Going Live….Elk Hunt NM late season

[Bowtech Lefty]

Congrats!!

[Chew]

Congrats!!

[Briar Friar]

Thanks Yall.

We actually shot 2 cows and 1 calf. Left to right.
I made purpose to dial down my magnification from high to low when loading the buggy. By way of the unpeeling of the buggy, I shook out far right of 3 guns. 25-06 reported from the buggy. “Shoot the lead cow”. I leveled offhand on the fortunately stopped lead cows broadside boiler at 75 yards. Finger on trigger. Just then the kneeling 7mm rem mag, to my left, ported its percussive force to the entire left side of my body. Finger off. I was stunned by the report. The 7mm rem missed the calf maybe because his scope was at X22 at 50 yards ish. I shook it off and stepped back and and further right Kneeling 7mm reports again. Meanwhile I relevelled on the cow running up and down a few washes. Tracking. Im waiting for a pause. She hoofed up a bank at 100 yards ish, stopped on level plain and turned back to observe her flock and persuers. Full frontal with a hair quarter. Boom. She runs. Dangit! I missed? My follow through on my trigger with this rifle and shot calls really sucks because it is so darn percussive bit thankfully heavy. I rechamber and relevel. She runs up a bank and peels back down.

Ill admit I wasnt looking forward to the cleaning job of a gut shot elk. My first elk field dressing being a gut shot. Hooray!

Being the cow was ever so slighty quartered, when I shot her chest the bullet went through her lower chest and behind her offside shoulder the projectile made a grapefruit hole in her ribs. No penetration of offside skin. (I must confess I actually used 140 grain. Fed Prem Sierra BTSP. I had intended 160s…but had doped with 140. I let the 140s roll.) No gut shot. Hooray!

She is a big elk cow. We hung and skinned the 3 critters for over night.

Cousin has his tag left and will all be hunting in the morning. Then on to quartering and partiall processing.

[tradtiger]

Heck ya! Congrats, Briar, and nice write-up of challenging circumstances and an effective off-hand shot. That's no gimme.

[Sackett]

That’s awesome and congrats on some fine eating for the family!

[Mertzon Man]

Congrats, lots of good eating for sure!

[Briar Friar]

Thanks Yall.

Some necessary humping was humped this morning. We spotted some cows a couple miles away. We circled them heading to the trees. Found them on edge of trees. Guide got us in good positions for a shot, twice. A shot was taken on running cows. Only one small blood spot on trail.

We broke for lunch.

The boy and I stayed at barn for shucking meat.

Cousin and guide and a backup rifle went and buggyed some plains drainages. They jumped some cows. Cow down and hung.
4 tags filled.
Hunt over.
God bless Yall!

[sunsethunter]

Congrats!

[AntlerCollector]

Congrats

[Briar Friar]

Trying to upload pics.

First time actually eating elk. First time cooking elk.

Here goes the tenderloin.