Last March, I started this thread about what factory load would be best for my 308 on elk. After many responses, I found my 308 liked the 165gr Nosler Accubonds best. I was getting sub MOA groups. I got comfortable shooting out to 300yds.
Now that my trip has come and gone I wanted to share my experience. We hunted outside of Gunnison, CO. This particular group that invited me along had been hunting this area for 5 years and was averaging a 60% success rate so I was beyond excited. I didn't even know details of where we were going other than the unit we would be hunting in. To be honest, I didn't care. I had never been to CO in the Fall so I couldn't wait to go. All I needed to know was where to be and what time we were leaving.
We left town 10/8 at 7:00am. We got to camp 7:00pm that night. Upon arrival and talking to a couple guides we heard what no hunter wants to hear, 'we have not been seeing any elk, it's too warm they are still up high and are hanging in the timber and not moving much.' The next morning we got up to a beautiful sunrise. While sitting on the front porch soaking in the view and drinking a cup of coffee, I was greeted by the yelping of some yotes. Beautiful sound echoing in the canyon. We spent the day getting licenses, prepping our gear and glassing some ridges that evening.
Saturday, we take off for our first hunt. I didn't sleep a wink I was so anxious! I hunted an area that overlooked a water hole. I got there before light to glass but no elk in sight. I continued down the path to an open area to catch movement in a park. There were 8 cows and a bull. Unfortunately they were a good 300yds out and it wasn't quite light enough to make the bull out. I watched them trot off into the timber never to see them again. I was pumped to see them on my first hunt after hearing that elk sightings had been pretty scarce. To keep this thread from being a book, let me just say that from here on out I experienced some of the hardest hunting I have ever experienced (both physical and mental). I was fortunate enough to hear a bugle the next morning so we chased and called hoping to cross paths with the bull but no luck. Unfortunately, the 5 other hunters did not see or hear anything until day 3. On day 4 I had the pleasure of turning my ankle in a hole as we walked to a spot in the dark that morning. Luckily I was wearing high boots so I just tied them a little tighter. We hiked and hiked with very little sign and no sight of an elk. However, that day a couple of the other guys saw some elk in another area. They decided to hunt that area hard the last day and a half. Day 5, our last day of hunting shows up way sooner than any of us would have liked. We are about to kill their 60% success rate from years prior. I decide to hunt alone and hunt the same area I had previously seen the elk. As I start my trek in to glass the water hole I look up in the sky in total amazement! The stars were so thick I couldn't believe it. No moon either so ever star seemed to be twinkling. After spending a week in the 'big country' seeing views I had never witnessed, I stopped and looked up and said a little prayer. I didn't ask God for an elk, I didn't have to for He knew how bad I wanted one but I simply said God if it's your will please but if not I'm good with that too. As I snuck up on the water hole, I glassed and to my amazement the elk were there. It was still before shooting light but I knew this was my chance. Was this my answered prayer? I was still beyond my 300yd range of comfort so I waited patiently for light to come knowing the elk would follow a funnel up to the park I had seen them in the very first morning. They would cross at 250yds if they did this. As I waited I see the bull is legal. But to my disappointment they slowly decide to trout of in the opposite direction away from me. I hung my head knowing that was it. I knew right then it wasn't meant for me to take a bull. I continued on that morning but was more out for scenic views and pictures than anything. That said, I kept hoping something crazy would happen. The evening hunt comes and we've all picked our spots to hunt. I was going to cover a water hole not far from camp. I had some doubt though so I decided to ask 2 other guys if there was room for me to go with them up top the mountain. They were hunting a place I hadn't been to yet. They said sure. Once up top they set me on a place called the beaver pond, a nice little secluded water hole surrounded by timber. Well, just as all other hunts time had come and time had almost gone with no movement and no bugling. I was staked out in a cluster of big boulders watching over the water hole. As the sun fades away I take a few pictures of the sunset. Naturally disappointment was starting to set in. The last picture I take of the sunset was at 7:36. A few minutes go by and I turn back to the beaver pond to see a lone bull trotting out of the timber. I wait for a minute to make sure no more are coming and he slows to a walk. Nothing else is behind him so I decide it's now or never. I line up my 200yd shot and squeeze the trigger. I put a shot right in his right shoulder and he drops to the ground. When I look at him through the scope, I see his head is still up so I put another shot right in the vitals to finish him. I can't tell you all the emotions I felt as I approached him, there are no words to describe that. Here it is 15 mins before my 5 day hunt is over and it all comes together!
Obviously, I praised God! To put in that many hours with no opportunities and then to get a bull as time went out will forever put this hunt tops in my book. He defines what a 'trophy' is in my book! I was taught a valuable 'life' lesson through this experience. A hunter must possess 3 traits; optimism, persistence, and perseverance. Without those 3 traits I don't know how anyone gets up to hunt. As I write this now to share this with you I can't help but think this was all a part of God's plan. My hope for me and for you is that we can all take those 3 traits and apply them to our daily lives; optimism, persistence, and perseverance. Being hunters and knowing most of you are Christians, maybe that's why I had this experience. Maybe it wasn't even about the elk, maybe it was about me and you getting this message. And I can't explain how grateful I am for the way things played out. It just doesn't get any better than this. And don't forget, it ain't over till it's over, I can assure you that!
By the way, I'm very confident in using a 308 on elk now!
Now that my trip has come and gone I wanted to share my experience. We hunted outside of Gunnison, CO. This particular group that invited me along had been hunting this area for 5 years and was averaging a 60% success rate so I was beyond excited. I didn't even know details of where we were going other than the unit we would be hunting in. To be honest, I didn't care. I had never been to CO in the Fall so I couldn't wait to go. All I needed to know was where to be and what time we were leaving.
We left town 10/8 at 7:00am. We got to camp 7:00pm that night. Upon arrival and talking to a couple guides we heard what no hunter wants to hear, 'we have not been seeing any elk, it's too warm they are still up high and are hanging in the timber and not moving much.' The next morning we got up to a beautiful sunrise. While sitting on the front porch soaking in the view and drinking a cup of coffee, I was greeted by the yelping of some yotes. Beautiful sound echoing in the canyon. We spent the day getting licenses, prepping our gear and glassing some ridges that evening.
Saturday, we take off for our first hunt. I didn't sleep a wink I was so anxious! I hunted an area that overlooked a water hole. I got there before light to glass but no elk in sight. I continued down the path to an open area to catch movement in a park. There were 8 cows and a bull. Unfortunately they were a good 300yds out and it wasn't quite light enough to make the bull out. I watched them trot off into the timber never to see them again. I was pumped to see them on my first hunt after hearing that elk sightings had been pretty scarce. To keep this thread from being a book, let me just say that from here on out I experienced some of the hardest hunting I have ever experienced (both physical and mental). I was fortunate enough to hear a bugle the next morning so we chased and called hoping to cross paths with the bull but no luck. Unfortunately, the 5 other hunters did not see or hear anything until day 3. On day 4 I had the pleasure of turning my ankle in a hole as we walked to a spot in the dark that morning. Luckily I was wearing high boots so I just tied them a little tighter. We hiked and hiked with very little sign and no sight of an elk. However, that day a couple of the other guys saw some elk in another area. They decided to hunt that area hard the last day and a half. Day 5, our last day of hunting shows up way sooner than any of us would have liked. We are about to kill their 60% success rate from years prior. I decide to hunt alone and hunt the same area I had previously seen the elk. As I start my trek in to glass the water hole I look up in the sky in total amazement! The stars were so thick I couldn't believe it. No moon either so ever star seemed to be twinkling. After spending a week in the 'big country' seeing views I had never witnessed, I stopped and looked up and said a little prayer. I didn't ask God for an elk, I didn't have to for He knew how bad I wanted one but I simply said God if it's your will please but if not I'm good with that too. As I snuck up on the water hole, I glassed and to my amazement the elk were there. It was still before shooting light but I knew this was my chance. Was this my answered prayer? I was still beyond my 300yd range of comfort so I waited patiently for light to come knowing the elk would follow a funnel up to the park I had seen them in the very first morning. They would cross at 250yds if they did this. As I waited I see the bull is legal. But to my disappointment they slowly decide to trout of in the opposite direction away from me. I hung my head knowing that was it. I knew right then it wasn't meant for me to take a bull. I continued on that morning but was more out for scenic views and pictures than anything. That said, I kept hoping something crazy would happen. The evening hunt comes and we've all picked our spots to hunt. I was going to cover a water hole not far from camp. I had some doubt though so I decided to ask 2 other guys if there was room for me to go with them up top the mountain. They were hunting a place I hadn't been to yet. They said sure. Once up top they set me on a place called the beaver pond, a nice little secluded water hole surrounded by timber. Well, just as all other hunts time had come and time had almost gone with no movement and no bugling. I was staked out in a cluster of big boulders watching over the water hole. As the sun fades away I take a few pictures of the sunset. Naturally disappointment was starting to set in. The last picture I take of the sunset was at 7:36. A few minutes go by and I turn back to the beaver pond to see a lone bull trotting out of the timber. I wait for a minute to make sure no more are coming and he slows to a walk. Nothing else is behind him so I decide it's now or never. I line up my 200yd shot and squeeze the trigger. I put a shot right in his right shoulder and he drops to the ground. When I look at him through the scope, I see his head is still up so I put another shot right in the vitals to finish him. I can't tell you all the emotions I felt as I approached him, there are no words to describe that. Here it is 15 mins before my 5 day hunt is over and it all comes together!
Obviously, I praised God! To put in that many hours with no opportunities and then to get a bull as time went out will forever put this hunt tops in my book. He defines what a 'trophy' is in my book! I was taught a valuable 'life' lesson through this experience. A hunter must possess 3 traits; optimism, persistence, and perseverance. Without those 3 traits I don't know how anyone gets up to hunt. As I write this now to share this with you I can't help but think this was all a part of God's plan. My hope for me and for you is that we can all take those 3 traits and apply them to our daily lives; optimism, persistence, and perseverance. Being hunters and knowing most of you are Christians, maybe that's why I had this experience. Maybe it wasn't even about the elk, maybe it was about me and you getting this message. And I can't explain how grateful I am for the way things played out. It just doesn't get any better than this. And don't forget, it ain't over till it's over, I can assure you that!
By the way, I'm very confident in using a 308 on elk now!
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