Shiloh Rifle Forums

Stephen posted this for me since I'm still out hunting

Great bull Orville!

My CONGRATS to you!!

Outstanding Orville!

What a great bull. What rifle (50 2 1/2?, 44 2 1/4?, 45 2 7/8?) load?

Yeah, buddy!! Way to go Orville. Shoot straight, rdnck.

Congrats Orville, that looks like a really nice bull. The 50 or the 44-77 ? That one will feed you and the wife for quite awhile. bobw

Very nice! Specs on rifle and load?

Wow great bull. Once in a life time for a lot of people. Good job.

Nice bull, but from the looks of him, I'll bet you could smell him a half hour before he got with in shooting distance.

Nicely done, Orville. From the looks of it I would say you got your front porch in just the right spot.
Regards

The rest of the story, I started to post after Stephen posted the photo, but lost service. We, I and Jenelle, had been out most of the afternoon and had come back for supper with the plan to go up on the ridge about a mile to the east where we can get some phone service. I was in the can (inside stool and sink for night time use, those of you who don’t understand night time use, well you can look forward to that, and for the wife) taking a leak when Jenelle yells and I mean yells “Orville come here”, I freaking near had a heart attack, at least I didn’t pee all over the floor. Coming out she says there is a bull moose laying in the canyon, I look through the glasses and it’s a bull elk and a huge one. The range is 455 yards down in the canyon and looking into the sun, he is laying with his head toward the cabin and turned to the right leaving the top of his shoulder and some of his neck for a target. The sharps is in the ranger and I’m not sure where to hold a 455 yards then Greg’s words come to mind, “once in a life time”

Greg, a friend, had killed a nice bull a few days earlier, talking to him he is telling me I should be taking a modern long range rifle with especially the way the weather had been and I may have a once in a life time opportunity, I had to agree with him, I’m 10 years older and overweight. I got in the back of the safe getting out a 338 win mag found 18 rounds of the last load I had been shooting it, the 180 grain Nosler ballistic tip. I shot two rounds at 350 yards it was right on so it went in the gun case and along.

A few days earlier we had been out east of the cabin mostly patrolling for trespassers and looking at some very spooky antelope, I had been seeing one buck with a very wide spread, I have shot many antelope with a sharps, here’s a chance to try the 338 out, he was at 355 yards, one shot took out his lungs and the top of the heart.

Back to the elk, it’s about 6:00 it’s hard to see into the sun down into the canyon, if I miss the first shot, I won’t have time to walk the bullet into him, if I only wound him he’s gone, looking through the glasses I can see him good, the scope on the 338 would let me see the target area better and it was closer in the pickup then the sharps in the ranger. I ease out get the 338 and sit down on a chair on the porch with Jenelle watching through glasses, I put the cross hairs just over the target area so the bullet will go into the boiler room somewhere if not into the spine at the top of his shoulders, touch it off and she says he’s done for, recovering from the recoil I see him kick his last through the scope.

Getting my hat and coat we get in the ranger and head down into the canyon, when we get to him he is huge. Going to take a picture with my phone I realized I had left the 338in the cabin. Wanting something for size perspective Jenelle says the sharps is in the ranger and that is how the sharps got in the photo.

It was pitch dark when we finished gutting it, I was covered in blood by the time I got his guts out, and realizing we were going to need some help.
We went up on the ridge east of the cabin where I called or tried to call the rancher-neighbor and who also leases my place about getting some help, no answer. I then called and sent the photos to Greg and Stephen, had a good laugh about shooting it off the porch. I later called him back and asked him to post the picture thinking I’ll follow up with the story. I finally got through to the rancher, he wouldn’t be able the help until later in the afternoon, so I guess I’ll just go down in the morning and start cutting pieces off.
Next morning to our surprise 3 of his guides show up on four wheelers (he runs an antelope and deer hunting operation) with 3 young bodies we took the hind quarter off hauled them out and then the rest of the carcass and head, by the time we left it was raining and snowing again.

Now that's how to fill your elk tag!

Congradulations on a very nice bull.

ward

One hell of an elk Orville, great shooting. I'm riding shotgun next year on your porch.

Stephen

Nice going Orville, you lucky dog Can't imagine shooting that nice bull from your porch--who would a thunk it He looks to be in good flesh, and I'll bet the meat's good. A friend gave me some of his big Colorado bull last fall and he ate good. Steaks weren't the most tender I ever had, but I don't mind if the flavor is good, and it was. They're not feedlot fed

Made a couple of roasts long and slow accompanied by mashed potatoes made with sour cream and butter and gravy from the meat & they were tender--the memory makes my mouth water now.
Ken

Nice one Orville! Its great to see you are having fun with your new place. I am sure Williston has only gotten worse. My inlaws finally got out last month and moved to Bottinau

I will not be at minot fall show are you coming to Vegas in January to the Antique arms show?

Chad