2018 CO Elk
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: OFFHNTN
24-Sep-18
Been off the grid for a bit, but got back last Thursday after an amazing week solo elk hunting on public land. I went 5 miles deep in to the Colorado Wilderness on horseback and got dropped off alone at an outfitters spike/drop camp. Tent, cook stove, cot, and a creek close by for water. He would be back to get me in 10 days unless I killed an elk sooner. There was no cell service and no communication other than a few texts through my GPS to let my family know I was ok. The only time I saw camp in the daylight was the day I got there and the day I left. I never saw another person or heard another voice other than what came out of my mouth or rattled around in my head. Solitude. I needed half of the 10 days to find success on the caliber of bull I never expected, I am thrilled with him. Handling an animal that weighs 4 times more than I do, alone, and in the dark is no joke. The next morning I made a 2 mile hike to get within radio range of base camp to request a pack out, the horses were there 4 hours later. I lost 8 lbs in 5 days chasing these amazing animals, but came home a lot heavier in quality meat for the freezer, memories made, and an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness that is hard to match.
From: Dale06
24-Sep-18
Congrats on doing it the hard way, on your own. Beautiful bull.
From: WV Mountaineer
24-Sep-18
Great bull.
From: Charlie Rehor
24-Sep-18
Congrats! Well done! C
From: Twinetickler
24-Sep-18
That's awesome man! Love hearing success stories like these. Great bull!!!
From: KSBOW
24-Sep-18
Great bull what outfitter where you with?
From: Treeline
24-Sep-18
Awesome bull! Congratulations!
From: Cheesehead Mike
24-Sep-18
Great bull, congrats!
From: Destroyer350
24-Sep-18
Sounds like a fun hunt and congrats on a stud bull!
From: Smtn10PT
24-Sep-18
Wow, stud bull right there! Congrats man
From: Kodiak
24-Sep-18
Wow, great bull.
Congrats on getting it done. That's one for the wall right there. Did you put a tape on him yet?
From: Big John
24-Sep-18
Heck of a bull and memories that will last a life time...Congrats
From: Horn Donkey
24-Sep-18
Awesome bull man. I was lucky enough to have help packing mine off the mountain. Literally can't imagine how hard packing him yourself was. Kudos. Guarantee you'll gain that weight back with the best protein money can't buy.
From: HUNT MAN
24-Sep-18
You never disappoint . Congrats
From: Surfbow
24-Sep-18
Way to get it done!
From: Z Barebow
24-Sep-18
Way to make it happen John! Being alone with your thoughts is a foreign experience and many people cannot handle it. It is funny how many conversations go in inside a persons head!
From: Cazador
24-Sep-18
Crusher!
From: midwest
24-Sep-18
Dayyyy-am! Congrats!
From: Scrappy
24-Sep-18
Midwest said it all. DAYYYYYYYYYYYMMMMMMMMM.
From: bowbender77
24-Sep-18
Nice Bull. Congrats !
From: lewis
24-Sep-18
Congrats great bull and story Lewis
From: Southern draw
24-Sep-18
Big Congrats!
From: Southern draw
24-Sep-18
Big Congrats!
From: Paul@thefort
24-Sep-18
Way to go John. Very nice indeed. There is something to say about getting, way back in. my best, Paul
From: 12yards
24-Sep-18
Dandy! Congrats!
From: SDHNTR(home)
24-Sep-18
awesome bull. Congrats!
From: starbux
24-Sep-18
Good job John!
From: longspeak74
24-Sep-18
Great bull! Congrats.
From: andyschaef
24-Sep-18
Congratulations on a great hunt!
From: Iowa_Archer
24-Sep-18
Wowsers! Now THAT is an ELK! Congrats!!
From: LUNG$HOT
24-Sep-18
That bull has more mass than the Catholic Church! Nice.
From: GhostBird
24-Sep-18
Nice bull. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From: OFFHNTN
24-Sep-18
KSBOW - PM sent.
Kodiak - I honestly don't want a score on a piece of paper to diminish anything of the experience. Most are guessing MUCH higher than he will really go based on the pictures. A very rough garage estimate has him at around 320".
Horn Donkey - To be clear, I DID NOT have to pack him 5 miles back to the truck/base camp. I did have to wrestle this thing that weighs 4 times more than I do around and get it skinned, quartered, bought down to a meadow, and hanging. The next day I hiked 2 miles out to get within radio reception, and the horses came in and packed it out.
Z Barebow - No doubt Brian! The mental challenge is MUCH harder than the physical one!
Lung$shot - LMAO!!! The mass really is awesome on it! I love mass!
Thanks guys!
From: Horn Donkey
24-Sep-18
OFFHUNTN-- You cut him up yourself and moved the entire mass you intended to bring out of the wilderness some distance to that meadow. That's plenty! Congrats again. Awesome bull and awesome adventure.
From: Mark Watkins
24-Sep-18
CONGRATS!
You done good...reeeeally good!!
Mark
From: jordanathome
24-Sep-18
Nice all around. Wtg!!!
From: buzz mc
24-Sep-18
Congrats!!! That's a great bull.
From: swampokie
24-Sep-18
Congrats!! That's something to hang ur hat on. Literally!
From: IdyllwildArcher
24-Sep-18
Nice bull. Grats. Tell us about the shot and the lead up to it.
From: BIGERN
24-Sep-18
The satisfaction of doing that yourself is off the charts. Real nice job!
From: cmbbulldog
24-Sep-18
Awesome bull, congrats!
From: Basinboy
25-Sep-18
Awesome Bull Congrats!
From: otcWill
25-Sep-18
Good Lord. Awesome bull!
From: Fulldraw
25-Sep-18
Congrats John, great elk, and great inspiration...
From: BigOk
29-Sep-18
Congrats
From: Sivart
29-Sep-18
Great Job. Hard work pays. Those hard earned Bulls are the most rewarding
From: Stoneman
29-Sep-18
Hell of a nice bull! Congrats
From: Shaft
29-Sep-18
Beautiful Bull! Congrats on a great solo hunt!
From: goelk
29-Sep-18
Sweet
From: Wood
01-Oct-18
Awesome!
From: SBH
02-Oct-18
Great Bull. Unreal mass. Cool story, thanks for posting
From: Fuzz
02-Oct-18
Way to go!! Solitude is a great thing to enjoy!
From: South Farm
02-Oct-18
Congratulations first of all on a really nice bull...but even more impressive was finding an outfitter that would provide a drop camp to a lone hunter; that's hard to find!
From: SixLomaz
02-Oct-18
Congratulations
From: ElkNut1
02-Oct-18
Congrats there big guy, awesome job! Good looking bull too!
ElkNut/Paul
From: Beav
02-Oct-18
Great bull! Congrats!
From: Bowboy
02-Oct-18
Congrats on a great bull!
From: TrapperKayak
02-Oct-18
Nothing, IMO, could ever match that experience, my hat's off to you. I would love to have that kind of hunt with similar result one of these years. Awesome to say the least. TK
From: GF
02-Oct-18
I don’t give a furry little rat’s butt WHAT the numbers are; that is just a WAY better bull than that one from LA.
Heck, I’m so impressed I’m not even gonna bust on yer trainin’ wheels.... LOL
From: OFFHNTN
03-Oct-18
I appreciate the comments guys.
GF, thanks..........I think, but I'm beyond confused on your "that one from LA." and your "trainin' wheels" comments. ?
From: grossklw
03-Oct-18
OFFHNTN, I'm no mind reader but my best guess is he's making a political reference with the LA part and the "trainin wheels" comment is directed at compound bow; all in good fun though. Hell of a nice bull, congrats. I also am guilty of using "training wheels" on all my hunts.
From: GotBowAz
03-Oct-18
Love the story and what great beautiful bull! I absolutely love the picture of the rack/head under the hanging meat in the tree! I can relate to the solitude and the hard work quartering up a big bull by yourself. What a complete satisfaction you will always look back and smile on. Nice job man, congrats!
From: GregE
04-Oct-18
Short read on a great hunt!! Very impressive.
Good job on the solo pics too!!
G
