Saw my first elk yesterday!

bhayes420

Was out with the family in the "Land Between the Lakes" area of KY, in their Bison and Elk prairie, an elk restortation project. Pulled around the corner and 2 HUGE cows were standing in the tall grass about 35 yards off the road munching on some clover. "HUGE" is a relative term, but compared to deer, they were some big animals! Wife and kids, along with I, had a blast sitting there watching 'em. BEAUTIFUL! This year will mark the 2nd year of KY's elk season. I believe only 10 hunters are drawn, but I would love to be one of 'em.

bullelk

bhayes,
How is the herd doing down there? Keep trying for a permit, they are an excellent game animal and good eating too.
Even if you don't get picked for a permit, get an Elk call and learn how to call, then go out next fall and try calling them. Check your laws on that first.
Their is nothing like hearing a bull elk call in the wild, especially if they are answering you.
About the size of them, I shot a bull a number of years ago, and got 410 pounds of boned out meat from him. He also had a hell of a rack.

Gino

"If All Else Fails, Read The Directions"



Edited by - bullelk on 05/28/2002 15:48:57

bhayes420

I applied for a permit this year. Only $10 to apply. Like I said previously, they only draw 10 hunters. 5 bull and 5 cow permits. Then I "think" they auction one permit off and give one other to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for their use. Might be wrong on that though. Number of hunters will go up as the herd increases. So far so good with the elk restoration though. Last counts that I read had it increasing at a good rate. Beautiful animals!

barto

oregon state has an elk viewing area set up about 25 miles north of here where one can typically view 40 - 50 elk at a time.
VERY impressive animals.
a helluvalot more impressive if you have to load one in the back of your pickemup truck.
gives a whole new meaning to the words"dead meat".LOL
barto

the hard stuff we do right away - the impossible takes a little longer

4wheeler

I envy all of you,I have never seen an elk in the wild.

"It was like that when I got here".

DarkStar11

I saw many in the wild in Montana and Wyoming. Last year was the first tme I ever saw one in the wild in Pennsylvania. It was really amazing, even after seeing much larger animals out west. After the initial state of wonderment wore off, I thought "Dang, I wouldn't want to try to drag that outta here!"

DarkStar11
"...But Mona Lisa musta had the highway bluesYou can tell by the way she smiles..."

Shootist3006

BHayes, it has been many a year since thewre were any elk in KY. Glad to hear that the restoration project is going so well.

A few years ago I was in New Mexico (up near Angle Fire outside of Taos) and saw a lot of elk feeding in a mouintainside meadow. Mentioned it to a local at a fishing tackle store and he told me that this time of year (it was late spring) they feed there every afternoon. Next day I took a camera and went up to the meadow in mid-morning. Sat down under one of the few trees (and promptly fell asleep). I was awakened by a snorting noise and looked up to see about 200 elk feeding in the meadow. They were all around, keeping about a 50 yard distance from my 'sleeping' tree.

WOW, I will never forget that afternoon. Next day I left the camera in the back window of the car in the direct sunlight. Durn near melted the camera and ruined the film



Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis

ref44

I moved to SW Colorado two years ago after 58 years in Texas, 33 of which were in Houston. Coming across a herd of 50-75 elk here is a beautiful sight indeed. They seem to know when hunting seasons begins and ends; I know that from two hunting seasons without even seeing one. But the last two years have been very dry with no early cold or snow, and this year promises the same.

muley

I didn't realize how big they get until I killed a 5 point about three miles from the road. We were hunting near Mesa, Col. My partner and I had to bone him out and carry him out by taking our long johns off,tying the feet together and filling them with meat. It took several trips and all day and into the night. A word of caution, though. When you throw the white long johns full of meat on your shoulders you can be mistaken for an elks butt. My partner was. Luckily the kid missed.

**I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning**

bullelk

4wheeler,
Where are you located?

Gino

COONASS

I'm like you 4wheeler...I never saw one in the wild either.....One day they may migrate to south louisiana.........

coonass

We Live in a World of Give And Take, But A Lot Of People Won't Give What it Takes.

4wheeler

BULLELK----i live in southwest virginia. I could drive to the smokies and see elk about a 4 hour drive for me. Where in Ky. are the elk located. My problem is taking the time to drive to see them,seems like I am always busy doing something else.

"It was like that when I got here".

bhayes420

4wheeler, the elk in KY we saw were in the western side of the state in the "Land Between the Lakes" area. You can do a search for that, and get to their web site. Can't remember the URL off the top of my head. There is also a free range herd in the eastern part of the state.

idsman75

I am currently GREEN with envy! I'll never forget the first time I saw wild turky for the first time (not the alcoholic beverage). I was pulling onto Ft. Drum, NY for the first time and I had to stop and let a family of them cross the road. It was such a beautiful sight. I miss driving down the road in NY and seeing turkey just a few hundred yards away. Sure wish I could catch a glimpse of one of them elk. You lucky dog.

SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY