Brittany Chukarman
Well-known member
I've been hesitant to post this because it pales in comparison to the great mountain elk hunts that have been posted lately but nonetheless it happened. A couple weeks ago elk started coming down into the canyon and feeding in our pasture at night. In the darkness of the morning my nephew and I left for our Wyoming antelope hunt I was calling back and forth with a bull or two and lots of cow talk. Since then there have been chukar hunters around and elk season opened and they had not come back. I was busy butchering and catching up on chores and while they were in the back of my mind I wasn't quite ready to start elk hunting. Saturday morning on a whim I decided to go out early and do some glassing from a high spot. I took my binos, a knife and my .243 in case I saw a coyote. No boots, just slip on Skechers. As soon as I opened the door and stepped onto the deck I heard elk. They were leaving the pasture and climbing a steep slope out of the canyon, about 20 head. I hurried to get a little closer and got set up. I didn't bring my rangefinder along but guessed them at about 300 yards. I wasn't sure about taking the shot then realized I'd shot 2 antelope at 300 yards last week with this same gun. I picked one out at the back of the herd that was broadside and took the shot. They all stampeded up the slope and over the saddle. The shot felt good but there was no indication of a hit. They would have to pass through a neighbors pasture to get up to where they range so I had an idea which way they went. When I got up there she had gone about 100 yards and piled up. Complete pass through but a high lung shot and no blood trail. I'm not recommending a .243 for elk but I shoot this one so well I was pretty confident. I was shooting a 95 gr Federal Fusion. A couple more days of butchering and my big game seasons will be wrapped up for the year. Bittersweet.
