I just shot my first bull of my life yesterday!
No not a monster 6x6 but a nice bull at that, after several scouting trips and not even seeing an elk I was tickled with him! I shot him about 2 1/2 miles from the trail head in some very rugged country in the badlands of western ND.
My 16 yr old son and I had never packed one of these big critters out on our backs and it was very, very tuff because of the shear steepness of the land we had to get out of.
My son probably weighs 160 and he put a whole hind quarter and both backs straps on his pack frame and got it out.
I only did one hind quarter and my rifle.
It was hell and the temp was in the 80's by our second trip in.
I wish I would have read all these other great posts before I went out, such great info!
All I can say is if you can swing it get yourself a pack horse or mule, boy I wish we would have had one let me tell you and take lots of water! I took a big spotting scope and tripod, NEVER again! A big jug of water is a must I think, or at least we sure could have used one because our water went quick.
This elk draw is a once in a lifetime hunt here as a resident of ND, I think it's because most die from exhaustion!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

And thanks to the folks here that gave me all the advice on bullets, I ended up loading my 7 mm STW with 140 gr. barnes X. Hit him in the shoulder at 290 yards and he didn't go very far let me tell you!

Thanks again

gb

Here he is, you can see the small entry hole in the shoulder if you look, but under that hide it wiped him out darn good.

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Here's a view of the country we took him out of, up and down and up and down!!

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There is room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed potatoes!