From Zero to 2620 FPS in 60 days: My First Elk Hunt

In the spring of 2025, I drew my first elk tag, something I had applied for year after year with little expectation of success. Like many hopeful hunters, I assumed that if my name was ever drawn, I would simply tag along with my husband and his friends, experience elk season firsthand, and check the hunt off my bucket list. What I did not anticipate was that this opportunity would arrive in the middle of a profound life transition. That same year, I found myself navigating a divorce. While the tag represented excitement and possibility, it also demanded independence, resilience, and a level of preparation I was not prepared for. This hunt was no longer something I could casually step into. If I was going to do it, I would have to build myself from the ground up, both as a shooter and as a hunter.

Starting From Zero

By the time I turned my full attention to elk season, I had just completed a successful summit of Mount Whitney in July. That achievement left me with roughly 60 days to learn everything I could about shooting, rifle setup, and elk hunting fundamentals. I had no formal background with firearms and no clear roadmap for where to begin. I reached out to a longtime friend, Thomas Gomez, who has extensive knowledge of firearms and long-range shooting, hoping for guidance on selecting a rifle. Instead, I received something far more valuable: mentorship. Together, we chose a Tikka T3X chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The Tikka is an accurate, reliable rifle well-suited for both hunting and long-range shooting. For upgrades, we added an MDT 20 MOA Tikka Scope Base, TRACT Toric UHD rifle scope, and an MDT XRS Chassis System. The rifle was a tad heavy for a backcountry elk hunt, but I wanted one that was accurate and comfortable to shoot.

Learning to Shoot With Purpose

With the rifle built, the real work began. Learning to shoot effectively required more than pulling a trigger; it demanded discipline, repetition, and an understanding of fundamentals. Thomas opted to formally train me in long-range shooting so I would have all of the skills necessary for harvesting an animal, whether up close or if the situation dictated a long shot. Plus, if you can hit a steel plate at 800 yards, a 200-yard shot should prove easy. For training purposes, Thomas assembled two training rifles, a stock Howa 1500 Mini chambered in 7.62x39 and a Ruger American Gen2 chambered in 5.56, mated to an MDT XRS Chassis System. The Ruger was set up nearly identically to my personal Tikka T3X. Both rifles had TRACT optics that had the same controls and reticle as the TRACT I had purchased for my Tikka.

The early lessons were simple but critical:

• Become completely comfortable with the rifle, scope, scope level, and ancillary gear, such as bipods, tripods, and rear bags.

• Build a solid and stable position.

• Accuracy before speed.

• Have fun.

For our first lesson, Thomas placed a small steel gong at 100 yards and taught me how to shoot from the prone position. I used the Howa Mini, and the first lesson was purely fundamentals:

• Correct body position, hand placement, trigger manipulation, and breath control.

• How to use the riflescope: Ocular Adjustment, Parallax, Elevation, Windage, and Magnification.

• The importance of the scope being level.

• How to use a bipod, a tripod, and a rear bag.

After about an hour in the prone position, Thomas set up a small, lightweight tripod and had me practice shooting from the kneeling and sitting positions. After that, we practiced shooting standing off the tripod. Once again, the lesson was low stress and very easy-going. As we were packing up, Thomas told me that if we had to go hunting right now, he was positive I could harvest an elk out to 300 yards with no problems. I left the range feeling very confident, and overall, the session was a lot of fun.

Our second session was much like the first, but for training, we used the Ruger American Gen2 that was set up nearly identical to my custom Tikka T3X. Thomas set up two small steel gongs at 100 yards, and we took time adjusting the length of pull and comb height. We started in the prone position. After a dozen or so perfect shots, Thomas broke out a PACT timer and had me set up a position and shoot in ten seconds or less. The time factor forced me to dial in my movements and showed me where I could go faster and where I needed to actually slow down and be deliberate. Thomas had me start standing, then give me a shot sequence, then at the sound of the timer, I would drop, build a position, and engage the steel targets. After we trained in the prone position, we started working in the kneeling and standing positions with the tripod. Once again, the training was the perfect blend of challenge and fun.

The third training session took place at Thomas’s 3200-acre family ranch in the Central Highlands of New Mexico. For training, Thomas set up a 10-inch steel gong, and we worked back in 100-yard increments to 800 yards. Before shooting steel, we customized my Tikka to fit my body precisely, ensuring proper length of pull, balance, and overall ergonomics. The result was a rifle that felt like an extension of myself rather than a tool I had to fight. We then zeroed my Tikka T3x at 100 yards, then trued my BC on a basketball-sized rock at 1262 yards.

After we zeroed, Thomas handed me an Applied Ballistics Kestrel and showed me how to configure it and operate it. After a few warm-up shots with the Ruger American Gen 2, we worked back in 100-yard increments. At each firing position past 100 yards, I took two shots. One where I dialed the shot, and one where I held in the reticle. I had first-round hits out to 500 yards, then at the 600-yard line had a round miss off the right edge. This was intentional since Thomas did not provide me with a wind correction, but wanted me to see the effects of wind in real time. After my miss, Thomas showed me how to measure and account for wind using the Kestrel, and I once again had first-round hits out to 800 yards. After the 800-yard shot, I dialed back down to my 100-yard zero, and we cleaned up the steel range. I checked my zero at 100 yards, wiped down my rifle, and put away my gear.

Our 4th and last training session was intense. Thomas and I met at some BLM land where we had previously trained. Thomas set up some small gongs at 100 yards and handed me the Ruger American Gen 2. Thomas said very little but just presented me with challenges, then told me what ancillary gear I was allowed to use for the scenario. I shot prone, kneeling, and standing, using trekking poles, bipods, tripods, a hunting pack, and utilizing natural terrain such as logs and large rocks. I didn’t miss a single shot and walked away feeling supremely confident in my ability to handle a rifle.

As we were packing up the rifles, Thomas set up a paper target at 10 yards, took out a handgun, and said, “Alright, I have shown you how to shoot 4-legged creatures; let me get you prepped for the two-legged predators.” We then spent an hour working on the handgun, which was fairly intuitive after firing hundreds of rounds from a rifle. This was a much-welcomed lesson, because there was a possibility I would be hunting alone.

One of the biggest milestones in my preparation was hitting a 10-inch steel plate at 800 yards. That moment didn’t just validate my shooting—it reshaped my belief in what I was capable of learning in a short period of time.

Preparing for the Field

Shooting proficiency was only one piece of the equation. I also had to prepare for the physical and logistical realities of elk hunting. I invested in a quality pack and assembled the essentials for field dressing and packing out an animal. In the weeks leading up to the season, I visited the unit a few times to scout terrain and practice ranging with binoculars.

I was fortunate to join a group of local hunters who had also drawn tags for the unit. Though not formal guides, their intimate knowledge of the area and elk behavior proved invaluable. Their willingness to share experience, insight, and encouragement became a critical part of my preparation.

My First Elk Hunt

Day One

I began the season with three other hunters in the high desert portion of the unit, where elk had been seen days earlier. Our goal was to avoid the pressure of opening day. We heard bugling, but never had a clear opportunity. We hiked roughly 8 miles with only signs of elk and rain teasing us. By the afternoon, the rain poured, and the day ended with an unexpected but meaningful experience—helping another hunter move, skin and quarter their 6x6 bull elk. It was a reminder that hunting is as much about community as it is about individual success.

Day Two

On the second day, the same group of three hunters and I set out in Carson National Forest. Within 20 minutes of day break, I found myself just 40 yds from a massive bull, with the rest of the herd close behind. After weeks of preparing for long-range shots, the encounter caught me off guard. Positioned on a slope without adequate stability, I chose not to shoot. Later that day, another bull appeared at close range but slipped behind cover before I could set up. We heard bugling all morning, and heard shot after shot. We hiked around 8 miles that morning and then went back to the high desert area of the unit again in the afternoon. The afternoon was quiet, but one of the hunters from the community shot a 5x5 bull at 735 yds next to us just before the sunset. The bull fell on a steep hillside and one of the hunters from my group quickly ran with another to get the elk dressed and ready to pack out at first light.

My missed opportunities weighed heavily on me. Doubt crept in, followed by frustration and a sense of imposter syndrome. Hunting revealed itself to be as psychological as it was physical. Despite the mental struggle, I refused to quit.

Day Three

On the third morning, we decided to approach the hunt differently and split our group. We drove up together side-by-side. One hunter went alone in one direction and I went with a different hunter that I now refer to as “the Sage” of the experience. We hiked toward a ridge in the forest and after roughly half a mile, we paused to listen in the morning darkness. As the sun began to light the forest, we heard bugles echoing from approximately 50 yards away. There was a huge herd located downhill from us. I located the closest bull, partially obscured by a tree. Using a shooting stick, I waited for a clear view of the vital zone, took a steady breath, and committed to the shot.

The bull—a beautiful 5x5—went down cleanly.

The Sage walked me through field dressing the elk. He was knowledgeable, precise and quick with every step. We hiked back to where we parked to meet up with the 3rd hunter to help us pack the elk out. When we made it back to the elk, we quartered it, and packed it out roughly a mile. They tied a quarter to the outside of my pack, and I carried my gun and another small pack filled with the backstrap and heart. The other two hunters carried out the other three quarters and head. They rotated carrying the loads on their shoulders in 60 yard increments. The physical effort was demanding, but the sense of accomplishment was unmatched.

Later that evening as I took my elk to town to get processed the third hunter in my group filled his tag just before sunset. He and the Sage worked until the late evening packing their second elk of the day out. Learning to shoot is a valuable skill. Learning to hunt is something far deeper. Throughout the process, my confidence rose and fell just like the terrain beneath my boots. I learned not only technical skills, but also patience, humility, and resilience. Most importantly, I learned the power of community and mentorship.

The Future

While the rifle I carried was perfectly suited for this hunt, the experience has already shaped my next goal. I plan to rebuild my setup with a lighter platform, one that allows for even faster response at close range and is less fatiguing for a Backcountry Hunt in the West. Looking back, the hunt was never just about the elk. It was about discovering what I was capable of when I committed to learning something entirely new. In sixty days, I went from knowing almost nothing about rifles to confidently placing a shot on a bull elk, but more importantly, I learned to trust my preparation, my judgment, and myself. The miles hiked, the hours behind the rifle, and the people who helped all became part of the story. The elk was the reward, but the real success was the transformation that happened along the way.

About The Author

Valentina Mohoric is an outdoors enthusiast drawn to trails, mountains, and rivers. Outside of her professional career in Health Information Management (HIM), she enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, fishing, hunting, and shooting. Off the trail, she creates handmade jewelry and writes children’s stories inspired by the adventures she shares with her son. Find her on Instagram @valentinammohoric