Monthly Archives: December 2014

Archery for Roosevelt Elk Hunt in Southwest Washington

Willapa Hills

 

Five days on a late archery elk hunt in southwest Washington with Mike Jenkin’s Upfront Outfitters. This was a wet and challenging hunt. I didn’t end up taking one but had a great time trying. We alternated spot in stalk in lush mossy fern carpeted rain forest and then hiking and even mountain biking logging roads into timber land. Old growth, new reprod and clear cuts.  On Wednesday, in the middle of the hunt, while hiking through a dense forest I was thinking it would be crazy to find an elk in here.  An instant later Mike whispers to get down, there’s an elk across a stream in the distance. That was probably the most exciting  moment. We tried to move tree to tree and gain the edge of the stream for a 40 yard shot but the cow busted us at 60. We did see elk in the distance several times later days hunting the timber land, never able to get close. Several stands were sat that looked very promising and we were seldom hiking without seeing lots of sign, fresh droppings, rubs, and beds. The week proved a much needed workout and if I ever do take a Roosevelt elk with my bow it will be that much sweeter. The hunt has me considering the benefits of doing a little mountain biking in the off season.

Pics on flickr

Mountain Biking on Elk Hunt

First long shot with Custom ADL

After the mandatory 60 day drying period of my huge August bow blacktail buck we called ‘The Lightning Four’, I made the trip to Redding, CA to have Steve Boero score several bucks for both Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett. Steve is part owner of the local JS Ranch so we arranged a pig hunt the night before. My guide Eric Gould ( also my excellent taxidermist ) took me out in search of a pig that evening.

I was hunting with my Custom Remington rifle, created out of my first hunting rifle, a bargain basement ADL, now with fully customized pacnor barrel, jewel trigger, glass bedded in a bell & carlson stock, and Roguard and NP3 coatings, to make it my CA go to rifle. Topped with a Leupold VX3 4.5-14 scope and their excellent Compensation Drop System (CDS) it is tuned to my hand load of 140gr Nosler Accubonds in .270 Winchester.

As the sun set, pigs started to make their appearance. We settled on a group that was mingling with some cattle and I set up for a long shot with Eric as spotter. We picked a boar that finally settled broadside, Eric gave me the range as 376 yards. Adjusted my turret, settled in, safety off, and touched off the shot. The sound of the bullet whistles as it traces the distance and we hear it hit. Eric confirms the boar is down.

The CDS system has proved to be so accurate across several of my rifles and gives you the confidence that you can make longer shots both effectively and ethically.

376 yard shot on wild boar