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Gonna be some elk hitting the ground this week for sure with the weather helping!

Just wish I could take off a few days but not in the cards... Picked up another job today that will have me buried. Will try to get at least a little bit of time in the evenings...

I’ll try to add some pics as I go. We packed into camp on Tuesday. Got there and unpacked by 2 pm. The wind was ripping pretty good. We knew the storm was gonna hit soon so we made runs to the creek to get water to filter. Ended up with 12 gallons worth. There was a older fella at camp when we got there. He packed to a different location. He told us it sounded like a circus that morning with all the bugles.

About 4 the rain and sleet started. We had a propane stove for heat and cooking. It worked out pretty well. Right at dark we heard the first bugles. One was on the ridge near camp. He bugled probably a dozen times before we went to bed. By 5 the snow had started coming down pretty good. We had to get up every hour to knock it off the wall tent. At one point we slept for a hour and a half. That was way to long the ceiling was really close to caving in on us. It was all Jason and I could do to get it cleared off that time. Around 1 that night we had to go outside and shovel the snow off around the walls it was caving in the sides of the tent.

Right after daylight Jason and I were outside shoveling snow and spotted two guys walking our way. They made it to camp and asked if they could leave their gear there. We had a extra walk tent we weren’t using so we told them we didn’t mind. We told them they were welcome to hang out until it cleared up some. They declined and said they were gonna try to make it off the mountain. They took one bottle of water and took off. 1030 that night they sent a message to my Garmin and let us know they made it to the trail head.

Before they got out of sight two more guys showed up. A father and son from Texas. They had spent the night in a two man tent fighting to keep it from caving in on them. During the night their one man tent collapsed on their gear. They asked if they could shelter in our tent until the outfitter came back up and we’re gonna get a ride down with him. We didn’t mind so we rearranged some things and set up two more cots. They were good company and we made the best of a bad situation.

It snowed off and on all day Wednesday. Probably added another 6-7” of snow. We ended up with around 30” or so by the end of the storm.

Mick was still feeling rough and we couldn’t do anything for him except keep the water to him and try to get him to eat. I didn’t see much sense in going out that day with all the snow. No bugles heard. We had brown beans that night and Jason put on quiet a show once we hit the hay. The Texas boys said they were very impressed.

Outfitter showed up around 1 and loaded everything and one up and headed back to the trail head. The Texas boys gave Mick a ride to a hotel for the night and even took him to the airport the next day to catch a flight back home. He started feeling better once he got to the trail head. Dropped around 3000 feet. Pretty disappointed he got sick. He’s one of the toughest men I know and a hell of a lot of fun to be around and hunt with. Can’t thank them Texas fellas enough for taking care of him off the mountain.

Bout my turn to drive again. I’ll keep going as soon as I get a chance. There is some action coming up. I’ll get there. Saturday we loose some snow.

Few more elk tracks but no real action the rest of the day. Real good dinner that night. Grouse and fried taters and onions. Chased down with a few brews.

100 yards away I spot a grouse on the ground. It sat there as I loaded a arrow. I sent it and hit high. It flopped around and made its way to a patch of trees. I bet I walked 20 laps around those trees looking for it. If anyone was watching they had a good laugh. I did find my arrow. Hour later I ran into the guy that was calling earlier. He confirmed it was him. We bsed for a bit and he headed back towards his camp and I went on my way.

Half hour later I came to the edge of a large field and saw two coyotes mousing. There’s nothing I like better than hunting with my bow but killing coyotes with anything tops that. All thoughts of elk went out the window. I got a clump of trees between me and the closest one and put the sneak on. Somehow I made it to the edge of the trees and started trying to range the closet one. Range finder wouldn’t work in the snow very well. A large rock was the best I could do. 43 yards. Eventually he worked over near it. I guessed 55 yards and sent the arrow. Hit but far back. He yelped and started chasing his tail biting at his gut. I can’t help myself when the target is still standing. Sent another arrow over his back. He came closer. Another arrow on the way This time it skimmed down his side as he spun while the arrow was in flight. Now he runs to the rock I had ranged. I loaded a grouse arrow and sent it. Hit just under him. With that he ran off to my right and bedded in a clump of trees 80 yards away.

The whole time this fiasco was going on his buddy was hanging out watching. I loaded my last grouse arrow as he walked over to investigate. Only one elk arrow left. Couldn’t stand to part with it yet. He checked out the place his buddy was circling for a bit. Ended up at 35 yards and caught me drawing at took off.

In the woods the snow was a lot deeper and very loud. I would take a step or two and stop to watch and listen. It would take me a hour to go 100 yards. Couple hundred yards later I slowly came around a large clump of pines and there it was! It would of shocked me less if it would of been Bigfoot playing a banjo. A big tan elk butt looking me right in the face at 25 yards. The other end had antlers. He wasn’t a raghorn but weren’t no 350 bull. I didn’t care cause he was legal. Now comes the problem. He was facing straight away. Maybe quartering to the right 10 degrees. At 25 yards I can shoot quarters all day. I’ve never killed anything with a ham blaster. That’s the only shot I had. What would you of done? I had a full three minute of standing there watching him before anything happened.

Making the best of what your given, well done.

Anyway I had about a hour and a half of light left and one arrow. Things were looking up. I slipped through the woods and snow as quite as possible heading to the field I had the response from a couple days before. I made it with about a half hour of light left. Wind was good so I was gonna call as soon as I took a leak. I set my bow down and was fasting my pack belt back when I saw movement to my left coming into the clearing.

I took one step to my bow and hit a knee. Loaded my last arrow and ranged it 119 yards. Cow and calf. They worked from my right to left across the opening. She took her time and stopped several times to eat giving perfect broadside shots. Problem was that’s way to far for me to comfortably shoot. I practice at 100 a lot but not on a live animal. I know a lot of guys take and make the long shots on critters all the time but not this hillbilly. I enjoyed watching them cross the field, ended up going back in the woods at 124 yards. I didn’t call to her guess I should of tried to convince her to come closer to check me out. What’s the experts think? Anyway after that I hiked back to camp with a big smile on my face. Successful day in my book.

The closer I got in the direction of the other camps the more bugles I heard. I’m no expert on bugles but I was betting 90% were hunters. We had around 30 guys in about a 10 mile area that I knew of. I decided to keep bugles to a bare minimum and slip through the timber and cow call a little. Really didn’t see much fresh sign. Around 11 I was near a very large field and kept hearing a strange noise coming from that direction. Worked my way to the edge and heard it again. It sounded like a mix between a moo cow and a coyote howling. Maybe a dash of elk. I headed on my way. Didn’t want to disturb the fella practicing his bugle. Little later I sat down for lunch. I sat down for lunch and a nap and could set my watch to Peter piper. Every half hour he’d sound off. Was walking a trail heading Jason’s direction.

After lunch and a nice nap Jason and I talked on the radios. He said the fella made his way over to him and was responding to his calls. He was now heading back my direction. Neither one of us had seen the guy so I wasn’t 100% positive.

Sure enough half hour later as I was climbing through a real nice section of blow down I started hearing him again.

No response. I started thinking if a bull is coming into my calls at some point I’ve got to get the wind off my back why hasn’t this guy moved to get the wind right? I gave it a few minutes and slipped up behind a few short pines at the edge of the opening and waited. Five minutes later coming from my left to right in the opening a coyote showed up. He stopped a or slowed down a couple times and looked behind him That’s the end of this game. I’m killing a yote. I got a arrow on and drew without it seeing me. To late he was behind some of the pines and I had no shot. I waited for a bit to see if he had a friend traveling with him. As soon as I put the arrow away three more appeared. Same direction and looking behind them. Same outcome no shot due to the trees. Oh well. Where’s Jonny thunder or this bull now? I stood there for 45 minutes and not another sound out of him. The only thing I can think of is he finally decided to get the wind right and moved to my left and spooked the yotes my direction. Or it could of been a real bull and I screwed it up. The rest of the afternoon I didn’t hear another peep out of him. What do you think bull or guy? I had a couple hours before dark and decided to work back towards camp and spend the last time I had sitting where the cows and calves came out the night before.

Mitch

Thanks for taking us along,

Robb

We were in a different unit opening week and left Tuesday to avoid the wind and snow. He had tough conditions the other way. Hot, Dry and full Moon. But we had a great time.

My son in law, and my friends young sons first trip west.

It’s always Fun to experience it through a persons first trip. They saw moose, bear, antelope Mule Deer and Elk. Of course we saw everyone of these species every day, except elk. Again we had a great trip, and and it definitely fueled the fire for their return