Hunter and I drew cow elk tags for one of the Ranching for Wildlife hunts this year. This one has a very flexible season which was important because she is in the National Guard and ended up having drill the entire week that we had planned on going so we moved our time. Anyway, I booked us a cabin in Steamboat Springs. We got up there on Saturday afternoon and checked in. Sunday morning we got up and got on the road to the property. It was only 45 miles and I planned on a hour drive. It ended up taking us a bit longer but no big deal. We checked in and met our guide. We grabbed our stuff and hopped in his Ranger. Doing 30mph in an open vehicle with no heat when it's 20 degrees will wake you up! We got to a spot where our guide had seen elk the evening before. We parked the Ranger and started walking. I told him that I wanted Hunter to get the first shot. I have killed a lot of elk and her only one.

Before long the guide spotted some elk. We waited for them to move behind a knoll and we moved up. Finally Hunter set up for a shot while I hung back a little. The elk was 330 yards away. She fired and I heard the hit. The guide motioned for me to move up. By the time I got there I didn't have a clear shot. All of the elk, including Hunter's moved to the right. The guide said that Hunter's shot hit a little low. We moved around to intercept the elk. We got in position and found them. We couldn't spot the wounded one. A calf stepped out about 200 yards out and I shot. I stood there and started walking to the left. I told the guide that there was no way I missed that shot and he assured me that I hit. I fired again and it took a few steps and fell over. Now we finally spotted the wounded elk, still on her feet. Hunter shot and missed. By now the elk was close to 400 yards out which is further than Hunter was comfortable with her '06. She turned broadside and I shot. We heard the hit. She started walking to the right. I dug a round out of my pocket, shoved it in my rifle and fired. Clean miss. I dug another one out, loaded the rifle, and fired. We heard the hit and she finally went down. Two cows down by 0800. We went to Hunter's elk first which was the furthest. The guide got on his radio and called in some help then we took a few pictures and quartered it. The guide and I grabbed a hind quarter each while Hunter took the guns and pack and we headed down to my calf. When we got to it we found two bullet holes about 3 inches apart right through the ribs. It was dead after the first shot, it just didn't know it. We took the pictures and quartered it. In the mean time 3 other guys from the ranch showed up. They all grabbed everything from both elk and packed it out. Hunter and I were back at our room by 1300 with pizza. It was kind of a neat experience but I don't know that I'd do it again until I get too old to do it myself.

We recovered one of my bullets in Hunter's elk.

Congrat's to both of you. Well done and good shooting.   ........Paul H

Couldn`t  ask for better bullet performance.

  Nice going guys !!

I love stories with happy endings!:jumpingsmiley: