Sit right down and let me tell you a tale, it all started about a month ago with a simple letter in the mail. The letter was from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, It was good news. Apparently my name had been drawn to participate in a late season hunt for antlerless elk, since I had not filled my elk tag this year (again) I was allowed to purchase a second tag. So with much optimism I purchased a second tag thinking of all the endless recipe ideas for unfilled elk tags (I have become a culinary master at this) .

Finally the long awaited weekend arrived and myself and a fellow arfcomer Country (who also happens to be my best friend and Son in-law) set out for the hills. We spent Saturday driving around and glassing the hills looking for any sign of elk activity with no luck until late that afternoon.  With the day coming to a close, we decided to return early the next morning and hike into the area.

It was a restless night, thinking of how we could approach the area with the least amount of exposure and easiest route of travel (none of which was easy). Morning came way to soon and we set off again for the hills. We ended up parking about three miles from our target area and started the hike in, it seemed like we had been walking forever and the wind was howling all around us and time seemed to slip away. We checked the time and we had been hiking for four hours and had only seen elk sign from the day before.

At this point I had pretty much given up on filling one tag let alone two, we decided that we better head back to the truck so that we could make it out before sunset. We had made it about halfway back to the truck and were walking a side hill just above a huge iced over snow drift, directly across from a small patch of timber on the far side of the drainage. We stopped for a second to rest and Country looked back at the hillside that we had just come down (approximately 1200 yds away).

 I think he said something to the effect of "you must be efin kidding me" as he motioned to the clearing that we had come thru 30 minutes ago. There in the clearing were about 75 head of elk that had come out of an adjacent drainage and were working their way towards the timber directly across from us. After glassing them we confirmed they were all cows and calf's, was God playing some sort of cruel joke on me I don't know.

 We waited until they disappeared into the timber across from us and I looked at the drift below us and I looked at him and said wanna go for a slide. Like a scene from some movie we went sliding down this iced over drift on our asses guns held high (did I mention that it was close to 200 yds to the bottom ). When we got to the bottom I went straight up and into the timber hoping I could cut them off, Country took off to the right and was hoping to get behind them and push them to me.

As I worked my way into the timber I went on stealth mode, slow and quiet like a wolf on the prowl for his prey, ever alert to every noise and movement. I could see Country off to my right every now and then and at one point he motioned that they were above and to the right of me. I changed course to intercept them and as I was coming to the far side of the timber and it started to open up I spotted their legs about 200 yards to my right. I was at a spot that had a clear field of view directly ahead of me so I hunkered down and set my pack as a rest just waiting for them to appear. It seemed like I lied there forever waiting but I could see them coming closer every second.

Finally the moment I had been waiting for was here, the lead cow came into view directly ahead of me about 100 yards away, I took a deep breath, steadied myself and acquired a good bead on her "BANG" the shot hit perfectly,and she staggered off about fifteen yards before hitting the dirt. I immediately shifted my sights back to the herd looking for another one to come into view. They had bunched up tight aware of the danger and had moved off about 50 yards. Finally a calf came into the open, I settled the cross-hairs on her and pulled the trigger, I heard the impact of the bullet and knew I had a hit. In my excitement over the cow I must have pulled my shot because she staggered a bit and hobbled off down the hillside. Knowing that chasing a wounded animal is only going to prolong the chase, I noted her direction and settled to the job of tending to the cow.

And this is where it gets good, I was just finishing dressing the cow and a gentleman pulls up on a 4 wheeler and offers to pull the cow out for us and tells us that the calf is down in some aspens about three hundred yards away.  We get the cow tied to his rig and of he goes,and we go after the calf. As we approach the calf it manages to get up and tries to walk off, I asked country to use his AR15 and at about 20 yards boom head shot and the calf is down. Shortly after I have the calf dressed out here comes Fish and Game on a 4 wheeler and offers to haul the calf out AND give us a ride back to the truck. Now that my friends is a happy ending.

The Cow



The Calf




And now without any more rambling, here's the food,beverages,napkins, guns and knives.

Getting it all ready for the heat. Calf loin steaks seasoned with Dillo Dust overnight, angel hair pasta, french cut beans and a Shiner Bock.



Table's set,
Winchester model 670A 30-06, Pentax 6.5-20 x 50 Winchester supreme elite XP3 168gr
Springfield 1911-A1 230gr JHP's
Knives and saw used for dressing (still dirty)



Meats on.



Almost done



Dinners served with a side salad.



A closer look




Seems my Pack Dillo has some ideas on my meal, sorry buddy this is for the ALPHA male, you kill your own

I didn't have the patience to read it all, but you get a big 10!

you know the rules.....





You kill it and you grill it....



AUTOMATIC  10/10





and nicely done

http://stores.lulu.com/montanaseries

10/10

Nice! killed it, and grilled it.
11/10
+ 10 for the Pack Larue dillo ( I own #147 ) =
21/10

10/10  

Great job.....10/10.....!!!

10/10

+1 for Shiner

11/10

9/10
If you had a shot o whiskey instead of the side salad, it would have been 10/10

Good sir...I was NOT informed what time supper would be ready ;)

Nice!  Great story.  10/10!

Kill it and grill it auto 10.





needs better pics next time.

10/10 but texas beer?

I had to try it, I finally found it at Albertsons today pretty good stuff. I usually go with the stuff from Belt, it's only a twenty minute drive.

Nice ending...I never give a 10...never have...I wasn't there so 9.996

Damn that looks good...

I posted the link because your subject line reminded me of the series.  I actually thought it was what you meant until I clicked.

Cool story, and good looking food too!!!!

Winner, winner, big elk dinner!  The stars must have lined up for you.




...may want to buy a lottery ticket soon.....

Funny thing you mentioned that, I won the football pool at work on Sunday as well.

10/10 nobody does it this good.......

10/10

Well done.

Us Montanans sure know how to do it right!

Excellent story! That is some good lookin food too

10/10


Like I've said before, I've gotta get the hell out of Florida

There's an Air Force Base In Great Falls.

9.5 because I can't believe anyone still uses those damn knuckle busting T handled saws.  I know you're in Montana but get yourself a Wyoming Saw & save your hands when you open up your next elk.

+.5 because I have a skinning knife just like one of those.

Total adjusted score:  10/10

Great write-up & nice pics.  Well done!

You won all the Texans over with the Shiner.


100/10

10/10

1,000,000 / 10

I loved you in Brokeback Mountain!

Obvious 11/10 is obvious!

Meat should be on the near side of the plate IMHO, but there's so much win abounding, it's rather inconsequential. Congrats!

10

Great story, thanks.

Fucking A.

10/10

Good story. Looks good. 10/10.

No jobs for me at Malmstron AFB NM looks promising though

Now THAT is how you do a Dinner pic, Well done Sir 10/10!

11!

Kill'd it and Grill'd it + TEXAS beer = 11 everytime!


Good story too.

That's unfortunate having lived in New Mexico Montana's a nicer place except for the weather in winter.

Excellent! 10/10  

Elk meat is so damn tastey. Good job.

9.9/10 because nobody gets a ten.

  Elk is the best!

You did Montana proud!



The Ol' Crew Chief

10/10 for sure! Sounds like a great time.

Shouldn't your trim the silverskin off?   Looks good though.

10/10 because of the u-kill-it rule.  I was tempted to deduct points for overcooked green beans but I am willing to let that slide.  

0/10

Cuz I fuckin' hate you, and I'm extremely jealous.



10/10 easy. Looks great and there's a story to go with it.

9.9/10

-0.1 for the guns not properly laying on the table. The handgun is laying for a lefty to pick up, but he'd have to reach across the plate.

Excellent. 10/10