I just got back from Spike season here in Eastern Oregon, and luckily I was successful this year (the only one in my party even).
This hunt generally sucks. The weather is usually horrible, and the elk at this point have been hunted for at least 4 previous rifle seasons, so they are really scattered and very jumpy. This season you don't have to draw tags for, and can just buy them over the counter - so since I did not draw tags this year for my hunting area we opted to try the over the counter spike hunt later in the season.
The weather was unually good for November where we hunt. There is usually a foot or two of snow on the ground by this time where we hunt, but there was just a few inches, though it was bitter cold.
We had not seen nothing until Thursday morning, when I got this spike. No real fresh tracks, or any recent sign until then either. We knew they were going up to the top of the mountain to feed at night, but left the area early in the morning. Thursday, after 5 days of no luck, we decide to hike out in the darkness before dawn, to see if we could jump them leaving the area into some really nasty country, all of which is wilderness area, so no vehicles or anything to help you pack it out of the nasty drainage if you drop one way down there.
Right when it was just light enough to start seeing anything, I saw what I thought to be an elk on a sidehill next to me - which was confirmed when that cow turned her head. I then look downhill, to see about 50 or so elk moving their way up the hill, presumably to head for the wilderness area over the ridge. Mostly I see cows and big bulls - 4 points on up, but there was this little spike just standing there eating.
I shot at him once, and he just stood there, so I hit him with a follow up shot and he thankfully dropped that time where he stood, saving me the trouble of finding his blood trail to who knows where.
Anyways, here are the photos -
In case anyone was wondering, I was using a Savage Model 10 Precision Carbine in .308, with a Leupold Mk.4 LR/T 4.5-14x50mm scope, shooting Federal 180g Trophy Bonded Tip bullets. It was a balmy 6 degrees up there, perfect for the elk but I wasnt quite comforable up there when taking the pic, at that point I just wanted it cleaned and skinned, and off of that hillside.
The head back at camp -
And here is a pic of the drainage where they usually hang out in the wilderness area, standing right where the elk kill was. About 8,000ft elevation according to the GPS.
It is nice to have an elk in the freezer, that is for sure. I would have preferred a first or second season bull tag to be able to shoot one of the big monsters I saw (one was a 6x6 that would not only be awesome for jerky, but awesome to have mounted in the living room as well). Maybe next year, since I now have 3 preference points for drawing one of the earlier bull seasons.
Enjoy the pics.
November 15th 2009 7:01 AM
Congrats on a good hunt! Great pics.too.
