Story Time

[sneekeepete]

This is going to be a pretty long thread so just bare with me guys and gals.

September 30th found Derrick (one of my Marine Buddies who recentley got out), my wife, and I up at 4 am and headed to the airport. After a uneventful flight we arrived in Salt Lake right on time at around 1:00 pm. My Dad was there to pick us up and we went straight to the DWR because I was smart enought to leave my tags and license sitting on table in the house in North Carolina.
After the three hour drive home we made a whirlwind of visits to say hello to everyone before we headed up the mountain. After our visits were over with we headed home and got all of our gear together and hit the rack.
The next day we went to the range and ensured that our rifles were still on packed up the truck and headed to elk camp.
Our elk camp included My father in-law, 2 brothers in law, My dad, Derrick, me, and occasionally my 8 month pregnant wife who I love dearly.
Day before opening morning looked like this.

[sneekeepete]

Opening morning found everyone in their pre-designated spots before day light. I was acting as Derricks guide so he was set-up in a great drainage where I always see elk. As the sun began to creep over the moutain side all that was in sight were Deer and they were all over! After glassing we spotted two different herds through one drainage and back up on top of the next ridge. We watched as they headed over that ridge and onto the north facing side to bed down in the dark timber for the day.
We met up with the rest of the hunting crew and found out that one herd had gone below us but just out of sight. My Dad had watched them but didn't see any spikes in the group so he didn't get any shooting. My in-laws had watched the same two herds as Derrick and I just from a different drainage. So we made our plans. My father in-law and youngest brother in-law were going to try and catch the first herd on foot while the rest of us drove to the other side of the drainage and my Dad would drop us off so we could hunt back towards camp and hopefully find the second herd again.
Once we made it around to the north face where the elk had headed Derrick, my other brother in law, and I split up and hunted through the dark timber hoping to run into the herd or at least spot them again.
Again we made it to the top of the mountain with none of us seeing anything but tracks that looked like the herd had turned north and headed into the roadless area. As we sat waiting to meet my father in-law and brother inlaw they didn't show so we figured they had got onto something before they had made it to the meeting point.
Come to find out they had got on elk alright and my father in law had got one down. Right in the top of a high bowl in the back of the roadless area.

[sneekeepete]

So after limping back to camp we started planning for day two. There had been peressure everywhere opening morning but my father in-law said there weren't any tracks in the roadless area and we still had to help him get his elk out. So in conclusion we were going to head in the next morning and see what we could do.
Derrick was so beat from the first day he was very limited on his traveling so we had him and my Dad set in the entrance of the bowl while the rest of us still hunted through the dark timber towards the one downed elk. As we were nearing the end of the bowl I heard elk heading my way. I looked in front of me 150 yards just in time to see 2 cows peek over a ridge. I took a knee and raised my rifle and my heart began pumping. 2 more cows came over and spotted me. Then a Herd bull pushed through and turned broadside unaware of my pressence.
I started praying " Lord if there is a spike please just show him to me" Then out of nowhere there he was staring right into my scope...
BAM!!!! my rifle jumped in my hands and elk scattered! I could see one elk with its head hanging down walking in circles. I watched through my scope as "SPIKE FEVER" (only in Utah)
really set in and I tried to steady myself for the second shot. Just as I settled the crosshairs and squoze the trigger my foot slipped in the snow I looked up and down he went!!!! I couldn't beleive that my second shot put him down since I had slipped. I chambered another round and walked up to him. My first shot had went right through his right cheek and exited the back left side of his neck right where I had aimed. It broke his neck but didn't kill him instantly???? My second shot where I had slipped hit him in the front right knee and just made him fall down. He had bleed to death by the time I had walked up and didn't suffer. I was very odd how everything happened. Needless to say I am now know to have a signature killer knee shot.
It turns out that I had shot my spike 150 yards from where my father in-law had killed his the day before. So he headed towards the shots and soon found me. So did both my brothers in-law who hadn't seen any more spikes in the herd.
So we drug my spike to my father in-laws and started making more plans.
Since we had two elk down and we were all pretty wore out we decided to leave the elk together and get to skyline drive and call my grandpa in-law to bring up the horses for the pack out.
We had two spikes down three miles away from any roads! Talk about making a lot of work for yourself for a spike!!!!
We planned on packing the elk out in three more days since it was supposed to be good and cold and Grandpa was in Lake Powell at the time.
So we had 2 more days to get 3 more spikes and a cow for Derrick. Yes Derrick the only out of stater in our group was the only one to draw a cow tag.

[sneekeepete]

So since we had a herd spotted that hadn't left the bowl and we already had two elk down we decided to head back into the roadless area on day 3.
Day three dawned with me in the end of the bowl high enough where I could see all escape routes. I was watching to see where the elk went while the rest of the tag holders hunted through the dark timber.
While I was there I had a different bull putting on a show for me all morning. He only had 5 or 6 cows with him but they stayed under 100 yards below me all morning long. I watched another herd come in the bowl from the northern drainage as well. As they came through they pushed through the center of the bowl and up and out the sounthern side towards where we had hunted opening day.
Day 3 ended with no more elk on the ground but lots of mile under our boots.

[sneekeepete]

As we sat around the camp fire on the evening of Day 3 we decided to try and stay a little closer to roads and camp the next day to try and conserve our energy for packing the two spikes out.
Day 4 dawned clear and cold with us watching hill side meadows surrounded by dark timber hoping to catch elk on the move.
My younger brother in-law Jordan got antsy so he and my father in-law decided to go on a short afternoon hunt.
While they took off the rest of us lazily road hunted while my Dad stayed in camp and began getting a good dinner ready.
Isn't it funny how animals don't have the same plans as we do. Well Derrick, Dustin, and I spotted a herd in the highest bowl in our area. Two hours before sunset none the less.
So I grab my back and the other two grab their rifles and layers and we start our race. Dustin and I in the lead and waiting on Derrick to stop and blow, and weez, and hack about every 30 yards or so. We finally reached the bench the elk were on we only had 1 ridge in between us. So we snuck up to the ridge and glassed the herd. There were no spikes so this was Derricks golden chance to fill his tag. the only problem was the wind was blowing straight towards the elk and there was very little cover. So with odds completely against us Derrick and I began our stalk. When we were about 300 yards away a cow winded us and bolted!!! Within seconds 60 head of elk were running straight for the top of the bowl and into another drainage. We got up and began sprinting to try and get to the peak of the ridge in time for Derrick to get his shot. We made it just in time to see the last cow clear the skyline and crush Derricks chances at his first elk. Then I noticed movement to our left! The herd bull and 6 cows were following the others! Again we start sprinting to get a clear shot. Just as they cleared the brush in front of us I yelled "HEY" and they stopped broadside at 75 yards. Shoot the lead cow shes the smallest I hollard at Derrick.
"I can't see them" he yelled back.
I turned around to see Derrick 20 yards behind me kneeling looking through his scope.
"Stand up and shoot the lead cow!!!!"
"I can't!!!!!"
Just then they took another 5 steps and came into Derricks view! Bam!!!! nothing.... The elk stand there.... BAM!!!! nothing
"shoot the lead cow!!!!!"
BAM!!! the second cow drops and the rest of the elk run 50 yards and turn to watch.
"You got bro!!! Shes down"
I turned to congradulate him to see him on his hands and knees with his rifle laying on the ground in front of him gasping for air and choking out "are you sure I hit one, I don't know, all I can see is spots...."
After about 10 minutes of sucking wind Derrick finally caught his breath enough to walk up and lay his hands on his first elk. He sure earned it!
Luckily the drag was all downhill and we were able to get his elk to the truck just after dark.

[sneekeepete]

Day 5 dawned with us all a little more worn out than we had planned but we did get the horses and we did get the elk out. I will let the pics tell the story.

[sneekeepete]

More pics...

[TheGreatwhitehunter]

Sounds and looks like you guys had a great time, Congrats

[sneekeepete]

I will post the Deer hunt story once I get the disk with all the pics from the hunt on it. We did have an amazing year this year and I got one heck of a good break away from North Carolina.

[yak4fish]

Nice story and pictures thanks for sharing.