Wichita mnts controlled hunt question

[jaketinaboxer]

Those of you that have done the controlled elk hunt in Lawton I'm a little worried about the pack out. I drew a cow tag. So far its just me and my dad that are going and I drew the tag. So I've been looking at game carts and thinking it may be helpful to have one with us. I was thinking about quartering it then placing a quarter or two on the cart each trip. I don't see in the rules anything that says I can't use one, and I'm aware that much of the land is rough. Any thoughts on this?

 

[dennishoddy]

Get the best game cart you can afford with heavy duty puncture proof 20” wheels. Rated at least 350 lb if your just bringing out quarters.
Mine was rated 500lb and hauled out two cows and a bull that were just field dressed.
Take a roll of heavy braided nylon to truss the quarters on the cart.
Good luck!

 

[deerwhacker444]

It ALL depends on where you hunt and where you shoot it. You get to select where you hunt the day before, so take that into consideration. Some of it is so bad you'd need a helicopter to get it out.

Carts would be helpful on some of it but there some rocky areas where I think a cart would be more of a hassle.

I bought a pack frame, all the required canvas game bags, had the equipment, watched the videos, was fully prepared to quarter one up and bring it out in bags.

On the first day I hunted in what had to be part of the Himalayas, no luck. On the 2nd morning, some guys in my group were talking about all the bulls they had seen, unfortunately they had cow tags. They told me where to go the 2nd morning. I ended up shooting mine about a quarter mile from the visitors center in the flat prairie grass. Park guy drove up to within feet of where it dropped in the NWS truck, we lifted the whole animal into the truckbed and brought it in.

So you never know, I got lucky. The habitat down there can make getting one out a piece of cake or an all day hiking event.

 

[magna19]

Cows are usually harder to kill right by the road. I would buy a good pack frame for meat. I save some old pillow cases for this very reason. Pack your food, water, rope, knife, tarp, etc. on frame and take it with you. You can set it down in your hunt area for later use. They had extra pack frames to help pack out also. The cart sounds like a great idea but odds are better off with pack frames. I shot a cow .75 (GPS) mile from road with two rocky areas and a creek that a cart wasn't going to help. With the warmer weather you may need to field dress and quarter on the spot. You can usually get the first pack packed to the road by the time they get your helper to you with another pack frame. Then size of elk determines how many trips. They recommend to not bring carts because of the terrain and odds of being more trouble. I have to agree for most part they are right.

 

[slas]

I hunted there last year and had a cow tag, that's the cow in the profile pic. First day I trekked up and down to the point I had blisters, and while on top of a few of those mountains I often wondered what I would do if I took an elk, or more like how in the world I'd get all the meat down the mountain and to the road. I didn't get a chance the first day but early morning second day I took a cow from about 230 yards away, but she ended up falling only 50 yards from the road. I quartered her all up and had all ready to go when the driver came down the road. He pulled his small cart to where I was and we loaded it up and headed back. One of the other hunters took his cow a little further from the road, but the cart the driver had made it there no problem and they loaded his gutted elk whole on the back then into the truck.

I considered a cart also but glad I didn't. It's easy to find a good spot not too far from the main road. Don't think just because you're near the road there won't be elk. Some guys, like myself, decided to trek all over the mountains. But others, who just holed up on a hilltop and waited did just as well. Also, there are several guys hanging around the check-in spot that would be glad to help haul out if need be. Many of them just hoping for the chance really. It was a really warm day also so I made sure to get the quartering done and into the game bags as soon as I could. I think it ended up getting up to around 80 that day. I remember sweating like a pig while cleaning.

It was a great experience that I enjoyed tremendously. I only wish it wasn't a once in a lifetime thing. Good luck and enjoy the experience.

 

[jaketinaboxer]

thanks for the replies guys.

i'm going to ask around and see if anyone i know has one i can borrow. seems silly to buy one for a single trip and never use it again.

 

[jaketinaboxer]

I hunted there last year and had a cow tag, that's the cow in the profile pic. First day I trekked up and down to the point I had blisters, and while on top of a few of those mountains I often wondered what I would do if I took an elk, or more like how in the world I'd get all the meat down the mountain and to the road. I didn't get a chance the first day but early morning second day I took a cow from about 230 yards away, but she ended up falling only 50 yards from the road. I quartered her all up and had all ready to go when the driver came down the road. He pulled his small cart to where I was and we loaded it up and headed back. One of the other hunters took his cow a little further from the road, but the cart the driver had made it there no problem and they loaded his gutted elk whole on the back then into the truck.

I considered a cart also but glad I didn't. It's easy to find a good spot not too far from the main road. Don't think just because you're near the road there won't be elk. Some guys, like myself, decided to trek all over the mountains. But others, who just holed up on a hilltop and waited did just as well. Also, there are several guys hanging around the check-in spot that would be glad to help haul out if need be. Many of them just hoping for the chance really. It was a really warm day also so I made sure to get the quartering done and into the game bags as soon as I could. I think it ended up getting up to around 80 that day. I remember sweating like a pig while cleaning.

It was a great experience that I enjoyed tremendously. I only wish it wasn't a once in a lifetime thing. Good luck and enjoy the experience.

I've been thinking about what it would feel like to head out the second after not finding one on the first day knowing the hunting time is not long. Seems like the pressure would start to sink in.

 

[deerwhacker444]

I've been thinking about what it would feel like to head out the second after not finding one on the first day knowing the hunting time is not long. Seems like the pressure would start to sink in.

I can tell you Exactly what it feels like. Aspirations of record book 7x7 giants are set aside and prayers for a lone raghorn make their way thru the ether to God.

I ended up with this 5x5 raghorn, and I was very happy I didn't come home empty handed. Not a Giant by any means, but he was good enough for me.

I screwed up, got in a hurry and didn't get any good pics of him. That's the Only thing I'd change about that hunt, taking some good memory pics for myself.

 

[jaketinaboxer]

I can tell you Exactly what it feels like. Aspirations of record book 7x7 giants are set aside and prayers for a lone raghorn make their way thru the ether to God.

I ended up with this 5x5 raghorn, and I was very happy I didn't come home empty handed. Not a Giant by any means, but he was good enough for me.

I screwed up, got in a hurry and didn't get any good pics of him. That's the Only thing I'd change about that hunt, taking some good memory pics for myself.

I've read many places that any elk is a trophy. What day did you get yours on?

 

[deerwhacker444]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but it might save you some trouble, so here goes.

A couple pieces of advice that were given to me.

1) Don't stop shooting until the animal is down or you run out of cartridges.
2) Don't hump shoot it.

The size of these things threw me off a little and I violated #2 for a number of reasons. I had my rifle sighted in high expecting to have to make a long shot, I aimed for the top part of the shoulder, hoping for a CNS shot, and after crawling on my hands and knees to get close enough, I simply had "buck fever".

Throw all that together and I "hump shot" it on the 1st round. Went down like Zeus had hit it with a lightning bolt.

But, he immediately got back up. I took heart to #1 and already had a fresh round chambered. When he got back up, I put round #2thru a shoulder and the lungs and he was down for good.

So, don't do what I did. Study up on elk anatomy, don't get buck fever, and Don't hump shoot it.

And if you do hump shoot it, have another round ready.

In the end, 130gr. TSX worked perfectly.