First Muzzy Elk

[harleysboss]

Here is my first really "big" game animal taken with a muzzleloader. I shot this fellow on 10/7/11, the last day of Washington's early BP Elk season. The bull came from the east side of the state in a "spike only" area.
I was hunting with my 54cal Lyman Trade Rifle. My load was 90grns Goex FFG and a 300grn precision rifle all lead bullet. Shot was right at 60yards.
This elk came as an unsuspected surprise to me. I had been hunting the afternoon before and had an opprotunity at a rather large mountain lion that had stalked up on a cow and calf that were feeding out infront of me. I shot the cat but the hit was not solid and I trailed sparse blood till almost dark.
I returned the next morning to start up the track again. I went to the spot where I marked the last small speck of blood to resume the trail. I searched and searched in ever widening circles but came up with no further blood to follow.
At about 10am I heard the sounds of heavy foot falls coming up a small draw off to my right. I eased up to a game trail and sat quiet. I watched as a line of cows and calfs eased up hill. The last elk in line was this spike. I decided that the lion was not going to be recovered and perpared for the shot. My first shot took this elk cleanly at 60yds. It took the remainder of the day for me to skin, quarter and pack this beautiful animal back to the trailhead and my waiting truck. This me friends is exhausting work but so worth it!
I am deeply sorry for not making a better shot on the cat but feel as though I put considerable effort in following up. I hate not recovering any game that I shoot at.

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[dave n]

Congrats on the elk ! Sounds like an exciting hunt . To bad on the loss of the cat . It's a sinking feeling when you loose a hit animal . I think for the most part we all can attest to that . At least you gave it your all which is all you can do .

 

[chance]

Great bull!! Sorry about the cat.

 

[Short Arm]

nice job :thumbsup:

 

[hoochiepapa]

I can't speak from experience, but I've heard that it is difficult to kill ANY elk out there because of the dense forest. Congratulations!!

 

[rabjr]

Congrats! :thumbsup:

 

[KHickam]

:thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

You're some stout to pack out a Roosevelt elk in the remainder of the day, even a spike. Well done on all counts! :thumbsup:

 

[TGJaeger]

You're some stout to pack out a Roosevelt elk in the remainder of the day, even a spike. Well done on all counts! :thumbsup:

A big +1 on that! Neat story - Thanks for posting.

Too darn bad about the cat. I have had them growl and scream at me but I have never seen one. In our unit it is almost impossible to get a permit even tho they are really plentiful.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Great hunt, the cat thing, it happens :thumbsup:

It's when it keeps happe'nin questions need answering, 'till then :hatsoff:

Brits.

 

[wattlebuster]

Congratulations to you :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[harleysboss]

Well I have to admit that I did have some help with the packing. I ran into two other hunters at the trail head when I came out with the first load. They were kind enough to volunteer to help with the rest of the recovery. What a big help! From two complete strangers at that..I'll have to pay it forward someday.

 

[roundball]

Good deal on the spike, sorry about the cat...

 

[KHickam]

It is a nice elk. :hatsoff:

 

[SCRUBS]

Congrats HB :thumbsup:

Shooting the cat must have been a rush! Shame you didn`t get him, but those things happen.

Did you get him on the dry side or the wet side?

 

[ny griz]

Sounds like a bull story to me :rotf: Congrats on a great BP elk. :thumbsup:Tough on the cat Griz

 

[Goldhunter]

Congrats on the spike! Tough critters.

 

[ridgescool]

Nice job. Bet it was exciting, not only getting the elk, but tracking a wounded cat(that can hunt you) must have been nerve racking. Especially at dark. I wounded a coyote once here in PA with a shotgun while turkey hunting. Not sure if the view on mt. lions in WA is the same as the view on coyotes in PA, but even though I didn't recover it, I lost no sleep.

 

[hoochiepapa]

In a situation like that, I get their addresses and send them some meat. One guy lived so close, I took the meat to his house in a cheap K-mart cooler. Next time I saw him, he was very thankful (but not as thankful as me :grin: ).

 

[KHickam]

Nice job. Bet it was exciting, not only getting the elk, but tracking a wounded cat(that can hunt you) must have been nerve racking. Especially at dark. I wounded a coyote once here in PA with a shotgun while turkey hunting. Not sure if the view on mt. lions in WA is the same as the view on coyotes in PA, but even though I didn't recover it, I lost no sleep.

Well, I would make a good effort to recover the cat but if not - oh well. I kinda look at them in the same context as coyotes - I mean afterall I never ate one - so all that was lost was the skin, just like a coyote, if it were me.

But, this is speaking for me only.