My neighbor and I decided to make the 1100+mi trip to Wyoming to try our hand at shooting two cow elk. The drive out was uneventful and spread out over two days. We rolled into town and reveled in the sights and sounds of Walmart during Christmas shopping season to pick up a few supplies. We met a local and he took us to his 'trailer park' to show us the digs we'd be staying in. 
First day out we found a couple of groups of elk in a couple of different areas that were accessible by the public. One group was flirting with a private property line, that we could access, so we passed. The other were well onto accessible ground, but the best way too them was farther than we wanted to go for on the first day of a cow hunt. We did make an attempt, but the lay of the land and wind let us only get to 650yds. Too far for our marksmenship.
On day two we headed back to where we found the 'windy' group and couldn't locate them from the road. So we headed up and over a saddle. We never did locate them (when I say 'we' I really mean the local as he outspotted the two of us combined) but did locate a two other groups. One was in a pretty good location and this time we had the wind right. We worked our way about a mile down and up the hill to be parallel with the elk and closed the distance to 320yds. My neighbor had first shot, so we got him lined up prone on a rock with his bipod. He got set and BOOM...WHAP! The cow stood up and took a few steps. He was about to send another her way when she went all rubber legged and laid down. I was looking for a hole to shoot through from my vantage point and couldn't find one as the other elk started milling around. So, he got out of the way and I got behind his rifle and one stepped into an opening near where his was bedded. One shot and she went straight down! The two died quite close together.
My neighbor and I with the two cows.
I'm the dead sexy lump of lard on the left and yes, I'm working on finding a orange StL Cardinals hat.
It wasn't quite the calf I was hoping for, but I've eaten enough elk tags to know you take them when and where you can. Thanks to Buzz and Pat for the hospitality and help. It was a fun trip. The 18 hour drive straight through on the way home wasn't the funnest, but we got it done.
First day out we found a couple of groups of elk in a couple of different areas that were accessible by the public. One group was flirting with a private property line, that we could access, so we passed. The other were well onto accessible ground, but the best way too them was farther than we wanted to go for on the first day of a cow hunt. We did make an attempt, but the lay of the land and wind let us only get to 650yds. Too far for our marksmenship. On day two we headed back to where we found the 'windy' group and couldn't locate them from the road. So we headed up and over a saddle. We never did locate them (when I say 'we' I really mean the local as he outspotted the two of us combined) but did locate a two other groups. One was in a pretty good location and this time we had the wind right. We worked our way about a mile down and up the hill to be parallel with the elk and closed the distance to 320yds. My neighbor had first shot, so we got him lined up prone on a rock with his bipod. He got set and BOOM...WHAP! The cow stood up and took a few steps. He was about to send another her way when she went all rubber legged and laid down. I was looking for a hole to shoot through from my vantage point and couldn't find one as the other elk started milling around. So, he got out of the way and I got behind his rifle and one stepped into an opening near where his was bedded. One shot and she went straight down! The two died quite close together.
My neighbor and I with the two cows.
I'm the dead sexy lump of lard on the left and yes, I'm working on finding a orange StL Cardinals hat.It wasn't quite the calf I was hoping for, but I've eaten enough elk tags to know you take them when and where you can. Thanks to Buzz and Pat for the hospitality and help. It was a fun trip. The 18 hour drive straight through on the way home wasn't the funnest, but we got it done.
