudos too him. There were about 6 or 7 cows taken right there this morning, what a excellent hunt, couldn't ask for anything better then that, besides coming home with one. Well get her done, shortly. Have a Merry Christmas.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Merry Christmas back at ya.


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## Wdycle (Sep 11, 2007)

That's to bad. It's not worth confrontation. It look's like you've found out where there at. Good luck!! I'm sure you'll get your's soon.


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## jhunter (Dec 14, 2007)

Hate to hear stories like that, it sucks! I had that happen to me this year with my deer. Hands down the best buck I have ever shot and some dudes picked him up. It just aint cool. But on the flip side you get to hunt again. Good luck to ya and Merry Christmas!


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks, Jhunter have a Merry Christmas too you and your family.


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## Hardwater (Sep 14, 2007)

With more than *three times* the tages issued for this hunt this year when compared to last year (50 to over 170) it is a wonder you didn't get shot. I drug my elk out Saturday morning and the place was an absolute zoo. Good job on taking the high road.


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## 4x4 Bronco (Sep 7, 2007)

I never could figure this out. I too have had an animal taken by someone who never fired their weapon. How do people actually justify this to themselves. Also why would someone want to tag an animal they did not shoot. I want to get my own animal not someone elses kill. People that do this type of thing just amaze me. :evil:


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

FWIW, My friend and brother and his friend. were in there and killed their two cows last Saturday as well. They spoke of a group of three guys on horses that were shooting at the elk from one ridge to the other at over 675 yards (per my Leica LRF1200). They also put down a couple. They also mentioned a couple of people down near the main trail also shooting up at the elk. This shooter was over 600 yards from my brother and the elk were still another 300 yards up the hill from them. They said that the two down on the main trail didn't even come up into the canyon to see if they hit anything and thought it was weird. 

I don't mean to draw any conclusions, but I do know that my buddy killed his elk without any question and the other they killed was in the bowl where noone else could even see it. So... I wonder if it was the guys on the horses that you had your encounter with. Was that you shooting from the bottom of the canyon? 

Having hunted that area a lot, I have been shocked at how far some of those ridges are from one another. It wasn't until I started carrying my Leica that I realized why my Bushnell 800 wouldn't read the other ridge, it looked so much closer. Anyway, I hope that you were one more ridge up the canyon and that you weren't the one shooting at elk on the move at 800+ yards when you say they were only 300-400 yards away. 

My buddy and brother did say that there was a barrage of shooting that morning. Unfortunately, I know that they shot too many times as well. They teaze me because I shoot so much. I also killed three animals this year with three bullets. They each shot more than that at one animal. 

Anyway, keep at it, the elk are still in there.

Firehawk


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Hey, firehawk let me tell you, there was a total of 8 people on that hill that morning and not one of them had horses, we started at these elk the first canyon on the left walking up the trail and we did hit one and went to the top of the ridge, to go after the one I dropped, these guys saw us down from them, cause we sat there for about 30 minutes, deciding what the hell to do, with a little P.O. that I was and just me and my girlfriend and three of them walking right up to my elk, I would like to know what the hell you would do in that sitution? There were 4 horse back rider headed farther up the trail towards the juniper and three more showed up right when we were leaving, those were the only horse up there, while we were there. That's ok, I'll get mine withing a couple of days, she'll be waiting for me in the parking lot.


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## Wdycle (Sep 11, 2007)

Keep at it!! You'll get'm!


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Ya, If my conclusions are right, I'm either going to get me a cow elk or a firehawk if he keep's this **** up!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


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## wapiti67 (Oct 2, 2007)

at least you get a second chance...I had a tag for a CWMU down by price and I got 1 day to hunt...no more...I had myself, my daughter, my wife, and my Dad...all in 1 day...not very productive time either...a terrible storm moved in...so we got about 4 hrs of hunting time in...oh well..


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Hey, wdycle did ya do on your hunt @ deseret thursday? I heard your partner and crime is down with the flu, my young lady ran into his wife and daughter down at the mall today, boy they were sure glad to be out of the house with him as sick as they say he is, hope he gets better. -)O(- -)O(- -)O(-


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

wapiti67 said:


> at least you get a second chance...I had a tag for a CWMU down by price and I got 1 day to hunt...no more...I had myself, my daughter, my wife, and my Dad...all in 1 day...not very productive time either...a terrible storm moved in...so we got about 4 hrs of hunting time in...oh well..


That's why I don't do those hunts.
what a rip off! -#&#*!-


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Glad too hear, one less on the mountain, more room for me! :lol: :lol:


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

silversalmon66 said:


> Glad too hear, one less on the mountain, more room for me! :lol: :lol:


Good Luck!


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Hey Huntnbum, nothing personnel, just being a smart A**. At least it gets me out of the house, you know as they say, a bad day's huntin is better than a good day at home. Happy New Year.


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

Thats a big 10-4


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Hey, UT10311 you still with me? Let me know? :|


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## ut1031 (Sep 13, 2007)

Sorry, took the family to the Nutcracker............just sent you a PM....count me in!


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

silversalmon66 said:


> Ya, If my conclusions are right, I'm either going to get me a cow elk or a firehawk if he keep's this **** up!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


Nice comment.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Not to contradict anybody, but I've got a possible explanation that's more plausible than theft. As has been posted, why would anybody want to take another guy's animal?

When multiple hunters are shooting, it's not uncommon to have simultaneous reports that lead you to believe the other guy didn't shoot when in fact, he did. Confrontation should always be avoided and making assumptions isn't much better. If it was me, (and it has been), I would've gone to the kill and talked with the other hunters. Trajectory usually makes it pretty obvious who the shooter was. Besides, for all you know, there might have been a 2nd elk down on that hillside.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Finnegan said:


> Not to contradict anybody, but I've got a possible explanation that's more plausible than theft. As has been posted, why would anybody want to take another guy's animal?
> 
> When multiple hunters are shooting, it's not uncommon to have simultaneous reports that lead you to believe the other guy didn't shoot when in fact, he did. Confrontation should always be avoided and making assumptions isn't much better. If it was me, (and it has been), I would've gone to the kill and talked with the other hunters. Trajectory usually makes it pretty obvious who the shooter was. Besides, for all you know, there might have been a 2nd elk down on that hillside.


+1 Not going up to check on your shot is dead wrong.


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Firehawk


Gumbo said:


> silversalmon66 said:
> 
> 
> > Ya, If my conclusions are right, I'm either going to get me a cow elk or a firehawk if he keep's this **** up!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
> ...


Silversalmon66,

Did you get your elk? I hope so as I don't want anyone hunting me down :lol:

As I wasn't there, I am just relaying the information that was given to me from two extremely reliable sources. I do know that there were several elk killed that day. I also know that there were some guys on horses that also killed two elk. I hope, out of respect to the animal, that none were left maimed or unclaimed up in that oak brush as there was an awful lot shooting that happened that morning.

Were there two people down on the main trail shooting while you were on the knoll? These are the people that were shooting at such insane distances. Anyway, I hope you got an elk.


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Firehawk, just mess'in with ya, nope have gotten her yet waiting for the door to open on the hill, heard it's been snowin up their pretty good, which could be a good thing when the opportunity knock, shouldn't be too bad. Let ya know, when I do.


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

My brother and I each killed ours way up in there and were quite jealous that our buddies killed theirs so low on the mountain.

In fact, my brother and I now have a joke that instead of our elk dropping at the shot, we would rather they run uinterupted down the mountain, climb up in the back of the truck and lay down on its back ready for the field dressing process and kill over. Haven't figured out how to make that one happen yet though. In the meantime, use a good plastic sled or a trusty steed to get those dogon cows out of there.

Good luck.

Firehawk


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## SingleShot man (Dec 24, 2007)

FireHawk, your joke ain't that far fetched-

Just be up there at calving time, and make sure you're the first thing she sees immediately after she drops out. She'll be imprinted on you, and you've won half the battle.
If you can teach a dog to 'come' and 'play dead', why not an elk?
Let her go free, then when season comes around, toot on your training whistle, drop the tailgate and wait. When she obeys, pat her on the head with a 158 grain hollowpoint.
Done deal.


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Singleshot man,

:lol: That was funny! Don't figure that the DWR would have any problems with that would you? :lol: 

Firehawk


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

SingleShot man said:


> FireHawk, your joke ain't that far fetched-
> 
> Just be up there at calving time, and make sure you're the first thing she sees immediately after she drops out. She'll be imprinted on you, and you've won half the battle.
> If you can teach a dog to 'come' and 'play dead', why not an elk?
> ...


 :lol: the only problem with this you will have silversalmon66 crying that you took his Elk away from him. :lol:


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Don't think so, Not with all them holes in her, they can have it!!!
By the way, Just want to wish you all a Happy New Year!!!


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Becareful sagebrush, your hind quarters are looking pretty good, hunt ain't over yet, i've got a ultra mag loaded ready for ya, you won't need a wife anymore when I get done. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## SingleShot man (Dec 24, 2007)

That's what tattoos are for-
Get a tat gun, a little novocaine for the elk, and just write inside of her ear "Mine, sucker!"
No one would be the wiser until it's called into question.
And no, the DWR wouldn't mind. You're providing a service that helps weed out the genetically inferior population; y'know- the stupid ones.
One less critter for the DWR to manage. Maybe they'll spend the time saved on producing a worthwhile bull.


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Well Gent's, today was the day, went up early this morning with a buddy of mine about 6am, by the time we left the truck around 7:30 and started up the trail, we got about 1 1/2 to 2 miles in we spotted a group of cow elk up the hill by the cliff's, dropped the sled and did a stock on them, when we finally came out of the thick trees hanging over the trail, there they were about a 150 yards up the hill, snow was coming down hard and had a hard time getting a good scope on them, finally managed to get the scope dryed long enough too lay one on the front shoulder of one and boy she dropped like a log, anyway we were back to the truck by 11:30am after shooting her at 8:30am. Finally over, now we can concentrate on Ice Fishing.


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

You spent all that time setting up a good shot and shoot it in the shoulder :lol: :lol: 
i bet that you were afraid to shoot for the head huh.... :roll: :roll: a shot at a 150 yards would have been a piece of cake dude.

your elk enjoy.


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

No I wasn't afraid to shoot it in the head, but as hard as it was snowing, I wasn't taking no chance on missing a good shoot and spooking them farther up the hill or not even getting one period. :roll: :roll: 
Hey at least I will have me a freezer full of good clean elk meat for a while, when I was at the butcher yesterday, I saw an elk hanging, and boy it looked hammered on half of it's body, tell you what, only half of that elk look good, and the other half is totally wasted.


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## Wdycle (Sep 11, 2007)

Glad you scored! Where's the picture's? :lol:


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Already sent them to ya, did you not get them?


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## ut1031 (Sep 13, 2007)

Nice work, persistence pays off!


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## Wdycle (Sep 11, 2007)

Got'm thought you might post them.


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks ut1031, it was well worth the wait.    
wdycle, don't know how to post? :roll: :roll: :roll:


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Congrats Silver Salmon.

Sounds like you'll be eating some Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Medallions soon.  

Firehawk


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Oooh Yah, and then some. Thanks firehawk. :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:


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## Wdycle (Sep 11, 2007)

Posted picture's for Sagebrush to see. :lol: :lol:


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Glad to see your camera worked in that weather. When I tried to turn my little digital on back when I shot my cow, that dogon thing was frozen solid. Should have kept the batteries in my pants pocket I guess.  Anyway, good looking cow there.

Again, Congratulations!

Firehawk


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## silversalmon66 (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks, wdycle for posting it, it looks good.
Thanks again firehawk, it was lots of fun, ready to do it again.


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