Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Diane bags her first elk

An old high school friend of mine named Tom O. has a very enterprising 19 year old daughter who loves to hunt. She will even go on solo hunts into the extremely rugged Crazy mountains to hunt mule deer. When the deer are bagged, she drags them out all by herself--a real feat for a 19 year old gal.

Recently, Diane told me that she really wanted to bag her very first elk. After thinking about this, i decided to call one of my former construction co-workers, Chylo L. Chylo is in great condition, and is also a very skilled individual--no matter what the task. I gave him a call, asking him if he would help Diane bag her first elk, and the reply was a resounding yes! We decided they would hunt the rugged forest land behind our piece of property that sits just below the Wedge in the Madison range.

Leaving at around 3 am, they hiked in approximately 4 1/2 miles, with about 3500 foot elevation gain over the distance, over some steep, rough terrain. A number of wolves were seen during the trek in (i've seen them in that country quite often), and Diane thought that seeing the wolves was a real bonus.

Adventuresome hunters....



Here is a shot of the country they were hiking into--for the chance to bag her first elk:








Several hours into the hunt, they came upon a few elk comfortably bedded down. While watching the bull through her scope, he suddenly stood up--offering a textbook, perfectly broadside shot. Her 30/06 crashed and the bull crumpled--finished. The shot was about 125 yards...





Here is a photo of a very happy hunter and her first elk:







The hunting adventure lasted late into the night, as the bull came out the hard way--by backpacking out over steep terrain to the sled down below. Real determination here.

Chylo and Diane went back the next day, taking Chylo's brother Caleb, and another friend, to finish packing out the critter...

Chylo and his two brothers are headed back into this country in a few days to hopefully bag another elk--and if so, for another "suffer-fest"...

Meanwhile, Diane is headed to Tennessee for some serious balboa dancing.

It's great to see young folks hunting, and when it's going after them the hard way--on foot--far up into lung searing, primitive/pristine country, it's mighty fine medicine indeed....