5 Day Elk Hunt in Manti La Sal National Forest

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  • LRRPF52
    Super Moderator
    • Sep 2014
    • 8569

    5 Day Elk Hunt in Manti La Sal National Forest

    Just got back from a great outdoor experience down in Manti La Sal. Saw plenty of animals, but they were exposed for only half a second or less every time, and I got a chance to get acquainted with the area. A fellow forum member and good friend invited me, so I couldn't pass that up.







    NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

    CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

    6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

    www.AR15buildbox.com
  • LRRPF52
    Super Moderator
    • Sep 2014
    • 8569

    #2






    NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

    CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

    6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

    www.AR15buildbox.com

    Comment

    • LRRPF52
      Super Moderator
      • Sep 2014
      • 8569

      #3
      DAY 1:

      Arrive in camp. Get settled quickly, and confirm zeroes on as many rifles in camp as possible-there were 7 of us, including 2 youth hunters.

      We set up and lased a little 50yd zero range, ensuring proper backstop. This identified some issues with 2 of the rifles, which were easily rectified with adjusting the zero on one, and re-mounting the scope on another. I had my Wheeler FAT Wrench and Loc tite for just such a contingency, so no problems, got the guns dialed in for a nice 200yd zero.

      I then took a target stand out to 200yds, lased, and put up an IPSC sil with shoot n see hi viz targets to confirm 200yd zero.

      There were a lot of hunters up there already on Friday, which is good for pushing the elk.
      NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

      CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

      6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

      www.AR15buildbox.com

      Comment

      • BigStickSmoker
        Bloodstained
        • Apr 2015
        • 72

        #4
        WOW. Great pictures in what certainly had to be a great experience!,

        Thanks for sharing.

        Comment

        • LRRPF52
          Super Moderator
          • Sep 2014
          • 8569

          #5
          The 18" Lightweight 6.5 Grendel is a very easy long gun to carry around in the mountains. I had some 94.3gr trimmed down Hornady GMX's loaded up on 33.9gr of CFE. My last day there, I shot them into some timber down at camp to see what kind of expansion, penetration, and weight retention they would exhibit in dense material like that.

          They ended up retaining more weight than a 7mm Rem Mag with 165gr soft points, which didn't surprise me. The 7mm Rem Mag just lead showered the wood, with a small core of lead left in the material at the same depth as the 94gr GMX. Recoil on the 7mm Rem Mag is substantial without a brake, but you lose your sight picture no matter what anyway. The 7mm Rem Mag is really a long range hunting cartridge ideal for a static target, which you just don't get during season here.

          Off season, these animals appear domesticated to the tourist, and there are idiots who have tried to put their kids on the backs of elk in Colorado up at Estes Park, which is a beautiful place to visit if you haven't been by the way.

          After seeing this area, I wouldn't recommend anything larger than a 7mm-08 and go semi-auto, unless you are setting up in a static position only for long shots and are well-versed in long-range hunting, with a lot of trigger time behind your rifle, MOA cant base, higher end optics with good turrets, premium barrel, etc.

          It really pays to have a light rifle that balanced well, and I used the telescoping stock adjustability regularly, to include riding on ATV's, static versus stalking, youth, etc.
          NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

          CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

          6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

          www.AR15buildbox.com

          Comment

          • LRRPF52
            Super Moderator
            • Sep 2014
            • 8569

            #6
            We had the kids practice some shooting at 200yds with the JP .223 Wylde AR15, which recoils less than a factory 10/22 Ruger.



            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

            www.AR15buildbox.com

            Comment

            • rabiddawg
              Chieftain
              • Feb 2013
              • 1664

              #7
              Very nice.

              Beautiful camera work too.
              Knowing everthing isnt as important as knowing where to find it.

              Mark Twain

              http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showt...2-Yd-Whitetail

              Comment

              • jeff556
                Bloodstained
                • Jan 2015
                • 42

                #8
                Looks awesome!

                Looks like you're using a Manfrotto tripod, yes? Which head do you have on it?

                Comment

                • bwaites
                  Moderator
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 4445

                  #9
                  Originally posted by jeff556 View Post
                  Looks awesome!

                  Looks like you're using a Manfrotto tripod, yes? Which head do you have on it?
                  That's either a Hog Saddle or a Pig Saddle, hard to tell with those pictures. I'm not sure on the Bipod, but LRRPF52 likes Vortex stuff, so it might be Vortex vs Manfrotto.

                  Comment

                  • 1075 tech
                    Warrior
                    • Apr 2015
                    • 681

                    #10
                    Very nice! Beautiful country there.

                    Comment

                    • sneaky one
                      Chieftain
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 3077

                      #11
                      Ditto!

                      Comment

                      • lrgrendel
                        Warrior
                        • Jul 2013
                        • 662

                        #12
                        Very nice!
                        Great quality photos BTW

                        Comment

                        • jawbone
                          Warrior
                          • Jan 2012
                          • 328

                          #13
                          crazy gorgeous calendar-worthy terrain. loved the tripod mount, too.

                          Comment

                          • am4966
                            Chieftain
                            • Jul 2014
                            • 1036

                            #14
                            That's awesome looking terrain! Glad to see the Grendel out doing some elk hunting, to bad you didn't get a chance to harvest one.
                            12.5" SBR Grendel - Need Barrel
                            Surge - Rugged Suppressor
                            Been a fan of the Grendel from the very beginning and haven't second guessed that choice one time.

                            Aim small, miss small!

                            Comment

                            • LRRPF52
                              Super Moderator
                              • Sep 2014
                              • 8569

                              #15
                              I'm using a Vanguard heavy tripod with the PIG Saddle on it for when I took the tripod out. It's a carry over from my DM and Long Range Courses, and a must really for shooting in terrain for me at least, since you never get the prone up here, or many other places for that matter.

                              Manfrotto is the way to go for a lightweight tripod, whereas I like the heavier Vanguard since I can walk away from it and not have it blow over in the wind during a course.
                              NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                              CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                              6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                              www.AR15buildbox.com

                              Comment

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