Discuss our Live Colorado Elk Hunt Here
Elk
Good Luck I'll be doing my own hunt after I get off work. The truck is packed except for the Bow ( due to the heat) and I'll be on the road and in camp before dark.
13 huh? (ix-nay on the inx-jay)
I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun to follow as always. There's gonna be a lot of type-o's on Bowsite as everyone is crossing there fingers for you!
best of luck to you Pat.
I bet he gets one on the first or second day.
Good hunting Pat, smoke one just like that Buff in the land of OZ.
Cheers Mick
Best of luck Pat, this is your year.
Bring your bow Matt, the old man might choke again and I want to know that a Lefemine can kill an Elk! lol
michael
Good luck Pat. This is your year!
Good luck! I'll be living vicariously through you until we leave next friday on our hunt!
Good luck Pat!!! Looking forward to following along again this year!
Good Luck, Pat. Im sure thirteen is YOUR lucky number. It certainly isn't 1-12.
Good luck Pat and remember your promise to shoot the 1st repectable elk you encounter, easier said then done very early in the hunt, but just do it and get this elk demon off your back. My elk hunting buddy is the same way, he has over 20 elk hunts under him and something always seems to happen, in fact I killed my bull the 1 year he could not go with me, so go figure, but stick to your decision, take the 1st bull you can and revel in the accomplishment. Good luck!
Pat: You know my thoughts and prayers are with you!
Kill one!!!!!!!
Good Luck Pat! I'll be up in Maine on my 2nd year bear hunting! Look forward to seeing how you did when I get back.
I'll wish you good luck if you wish me good luck. I'm leaving Sept 5th(after my bear hunt) for my 26th hunt. The first 25 have produced no bulls,something always goes wrong. Talk about a nemisis!
Good Luck Pat. I will be in Co. a week from tomorrow. Hope to read all about your success before I leave.
Good luck Pat.This is your year.
Good luck. So what kind of bull will you "settle for" this year? 2-1/2? 5x5?
Pat good luck on the hunt!! We are all hoping you get it done. The first thing I would do in the morning is pull out your bow, place a picture of a monkey on your target and shoot the monkey. That way he won't be on your back during this hunt!
Good luck buddy!! I can't wait for the updates with pics!
Pat, Best of luck to you! At least you're getting to go this year......I'm working on my new business. Care to share the general area where you'll be breaking the 'jinx'?
Good Luck and shoot straight!!!
Go get 'em Pat!!! No elk hunt for me this year, so I'll be living the season through "Live" hunts like this one.
All good streaks are made to be broken!!!
Good luck and have a great hunt.
I am glad he is finally going to shoot one. I was getting tired of reminding everyone that he has passed quite a few.....
This will be fun!!
It will be a looong two weeks for me..............
G
Gitter done Pat! I bet you will have a better chance of success if you just relax and live in the moment. Some of us don't even get to go this year and I would trade for that monkey friend of yours any day! Have a great trip!
The Vegas bookies have posted the odds for this years hunt. 20-1 that Pat doesn't use the phrase,"smoked him" until after the hero photo has been taken. 7-1 that Pat will bust his derrier to get the job done. And finally 2-5 says that Pat will get the job done this year. And it is even money that if by some strange bit of fate it doesn't happen Wes, his guide, will strangle Pat. Have a great hunt and good luck Pat!!!
Good luck, Pat. I hope you have fun and get a great elk!
This is the year Pat, good luck!
Wrong answer Pat, legal bull shoot! You can always worry about getting a bigger one later, you have got to get this monkey off your back 1st, priorities man!
Pat,you got the recurve this year? Good luck to you,marc
Here's hoping you put a big one down for good this year.
Cant wait !!! Good Luck !!
From the sound of your intro- it sounds like the first thing you better do is send your wife something nice- and I don't mean a camo-taped toilet plunger.
Best of luck, Pat. Hope you stick a big'un.
~Dale
Much luck to you Pat. Will be sending some mojo from here in Oz. Smack a big one mate
best of luck Pat - smoke a big one.
It's time to get it done Pat! Good Luck
G-Luc Pat---No better time then now getter done--while you are waiting for the big moment, send a few scenery pics when you can--
Hey Guys: Remember Pat has a "secret" camera man with him this year and the dude is Mr. LUCKY!! Good luck gentlemen, start your engines!!! C
7:00am opening morning right now. And I'm sitting here on the computer drinking coffee. Sad.
Go get em Pat! No doubt this is your year.
Pat, don't shoot them if they're walking! Stop him with the nervous grunt & he'll look right through you giving you plenty of time for the shot! You can even draw & call at the same time & it will still lock him up!
If a bull is standing there in range & you can see a part of him & you are waiting for him to take a step or two then DO NOT CALL with this sound thus giving yourself away, the time is not right, there's a chance he will bolt! Good Luck!!
ElkNut1
Different year, same story.....
Pat, "I'm going to shoot the first thing I see." first update we get, "I think I'll set my sights higher"
Haha.....Love the difficulty of the decision making you have to go through as much as the hunt itself!
stick a bigun.
"we have been glassing 30 bulls since sunup" - no herd shooting :) pick one, hunt it down, but don't fall in love with it - take the 1st decent bull you can....Good Luck!
I am thinking it will happen today.
Going out on a limb here. As everyone always has the same wellwishes for you every year, and it seems the elk are reading your mail! (Where else would a respectable bull elk hang out in the off season besides bowsite!) I'm gonna say good luck to the elk! No way this guy nails you! I mean, really, lucky 13? Ha! Let your guard down and relax! (Remember, this is all elk reverse phsycology) Tag soup elk amigos! Frolic at will, this guy is no danger to you! (Please don't take my stars) lightning will strike a tree and it will fall on your 300+ crowned head before this guy gets an arrow anywhere near! ;) (Pat, just trying a new tactic, if you tag a beast, you owe me BIG!!! Hahaha!!
lol buck slayer you forgot to tell em he couldnt hit em if he was tied to their tail with a fly swatter in each hand hope that helps Pat
I think if Pat does come back without an elk this year, we take one of HIS stars!
Not that I'm wishing that on him. I'm still hoping that he gets a nice one, and gets to share that with his son. But if he doesn't we hack the Bowsite and take a star. :)
Hi Pat- why do you choose to go the first week? I am not second guessing, just curious for my own hunt planning knowledge.
Hope you get one of those 300 class bulls. Any bull near 300 is a great trophy for a bowhunter. Good luck Pat.
Pat has your guide killed any archery bulls this time of year ,, it seems the odds are stacked against you this time of year on this ranch ,stupid question any water its hot, dry, them elk got to be thirsty ,,
PS i guess you didnt read that tread about the shaving all hair to get under the elks radar HAHAH
keep at it all u need is one good break , best of luck louis
Man that wind is really ruining your day.
Pat can you comment on why you chose to use aluminum arrows.
Hear are my thoughts on Pat's hunt so far.
I think his choice to hunt the first week was a wise one. The reason most guys don't enjoy that week is because the elk aren't as vocal, so they are harder to find. In Pat's case, finding animals is not the problem. I understand wanting to get first crack at animals that haven't been hunted for a year.
IMO, the weather has become a convenient excuse, as it so often does. 80-90 degree days, and wind, are very common in N. Central/Western Colorado this time of year, so they should come as no surprise.
In my humble opinion, I think Pat and his guides would be better served by using more ambush tactics at water, or travel corridors. From Pat's descriptions, they seem to be doing a lot of spotting and stalking. In my experience, hot dry conditions make that style of hunting very difficult.
All in all, I would say it's been a great hunt, so far. They're seeing animals every day, and they're enjoying some beautiful Colorado weather. What more could they ask for? ;-)
GG
I was curious about the arrows myself. And where's our update? Geesh!
I think Pat should leave the boy with the guide and go after them by himself. Spot and stalk. Try it and he will like it.!
Norseman,
I'm betting that while Pat might really enjoy the spot and stalk approach (just like you mentioned), he gets as much satisfaction (if not more) by having his son at his side while he is chasing those bulls around the mountains. Being aggressive is a deadly tactic for sure, but in the heat that Pat is experiencing, maybe an ambush near water would also work....and it would enable his son to be right beside him. Then again, as super sneaky as those guys might be, maybe they can be aggressive and still get within bow range.
Isn't doesn't matter what he does he's cursed! lol
It's all about that one lucky moment. He will get it BUT will he make it count?
Good luck Pat! I think the Red Sox transferred their curse...
Not suggesting that at all Pat. Just curious if you are all hunting together? More people = more movement, more scent, limiting approaches, etc. It would be a win for you and the boy. Does your boy have a tag as well? Maybe he might enjoy just being with the guide less pressure from dad being right there. one on one time. not the whole hunt, but just a morning or evening. Just a thought.
I completely understand wanting the boy by yourside. Always better with someone there to share the great encounters. Just enjoy the hunt either way. No pressure and the elk will fall right in your lap! ;^)
I hunted with my 9 yro last year nad will again this year (hes 10 now). Nothing has been more fun and I would not trade it for the world. He has had zero impact on my hunting.
I would love to hunt with my son for elk. He will be 12 in January. Unfortunately, school in Florida starts in the middle of August and there is just no way.
This hot weather up here in the N. CO foothills brings terribly unpredictable wind. It's no wonder Pat and Co. are getting frustrated by it. I spent most of last weekend trying to stay away from elk, the wind was so hinky.
Seems better today now that things have cooled-down a little. Hopefully the wind will work out for them, because if they get a good wind for a day, he should kill a bull in that place.
If you have yourself, your son, and another person you could do a triangle setup on a bull. Once you spot or get a response from one have the caller drop back and try to pull the bull right by you guys in front. Go get 'em! Sounds like it's just a matter of time with the elk you're seeing. This is your year Pat!
Hi Pat, Good luck, Hope you get your Bull, I will be heading out to Colorado on Friday for the 10th year trying to kill my first. Maybe this will be our year. Jon
liability? lol The hog king of aussie land a liability?
Give the kid the bow!
michael
Pat...You goin "retro" with the 2117 aluminums or what?
Looks like he rolled his water buffalo setup straight into elk season.
Pat needs an Assistant like the BIG celebs have so that they can keep us updated! I need my fix ,man!
If you feel that you cant take your kids hunting because you feel they are a liability. Then you should hang up your bow because you are taking it way too seriously. Btw, not trying to start a debate im just throwing that out there. Pat hope your hunt ends well. I believe myself to be just as cursed as you are. However, I think your going to close the deal by the end of this hunt.
I went to school in Fort Collins and what Pat is experiencing weather wise is unfortunately the norm. This pattern typically will last until at least mid-September.It is a blast furnace. Let's hope for a break.
OK I got to bust Pat's chops a bit on this (but I can get away with it) LOL You choose to go the 1st week which is typically very hot and normally offers very little vocal activity and the elk are oftentimes still bunched up. Yet you choose to use calls to get after them when they are not calling much and without calling have difficulty keeping with them or locating them. Waterholes are not a viable alternative due to excessive sources, so that is out. Yet due to the lack of vocalization ya'll choose not to be aggressive and sit back and wait for them to get vocal so as to not push them?? Man you have to get after them, you only have a week and I doubt they are going to turn loose in the time you have, you will need to get on them, move constantly and make something happen, even if you bust some elk out, there should be more to get on. Otherwise you are going to be laying back and waiting and your time will be up. Stay out there, fine where they are at, get in close to the bedding area and wait on them to move, don't be hanging back and playing it safe, that is not an option for you on this hunt. Good luck I certainly hope it happens for ya but it sounds like you are going to have to push the issue to get your chance, they are just not coming to you.
Pat - I wish you good luck. But, the spot/stalking isn't going great and you are wasting away the middle of the day times. Pick an area away from the main spotting area and do some miles. No trucks, just your own two legs. Yes, you may bump some elk out, but you may also bump into a setup that allows for a shot. A nice 5 point at 15 yards beats the heck out of a 350" bull 450 yards away that can't be approached.
Maybe head out in the AM, give your spotting spot a quick once over, then head elsewhere & hike. While calling may not entice a bugle from afar, if you blunder into a bull at say 80 yds away unseen, he may call back and give you your opportunity.
Sometimes you have to make your luck...
>>>>--bestofluck----->
I'm with Mark Land. You guys aren't even hunting elk! You go out in the morning, glass a while, see some elk and than leave until the evening only to find the elk are gone . It's time to go get an elk, spend all day in the field. Your odds will greatly increase. After the morning hunt, set up somewhere and sit until the evening hunt. You at least have a chance of an elk making a mistake and walking by you or hearing a low volume bugle in the woods at which point you can make a move.
Pat you have way more patience than me. I'm with the three guys above. You have a better chance sitting at one of the many water holes than sitting at the truck. Get in close and something good might happen. I can understand the guides not wanting to run all the elk off their property but your time is limited, hunt. Good Luck.
Lots of armchair quarterbacking going. Not sure if you guys know what the wind is like around here during the mid-day, but most days it goes every direction between about 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sitting a waterhole during mid-day is useless, as is trying to stalk them while they are bedded. If they blow the elk up, they will go for miles across this open country, very possibly onto an adjoining ranch. With these bulls being still somewhat in bachelor groups, that is a huge risk to take.
I've lived and hunted here my whole life. I feel Pat's pain, but if I were hunting where he is hunting (and I've hunted right next to it before), I'd probably be doing the same thing. Wes knows how to hunt the elk on his lease.
Congrats to John........whoever he is.
Tough packing job for sure....sheesh....
Congrats to John! Nice bull on his last day. Doesn't get much better than that.
See? It can be done.... =D
They're hunting a private ranch. Much pressure and the elk leave the ranch so fast your head spins. Blow em out of their beds and they are gone, maybe for the season. Hunt em smart and you can hunt them for quite a while and hope they make a mistake like today.
Not like you can pick up and chase them or cover more miles as the miles are limited. As are the options.
Looks like they are on the best option so far, trying to ambush coming and going from the fields.
Now you have the place to yourself? Go get em!
Wow, that is open country! Where abouts are they hunting? You see all these pics from NM with entire elk loaded into a truck and I never get too excited about that. I am not sure I would be very satisfied on a hunt where I could drive my truck right to the elk. for me at least, it would take some of the romance away from the idea of what an elk hunt means to me. Nice elk though for sure!
michael
^ north of fort collins, CO
I'm with Mark. Just because they aren't vocal doesn't mean they won't respond. When I hunt the first week I spend a lot of time just setting up near likely bedding areas and calling. If nothing responds move on the to next likely bedding area. The good thing about the heat is the number of likely bedding areas are going to be reduced to the darkest coolest timber. When you do get one to respond they usually come in silent.
Davy, there really isn't any "dark, cool timber" where Pat is hunting. They bed in the shade of loose pinons and cedars, some patches of ponderosas, or in the shade of overhanging rocks. Sometimes right out in the open. It's like hunting in a desert, pretty much. Pat and Co. can likely see many of these elk during the day when they are bedded.
Seems like a great spot-stalk situation, which it would be if the wind ever blew the same direction for more than a minute or two during the day. By the time the wind settles in the evening, if it ever does (often not), the elk are up and moving. Hence their ambush strategy, which is pretty much the only viable way to hunt these elk right now.
Its fun listening to this long distance advice. People are interesting. Pat if that bulls twin walks by tomorrow you taking him??
Congrats to John! Once again I'm living another elk hunt with you Pat. I haven't been on an elk hunt since 2004 and being there semi-live is well- good and bad! Good luck to you.Hopefully the weather will change. In case you haven't heard we are having record high temps here at home ( Ct.)- mid 90s. Stick one!!!!
Pat, go get them, sounds like you know the drill. Best of luck, either way it beats the hell out of work!
Pat,
Thanks for taking the time to post a mid-day summary about John's bull. I was busting your chops about it on the other thread that you started.....what a great way for him to end the last day of his hunt! Hopefully, you'll be making tonight's update with bloody hands from your own bull.....
Good luck this evening, Pat. You are hunting exactly the way we hunt the muleys on the plains east of there. Know that you will kill a big bull if you are patient, careful, and believe.
So an ambush on a travel corridor worked!
Didn't a savvy elk hunter suggest using that tactic above? ;-)
Congrats to John!
GG
After what happened tonight with the wind (welcome to my world in N. CO...), I hope one of you guys who hunts where the wind is good all day will PLEASE invite Pat on a hunt next year.
Nothing more frustrating than watching bulls all day, waiting and working to try for a setup, then having the wind do one of those fickle twirls right at prime shooting time when it is supposed to be steady and workable.
Two more days, Pat. Cool front tomorrow, probably a good wind. Gonna happen!
Dang, don't you guys know that if you would only wear Scent Lock clothes, you wouldn't have to worry about them smelling you? LOL
Good luck on the last two days.
That is soooo true 'tx-58'.......
Man Lou I know how the wind does out there, that is why there are several bulls and big muley bucks still roaming around, but in those early season conditions it is just too tough to sit back and wait for the perfect condition cuz more then likely it ain't gonna happen. No matter where you are or what the wind is doing there is some terrain feature that can be utilized to your best advantage to up the odds slightly, yes you are risking busting some elk, but with the numbers available that is not catastrophic and Pat only has a few days to hunt, worrying about running a few elk out for the rest of the season should not be his main concern, tagging a bull during the time he has to hunt should be the top priority on this hunt for him. Just sounds like they are playing it way to safe for the future hunting of the elk during the season and not taking in account the outcome of Pat's current hunt. All I'm saying so don't flame me!!! I have been early season....once...and won't do it again! Last 2 weeks for me anytime I get a chance to go now. Always more activity, elk are broken up more, less chance of bumping other elk trying to get in range of the 1 you want and more voval to keep tabs on where they are and are going as well. When you go and conditions are not perfect you have to push the envelope a little more and be more aggressive unless you like sitting on the sidelines and watching time pass by. Of course I enjoy the whole experience and tagging a elk for me is just topping on the cake, but it sure is alot more fun to be in the game then and having more chances, not like you can go back the next week or return when conditions improve!!
How big is this lease anyway?
Mark, I understand what you are saying. No flaming from me. This is a weird place where he is hunting, though. Not like what anyone envisions as "elk" country.
I'm familiar with several similar places around here, where people pushing the envelope when the wind is bad not only push a few elk out, they literally create a chain-reaction that pushes most of them onto the adjoining property. It is such open country that when some elk spook and go, others watching get nervous and often follow along. A bachelor group of a dozen big bulls can be the dozen big bulls on the ranch. Then they spend the rest of their hunt sitting on a fenceline somewhere calling futilely toward the elk they are glassing on the adjoining ranch.
So it sounds more like they are playing safe for their last couple days of the hunt, hoping one of the morning ambush seetups comes together.
Where I hunt, the adjoining ranches have guys hunting hard all day right now in bad wind because that is their hunt, so they push it. Elk are streaming into our basins on a daily basis, sometimes in big herds, and by the time we get back up on Friday there will be guys walking our fenceline, calling to the elk that were on their place earlier in the week. We're lucky to have lots of time to hunt, and sometimes stay away from the elk for days at a time until the wind settles. That's just how it works here when the weather systems put the wind into unpredictable patterns.
But I also understand the need to make the most of a limited time to hunt. Will look forward to Pat's assessment after his hunt is finished.
What I find particularly attractive (and interesting) about this thread is the fact that it encouraging us to think outside of the box.
Most bowhunters that have bowhunted elk (that have posted to this thread), have made some very sound suggestions (be aggressive, etc.), and recommendations. While I am sure that Pat appreciates the input, his assessment (confirmed by Jaquomo feral) suggests that the wind makes other, additional factors worthy of consideration.
I really appreciate the fact that it requires a "troubleshooting" mentality as they chase these buggers around. It also allows me to add this to MY list of things to consider, the next time that I believe that I am in similar situation. Not only do I get to enjoy Pat's hunting adventure (albeit vicariously), but I also get to further refine (expand) my bowhunting "bag of tricks"......pretty cool.
Granted, many of us have already been on hunts where we have employed similar tactics.....but from time to time there is some subtle difference, and even if only one morsel is gleaned from several threads of this nature, I find it most rewarding...plus there is always the suspense of the outcome.
Good Luck Pat! Any elk is a trophy! And having you son with you will make it even more enjoyable!
Well said Mr. Medicineman. I too enjoy reading, watching, learning. Although no where near as eloquently as you. Pat- May the elk gods smile on you soon.
Guess they should be going "hairless"..... =D
Cooling down, front coming through, maybe why the animals moved good for them yesterday? Hope that steadies the wind out for them enough... things could be lookin' up!
AWESOME - can't wait to see what happens this afternoon.
Definitely much cooler here today. It's 6 pm, I just stood outside for about 90 seconds and felt the wind from three different directions. Sure hope it's steadier up on the hill where Pat is right now...
No thunderstorms anywhere so he should get a steady, settled wind and maybe a thermal a little before sundown, when it's time to make a move.
Maybe all the bowsiters can go up there and do a 225,000 person drive for the man! ;^)
Serb, good one! Laughing, thinking about that big jackrabbit roundup in the '30s where 10,000 people surrounded and rounded-up 36,000 rabbits. We could surround that place and make a funnel.
Should be getting a mobile update pretty quick unless they're loading one in the pickup for the grueling pack out. :^)
Great thread... Too Funny LazyJ - I bet any TV celebs reading this are laughing just as hard.
Great insight Jaquomo_feral!
Happy Hunting!
Joe
Hang in there Pat!! The day after these little fronts move out, we often get good, steady wind.
I've killed many bulls on the last day. Last day luck to you!
He's got Hiiiiiiiigh hopes
Hiiiigh hopes
High in the sky, apple piiiie hopes
G
Pat, have you ever considered smoking clothes and yourself with mesquite or hickory smoke? With the finicky winds that might help buy you a few seconds.
Pat, don't downgrade your goals just because they are difficult. Hang in there for the one you want, even if it takes another 13 years. After all, don't we always claim that the hunt is the important thing?
I think I just heard Pat cussing???
Pat, kill one. Even if it is a spike or a cow.
I have to say that if I was Pat, and after 13 hunts with nothing on the arrow.....I'd shoot a truck tires , mount some antlers on them and attempt to pass it off as a rare form of black elk only found in a secret little spot in CO.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Could this be the moment of truth? Please help him Lord. The suspense is killing me...
This could be it! Good luck boys!
DRRRRRuuuuummmmMMM! ROLLLLLL! PLEASE! ..........
Serb that was too funny, I know everyone has an opinion so me being the Elk expert that I am, (I have never even hunted Elk) I would not wait for them to come to me if I knew where they were and they were in a halfway stalkable place. I'd just morf into "super stealth mode" (I'm 6'4" 300lbs) an sneak up on-em! Problem solved! Mike
C'mon Pat! Here's some good energy going your way with, it looks like, all of bowsite!
Hope a good shot op comes your way, that you execute well, and enjoy elk on the BBQ for dinner :)
"Pat, kill one. Even if it is a spike or a cow. "
So I take it it has been a while since you elk hunted in Colorado then. Spikes will get you into hot water. 4x or 5" browtime minimum.
michael
What an unbelievable finish! Great story sadly the curse lives on.
OMG, what else can you say? What a bummer! Figures all hell would break loose and the last evening. It has happened to me many times. Sorry Pat.
At least Matt got to see a bunch of elk and it sounds like he has a great attitude-
Better luck next year- lol
michael
Not cursed, just extremely challenged. At least now you have your son to keep you motivated. That must have been some sight to see all those elk together and especially that many bulls. It's the journey not the destination ;)
Man, talk about a nemesis!
Loved the live hunt Pat, I hope you had a good time away if nothing else :)
HI Pat - loved the live thread - had me going and i am pretty sure everyone else.
what bad luck man - if they are going crazy cant you just extend one more day. or go back in a weeks time.
this elk thing is now 13-0 - not looking good for you but am pretty sure the elk are happy.
better luck next time. and sure enjoyed the thread - thanks again.
whoa. He may be cursed......
Just think Pat , on your 14th attempt, when that monster bull is laying at feet you will have so many great memories to look back on.I would much rather be on an unsuccessful elk hunt(and have had several) then be sitting here reading about it but i think this is next best thing,enjoyed the hunt Pat,IT WILL HAPPEN!!!
Damn Pat, now you MUST go back! Sure beats work!
Hi Pat, Those of us who carry sticks & bows can really relate to the 'elk curse' as we all have a curse or two that keeps us wondering...just what if ? I'd have to say keeping up with these live hunts is one of the reasons I launch onto the internet, the reports are just awesome. My ole daddy always said, those who work the hardest during hunting season, eventually win out. Keep up the hard work. Lucky from Beaumont, Texas
better to have gone with matt and not tagged out than to have gone alone and taken a 400"
So at last its over... Pat has his ELK curse...Jake has his Brown Bear curse...
I would count it an Honor to share a camp with Pat or Jake!
I just aint huntin Elk with Pat or Brown Bear with Jake! hahaha. Mike
Bummer Pat. Thanks for taking us along and I'm sure you and Matt had great experiences together.
Hey, the season's still open isn't it? That tag has to be good for somewhere else besides that ranch?
Unless I had plane reservations, I'm calling into work unsatisfied.... Plans change, stuff happens. Or rather, stuff CAN happen? There's weeks out there still!
Yeah, you're getting your hat handed to you right now, but it's just the first quarter! You can make a comeback, all it takes is one! You can dooo et!
Now would be a great time to break out the blue plunger....
I think next year he should plan on being there the entire season. Then he would probably tag out the first day!
I believe next year I would think about a different outfitter. If I was a paying customer
A different outfitter? You've got to be kidding. Pat would be hard pressed to find a place with more elk.
Besides, Pat has been doing this for 13 years. I suspect he had some input on how this hunt went down. It also sounds like the guide worked his a$$ off trying to put Pat on elk.
You sound like the type of hunter we used to laugh about when I was in the outfitting business. The type that thought they were guaranteed a kill simply by writing the check.
It's hunting.
GG
> I believe next year I would think about a different outfitter. If I was a paying customer
Why? Seems the outfitter he's used the last two years has put him right on big bull elk, no?
he's got the right outfitter
Pat, at least you seen some elk! at least you spent quality time with Matt! At least you had a safe trip! Ummmm, What else? There is always next year!
Now that thats done. DAMMIT! That S#$ks!!!! I feel for ya man. @#%@#$ $#$#$ $%#$%!!!!!!. Hated saying all that crap in the beginning of the post. I held out as long as i could....Butch
Sorry, Pat. Hope you do another elk hunt yet this year.
We'll get'em next year Pat. Yep, this was my 13th as well.
Note to self: If Pat Lefemine ever invites you to go elk hunting keep expectations of killing an elk to a minimum..... 8*)
Well at least you had a good time. 8*)
We all were rooting for you Pat. Dangit....sorry to hear you didn't crush that curse. And I understand this curse. First elk hunt was in 1991 and I have hunted almost have those years chasing them. This will make year 7 in a row making a trip to the mountains to try and kill an elk. I think I'm technically 0-8. The last three years I've been at full draw on monster public land bulls, them standing 18-25 yards away. THis is my year........ I'm sick of my curse. I've always referred to mine as the Oregon curse, because I'm the most unlucky and unsuccessful hunters out of all my buddies.
Remember the good times, the bulls, that last herd, the smell of that fresh pee in the bed. Yes, that's elk hunting and no matter what, you're an elk hunter.
Nothing wrong with the outfitter! If I was Pat I would be digging out my wallet and begging for another hour another day another week whatever the heck I could get to hunt some more. The fact of seeing decent and really good bulls on a daily basis indicates you are hunting in the right place, now all you need is the right time! GH
The right guide could of put you in bow killing distance a half dozen times with as many animals ya'll say there was.
mike/ky What do you base this on? Its a matter of being in position for the right animal in the right circumstances.
I know your frustration this week, Pat. Hot, dry, and wind that would not cooperate. Keep at it and it will come.
We all were rooting for you Pat. Dangit....sorry to hear you didn't crush that curse. And I understand this curse. First elk hunt was in 1991 and I have hunted almost have those years chasing them. This will make year 7 in a row making a trip to the mountains to try and kill an elk. I think I'm technically 0-8. The last three years I've been at full draw on monster public land bulls, them standing 18-25 yards away. THis is my year........ I'm sick of my curse. I've always referred to mine as the Oregon curse, because I'm the most unlucky and unsuccessful hunters out of all my buddies.
Remember the good times, the bulls, that last herd, the smell of that fresh pee in the bed. Yes, that's elk hunting and no matter what, you're an elk hunter.
Im not on here to debate only to voice my opinion as I digest this hunt. To hunt 13 years with an outfitter and not be successful on an elk is not bad luck. Pat is a successful bowhunter with plenty of experience getting it done. The outfitter should have known early on that the tactics he was using was not effective. Calling was not working. Full on pressing the animals or ambush hunting should have been the way. Pat should of hunted all day everyday. The outfitter is solely responsible in the end for Pat not getting it done. 13 years in a row! gimme a break. Hire a new guide
I don't believe Pat hunted that same place 13 times. I looked at the other live hunts and they are at a lot of different places.
The "right guide" can't do anything about the wind we are having this season, so far. Full-on pressing the animals in these conditions we are experiencing here would have been a monumental disaster. As would hunting all day. Ambush hunting when the wind is right is the only way to hunt the elk in the place where he is hunting. Which is mostly what they were doing, it seems.
I just returned from 3 1/2 days in my N. Co spot and only had one morning where we had marginally huntable wind for about an hour and a half. Otherwise, I had to stay away from the elk the whole time to keep from blowing them off the property, and hope things settle down before this weekend.
Pat is hunting with an experienced guide and outfitter who knows how to hunt the elk on that mountain. If they'd had any sort of "normal" wind and thermal conditions, I'm pretty confident Pat's curse would have ended.
But that's elk hunting. Thanks for taking us along again, Pat!
Seems like 7 days is just not enough time. Maybe you should just go 'all in' book 2 weeks. There is no way you'd come home without an elk in 2 weeks of solid hunting on that place.
"Season" is 'still' OPEN!........(give it another try)
The good stuff is only beginning in the Colorado high country. I love the next three weeks.
I'm with others, Pat, get back out here and fill a tag.
GG
Wow! Great story but I was convinced that this would be your year. If I were you and could somehow swing it.....I would get out there again and kick the crap out of that monkey on your back. Good luck.
good reading. you got part of the right place at the right time figured out. good to see its still called hunting.
Good Luck with your latest elk hunt! Don't be afraid to take a smaller bull if you get the chance. This drought has to stop.
That mulie buck had some sweet brow tines! So close!
Nice man, real nice! Your face said it all.
Curses were meant to be broken. Congrats!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! What a bull!! What a trip this has been!! Congrats!!
Congrats on a GREAT bull Pat. Good things come to those who wait. You have certainly EARNED this one!!
nice bull Pat, well earned!
Holy Cow!!!!!
That is a nice bull!!!
Sometimes good thing comes to those who wait...and don't shoot small bulls.
So dark the con of elk! Congrats on breaking the curse with a fantastic elk. Amazing footage and an entertaining hunt. Had all the elements of a Bowsite TV full length movie. Congrats again!
Great great job. so well deserved. it would e greatto pull together snipits from all the live unts for elk and finsh with this.
great job. matt must be thrilled for you as well.
That is cool as hell Pat Congrats.
Congrats.. Your reaction is priceless. Great elk!!
Pat,
Very happy for you man! Way to hang in there. Awesome bull, awesome quest..........
Fantastic...Great Bull...Great Hunt...
Pat, I know just how you felt. Congratulations on a great hunt, a well-placed shot and a well-deserved kill. What a whopper!!!!
Awesome following this for so many years. Thanks for taking us along. My sincerest congratulations to you!!!
WOW Pat! I'm so happy for you! Congrats big time!!!!!!!!
Pat I am very happy for you. It is always special when we get those animals that elude us for one reason or another. I will never forget when you saw a picture of my then 14 year old son with HIS big elk from Arizona that you ran a feature on him. I appreciate what you stand for. Again Congrats!!!!! Dave
YEAH!!!! Finally!!!
Way to go Pat! Congrats on a great bull and finally getting that 300" monkey off your back!!!
Congratulations to ya Pat. You have put in the time that's for sure. And what a great elk it is. Hope the next one doesn't take as long. Mike
Wow Pat that was outstanding! Congratulations and I love the end when you say "This is why we do this" I could feel the emotion great stuff.
Pat, "Heck Yeah!!!!!!"
Well worth the wait I would say. Big smiles from TN.
Alan
Congratulations Pat! I'm glad it all worked out and the curse is dead! Awesome bull!
OFFHNTN
Nice bull Pat.Glad to see you get one.
That face is the same as on a 35 year old woman thats never been married that just got the 10 karat ring......how does it feel to be engaged?...............to Wes?
WOW! That was amazing! I have never been so nervous reading something in my entire life. I think it would almost classify as bull fever. Great job on an amazing bull. You guys deserved that! Thanks for taking us along through all of the highs and lows.
Excellent Job Pat. For us that have been with you since the beginning of the Bowsite, it is special to see you finially get one. When I saw that you had an unusual chance to go back, I felt that this was the time. I honestly got goosebumps when you showed the arrow in flight towards your bull. Way to stick with it and be true to you beliefs. Yendor
I have gone 7 years for elk to Colorado, New Mexico, fully guided, drop camp, and have had the curse. Like you, I have passed on cows and small bulls. I have had only on shot opportunity in those years and it was a very rushed 45 yard shot at a bull coming over a ridge with a very narrow window to shoot. I was almost as excited for you as you were yourself! I was living vicariously through your experience and can wait for my opportunity. Great Job - what a bull!
Unreal PAT! Well done!!!!
What a cracking bull!
Congratulations Pat! Bet it feels great getting that 600 lb gorilla off your back!
Wow, congratulations Pat. That is awesome. I have no idea how fufilling that must have been but you defintely earned it. Great video, great shot and GREAT bull! Thanks for letting us come along with you.
OMG! OMG! Ding dong the witch is dead! Congratulations Pat. What an absolute beauty!
yea! Now that is the way to do it. Excellent stalk - great story. Congrats.
Pat,
Congratulations on breaking the curse, what a great bull and fantastic hunt.
It's great to see an accomplished hunter be so humble and sincere at the moment of truth, awesome. Great example for all of us here.
XMan
Congratulations ,Pat I think all of us have been living through your hunts ,an pulling for you to break that curse!! i cant tell you the feeling I got when I saw that stalk and arrow on its way,Its like i was living that hunt with you,thanks Pat and again Congratulations on fantastic BULL!!!
Congrats Pat!!! I have been living and dieing with you! What a great hunt and a spectacular bull!!!
Way to git 'er done Pat and thanks for sharing the story and emotions. Congrats!
Great job man! And an awesome bull to boot!
I'm just so happy; congradulations Pat. I was on the edge of my seat, good writing.
Now that's just awesome! Way to work through it all and come out successful - in so many ways. This may sound ridiculous - but i will sort of miss following your adventures to get that "elk monkey" off you back. I felt like I was tagging along - and now I'll miss all that goes into getting your first bull. But what a fitting bull for you and your efforts!
Nice job!
Dude. That rocked! What a cocker! Well done...Butch
Congratulations on a well deserved and huge bull! I'm glad for you.
Congratulations Pat. Beauty of a bull. Thanks again for taking us along.
AWESOME!!!!! Congrats on a beauty of a bull !!
Congrats Pat! Great Bull!
I just got back from CO yesterday and was suprised to find the Re-Do hunt this AM. Good read and I join the great number of Bowsiters who are pleased for you!!!
Greg
AWESOME HUNT! AWESOME READ! AWESOME FOR YOU PAT!
