back from the great state of montana! it was a great hunt with three out of 4 tags filled> unfortunately none dropped to a handgun. the temps were unseasonably warm and the elk were tucked into hidey holes in the cool dark timber. we found them consistently in a 3-4 mile block on a 17,000 acre lease. we hunted by pickup truck driving the two tracks and ranch roads looking for the elk then stalking them. dawn and i hunted with Tony our guide. day one we saw 14 bulls and some of them were real booners. only legal cows we saw were about two miles away moving into dark timber near dark and no way to get to them before dark. day two brought a stalk on a small herd but no shot. morning of day three and no elk on the meat pole switched me to rifle mode to capitalize on possibly a quick non handgun opportunity. first thing morning three i spotted two cows moving out of a creek bottom towards the dark timber. Tony said that he knew where they were going so away we went to cut them off. a 1/2 mile stalk and a two shots later and a cow on the ground. 2 miles away my son shot bull calf. later that day dawn filled her tag with a bull calf. i think a a handgun could have been used but, all shots were from bog pod tripods except dawn who used my pistol rest trigger sticks. two shots were at 200 yards and one at 185 so not close range by any means. very enjoyable hunt without having to run the mountains to get an elk.