Contributors to this thread:
One of her only 2 bulls... This one was from 8-9 year ago. She does not have good luck with elk...
One of her only 2 bulls... This one was from 8-9 year ago. She does not have good luck with elk...
She has been a great caller and nearly all my archery elk success is thanks to her... This is one she called in from years ago...
She has been a great caller and nearly all my archery elk success is thanks to her... This is one she called in from years ago...
Our kids were so little, over 7 years ago when she started chasing elk with a bow...
Our kids were so little, over 7 years ago when she started chasing elk with a bow...
For years my wife has been the best hunting partner I could ask for... The fall before we got married over 18 years ago she called in my first branched antler bull. Since that time she has called in 13 of my 15 archery bulls. She works hard and for 7 years she has tried to get her first archery elk. Countless missed opportunities. Bull on her left at 10 yards while she watched the cow at 20 on her right. Set up behind cover while the bull raged 10 yards away not able to draw. Drawing at the wrong time, having a release issue, etc. While she has always been an incredible caller, she has not had much luck as a shooter.
Last year the luck got as bad as it could. She hit a bull too far back. We searched for days and never recovered. She as expected was as low as she could be... It pretty much ruined her entire fall, she had lost the drive to really try. She quit hunting for herself and was only worried about hunting for her "son" to have experiences. Luckily after this past weekend those feelings have passed!!!
Way to go! Persistence pays off:) Must be nice having your wife as a hunting partner.
So glad she stuck with it, looking forward to hearing the details!
Good job for her!!! That would be nice to have a wife like that, it would save on a lot of arguments when a person has to go!!!
Congrats, to your wife on a great bull! You are a lucky man.
An awesome sunset Thursday after setting camp. The cool wet weather was a welcome break from our hot smokey summer
An awesome sunset Thursday after setting camp. The cool wet weather was a welcome break from our hot smokey summer
The country we are hunting is rough, and can get nasty. But it is also has amazing places where the habitat is insane...
The country we are hunting is rough, and can get nasty. But it is also has amazing places where the habitat is insane...
The entire area could use a good burn.
The entire area could use a good burn.
This spring the time came to apply for licenses. In here almost 20 years of hunting she had never lost an animal. Last fall was still haunting her, and when it came time for applications this spring. She reluctantly agreed to apply. She struck out on lopes and deer, but the wife and daughter got a solid mid tier elk tag together.
This summer flew by fast. She was slow to practice shooting and had me pretty worried about her readiness for this fall. Luckily the last few weeks she really got after it and the week before the hunt started she was shooting the best she ever has.
Thursday night while she ran kids to football practice, and musical practice, cooked dinner, cared for the animals, I was lucky enough to set up camp for the holiday weekend.
Friday afternoon I was able to leave work a little early. When I got home we threw in the last few things we needed for the weekend and headed up to hunt. THe unit is close to home so we quickly dropped off the truck at the camp and took the jeep up a trail for an evening hunt in a new area. We made a quick hike in about 1 mile on a well used trail. When it was time for a break to drink and catch our breath, I officially ripped off the first bugle of the season. Instantly her face and my sons face lit up as I got a near immediate response.
We scramble to determine where it came from with all of us pointing a different direction. We move to a spot a little higher and call again. The response immediate but the bull about 1/2 back to the jeep and up hill.
We make a quick circle getting the wind in our favor and slowly start to close in. Mt son packing a video camera, my wife on her bow and I in the back trying to direct traffic. For the next hour and half my wife and son end up playing cat and mouse with the bull and his 5-6 cows while I work the call. The bull was under 40 yards 5 times without giving a good shot angle etc. At last light we finally get busted and retreat back.
A great first evening. Hope the luck holds. Saturday morning we get up early. The recent rain from Thursday made the morning just cool enough to frost. The wind was right for one of our favorite hunts. We worked all morning, got into 2 different bulls. One came in totally silent and caught by complete surprise when he stepped out in front of us at 10 yards and then disappeared without making a noise. The second was a young bull that sounded the alarm for over 30 minutes while I called and my wife crawled into 50 yards. He was fun, he was so confused and had not idea what to do.
I guess I'm confused.....is the first pic her newest elk or is that yet to be posted at the end of the story?
Saturday evening was more of the same. We got into a great area with lots of good habitat. There were multiple bulls bugling, but the wind was swirling, non stop, we would locate a bull start to make a play and the wind would switch, then switch again. In our efforts we busted 2 rag horns, and 4 different lone cows.
Sunday morning she couldn't muster the energy to get up and move. Instead opting to sleep in and go into a crazy hole for the evening. We made a nasty hike straight down and straight back up into a hole we found last year. Once in the hole we ended up finding 5 bulls that were talking. 3 rag horns and 2 were bigger with cows. The wind again was all over the place in the evening. We made one last play that night and got one of the loudest meanest and grumpy bugles I have ever heard. For the last 20 minutes of light we worked this bull. Again a bunch of action and only the opening weekend.
Monday morning we got up a little late. We exited the jeep as the sun was just starting rise. It was later than we should have been. But luckily all weekend we had not seen another hunter in the field. Only 2 guys in camps. We made our way into the location where I killed my archery bull last year. As we made it to the glassing spot the sun was up and getting hot. All we saw was a lone cow slip into the timber. We sat, glassed, and listened. Nothing. I let out a series of calls. Nothing. Just Quiet. We discus options are try to make a plan. As we talk a lone bugle comes from the timber to the NW of our location. We plan to make a swing down and then work out way up to the bugle.
We were off and 5 minutes later and a couple hundred yards down the hill we get ready to enter the timber. Right when we do, I spot an elk in the timber. We make a move and I start calling. My wife and son on the timber edge, and I am about 30 yards back over a knife edge. I call and soon I look up. My wife and son are froze to the left, about 6 yards to their right a small spike is peaking over the edge at me. I reach for my camera as all 3 in the same picture would be cool. The bull sees my movement and turn to run right at my wife. She waves her bow in defense and gets the bull to stop at about a yard out. It then spins and runs 20 yards trying to figure out what the heck was happening... By this time a second spike shows up and the 2 of them spend the next 5 minutes trying to decide if they should leave or stay.
I think the best is yet to come……
Getting better with every post. Keep it coming!
Sorry all. The pics shared are older pics. Just a few from the past showing our success... Yes I am a very lucky man. She loves to hunt, not as much as I do but enough that we get to spend countless amazing adventures together...
Her first archery bull is on its way!!!
Here is my view of the park. My wife was setup on the 2 dead trees to the right in the shadow of one but in front of the other.
Here is my view of the park. My wife was setup on the 2 dead trees to the right in the shadow of one but in front of the other.
We slip into the timber and find an awesome wallow then a little further in we find a little sage flat. At this point I realize my camera(which was out to video the 2 spikes) was sitting on the rocks back where we last setup. So we played moose goes and my son ended up going back to get the phone. We were in the SE corner of the park on the low end and we had a solid NW wind in our face... My son ran back to the phone and a second after he left a bugle rang out just across the park and down a couple hundreds yards in the tree to our north.
He hears the bugle but hustled to get my phone... My wife looks at me, and I respond with a weak bugle and a cow call. The bull responds back... Crap, my wife is upset as we have my son running back and bull coming in. I said this is going to happen fast and we better get set up. Luckily I would be back where my son was heading and able to stop him before is busts out into the park...
I send my wife out to 2 dead tress in the park and have her set up. I move back 15 yards into the timber and call again. Another response. Cow callx3 and the bull is definitely heading our way. My son is bouncing through the trees and and I move to intercept him. but as soon as I step I look up and see the bull in the park. I freeze and he locks up on me. I don't move, he stares me down for a split second then whirls and takes off like the wind. I move to intercept William but keep calling.
My wife has not moved. The bull was right in front of her but I was not sure range. I see her sitting and she does not move...
So I intercept the boy and keep calling. He joins in and is racking the trees and helping out. We carry on for a few minutes and my still does not move. I figure the bull might be in the trees circling, or??? Finally she speaks and calls us, says boys come on. We get out and I see an arrow is missing. She let one fly. Last year she shot a bull too far back, not hardly any blood we looked for days, almost no blood despite what I feel was a solid high liver shot. We followed blood over 800 yards and never found more than a drop or 2 at a time. Eventually lost the trail.
This year she made a significantly better shot.
The arrow ended up passing through as the bull ran.
The arrow ended up passing through as the bull ran.
She was emotional while sitting and waiting... After last year all she could imagine was another lost bull and the end of her hunting...
She was emotional while sitting and waiting... After last year all she could imagine was another lost bull and the end of her hunting...
We sat for 30 minutes and she described the shot. It was about 4 inches back and a little high. She said the arrow was to the fletch and she saw goo blood as the bull ran. The bull pulled the arrow all the way through on the first tree. We found it and it had good blood top to bottom. While we sat she laughed then cried, then couldn't sit still.
The blood trail this year was night and day different than last year. Blood both sides of track 3-4 feet out. Enough Blood to follow from 10 yards. The bull made it 80 yards total on a dead run before tipping over.
I tried to get her to hold off given the better tag she had and the fact we had 2 whole months to hunt. But nothing gets the blood like a bull in your lap.
I tried to get her to hold off given the better tag she had and the fact we had 2 whole months to hunt. But nothing gets the blood like a bull in your lap.
The boy age 11 packing a front 1/4 with a Badlands Kali Day Pack. He also packed out the head.
The boy age 11 packing a front 1/4 with a Badlands Kali Day Pack. He also packed out the head.
The bull died less than 600 yards from where I harvested my bull last year. It was a pack we know well. Total pack distance was a mile but it was nearly all vertical. 1/2 mile up then 1/2 mile down.
Somehow I took more pics of the pack than anything else lol...
First trip out I took a hind 1/4 son took a front and wife packed the back straps, loins and burger meats (neck and rib). Second trip I took another rear, wife took a front and son the head.
Sweet memories indeed Congrats to your wife on a hard earned trophy. Hopefully this will re-ignite the fire and continue the passion
That video is awesome! A huge congrats to your wife!
Not much room to spare luckily it was a short ride to the truck...
Not much room to spare luckily it was a short ride to the truck...
Before my daughter was born... The only place in Meeker CO to eat late was Pizza Hut. Our first years hunting together my wife and I would always hit the hut after a successful hunt. 18 years still do
Before my daughter was born... The only place in Meeker CO to eat late was Pizza Hut. Our first years hunting together my wife and I would always hit the hut after a successful hunt. 18 years still do
We had all the meat off the mountain and too the jeep by 2:30. Not bad. The meat was hung and cooled off nicely. However the last hurdle was getting it to fit. Anyone with an mid 80 CJ7 knows that having room is a factor. How do you fit an elk, 2 adults, one punk kid, 2 bows, 3 day pack and 2 frame packs in a jeep. Well it can fit...
Sweet, with those 2 you can make many memories.
Great deal! Congratulations!
Awesome.. Thanks for sharing.
Here is a better imbedded Video:
Congratulations! Nice bull
Congrats on a great adventure with the family!
Outstanding...a huge congrats for getting something done that as we all know is not easy! Awesome as well to have your family all involved well done sir!
Congratulations
Awsome story!
Fantastic...your Family is truly blessed!
Great story, thanks for sharing!
Congrats. That's awesome. I love those traditions that you don't even know are traditions until all of a sudden they are.
Congrats to Mrs. Wyo ! That is awesome, thanks for sharing and here’s to more great hunts together!
Good stuff! Grats to the entire family.
Congrats to you and your wife! What a great adventure. Thanks for sharing!
Great pic.Mother and son with her bull....He's no punk kid carrying a front shoulder at 11 yrs. old!!!
That's awesome! Congrats!
What a great story, congrats to your wife. I hope to experience something similar with my wife in 10 days or so.
Spectacular story and bull! Congratulations! Your wife did an excellent job!
Looking forward to that young man’s elk in a few years!
Tree, thanks a ton. I am not sure what we will have for luck with him. In all honesty he is the luckiest little kid I know. He always wins in the claw machine and in raffles etc.
He might just do something pretty awesome. For now we have him on a workout schedule trying to get his strength up and draw weight up.
For those of us who have "been there, done that" (lost one - then taken one). That is sooooo sweet, YUGE congratulations to her - and you.
Awesome thread and congrats to you all!! Loved it!
Congrats to your wife and your whole family, great write up!
Like the movie of the same title, this also was full of challenges, love and devotion. Nicely done, my best, Paul
