Hello from Washington!

[Elkangle]

Elkangle, yours is a pretty impressive resume for a young man. Awesome animals and countryside to boot. I used to hunt a lot more with my bow than I did with a rifle. I had to hang my Mathews up at age 70 or 71 (I can't remember.) Now I use an Excalibur 355 Matrix. My go to deer rifle for the past 25 years or so is a 6.5 X 55 Swedish Mauser handloaded to 2775 FPS pushing a 140 Gr. Nosler Partition. I've dreamed of hunting Elk all my life but couldn't squeeze it in or afford it. Then I found out that I could hunt Africa for the same or less than a guided Elk hunt. I have several 300 Magnums. A couple being Winchesters, a Weatherby, and a 308 Norma. I've never shot a 300 WSM. I assume they are very comparable. AH is a worldwide group of "virtual" friends, you are going to fit right in.

Thank you I've been extremely fortunate! Really don't want to come off as braggadocious , I will most definitely be a student here....alot of times only having a few quality tags a year it seems I'm more of a professional scout where as the guys over seas are professional killers !


That's 6.5x55 is a pretty sweet little rifle !! I've never done load work with one but have played with a 7x57 Mauser a little...pretty efficient round...and yeah the 300wsm is just like all the rest ! Just a bit different headstamp...I've been more geeked out on bullet construction then headstamps for about the last 10 years..been using hammer bullets lately and having pretty good luck so far..maybe a dozen kills with them..kind similar to the partition!

The days of affordable Elk hunting are gone...same with otc...it really is a shame..just got my new mexico draw results back and Goose egg...I did get an Idaho elk tag and my brother should get a wyoming Elk tag..then wa Elk, that's a pretty poor tag but better then nothing! Feeling like my years of consistent Elk tags are basically over so appreciating every moment of it

 

[Firebird]

Welcome to the site from a bit south and east of you-also an elk geek, but africa is a really good time! Good luck with the draws

 

[Elkangle]

Welcome to the site from a bit south and east of you-also an elk geek, but africa is a really good time! Good luck with the draws

Thanks ! we need all the luck we can get lots of states to go yet so hopefully some good things to come... as the hunting gets more restricted here I will most definitely be looking overseas to make up for the lost opportunities..in the states I'm a pretty selective hunter but I could see doing a few cull hunts oversees just to get my feet wet and build some relationships...the people I hunt with is nearly more important than the actual hunt so putting trust into someone else across the world is a bit intimidating!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Brian, welcome to the AH forum! Some fine animals so far that you have taken! Looking forward to your participation.

 

[Jaegger]

Already very impressed with the hospitality
Few pictures

View attachment 462923

@Elkangle … I enjoyed each pic/thx!

*Question w/ this one: Ibex from the Florida Mtn in NM?

I was assigned to Holloman Air Force Base & that range was ‘up the street’ so we got into a 2yrs scouting adventure (brutal) leading up to the ‘Once in a Lifetime Ibex Tag’. Then the unthinkable, Gulf War I hit the news, we deployed & I thought, “back home in 3 or 4-months.” Well, it was 10-months in the Big Sand Box & that “derailed” the Ibex plan!

Back home x 6-months, a promotion then an unexpected assignment to Japan = NO hunting in Japan! IBEX dream gone …

 

[Elkangle]

@Elkangle … I enjoyed each pic/thx!

*Question w/ this one: Ibex from the Florida Mtn in NM?

I was assigned to Holloman Air Force Base & that range was ‘up the street’ & we scouted it (brutal) 2yrs running for the Once in a Lifetime Ibex Tag. Then the unthinkable, Gulf War I hit the news, we deployed & I thought, “back home in 3 or 4-months.” Well, it was 10-months in the Big Sand Box & that “derailed” the Ibex plan!

Back home & 6-months later - assignment to Japan, NO hunting in Japan!

Yeap it sure is the Florida's....good catch ! I've spent 3-4 weeks down there now exploring/hunting those mtns...love it down there...just wish I could get the tag alil more often ! Heard the Ibex population is doing terrible tho and my last trip about a year ago pointed to that...rumors are around only 150 animals..will be alot of broken hearts for folks that drew

Dang !!! That's wild..that would have been a heck of an opportunity for you

Thank you for serving !

 

[BLAAUWKRANTZ safaris]

Hi Brian, BLAAUWKRANTZ safaris welcome you to the great forum. May you have loads of fun here.

 

[Jaegger]

Yeap it sure is the Florida's....good catch ! I've spent 3-4 weeks down there now exploring/hunting those mtns...love it down there...just wish I could get the tag alil more often ! Heard the Ibex population is doing terrible tho and my last trip about a year ago pointed to that...rumors are around only 150 animals..will be alot of broken hearts for folks that drew

Dang !!! That's wild..that would have been a heck of an opportunity for you

Thank you for serving !

How cool - we shared a very unique passion in a very small, remote stretch of Brutal Mtns + a Trophy many Americans do not know exists free range in USA. How sad about the status of the Ibex population …

I had State Residency status w/ my Military ID & that opened the door so I applied for all ‘NM Special Unit Hunts’ ... had successful w/ Antelope & Mulie, was after a coveted Gila Mtn, Elk Muzzleloader Tag but The Stars did not align - you know the feeling! NM - special place!

Thx - for the service note.

Happy Trails

 

[Jaegger]

@Elkangle - African plains game hunting is an overall, affordable & value-packed hunt adventure w/ one obvious difference: you cannot jump in the 4x4 & road trip afew States over & set-up a base camp.

That said, pick the right time of year & flight costs $ could be budgeted similar to - road trip, time/gas/camp costs. Plus, flying is all part of the African Adventure …

Drop me PM sometime, I always have a small group of hardworking chaps wanting to plan a trip or we’ll put together a group.

Happy Trails

 

[Elkangle]

@Elkangle - African plains game hunting is an overall, affordable & value-packed hunt adventure w/ one obvious difference: you cannot jump in the 4x4 & road trip afew States over & set-up a base camp.

That said, pick the right time of year & flight costs $ could be budgeted similar to - road trip, time/gas/camp costs. Plus, flying is all part of the African Adventure …

Drop me PM sometime, I always have a small group of hardworking chaps wanting to plan a trip or we’ll put together a group.

Happy Trails

Noted ! It will definitely be in my future..reading on this forum kinda creats a bug...Africa, Argentina, and New Zealand all look like awesome places to build alot of experience in short order.. I've heard some of the African animals can be extremely challenging spot and stalk archery..

Definitely need to research more

 

[Shootist43]

Brian, one of the beautiful things about AH is that you become virtual buddies with other members pretty quick. From time to time an AH "group hunt" gets set up. They are generally set up to be a year or so out. Once the "group" is established you can "spend" a lot of time PMing other members. By the time you actually leave for the hunt you'll feel like you've known each other all of your lives. These hunts are usually booked with AH Outfitter / Sponsors. They have to deliver a quality hunt or suffer the consequences. To date all of the group hunts I'm aware of have been memorable ones for everybody involved.

 

[African Sporting Creations]

Welcome to AH! Have fun!

 

[BourbonTrail]

Welcome to AH!

Love the “WTF?” look on that goat’s face.

 

[Elkangle]

Welcome to AH!

Love the “WTF?” look on that goat’s face.

That goat was actually posturing and getting pretty aggressive...he was in a un hunted area, pretty remote in the cascade mtn range

 

[CAustin]

Brand new here but been on pretty active on other forums, hunt a decent amount all over western US and always looking for more opportunities to make great connections...hopefully il be a decent contribution to the site with any mtn hunting/elk type questions but il be a total rookie with the international stuff so go easy on me !

Thanks

Brian

Welcome to Ah

 

[fin003]

Welcome to AH and the posting side! Great to have you here.

 

[cls]

Welcome to AH, nice pictures.

 

[Kowas Adventure Safaris]

Brand new here but been on pretty active on other forums, hunt a decent amount all over western US and always looking for more opportunities to make great connections...hopefully il be a decent contribution to the site with any mtn hunting/elk type questions but il be a total rookie with the international stuff so go easy on me !

Thanks

Brian

Brian
Welcome to a great Forum.

 

[Woodcarver]

Welcome to AH!

 

[BigSteve57]

Welcome to AH!