Montana Hunt 2011
Saturday, Oct 22

Page Three
First posted November 21, 2011 Last edited November 22, 2011

Craig's Story


(Larson photo)

Bill and I planned to set-up camp on Thursday (10/20/11), and scout the area all day Friday.  However, the Forest Service had other plans.  Unbeknownst to us, The Forest Service roads which lead into the cabin were closed to vehicle travel during elk season.   After much sweet talking, we finally got the necessary Forest Service permits, and on Friday, we were able to then access the road to the cabin.  When Bill and I arrived at the cabin, we set up camp, and the rest of the gang finally showed up. It took most of the day to set-up camp, which left only a few hours to figure out where we were going to hunt Saturday, opening day.

I pulled out the maps, and found spot north of camp, which looked like good habitat for elk:  an area with a creek bottom, but without roads.  Ted and I left camp, and scouted the area.  I liked what I saw, and planned to hunt there opening morning. 


This is a digital map, from the Internet
For a larger map, click here

An hour before sunrise, I hiked to the area; however, mother nature had other ideas and I had to take a dump.  Nothing like a good dump to begin the day!!! I arrived at the creek bottom just before sunrise. The creek-bottom opening was about 200 yards wide and 800 yards long. I set-up along edge of the trees, about half-way up the opening, and took some laser readings.  I had about a 420-yard shot to my left, at the upper end of the opening, and a 400-yard shot to my right, at the lower end. I sat at the spot for about an hour without seeing any hide or horns...Bummer!!!   I got up and began to pussy foot along the edge of the trees towards the upper part of the clearing, when I saw two hunters working their way across the upper part of the clearing (so much for being secluded).  I sat down and waited for 15 minutes to see if the other hunters would move anything out of the trees.  They didn't.  

At that point, I crossed the creek bottom (it is really a grassy bog), and got to the other side of the edge of the tree line.  I began to pussy foot towards the lower part of the clearing, when all of sudden, a bull elk came running out of trees and crossed the grassy bog, to my left at about 100 yards from me

I immediately sat down, put up my rifle and fired a shot.   The bull doesn't stop.  I jacked in another round, and fired.  The bull still was running, so I jacked in another round, and fired.  After that shot, the bull was now at the tree line at the right edge of the clearing.  He stopped in the trees, and it looked like his was hit. I tried to jack in another round, but the gun jammed!  I got the jam cleared, and saw that the bull just stood in the trees about 200 yards away.  As I reloaded the gun, it looked like the bull went down.  I walked towards him always keeping my eyes on him.  About halfway across the bog, I fell into a waterhole because I was watching the bull and not where I was walking.  I got out of the waterhole, and continued towards the bull, which I saw standing.  I got about 50 yards from the bull, and he began to slowly walk away from me!  I took a Texas-heart shot.  He wobbled and turned broadside.  I jacked in another round, aimed for his front shoulder and let one fly, and this time he went down.  I walked up to him and saw he was still breathing.  I put a shot in his neck and that did the trick. 


(Wyosnick photo)

I noticed the bull was 6 x 1: he had broken off his main beam above the first point on one side.   And his body was huge when compared to the blacktail deer. I was going to quarter him by myself, but figured it would be easier with some help. I put two white deer bags on his body and marked the spot with my gps, so it would be easy to find him, but that's another story!

As I walked back to my truck, I was thinking how happy I was that I got a bull, even though he had broken off his main beam (I had low expectations on this trip). However, this was ugliest kill in my life, but at least I kept the Wyosnick tradition going!!!

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Now, others (envious that they did not bring down a bull on opening day, even it if took 6 shots) offer their support and congratulations to Craig:

Bill: Yeah.  With all that shooting, you'd think he'd hit it at least once!

Craig replies: Bill, it's no fun with one shot kills, I like to fling lead because it adds additional excitement to the kill. Bill and I disagree with how many shots hit the elk. I say I hit it four times with the last three shots hitting the bull. I will let him explain his bogus theory.

BILL: We found three holes: one in the butt, one in the flank, and the coup de grace in the neck.  What more need I say?

Larson: Craig, this is photograph of your Wyosnick Heart Shot:

Ted: Yup, not every hunter can just scare them to death...(most don't carry enough ammo).

David: The bull was suffering more from hearing loss than blood loss, it would appear.

Paul's impression of the hunt:

I wonder what was going through the elk's mind after you were walking up to him:  "I know what you're thinking.  Did you fire six shots or only five?  Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself.  But being as this rack on my head is one of the largest in North American, and would rip a hole clean through your flabby chest and weak heart, you've got to ask yourself one question:  Do I feel lucky?  Well, do ya, punk?"

Craig replies: Paul, the horn was broken off during the rut.

( And, unfortunately, we can corroborate that: the antler was broken off quite a while ago, according to the wear on the stump. david)

Next: Finding Craig's elk

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Back to 2011 Page One: Introduction           Back to 2011 Page Two: Opening Day
          Back to 2011 Page Three: Craig's Elk           Back to 2100 Page Four: Finding Craig's Elk
         Back to 2100 Page Five: Day Two: David's Meadows