JaDub texted me on Thursday that he filled his late season cow tag. I'll let him fill you in on the details. It looks like a calf or smaller cow in the picture but he said that it was the lead cow.

From my experience, the lead cow is usually the big gal. Good grub there!

What a great year it`s been. Taking this elk completed a trifecta this year............. a first for me. My antelope and deer hunt ended successfully and the elk hunt was just the icing on the cake.
The weather has been unseasonably warm this year so the elk weren`t paying any attention to what the calendar said. I drew my tag in RJ`s backyard near Craig. My usual suspects couldn`t join me on the hunt so I did what I refer to as my ultimate IronManHunt...... going solo. Did a coupe of days scouting and seeing few elk but lots of sign. I came to the realization that the elk were still up very high on the mountainside. After talking to a hunter that had already tagged out, he suggested setting up in a transition area where the elk came down after sunset, ate their fill and filed up hill at sunrise. It was a 3.5 mile hike in.......... uphill all the way of course. Started at 5:30 am in the dark and I seemed to be stopping to catch my breath every 50 to 100 yards or so. Thought my ticker was going to beat right out of my chest. 1.5 hrs later I was starting to approach my target area. While resting I could hear the elk coming my way. Time was about 6:15 am with official sunrise at 7:30......... shooting light at 7. How cool to hear this sizable herd heading up my way at a very leisurely pace, grazing as they came.

Got to my spot overlooking a sizable draw and started glassing the valley below. I`d guess the elevation to be about 8,000 feet or so, plus or minus.
I watched them work towards me for almost an hour. Got the bipod set up and had lots of time to get the heart right. I was amazed listening to the herd and their noises. The herd was quite vocal. It was a great learning experience for me to hear. Only one rag horn bull in the bunch of some 40 cows and calfs. I waited till I thought they were going to start climbing away from me and let the 7mm bark at 189 yards . The lead cow spun in a 180 , took 15 running steps the direction she came and did a face plant.......... then slid down the snowy hill side another 20 yards and piled up. DRT.... not a twitch. Down at 7:15 am.

With the help of the rancher ( cell phone call out ) and his 2 passenger ATV we had the elk loaded up and on the trailer by 11:30.


While waiting for the rancher to show up I got out my two elk calls and called in another group of 40 elk, some to within 20 yards of me. It was absolutely spectacular. Never had so much fun working the calls. Had a real chance to experiment with different tones , frequencies and sequences.

Got back into Craig, found a game processor AND a cold beer by 2:30. Can`t get any better than that. Or could it ????

I intercepted RJ on his way home from work and we celebrated over a few icy brews and barbecue briscut.

Life is good ! :D

JaDub

And a great time it was too. Got to catch up and a free dinner (don't argue with Jadub when he wants to buy dinner

Then a guy from work showed up and, well

Cow talk is an amazing tool when hunting elk. The only way you can really mess up is if you bark . . . . . .

RJ

All very cool! "Going it alone" is the way I like to HUNT, but not the way I like to hunt. In other words, I like to be by myself in the woods, actually HUNTING, but at the end of the day, I sincerely enjoy the company of good friends around the campfire.

Getting your "trifecta" is great!

ONE of these days, you and I will 'connect' face-to-face.

Paul

.........face to face.............     scary thought !  8-)

I love great stories with a happy ending. Good job!!:D