If you take a close look, you'll understand why we went with "Captain Hook".
I've mentioned this before and I'll do so again, Fall, is one of my most favorite times, cool crisp air, the distinct smell, and feel of the seasonal changes.
The collage of colors the Switch, Big Blue, Little Blue, Indian, and Sand Grasses present on the rolling prairie, as the sunrise and sun set give them the distinct orange and maroon tint. It's more satisfying, and visually appealing than any picture that's ever been painted.
We watched over 20 bulls invariably bugle over and over, sounding like they were 50 yards away rather than 500 yards. Blending with shadows of the Yucca behind us, we watched in detail, and listened to the screams and glunks echo throughout the river basin. Like fingerprints, you could hear the distinct features each and every tone that each individual bull exhaled.
I went to bed this night, with the non stop bugles of the Prairie Elk bouncing back and forth in my brain, and for every bit a good reason.
Darrel, drew the once in a lifetime tag, with only a few days left in his season, we were able to get some time and pattern what the "hookster" was doing.
In my opinion, it's very important to not rush things, as much as one might feel the need to, with the anxiety and restlessness of your 18 years of applications coming to an end in less than day, I've seen people and heard of more do some pretty drastic things, than can not only ruin the hunt, but ruin the hunt for others as well.
Waking up well before the sunrise, in attempt to get somewhere between point A and B hoping and praying that point we committed to was well within the trajectory of where Captain would intersect.
It wasn't... He was just out of range for a comfortable shot which was 800 yards and under, for my shootist. BUT we knew where he was, and where his bed would be for the rest of the day so we eased out, and waited till the afternoon came.
The location isn't your traditional thick cover wooded area like you would assume an Elk hunt might be in. This is wide, vast prairie, sometimes 3 or 4 miles of open visible terrain, where a hunter can easily be spotted by his quarry, and his hunt can become ended indefinitely.
Which is why we backed out. With tensions high, one last shot, literally, one last window of opportunity is all Darrel would get on this hunt. My goal was to make it count.
With Sunset approaching, and us closing in on the herds bedding area, we had one massive disadvantage, the sun that was directly in our face. It took us about 45 minutes to close a 1/2 mile to our FFP where I could get my trigger puller, proned out comfortably, let him get settled behind the H59 and do a few dry fires, before or IF the opportunity presented itself.
My Hunting partner and self appointed guide and I slowly belly crawled above our location, in attempt to nit pic the herd of 50, in attempt to located Captain. While Darrel still lay prone getting more and more familiarized with his final shooting position.
With luck in our favor we spotted our target before even having to ID him, due west 650 yards, an easy shot with my girl Norma, the "Elk Slayer", is the name she's earned.
As we backed out, discussing how we were going to get Darrel relocated into a comfortable hide up top of our spotting point. We were completely mind blown to see Captain Hook work his way to the South, South East, of where we initially located him. Moving directly in line of the proned out Darrel.
The stage seemed to be set, 750, 700, 650, then he disappeared behind 3 huge ash trees. With adrenaline rolling between the three of us, and the sun already set due to the river breaks to the South West of us, we had a 1/2 an hour max before we were done. Debating on whether or not to make a move, the decision was made to sit tight as the rest of the herd started to arouse and begin doing what they do, follow their pattern.
Within about 15 minutes of legal shooting light (1/2) an hour after sun set. Hook presented himself from the cover of the Ashes, at 600 yards, I made proper adjustments for my trigger puller from 3.5 to 3.1. My eyes were glued to the HDB3000's constantly hammering the range button. Then determining if I need to adjust my shooters dope. From 3.1 to 2.7 as he came 50 yards closer. Finally He stopped to rub and make his presence know while he Bugled for the last time, I also dialed for the last time, from 2.7 to 2.3.
And Darrel took his Trophy of a lifetime.
I guess you could say, Darrel "Peter Panned" his ass.
Hook river by James O'Neill, on Flickr
I've mentioned this before and I'll do so again, Fall, is one of my most favorite times, cool crisp air, the distinct smell, and feel of the seasonal changes.
The collage of colors the Switch, Big Blue, Little Blue, Indian, and Sand Grasses present on the rolling prairie, as the sunrise and sun set give them the distinct orange and maroon tint. It's more satisfying, and visually appealing than any picture that's ever been painted.
We watched over 20 bulls invariably bugle over and over, sounding like they were 50 yards away rather than 500 yards. Blending with shadows of the Yucca behind us, we watched in detail, and listened to the screams and glunks echo throughout the river basin. Like fingerprints, you could hear the distinct features each and every tone that each individual bull exhaled.
I went to bed this night, with the non stop bugles of the Prairie Elk bouncing back and forth in my brain, and for every bit a good reason.
Darrel, drew the once in a lifetime tag, with only a few days left in his season, we were able to get some time and pattern what the "hookster" was doing.
In my opinion, it's very important to not rush things, as much as one might feel the need to, with the anxiety and restlessness of your 18 years of applications coming to an end in less than day, I've seen people and heard of more do some pretty drastic things, than can not only ruin the hunt, but ruin the hunt for others as well.
Waking up well before the sunrise, in attempt to get somewhere between point A and B hoping and praying that point we committed to was well within the trajectory of where Captain would intersect.
It wasn't... He was just out of range for a comfortable shot which was 800 yards and under, for my shootist. BUT we knew where he was, and where his bed would be for the rest of the day so we eased out, and waited till the afternoon came.
The location isn't your traditional thick cover wooded area like you would assume an Elk hunt might be in. This is wide, vast prairie, sometimes 3 or 4 miles of open visible terrain, where a hunter can easily be spotted by his quarry, and his hunt can become ended indefinitely.
Which is why we backed out. With tensions high, one last shot, literally, one last window of opportunity is all Darrel would get on this hunt. My goal was to make it count.
With Sunset approaching, and us closing in on the herds bedding area, we had one massive disadvantage, the sun that was directly in our face. It took us about 45 minutes to close a 1/2 mile to our FFP where I could get my trigger puller, proned out comfortably, let him get settled behind the H59 and do a few dry fires, before or IF the opportunity presented itself.
My Hunting partner and self appointed guide and I slowly belly crawled above our location, in attempt to nit pic the herd of 50, in attempt to located Captain. While Darrel still lay prone getting more and more familiarized with his final shooting position.
With luck in our favor we spotted our target before even having to ID him, due west 650 yards, an easy shot with my girl Norma, the "Elk Slayer", is the name she's earned.
As we backed out, discussing how we were going to get Darrel relocated into a comfortable hide up top of our spotting point. We were completely mind blown to see Captain Hook work his way to the South, South East, of where we initially located him. Moving directly in line of the proned out Darrel.
The stage seemed to be set, 750, 700, 650, then he disappeared behind 3 huge ash trees. With adrenaline rolling between the three of us, and the sun already set due to the river breaks to the South West of us, we had a 1/2 an hour max before we were done. Debating on whether or not to make a move, the decision was made to sit tight as the rest of the herd started to arouse and begin doing what they do, follow their pattern.
Within about 15 minutes of legal shooting light (1/2) an hour after sun set. Hook presented himself from the cover of the Ashes, at 600 yards, I made proper adjustments for my trigger puller from 3.5 to 3.1. My eyes were glued to the HDB3000's constantly hammering the range button. Then determining if I need to adjust my shooters dope. From 3.1 to 2.7 as he came 50 yards closer. Finally He stopped to rub and make his presence know while he Bugled for the last time, I also dialed for the last time, from 2.7 to 2.3.
And Darrel took his Trophy of a lifetime.
I guess you could say, Darrel "Peter Panned" his ass.
Hook river by James O'Neill, on Flickr
