A Montana Outdoor Radio Show listener recently sent us a great “first elk” story featuring a younf hunter named Ben.
My name is Ben, I am 14 yr old, this is my first elk.
Dad and I hiked into an area we had scouted earlier and had good elk sign, but I was focused on filling my special Mule deer tag at that time.
With my deer tag filled we made the two mile hike into our area. Winded from the uphill climb we split up each circling around opposite sides of a open ridge. Upon facing the ridge across the steep valley, I stopped behind some brush to glass. To my suprise there was an elk looking at me from the trees on the opposite ridge. I was unsure of the distance so I waited behind my scope.. my dad circled from the other side of the ridge, the elk spotted him and disappeared into the timber. We met up and made our way another mile into the drainage wondering if my opportunity had passed.
After glassing a while, we heard a cow call and made our way to higher ground. Across the next drainage we spotted a heard of elk making there way to bed, most were in heavy timber, but one was feeding in a small clearing 200 feet in elevation below us. My dad ranged her at 225 yards, I shot her with my 30 06. Awesome.. we made our way to her, took pics, and thanked the Lord for the hunt. Dad dressed and quartered her out, we thought we only have two miles to go, then we remembered we had gone another mile and lost elevation. We called my brothers and a friend, they left school a little early and helped us pack her out just one more mile.
