The Best of Grand Slam Western

March 12, 2015

WS_1 — Stuart Littlefield (foreground) and Outdoor Life editor Todd Smith look for elk.

WS_2 — Stuart took this wonderful mule deer at mid-morning on his hunt after glassing several hundred elk.

WS_3 — Later on the first day of his hunt, Stuart took this nice bull with outfitter Dick Dodds. Elkhorn Outfitters has lots of elk like this on the more than 100,000 acres they hunt.

WS_4 — On the trail of pronghorns.

WS_5 — Open prairies call for flat-shooting calibers. Stuart took all three of his animals using a Remington Model 700 SPS in .300 Rem. Ultra-Mag.

WS_6 — Shooting sticks really help steady your shot’s on the open prairie.

WS_7 — Sundown at Elkhorn. It doesn’t get more magical than this.

WS_8 — The end of the day and a nice pronghorn. This buck sported 13 ?-inch horns—a good representative trophy for this high-plains area.

WS_9 — Sure-footed mules allow hunters easy access to the high country. They’re gentler than horses and very easy to ride, even for beginners.

WS_10 — Left to right, Smith, Littlefield and Dodds formed a great friendship in the course of this hunt.

WS_11 — This herd of elk was cruising across the road on our way to hunt the very first morning.

WS_12 — Mules are steady enough to glass from.

WS_13 — Animals didn’t seem at all spooked by the mules.

WS_14 — DeLorme’s Earthmate GPS made it easy to plot a waypoint so we could locate our meat to pack out at the end of the day.

WS_15 — The long haul to the high country.

WS_16 — The .300 Ultra-Mag. proved perfect for elk, mule deer and pronghorn. Power Level III ammo allowed Stuart to tailor his loads to individual animals.

WS_17 — Game on! You’ll spend lots of time glassing, so make sure you bring good quality binoculars.

WS_18 — Elk at 10 o’clock! We were actually able to sneak right in among a huge herd. Lots of belly crawling but so worth it.

WS_19 — Stuart’s huge muley sported 14 scorable points—a monster in anybody’s book.

WS_20 — Note the back tines that are almost like crown points on a red stag.

WS_21 — Two very happy hunters!

WS_22 — Elk aren’t gigantic in this part of Colorado, but there are lots of them. Stuart was able to view several hundred during the first hours of his hunt.

WS_23 — Bulls like this still weigh a bunch, which is why having a tractor to help move the animal from the truck to the skinning shed is a big help.

WS_24 — Elkhorn Outfitters actually has a full time taxidermist (Gunsmoke Taxidermy) right on the premises.

WS_25 — Moments after this shot was taken Stuart’s pronghorn came into view.

WS_26 — Shooting sticks are an absolute must on the prairie where finding an adequate rest is all but impossible.

WS_27 — Knowing where the game will be is part of what an outfitter like Dick Dodds great.

WS_28 — A little strategy session as they put the closing sneak on Stuart’s antelope.

WS_29 — With the last of his animal’s down, Stuart sprints to find his pronghorn.

WS_30 — Now where did that buck fall?

WS_31 — Here he is. What a perfect way to end the day.

WS_32 — Long days in the field made coming back to the cozy lodge at Elkhorn a pleasure. Meals were delicious and accommodations were extremely comfortable.

WS_33 — Hunters are housed in cozy cabins with all the amenities.

WS_34 — Stuart Littlefield was the first to win Outdoor Life's Grand Slam Adventure contest.

WS_35 — Special care is taken to make sure rifles are properly stowed before heading up the trail.

WS_36 — Each bend in the trail brings new sights and spectacular scenery.

WS_37 — The mules never faltered and could go all day.

WS_38 — Sunrise on the trail.

WS_39 — The three amigos.

WS_40 — The .300 Ultra-Mag. proved perfect for elk, mule deer and pronghorn. Power Level III ammo allowed Stuart to tailor his loads to individual animals.

WS_41 — Dips and cuts made getting in close on game fairly easy.

WS_42 — Trying to get everyone on the same page can be a problem when game is way out there.

WS_43 — Mules get you in the neighborhood but hunters need to be ready for lots of hiking.

WS_44 — After passing on several smaller elk at first light, Stuart took this nice buck at mid-morning. His elk would come later that afternoon.

WS_45 — Lots of elk steaks headed to the skinning shed.

WS_46 — Untangling the antlers to get the elk off the ATV was half the challenge.

WS_47 — Elkhorn Outfitters is part of the "Ranching for Wildlife" program in Colorado, which requires the landowner to improve wildlife habitat and allow residents to hunt on a draw basis.

WS_48 — Stalking antelope with Smith running the mini-cam for B-roll video.

WS_49 — The main lodge at Elkhorn offers hunters a place to gather to enjoy home-cooked meals and share the tales of the day.

WS_50 — You really get to live a western adventure when you come here.

WS_51 — These elk crossed the road in front of us on our way to hunt the first morning.

WS_52 — These elk crossed the road in front of us on our way to hunt the first morning.

WS_53 — Dress in layers and you’ll be good for the whole day. Hunters need to have good clothing that blocks the wind.

WS_54 — Follow the leader. Stuart keeps a close eye on Dick Dodds as they head down the trail.

WS_55 — Count on enjoying beautiful sunrises and spectacular scenery.

WS_56 — Just riding through the high country is part of what makes a Colorado hunt so enjoyable.

WS_57 — Stuart brought home a lifetime of memories and a truckload of meat for his freezer.

WS_58 — Good binoculars are a must for long glassing sessions.

WS_59 — While 8x30’s are easier to hold in the wind, 10X models give you a bit more power for glassing at long range.

WS_60 — Smith holds his trusty Zeiss 8X30’s.

WS_61 — One of the many helping hands at Elkhorn.

WS_62 — Dick Dodds is a serious hunter but a blast to hang with in the field.

WS_63 — Now, where did we leave those backstraps?

Outdoor Life Grand Slam No. 1 saw our winner, Stuart Littlefield, join Editor-in-Chief Todd Smith on a quest for elk, pronghorn, mule deer and grouse in our Western slam. The hunt took place with Elkhorn Outfitters in northwestern Colorado. Read More>>

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