Open Day rifle season.... success! Again!

The elk gods were on my side...... again! 3 years in a row I have been lucky enough to harvest a big beautiful bull elk on public land (last years was on sign-in block management so essentially public land with regards to hunting). This year was eerily similar to 2 years ago. I got them both on opening day, shot from pert-near the same spot and they both died within 100yds or so of each other. I have a great spot; its elevated so you can see and it creates a topographical funnel for animals to go through. Im a big fan of other hunters too. I didnt find this heard, someone else did and got them moving. I have patterned them enough in this area to know where they run to; right by my 'crows nest'. So thanks other hunters for being great bird-dogs! One thing that really struck me this year was a rainbow that I initially saw touch down maybe a mile away but it moved and touched down right in front of me! I could literally see the end of the rainbow touching the grass! I tried to take photos but they didnt capture it very well. But get this, my bull showed up (and passed away) right where that rainbow touched down! Its not quite a pot of gold but Ill take it! Luckily, down at the truck, we drank an extra beer or two and discussed how to get him out because extraction two years ago was a ton of work. We decided to walk up a possible new way down and thank goodness we did because we pretty much walked straight to him and had no uphill on the way out. No uphill is HUGE when you're hauling a mature bull out. Thanks Harry D, Wood B and Fat B. for the help getting him out. Again.

Heres the rainbow touching down right (~100yds) in front of me. Just past the large tree but before the tree line below.

One of 3 Black Bears spotted that day. Too small to tag.

He face planted in some little trees.

My first mature 6 point. Its amazing to see how much larger a mature elk is compared to an adolescent. Atleast 18" taller at the back and 24(?)" longer! His stomach could hold a whole square bail!

I have had that 30*6 since I was 12 and it has put atleast a thousand pounds of meat in to my families freezers.

Hunting is team work. Its something to be shared. When you hear 'elk down' without hesitation I start working my way there with any gear necessary and a little jealousy but NO animosity. I know one of these years ill be paying back these guys for all their hard work. But for now, Ill stick to the winning streak! P.s. that orange game cart with the inline wheels made in Libby MT is worth its weight in gold; we put the entire elk (minus guts, lower legs and head) on it and got it out in one trip!