Hunting & Fishing First Gradous Kill !!!

[Painless300]

Just got back from my first 6 day Elk Hunt in the Thoroughfare out of Cody WY. Packed in with Jeff Kruger from Wyoming Expeditions and Ill have to say Jeff runs a very professional camp. The food was excellent, the guides were extremely knowledgable, and the Wranglers were top notch. This hunt is not for the meek, I trained for 4 months before the trip and those 10,000 ft mountains will kick your tail! This was the first Rifle hunt and the temps were very mild, 40 in the mornings and 78 in the afternoon. Unfortunately we had a pack of Wolves in the area and it made hunting a little more difficult but 10 of the 12 Hunters in camp killed.

I had practiced relentlessly out to 500 yards of my pack, bipod, tree limbs and of hand to get ready for this trip, fortunately I had a great Guide and he pulled this elk in at 120 yards.
I was shooting 210 Berger Hunting VLD out of the Gradous 300 WM and they performed flawlessly, I shot him 3 times but he was DRT after the first shoot, he just didn't know it. I will be using the Bergers on my next Elk hunt!

I want to thank Robert Gradous for building me the perfect Elk rig, I would recommend him to anyone wanting a hunting rifle all the way up to a benchrest rifle, in my opinion he is the best smith in the US.

My Elk is not the biggest 6x6 but he was a great Bull for the area I was hunting, he scored 300" by my Taxidermist.

Here is some pics.

Camera Date was off, actually killed him 9-23-2014

Me and me Hunting buddy

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Cinch]

Very nice! Congratulations...

 

[Papagallos]

It's obvious that you had a very rewarding hunt. Congratulations!!!!

What are the specs of the rifle?

 

[Painless300]

It's obvious that you had a very rewarding hunt. Congratulations!!!!

What are the specs of the rifle?

Stiller Predator Action
Bartlien #3 1-10
Mcmillian hunter with Edge
Jewel Trigger
Remington box Spring Trap Door
Swaro Z6 BT
FDE Cerekote on all metal

 

[hillbillybear]

Congratulations on a great hunt.

 

[avluey]

Great bull and congrats! Is wolf open in that part of the state and if so did you get a tag just in case?

 

[Painless300]

Great bull and congrats! Is wolf open in that part of the state and if so did you get a tag just in case?

It was open the week before I got there and they gave out only 7 tags so I was unable to get one, however while I was there we were notified that the tags had been resended.
The Wolves in Yellowstone are a real disturbance for the guys guiding to making a living, the outfitters and cattle owners absolutely hate them. Everyone in the camp say the Elk population is dwindling in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas directly because of the Wolves.
I dont presume to know everything about Predator Prey symbiosis but I can only tell you the hunting was slow because most of the Elk were timbered up, they would bugle but did not stay in the meadows long.

 

[msalm]

Very nice, well thought out package for an all-around rifle for that type of hunting IMO. And a very nice bull too!

 

[Oregonmuley]

Congrats - really a nice looking bull. Appears the rifle has good hunting Mojo as well.

 

[FN in MT]

Congrats on a nice bull. In my opinion...ANY elk, taken fair chase is a trophy. They can be really tough at times.

I used to hunt an area in Western MT near the ID border that was thick with elk and some tremendous whitetail bucks.

Within 10 years of the wolf reintroduction they migrated to the area. Now it doesn't produce 30% of what it once did. The elk seldom bugle as that alerts the wolves.

Used to see herds in the Ranchers hayfields at dawn and dusk. Now the mere sight of an elk is cause for coffee shop talk.

Sad situation the way the wolves were shoved down our throats out here. Few wanted them, but the USF&WS did it anyway.

 

[eightyeight mag]

Nice Bull!! Congrats

 

[Painless300]

Congrats on a nice bull. In my opinion...ANY elk, taken fair chase is a trophy. They can be really tough at times.

I used to hunt an area in Western MT near the ID border that was thick with elk and some tremendous whitetail bucks.

Within 10 years of the wolf reintroduction they migrated to the area. Now it doesn't produce 30% of what it once did. The elk seldom bugle as that alerts the wolves.

Used to see herds in the Ranchers hayfields at dawn and dusk. Now the mere sight of an elk is cause for coffee shop talk.

Sad situation the way the wolves were shoved down our throats out here. Few wanted them, but the USF&WS did it anyway.

That sounds exactly like what we experienced, Jeff Kruger has had this camp since 2007 and he speaks of 2007-2010 as the good old days where they had 100% kill ratio without having to try real hard, the only reason someone didn't kill is they were just being extremely picky.
From talk around the camp fire, sounds like most ranchers, outfitters and guides has the don't ask, don't tell philosophy about any wolves that come to close.

This was my first Elk hunt and I felt very lucky to be able to take this Bull my first time out, although they make you work for every pound of meat in the freezer!!

Thanks for the kind comments guys.

 

[avluey]

Yes - have heard the 'shoot, shovel, shut-up' is popular in Wyoming.

 

[Bob L Swagger]

Great job brother!! Congratulations!

 

[Engine 22]

Great bull! This year was my first elk hunt as well, unfortunately I came home empty handed. I learned I'm not a muzzleloader guy….
Congrats Painless!

avluey-

 

[evilcoon]

Wow that looked exciting! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Swatman05]

Do you know if the wolves have become a real problem in Montana? I was planning on going next year to Hunting District 310 which is in SW Montana in Gallatin County.

 

[Painless300]

Do you know if the wolves have become a real problem in Montana? I was planning on going next year to Hunting District 310 which is in SW Montana in Gallatin County.

I really am not sure, the wolves were introduced into Yellowstone in 1995 and have done extremely well and continue to expand out side the park boundaries. I was hunting literally on the park boarder so they are probably a bigger factor in that area.

 

[alaska guide]

great bull, great rifle, great job.....your blessed....alaska guide

 

[Elite_KG]

Painless,
I went on a non-guided trio with my dad in Colorado when I was 14. We were fortunate and shot an old 5x5. It was the best trio and the most memorable time with my dad. I've been wanting to go back, but I don't know any people here that still go.
I would live to go again. Do you go a lot?
Shoot me a PM b/c I would like to know how you planned and prepped for the hunt. I've been thinking about going the last year or two even if I go alone (to meet a guide or contact there).
Nice kill. Any 6x6 is a good elk.