Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Montana Youth Hunt 2023 - Backpacking Trip

Day 4 - Restraint

Our general season strategy was much different than the deer hunt. We wanted to get on a high knob and let the hordes push elk around till we figured what was going on. Travis made it to camp early and we hit our favorite glassing knob right at daylight.



It didn't take long to find a few deer, a few other hunters and eventually a small herd of elk feeding uphill close to 1000 yards away. We could make out about 5 or 6 critters with at least one brow tined bull in the herd. Hoping they would keep moving uphill and bed in an area we were familiar with we were focused on them pretty intently.

"Boom" a shot rang out and the heard bunched up. "Boom" a second shot cracked and the whole mob, now at least fifteen strong took of post haste in the wrong direction.

Damn.

We kept glassing and kept listening to periodic shots throughout the morning. Trevin counted close to 15 before I happened to look 3 miles to the north and spotted a herd, about 50 strong, moving through some meadows on some private land. They were spread out and moving uphill into some regen timber. We studied our maps and it didn't take us long to figure out that most of the herd was preparing to bed in a thick ravine on public ground. Better yet, we could get to within a mile of them from out vehicles if we packed out and headed that way. We watched till they all moved into the timber and out of site and headed back to break camp.



To get to camp we had to pass Addie's deer carcass. When we got close there was a pretty red fox getting some breakfast. Predator hunting was probably my first love and I am a fur guy at heart. Knowing what the 140 accubond would do to the pelt had me hesitant to give the green light even though I could tell Trevin wanted him badly. I relented and told him if he could wait for a full broadside and stay off the shoulders he could take it.



It did and he did. He was a pretty happy predator hunter.



The damage was significant but was contained closer to the belly. I have a fair amount of experience with needle and thread and sewn properly will make a great wallhanger after tanning.  



We broke camp quickly and beat feet out of the hills.




We made it to where we believed the elk would be drifting back through for the evening and began a couple hour wait till the "Magic Hour". Young hunters whittle, fidget and castigate their fathers for forgetting snacks in the truck.



Old elk hunters nap while their buddies keep glassing



Before long we had an elk come over a ridge about 425 yards away but on the private side. It was a lone cow and seemed to be simply shifting beds. We waited some more and eventually chose different spots to watch to up our odds. The regen timber we could see elk in from 3 miles away was very difficult to see into from 200 yards away due to the lack of elevation advantage. We had enough small openings that we figured at least one of the fifty would make a mistake. Trevin could shoot cows or brow-tined bulls. Travis and I were limited to brow-tined bulls. Muleys and whitetails were both fair game. The only thing safe on the mountain was spike elk.

I eventually spotted a pretty little 4x4 whitetail about 350 yards away on the private side. Within a few minutes his travelling partner appeared and drifted onto the public side. He was a little heavier horned 4x4 but right up against the timber. It was getting dark and Trevin had never shot past 300. He told me he really wanted to shoot those bucks but I told him to hold fire. There were still elk around but mostly I didn't want a rodeo in the dark looking for a deer in steep and unfamiliar country. He understood but still wanted to take the buck.

I stepped to the side to see if I could find a better angle to glass for game. I hadn't left Trevin's side for more than a minute or two when I hear, "Dad! Elk! Right there!!!". Sure enough, 189 yards away and staring straight at us was a big-bodied elk with the darkest mane I had ever seen contrasting against his buckskin body. I threw up my binos and was heart broke when I saw he was a spike. Well, kind of a spike...hang on...he has brow tines!

He was staring straight at us so there was no way to judge the length. Montana requires a 4" tine on at least one side to be legal. He finally turned and I could see his tines and I could not for the life of me get comfortable that they were over 4". Trevin was rock solid on a rest and he had been shooting well last season and this season both. Inside 200 yards I was 100% positive that if I gave the green light he would put a 140 Accubond in the bull's chest. Unfortunately, I was only 92% sure they were about 4". If we pulled up on a dead elk with 3.5" brow tines I would have failed my son. I did not want my 12 years old's first elk to need a call to MT FWP and a trip to turn ourselves in to the nearest game warden. Could we have got away with it if it came up short? Absolutely. Did I want Trevin to have an asterisk by his first bull. Absolutely not.



The bull is visible in the picture above, but you have to kinda know what you are looking at.