Colorado Big 8 hunters
Colorado
I have often wondered if any of the people that have harvested the Colorado big 8 or the big 10, for that matter have done it on their own, without the services of a professional outfitter. And have any of them ever collected all 8 animals that would be considered trophy class.
I know one guy that did it with a yearling bear and a 3 year old bull elk. Another that did it with a cow elk.
But has anyone actually done it on their own with true trophy animals?
I think Mr. (he deserves that)Mike Powell has a record-book animal of each of the species. The one time I met him I don't believe he's the type to follow a guide. ;)
He's done it three times I believe, but I don't know if all the "trophy-class" animals came in the same go around.
Congratulationd to (Mr.) Powell. That's great!
Willie, I met him a long time ago (about 1990ish) and feel priviledged to do so.
You can read (where I'm trying to remember the info from) the latest CBA record book. I've spent more time in the back of the book than in the meatier front end. Good stuff.
Mike Powell was a good friend and a heck of a bowhunter, but I don't think he ever completed the CO Big 8, and he's not listed as doing it in the CO Records Book. I think you're confusing him with Jake Powell.
As to your question, I believe It has been done without a guide and with all P&Y class animals. If you want the particulars, the CBA is still selling the last edition of the Colorado Bowhunting Records, and it is a great reference every Colorado bowhunter could profit by.
I believe that they all were taken with his long bow!
Jake Powell has done it twice, he's also a guide him self. I know Brandon Powell (Mikes son) has the big 8 not sure if there all record book.
I think the majority of CO8'ers have utilized a guide or at least a friend with hounds to assist them in the harvest of their Mountain Lion.
I don't know if he was kidding or not (it can be difficult to distinguish his sense of humor), but Fred Eichler attempted to take all female CO8 species- which I think would be more difficult than all male. Most species, the females are in larger groups and typically more difficult to take.
Mine was completed with a yearling bear (200 pounder though)in 2007 and the following year I took a P&Y Boar.
There are several who have taken all P&Y quality animals, albeit many of them may not have entered their animals officially in the record book.
Pretty sure Barry Smith has done it twice. Once with a longbow and once with a recurve. Thought he also told me has 8 in P&Y, but the elk was before they changed the minimum so he wants to tag a bigger one.
I think I heard Jake was on his way to #3? And at least one was with recurve? One heck of a hunter.
I hunt with Barry a bit, I think Barry needs a goat and he will have done it three times and he has the points to draw.
Goes to show you how times have changed. A guy is lucky to draw a sheep or goat once in his life these days. I know Barry has had at least three ram tags.
Drawing is the toughest part. I got 7 and 21yrs in applying for bighorn. Some day!!!!!changing from fingers to a release this year, maybe my luck will change.
It's simply luck as to if you draw or not. Odds for resident Archery Bighorn average around 1:6, some units much lower, some a tad higher. It could happen your first try, or never.
The last time I saw statistics on it (which was about 6 years ago) the average archery hunter took 8 years to draw a Ram tag, I'm sure it has gone up a bit.
I know my dad has drawn 3 times, and I'm 3+2 for my Third CO Ram license. You just have to put in and not get obsessed on drawing it. If it is meant to be it will happen.
Ziek is correct, it is David "Jake" Powell that has completed round three. I alsot had the honor of meeting Mike and was confused.
Scott "Matthews Man" is right; the lion is one species that you just can't realistically take on your own. That is, unless you are a stud like Gary Renfro, who simply cuts track and hunts them down on his own (no dogs). Gary's highly entertaining account of that hunt is told in the latest edition of the CBA Record Book - a volume that should reside on every Colorado bowhunter's bookshelf!
Jim
Bill, personally of my Big Eight which took 11 years to complete, seven were self guided and I almost got my mountain lion on my own as I predatored called one in to within 20 yards but before I got my bow up, he was gone. I hired a guide the following year and killed a good PY cat.
My sheep, lion, whitetail, pronghorn made the py minimums but the rest were still real trophys in my mind. Was I after PY trophy animals? Acturally not but they just made themselves available and I was glad to take the opportunity.
The CBA Big Eight, does not specify males or trophys only, just a representative of the species.
No doubt, taking all PY animals is a challange as would taking all females of the eight species.
Paul
Bill, I have done the 8 two times, 9 once and I have never had an outfitter on any hunt. You can do it on you own. Most of my animals made the book if that is what is important to you. Just to complete it once is a feat It is a way of life not and award. Dennis
What are the two additional animals for the CO Big 10?
My hats off to you Dennis.
Dennis,
So, how did you get your two cats? Do you have a pack of hounds? Did you do a "Renfro" and track them down sigle-handedly? Or did you call them in with a predator call?
Jim
Thank you, I have had two buddies that took me for fun. I help them and they helped me. It is alot of fun. I could have shot two cats with out dogs but they were too small. I called one in and spot and stalked the other one on a kill.
You can definitly get the 8 done without a guide and you can harvest all trophies. Now if I could only draw a sheep and goat tag.
Dennis has a great point about it being a way of life and not really an award for doing it. The thrill of hunting all of the different animals and being successful is the award in of itself. However it is also pretty neat to read about them in the back of the CBA record book. Many of those guys are an inspiration to what can be accomplished with a bow.
A lot of it has to do with the amount of time dedicated to being out hunting. I know of a couple of bowhunters who are lacking either a bear, or lion to complete their 8.
Probably many of the folks who have completed it, are only a few animals short of completing it a 2nd or 3rd time as Dennis mentions, it is just a way of live (hunting). The tag issue for Sheep and Goat, and the probabiltiy of completing a lion hunt without hounds are probably the biggest hurdles.
I'm a Sheep, Goat, and Lion short of doing it again. Doubt that I'd ever hunt another Lion unless it was for free to tag along with a houndsman running dogs.
My focus is to do a few bowhunts with my father while he is still able to bowhunt. Maybe a Kodiak Island drop hunt for Blacktail, or a caribou hunt together. We have been planning a nw corner elk hunt, which when we started applying for unit 201 took 7 PP's. I'd really like to do that hunt with him in the next few years as well.
Scott,
I would like to that too. These old bones have been creaking quite a bit lately. Just sharing the outdoors with you makes me happy.
So does anyone know who is the youngest archer to complete the CO Big 8? How old were they?
Looks like I better start putting some animals on the ground if I want to be the youngest Big 8 in CO.
Now if I could only draw some tags!
I'm fairly certain that Brandon will be the only person to have taken 6 in a single year.
So how many people have completed the CO big 8?
I think the last number given out last year was #75
COarchery, as one of the oldest Big Eight hunters, I started at the age of 52 in 1992, and conpleted the challange in 2003, at 63. The two draw liceses were sheep, 6 yrs, and goat, 8 years to draw. My last two species was the Mt. Lion in 2001 and final, the bear in 2003.
The challange is to draw and kill the sheep and goat and also the bear and lion. If you hire a lion guide the cost will be around $3000. If you have friends with good dogs, better yet.
My goat hunt was the most physically challanging as I solo and bivy hunted and climbed 2300 ft in a 1/4 mile to the goats.
Good luck and keep the passion glowing. Paul
Paul, With only being 21 and having 3 point 0 weighted it may be possible for me to draw the goat hunt. Its possible but a long shot. I'm thinking about just putting in for a ewe tag next year to try and get that out of the way. Even better yet, I think I'm going to try and get them all on film!
What do you guys think?
It is possible to draw a goat tag with only the 3 preference points and no weighted points. Although it gets harder every year as more people have more weighted points.
If you really only want a bighorn ewe tag, apply for it as your first choice. Some units this will work, but I applied for a ewe tag as my first choice in S6 (Pikes Peak) and didn't draw.
Good luck on the filming the hunt. I was fortunate to have both my desert and rocky ram hunts on film - granted both were rifle hunts.
Once you have your 3 PP's you have about as much chance as anyone else. It has more to do with being lucky than how many weighted PP's you have.
Heck, back when I had MAX WP's I always talked to friends or guys who drew that had just 3 + 0.
If you ever intend to hunt a Ram though, apply now as odds continue to get tougher and tougher as the years go bye.
75? Maybe I will make it within the 100 mark. I am 23 right now. Just need to draw a sheep and goat tag as well as find a dang bear!
Sweet Ermine! Post some pics of them kills!!!
