Contributors to this thread:
cnelk strikes early. Just got an InReach text from cnelk and he has filled his B List Cow tag. Headed up early in the AM to help pack it out.
I had a feeling he would connect today. Congrats Cnelk!
I've been refreshing all day waiting for one of you killers to post! I knew someone would get it done early.
Congrats! Time to start the 2017 meatpole thread!
No surprise there. I predicted that Thursday night over beers. Congrats buddy!
Yep, when he told us his strategy Thursday, figured it would happen quick.
I always tried to get my B cow in the freezer opening weekend too. Now Brad can concentrate on helping Okie and Midwest score!
2 lopes, an elk, and it isn't even September yet....congrats Brad!
The man is a predator.....
Awesome!!! Hopefully pictures will follow soon. I will be getting an inrwach soon. Just waiting for an better model with a mapping GPS system
Never a doubt! Congrats, Brad!
I just got back home from helping Brad. I left at midnight and caught a few Z's off the NF road. Met Brad at 545AM. It was a really nice, big cow and he made a great shot. We made short work of it in one load out each.
He wasn't far behind me coming out.
That's what friends do, love it!! Help each other out whenever, and wherever.
Just got back home. Here is a pic of some 'cow porn' :)
I'll write up the the opening day's events soon
Special thanks to Native Oakie for taking time out of his busy schedule and help with the pack out
Shoot straight guys! The elk are ripe for the picking
Awesome, Cnelk! That freezer is filling up quickly.
I'm disappointed you didn't ask me to help pack.. :( This old guy could at least carry out the tenderloins and antlers!
Maybe someday Lou, I didnt want to hurt you for your upcoming WY elk hunt :)
Okay... here is the recap of my Opening Day 2017
Wait... I need a beer...
My expectations for opening day were pretty low. It was way warm and I had never killed anything on opening archery elk.
I guess I cant say that anymore :)
I was in the woods long before daylight Saturday morning, listening and checking sign. Not a sound was heard and after putting on 6 miles, with no elk contact made, I headed back to the truck
Napping and camp chores tok up the rest of the mid-day. At 4pm, it was 74 degrees! Yuck.
So I jumped in my truck and drove to higher elevation. 20 mins later & 1,100 ft higher the temp was 64 degrees
Thats better
Left the truck and made my up into the timber. We had a couple trail cams set up, so that was my first stop.
They showed very little recent elk activity - damn
I continued with my decision on how I was gonna hunt this spot. [I had discussed this with Lou & otcwill on Thursday night]
[Something I have always done is make a plan, stick with the plan and only let ONE thing deter you, and that is elk]
I just set up on a small opening about 530pm. The breeze was really squirrely due to the flat terrain
At about 615pm, I started mewing. Nothing real loud at first and only sparingly.
At 640pm I hear thump, thump of elk walking. I got ready and saw a tan hide slip thru the timber about 40yds away. No idea what it was, but the wind was still not very good and I thought the chance was blown
I continue to call. A couple minutes later I see an elk standing about 40 yds away in a different spot. A nice big cow! No shot.
She sticks her nose in the air and suddenly bolts. Damn I call some more
A couple mins later, I see her again! She was just out there in the timber, just dickin around. She would right at me every once in awhile.
When she turned away I would call and stomp my feet. She would turn back toward me and look again
Awesome stuff! Congrats!!! Our season starts Fri. Thx for posting
She soon tired of this game and drifted away...
Then, a couple mins later I see her again!
I decided it was time to make a play. It was about 7pm, no or never.
I could see her standing there thru the branches of a tree. I took 3 steps to my left to get a clear opening for a shot
I ranged her.... 60yds... wide open space...
I drew and held on her back rib as she had turned quartering away
I dropped the hammer...Thwack!
Off she went...
About 6 seconds later I heard her crash!
I visually marked the little tree she brushed by when she took off.
I did my due diligence and went to that tree, marked it with TP. and then started the search for blood.
I soon found what I was looking for [no, not my arrow] plenty of blood
I followed it for 30-40 yds and looked up and saw her laying there.
Upon inspection, my arrow had made a complete pass-thru
[More on that later]
By now its about 720pm. After a couple 'hero pics', I got out my trusty Cutco and went to work on this big ol dry cow
750pm - 10.200ft - and its getting dark. I had her all quartered up [gutless method] and only needed my headlamp for the removal of the last tenderloin
I sent Aaron [et al] a quick InReach message and off I went with the loose meat in my SuperDay
The trek back was about .70 mile so not too bad
A little longer than my usual tho :)
Aaron arrived at camp at 545am and off we went back up to retrieve the rest of the meat
When we got to the 'scene of the crime' I wanted to look for my arrow
We found it about 20 yds from where she was hit, laying 2ft up on a pine bough
Congratulations on your 1st opening day elk!
Awesome job! Did you use the "lame cow with a stillborn calf" call?
We had frost on our boots as we were hiking in so the meat cooled down perfectly
We cut off the legs and loaded up the packs - each taking a front and hind quarter
After getting the meat home, here are the weights of an early season dry cow - bone-in, legs cut off at the knees
Loose meat - backstraps/loins - 23lbs
Front quarter - 34lbs
Hind quarter - 51lbs
Total = 193
I realize some may not shoot cow elk, but they are some fine table fare and fun as hell to hunt!
The same techniques of shooting a cow are the same of shooting a bull. Sometimes you gotta push the limit and make it happen... if you want it to happen
I hope everyone has a great season, I have 2 more elk tags to fill now
Congrats, looks like some good eating heading your way.
Great job! All that practice paid off!
Hope you have another tag. My best elk was taken on day one when I had 3 weeks to hunt. Happy but disappointed at the same time.
Congratulations and eat well.
Nice work, Brad. Brown and down!
Best of Luck, Jeff
Congratulations! Very tasty!
Can you tell us what two meat hauler packs were being used, thanks!
Beautiful! Nothing eats finer than an early cow elk. Congrats, and good luck on the rest of your tags!
Awesome! I have not shot one opening day but the last 2 years I killed on my first day hunting. I will be getting out there tomorrow afternoon so will probably get out tues morning and try to make it 3 years in a row. Doubt that happens but you never know!
That's a nice one man! Keeping me motivated. Thinking about tenderloin breaded in Kentucky colonel flour and slow fried in olive oil. Then cut up an onion on top of it when its almost done. Excellent work scouting and preparing.
Thanks for all the replies! Fun stuff.
Aaron's pack is the Exo Mountain and mine is a Kelty Cache Hauler.
Very cool
Congrats
Good luck, Robb
"I realize some may not shoot cow elk, but they are some fine table fare"
First elk meat my wife ever ate was cow elk. Ever since, when leaving for an elk hunt, she always reminds me it would be OK with her if I brought home a cow instead of a bull.
Congrats!!
Nothing like early success to get the season rolling!!
Mark
Nice job Brad! I can't wait to get to elk country this year.
Nice job Brad! Now help that Iowa guy whack one.
Congrats guys!
Brad, what InReach are you using?
I just picked up the Explorer+ yesterday. Need to activate it today and start playing with it.
Les
I bought the Delorme SE last year
You're gonna love it
We are definitely elk blood brothers now since we both filled in opening day. Congrats
Congrats Brad - thanks for posting those actual weights as well.
--Mitch
Congrats. That's the way to get it done.
