Dan Reardon and I met last year with he interested in a Manitoba bear hunt to share with one of his guides and me wanting to hunt elk. By now, you've read Dan's story of his hunt with us and shooting the largest bear of the year this spring (Was not planned I assure you). Dan was not too sure on what he shot, when he shot his bear, size and such, and I told him that he knowing elk better, to consider his bear in and around the same class as a 340 or 350 inch bull. He was shocked and said he has them but geeze, not many. Plenty of smaller ones, he assured me though. I told him to settle down, as I've never shot an elk before and would be happy with a heavier beamed 5x5 if the opportunity presented itself. Still a lofty goal for this prairie boy.
My preparations started with new arrows, broadheads and Sitka rain suit that I was to come to value it as much as my boots! Up here, an average bow shot at most anything is 20-25 yards. I was told to be prepared for 5-40 yards.
With that taken care of, August 31st found my truck loaded and heading south west to Colorado apprehensive and excited. The 1,579 miles actually went by relatively quick. Getting through the foothills, had me meeting my first mountains.
man post a million photo's and remind those of us who haven't elk hunted in years what its all about !!
Mark
I met buckfevered (Mike) whose a really nice guy that gives back so much to young people that it makes you want to give more yourself in some way. But that's his story to tell, and like I said, a real nice guy.
First morning out, and way out of my element, where I am normally the outfitter and all eyes are on me and my guides, I am now a guest and letting someone else make the decisions of the camp. I am paired with Mike and Dan Reardon is guiding us. Off we go in the dark in a Ranger where we stop, grab out bows and start the trek up the mountain side. A couple times on our walk in the dark Dan would stop seeming to know when those of us that live under 1,000 ft. really needed to catch our breath. I might say that being an outfitter, Dan did exactly what I do in camp. He took the old guys, the higher maintainence ones. Mike and I would have our chance to prove this was not the case, right Mike? We just had to prepare a little more than the younger guys that's all.
Back to the hunt: We get a long ways up this mountain side and was mostly quiet but then Dan got an answer to his calling and damn, it was even higher up that mountain! Off we go and at first Mike spots a 3x4 at 50 something yards. Dan asks if either of us want it, and for me right out of the gate, reply "No" and same for Mike. We move forward and we spot the bigger bull. Holy Heck, was he ginormous. For me anyway. He had cows with him and moved them off. That would be the action for the morning pretty much.
After a regrouping back at camp and lunch, we went up again onto a flat spot. I think it's called maybe a bench? It was warm and on the walk threw the oaks, I spotted 2 tripod stands a fair distance form each other. We sat on the edge of the world looking out over the mountains glassing. Dan decided I'd go in one stand and Mike in the other. I found out later that I was in the same stand Charlie Rehor shot that nice bull from last year from. Dan was mostly cow calling and calf calling earlier on, and I saw a smaller elk walking by me. Dan di say he called in a calf and this may have been the one or not, who knows. Near dark, a bull again up the mountain lights it up and he and Dan are talking elk for some time. In a 20 minute span I saw 4 elk form over where this bull was calling from and one that I did see, was a very tall beamed bull. Mike and I had discussed the fact that this was new to us and maybe being REAL picky would not have a happy ending on this 5 day hunt. Knowing that and seeing that bull heading to Mike, was I ever wound up that he may be getting an opportunity. Mike never did see any of them, but I did see a total of 5 that afternoon. Dan said he was disappointed with the elk activity that day and that last year was much more productive. I've been hunting for over 45 years and have learned when the weather changes and you are there, things may happen.
Day 2
We woke to another warm morning and quiet. We trekked way up the mountain a different route and heard not much of anything. We were looking for the bull or a challenger for his cows, of the bull we saw the morning before I suppose because we ended up in the same place we were the morning prior. It was very warm and around 10:30 we headed back to camp. Both days of the hunting, Dan was pulling cards off his cameras and was surprised at the mid day visits to his water holes and wallows by both cows and bulls. I told Dan on the way down that maybe I had higher goals for a hunt that had warm weather and nocturnal bull activity and I'd be happy with a legal bull. He kind of snickered when I told him that. I was to find out he knew the elk he had on the hill side and would not settle for just a legal bull for us.
When we got back to camp, a guest from Texas that was there mule deer hunting, had shot a real nice 4x4 buck. He ended up leaving camp on Saturday morning. Joel his guide helped him with the deer and had the afternoon off or did what guides do when we're not around. Afternoon of day 2 ended with the same results in all 3 groups. We all were getting close encounters and was just a matter of time before one hunter connected, though poor Dan was having a hard time with the empty cooler in camp. It was the second night of the hunt that we had those crawfish.
Sounds like a great hunt!
We like pics too:)! Ha!
Mark
Yeah, Dan took on us old guys (LOL). Wouldn't have had it any other way!
Looking forward to the rest of your story.
I'm at Rocking R in 1 week! Keep it coming!
Day 3
Mike and I were met at the breakfast table by Dan and Joel informing us, Dan would be taking me and Joel taking Mike into new spots. Dan's father had been up the mountain to where Joel was going and had seen both bear and elk, plus we had glassed some over there from the front deck of the main cabin just the day before. Dan and I headed up and way up a mountain side a ways east form where we were hunting previously. We heard a bull bugle up there and to me the morning was a little too still for my hunting comfort and evidently the elk did not like it either. If I was moose hunting, I would expected to see about as much as we did. We did bump a few while still hunting, but no interested elk responded to Dan's calling. Joel and Mike saw much more and could not close the deal that morning. But as I say when I'm guiding moose or bear hunters, the jaws were slowly closing on an animal when we were out hunting. I truly believe in this and it never fails me. What I never question is the call. I can get down thinking I may not be calling correctly, the saying still goes "Believe in the call". So I did and still do.
This picture is from our highest spot we got to. To me it looks like an old clear cut. I asked Dan if an elk was in there, would we be able to see it? He figured not. I asked some real rooky questions while there and that was one of them I guess. But I knew after I asked...
So that was morning of day 3.
This is the top of Lone Cone Mountain. It greeted us and waved bye to us every day. Dan says he and his wife want to climb to the top. I guess cause it's there... and maybe cause they can.
Dan wanted to get into a spot early with me and put me in a tree stand. He'd be on the ground and calling, trying to pull a bull "threw me". When ever Dan would give me his plan for this or that, I'd tell him "It sounds like a plan. Let's go execute it." I know nothing of what we're doing, well kinda, but "Don't guide the guide" Besides, I had no better plan. I did think sitting at one of those water holes with 6-8 elk visiting them would be an idea, but never shared my thoughts. It would have interfered with what I'm about to tell ya'll.
Black clouds were looming and coming our way. they did take the time to stop and dump water on us at camp and I told Dan, that we should maybe wait it out so we don't have to put those rain suits on and get over heated. So we did for a bit then he said "We're going now". the 4 of us headed up the hill then a monster cloud caught up to us and an executive decision was made to put the suits on. We split up a mile up the trail and Joel and Mike headed west. Dan took me to a trail I had seen earlier then we headed up it. Not far up we bumped 2 elk, one being a spike. We cut off the trail to another flagged trail and got near a wallow. UP on the hill was a cow making her way towards us. Eventually she veired away and I told Dan I would have shot it. He Said "I thought you were shooting a cow tomorrow?" I said "Tomorrow is 12 hours away..." He laughed and showed me the ladder stand. He sat on the ground next to me, and then another cloud burst with lightning and thunder. I was trying to keep my feathers on my arrows dry and glanced up to see a bull standing 100 yards from me. It stood there for ever and finally walked away. A little while later and after the rain quit a cow came down the mountain straight at me. I was going to shoot her at 15 yards but she saw my broadhead move when I lifted the bow. She then turn and walked away and Dan cow called her. She came back and stood on the bench next to my stand and stared at me for 8-9 minutes. Good thing white tail deer don't take lessons from elk on staring a hunter out of the stand.
Dan was cow calling and a calf came straight to us, calling all the way to me. It stopped at 5 yards calling the whole time, and proceeded to eat rose hip berries, but never stopped calling even while it chewed. Then 2 more calves joined us. The first calf walked to my ladder and licked the vertical sides of the ladder, then started chewing on the rungs I stepped on. That was pretty funny. It walked off and another cow came to Dan's cow calling and stood 50 yards away and starred. Finally it walked away. About that time, a bull lit it up, up the mountain with chuckles and groaning. it sounded very much like the bull form the first night. That bull was moving a bit but seemed to be moving away. Suddenly form the exact spot where that bull was screaming (100 yards away) a 6x6 with short tines, totally covered in mud, nose to tail came running straight at me. As fast as I could safely stand up, I did and got ready to shoot. It stopped where that cow has stopped and I said to myself "I'm killing him there at 30 or there at 15". As quick as he came he took off back where he came from. I looked back a Dan, and he had moved back a ways and knew he did not see the 6x6. He said do you want to try for that bull that's calling, I said I would have shot that one that was standing here for 10 minutes. He was some upset. I thought it was funny, but he's a serious guy and wondered about my humor. I said let's go after than one, it's getting late.
Off we go and the hunt/stalk was on. With the rain suits, being quiet was a challenge and when we needed it the most, the wind blew for 2 minutes. Those 2 minutes saved our butts. We got close and Dan could see him. Then another bull decided to get in on the action from below. Our bull was now pissed and took turns telling each of us, who was boss and tougher. We moved closer and I nocked an arrow. Then Dan changes his mind and goes past the end of my arrow. I move it out of the way, and put it half back into my quiver and follow Dan. Our bull is tearing up the forest now and there was not 10 or 15 seconds where someone was not in full out screaming mode. I wasn't nervous, there'd be time for that later. I moved closer and Dan said get ready and I already was. He was at my feet scratching the ground and bugling into the mud and behind us. Now I have a good view of him and he's in my range. He's in full all out bugle walking directly at me screaming then turns to his right, offering me a broadside shot. I see my shot coming in 10 yards, he clears the last oak tree, and he lites the mountain side up with what would be his last bugle. I hold 12" high knowing he was a good 40 yards. I shoot with one pin. In slow motion, I am watching my pink helical fletching slowly rotating my arrow that's now on it's way.
Dan goes to where the elk was and I'm telling him where it was when I shot at it. We look for 20 minutes for the arrow in the scrub and oks that are 2 feet tall, shaped like a globe cedar in a nursery and have acorns on them. Odd for this cat to see. I know exactly where the elk ran like a shot when I hit it, even though Dan said to me when I shot "You missed". I rarely miss and was positive I hit it judging by the way it lit outta there. 4 steps from where I hit it and where it hit the scrub... blood. and blood everywhere. 2-21/2 feet out both sides of the trail. I'm never a fan of blood right away after a hit, but this was different, though black blood. We waited another 20 minutes making it 40 and I mentioned, from where I was, I did not see the elk leave the bluff he ran in, but that would not be unusual for a hunter to miss that and there was a window that I could not see through so he may have left out the back door. Al that blood...all that blood, we broke the rule and followed it even a blind man could follow. 60 maybe 70 yards in, there....I smell him. 2 more steps and there he is. As big a beautiful as they get. In fact the most beautiful 6x6 on the mountain, in my opinion.
I'm a very lucky guy. And blessed to have all you strangers to share it with.
If you are wondering about the shot placement, I did not lead him as much as I should have but cutting the aorta that lays under the spine in half, is the reason for the black blood and the short blood trail. That is the exit hole you see there. And the bright shiny thing are 32 teeth shinning back at the camera.
Damn, I would get back in the truck and go straight back there right this instant if I could. Sunday Charlie Rehor who was deer hunting some 25 miles away heard I shot an elk and came up to see it. For you who have met the man, you can chime in......the world needs more Charlies.
Now if any of you can pick up the phone and call Jeannine to tell her my personal "Grand Slam" for 2015 includes a moose..... I told her if I get an elk, I might not go for moose. I just was sweet talking her and softening her with gin in the hot tub, but after 42 years, you know the right time.
Elk hunting..... nothing quite like it! Congrats again!
Couldnt have happened to a nicer guy. Well done sir....well done!
Great hunt, congrats. No doubt you have enough experience on both sides of the game to really appreciate it all.
Good for you!
I knew Dan would get you on a good one. Oh, I know those Lake Miramonte crawdads are some good eating too.
Some years ago, my buddy & I connected on bulls the same evening a mile apart. I drilled mine through both lungs and he ran about 100 yards before crashing.
My buddy hits his about where you hit yours. It took one jump, stood still for a few seconds and tipped over downhill to not move again! That artery (femoral under the spine) puts them down fast....
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Congrats Ron and thanks for telling your story. Elk hunting stories NEVER get old. I love them all!
Great write up. I always love to relive the hunt by reading the stories that our hunters post on Bowsite. I can't wait to hunt with you again some day. In fact, all of the guys can't wait for you to come back. It was truly our pleasure to have you in our camp.
Enjoy the elk meat. Nothing better.
Heres a pic the day after you shot your bull. Your smile says it all. Oh, and the guy to my right is a pretty good guy to have in camp too! Ha!!
