Congratulations. I always enjoy your stories (and would be astonished if you were having tag soup)! I look forward to the Lott topping the poll of favoritecartridges actually used to take elk, or is there another maiden in your harem (a .505 Gibbs perhaps)???

CE

CE,

Well, we'll probably get skunked one of these years since sometimes (not often, but sometimes)elk just aren't anywhere to be had and they're some 10-20 miles away. Tag soup can happen to the best of hunters on occasion.

If I did go larger, it would be a 500A2 (.510 caliber [same caliber as a BMG] on a 460 Weatherby case). WhiletheLottworked fine, I would probably pick the Rigby over the Lott and really kinda like the 375 H&H better than either one for elk, even though it isn't as devastating as the Rigby or the Lott. The purpose for using all three of them on elk over the years has been togain an experiential feel and confidence in these riflesto compliment the ballistics numbers and target shooting confidence that I have in them. All that in anticipation of hunting indifferent place and on a differentday and fordifferent game. All three are now pretty well "blooded."

Riflewise for next year, we'll see what comes along next (if anything).... perhaps a long barreled 300 RUM, otherwise I could find myself going back to the 338WinMags or the 375 H&H. Or it could be back to the Rigby or the Lott, it kinda depends on whim --- the Lott did provide a heart warming "slap down".

SeriousHunter,

The first rifle elk season was moved back a week this year.
We could have been hunting in all the good weather that you allude to, but no.
In October, each passing week starts stacking the weather odds against you.

Even at that, the elk were in a secondary or tertiary rut/heat cyclewith the cows and bulls still together.
Bugling, Roaring, Croaking, and Mewing.
We were serenaded on the opening morning from 5:00 a.m. solid thru to 8:30 a.m. and then they shut down by 10:30 a.m.
That part wastotally awesome.

I think I heard more gun fire this year than any other previous, I'm thinking CDOW will see a pretty good harvest percentage.
On a frustrating note, I kept hearing one idiot with an 8 shot semi-automatic pop-gun (real lite report).
I heard him empty the clip three different times over the course of four hours.
One shot, a pause and then the other 7 in rapid succession.
I'm betting he had more elk die on "time delay" thanwhat he ever located or even thought about. [:@][:@][:@]

Yeah EKM I was out there in 03 and man it was sunny and 75 during the daytime. Well at least you got some meat and got out of there. We arrived in Rifle actually one week prior and enjoyed the scenery prior to the hunt. We saw a couple of cows about 500 yds away and moving away. That is as close as we got.

2003, "first season rifle elk only" was a great year for us and very comfortable too.
Had to get the meat out, back to camp, and into the freezer/refrigerators ASAPthough.
Worked the horses (and us) hard.

EKM, I always look forward to your "back from hunting camp" post. You do a good job covering all the work that goes into a western elk hunt. You did however give us a shorter more condenced version this year. I am glad to see you put some meat in the freezer, without a magnum this year. The 458-Lott will work on any animal thatroams planet earth.

I am thankful that in my area, the USFS does not allow ATV's off of the graded roads, not even for game retrieval. Horsepower and human footpower, both pretty quiet, both minimal trace, both let others hunt pretty much undisturbed.

Shooting nearyour hunting area is like crapping the same place you eat. As a deterrent, I'd recommend thatyou either get up early and work your way a long ways back in or do a spike camp way back in, then I think you will find such foolishness much diminished.

There were too many fools on ATVs to run away from this time, they were on roads at 3:30am. They ruined it for everybody, including themselfs.

In my area they could run up and down the graded roads all they want and not hurt anyone as the elk are back in away from the graded roads that ATV's must stay on. I've pondered what I'll do the first time I find an unattended illegal ATVback in where it doesn't belong.

I figure I won't risk anything beyond a potential misdemeanor ticket if caught and convicted, thus cut the valve stems on all 4 tires @ $1.50 each, $6.00 damage. Message should be clear to the illegal ATVer, especially after they pack out all 4 tires to have them repaired and then pack them all back in. In the mean time, here would bethis ATV along the trail "blocked up" (rocked up?) with no tires.

congrats i cant wait to go up elk huntin in late season gmu 11