Got my spike elk (w/ pics)
11-09-2007, 04:32 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: E. Washington State
Posts: 1,045
RE: Got my spike elk (w/ pics)
Yes, I've checked and there are no regulations against using radios during hunting in WA.
Elk season here can be chaotic. It's not quite hunting as most would think, the elk are generally in certain areas and most of them are headed to a 3x5 mile reserve several miles away so a lot of the hunters fan out in the rolling sage brush hills hoping to intercept them on their travel routes. Since it's all open desert, there's not much sneaking through the timber like you might do in Colorado or Wyoming.
The elk my wife shot was still up and running after her shot and went over a hill, where another hunter was waiting and shot it and dropped it. Hard to claim it in that situation. The number of hunters around us on opening day was probably close to 100 staggered all up and down every draw and ridgeline.
I call the hunter that shot my elk lazy as I don't know why else they would wound an animal like that and not follow up on it. I had seen 3 huntersshooting at the herd and I'd say if it was one of them they were less than 800 yards from where the elk was bedded when I shot it.It was either lazyness, sloppyness, or perhaps they had fewer tags than number of shooters. I got to the bull at least an hour or two after it had been shot and there were no other hunters anywhere around. I spent the whole day working on that elk and waiting for help to come and never saw any other hunters searching for it, and where I was it was totally open hill side.
All sorts of things go on when hunting the Colockum herd, it's a little bit wild and can be dangerous at times. Too many hunters take bad shots on the herds, shooting cows and calfs occasionally. It bothers me at times to hear the stories and see the aftermath, thankfully the Game Wardens do a terrific job and most people that do that are caught and penalized for their illegal activities. I even called in that same morning about a cow that got shot as reported to me by another member of our family, not sure if they followed up on it yet though but if so I'll let you know.
Oh, and the "eye in the sky" reference is our 77 year oldfriend that sits on a high point in his truck to help us all stay in touch as well to let us know if he spots any elk headed our way. Usually he's only up there for the opening weekend though when the elk are moving a lot and mostly it's a matter of intercepting them depending on which canyon they are going to cross. May not sound like typical elk hunting to those not familier with hunting elk in the desert but unfortunately it's the way it all works out in the areas we hunt in. Trust me, we still have about a mile hike back to the canyons we hunt in and most of the time it's a matter of waiting for the elk to come to you, or trying to get to a spot where they are headed so it's not easy by any streatch.
Elk season here can be chaotic. It's not quite hunting as most would think, the elk are generally in certain areas and most of them are headed to a 3x5 mile reserve several miles away so a lot of the hunters fan out in the rolling sage brush hills hoping to intercept them on their travel routes. Since it's all open desert, there's not much sneaking through the timber like you might do in Colorado or Wyoming.
The elk my wife shot was still up and running after her shot and went over a hill, where another hunter was waiting and shot it and dropped it. Hard to claim it in that situation. The number of hunters around us on opening day was probably close to 100 staggered all up and down every draw and ridgeline.
I call the hunter that shot my elk lazy as I don't know why else they would wound an animal like that and not follow up on it. I had seen 3 huntersshooting at the herd and I'd say if it was one of them they were less than 800 yards from where the elk was bedded when I shot it.It was either lazyness, sloppyness, or perhaps they had fewer tags than number of shooters. I got to the bull at least an hour or two after it had been shot and there were no other hunters anywhere around. I spent the whole day working on that elk and waiting for help to come and never saw any other hunters searching for it, and where I was it was totally open hill side.
All sorts of things go on when hunting the Colockum herd, it's a little bit wild and can be dangerous at times. Too many hunters take bad shots on the herds, shooting cows and calfs occasionally. It bothers me at times to hear the stories and see the aftermath, thankfully the Game Wardens do a terrific job and most people that do that are caught and penalized for their illegal activities. I even called in that same morning about a cow that got shot as reported to me by another member of our family, not sure if they followed up on it yet though but if so I'll let you know.
Oh, and the "eye in the sky" reference is our 77 year oldfriend that sits on a high point in his truck to help us all stay in touch as well to let us know if he spots any elk headed our way. Usually he's only up there for the opening weekend though when the elk are moving a lot and mostly it's a matter of intercepting them depending on which canyon they are going to cross. May not sound like typical elk hunting to those not familier with hunting elk in the desert but unfortunately it's the way it all works out in the areas we hunt in. Trust me, we still have about a mile hike back to the canyons we hunt in and most of the time it's a matter of waiting for the elk to come to you, or trying to get to a spot where they are headed so it's not easy by any streatch.
11-09-2007, 04:39 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: E. Washington State
Posts: 1,045
RE: Got my spike elk (w/ pics)
ORIGINAL: jeepkid
Is your barrel camo wrapped? Or is it carbon?
Is your barrel camo wrapped? Or is it carbon?
11-09-2007, 10:13 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: Got my spike elk (w/ pics)
Congrats on your elk. I feel your pain about pressure and slob hunters. Rifle elk hunting here has turned into a bit of a gong show, this year being so bad I am considering not going in reg rifle. It was a disgrace. I still filled my tag andourgroupdid the same as in the past with regard to filling tags but it was just not the same.[:'(]
