Drew my tag for a long awaited hunt to break in the Remington 700 UML I bought a couple of years ago. After running out of time for load development, I finally settled on Barnes Original .458 300gr and Orange MMP Sabots on top of 4 Pyrodex 50gr pellets for this hunt. Group was sub MOA at 2170fps. I practiced out to 300 yards with this load.
I headed to NM and began the hunt with a long time guide.
After 4 days of hard hunting and passing on some smaller bulls, we located a solid bull across the canyon (over 1000 yards away from our vantage point).
We put the bull to bed at about 10am and I departed the glassing point to cross the canyon and come up on the ridge across the bowl the elk were bedded in. Took about 1.5 hours to cover the ground, top out, and locate the bull.
I initially tried to ease around the top of the ridge to shorten the distance but I jumped a Muley forker and he almost ruined the party. So I decided to take what I had. I returned to my initial area across the bowl (about 275 yards from the bedded bull) and prepared for the shot. I eased out on the rocks on my hands and knees taking my pack and my 700 UML.
I set up the bipod and ranged the bull (still bedded) at 262 yards.
I dialed in the distance on my turret (6.75 minutes).
The bull's head was slowly bobbing as he slumbered. I steadied the shot and squeezed the trigger. Smoke hung in the air for 4-5 seconds and I found the bull in my scope expecting him to be moving after the shot. He didn't budge. Head still bobbing. I was in disbelief! How did I miss? After another second or two, the bull stretched out his neck, then legs and rolled over. He never got up.
My guide was still watching from across the canyon and saw the shot hit the bull. Neither of us could believe what we saw.
I made my way over to the bull and spent a few quiet moments of silence with the old bull. This was my first successful elk hunt (of three hunts - Rifle in NM in '05 and Rifle in CO in '15.)
I headed to NM and began the hunt with a long time guide.
After 4 days of hard hunting and passing on some smaller bulls, we located a solid bull across the canyon (over 1000 yards away from our vantage point).
We put the bull to bed at about 10am and I departed the glassing point to cross the canyon and come up on the ridge across the bowl the elk were bedded in. Took about 1.5 hours to cover the ground, top out, and locate the bull.
I initially tried to ease around the top of the ridge to shorten the distance but I jumped a Muley forker and he almost ruined the party. So I decided to take what I had. I returned to my initial area across the bowl (about 275 yards from the bedded bull) and prepared for the shot. I eased out on the rocks on my hands and knees taking my pack and my 700 UML.
I set up the bipod and ranged the bull (still bedded) at 262 yards.
I dialed in the distance on my turret (6.75 minutes).
The bull's head was slowly bobbing as he slumbered. I steadied the shot and squeezed the trigger. Smoke hung in the air for 4-5 seconds and I found the bull in my scope expecting him to be moving after the shot. He didn't budge. Head still bobbing. I was in disbelief! How did I miss? After another second or two, the bull stretched out his neck, then legs and rolled over. He never got up.
My guide was still watching from across the canyon and saw the shot hit the bull. Neither of us could believe what we saw.
I made my way over to the bull and spent a few quiet moments of silence with the old bull. This was my first successful elk hunt (of three hunts - Rifle in NM in '05 and Rifle in CO in '15.)
