Some of you have heard this story in person, others have via text. So, I wanted to share it to those that havent.
A special thank you to the Bowsiters that helped in anyway way they could.
This elk hunt started early in the year when I decided to use my PPs in Colorado and apply for a Limited Entry unit. After talking to my buddy Deertick, he also decided to put for the same unit.
We knew we were pretty much guaranteed the tags, so it was just a matter of waiting for the confirmation email from the CPW in late May.
Once that came, it was time to plan and prepare. Many hours were spent going over maps, making phone calls and conversing about the hunt.
Since there was a ton of snowfall during the winter, any early scouting trip was delayed as the terrain was quite high in elevation.
I finally got to the area July 11 to do some scouting for the first time. I wasnt really concerned with seeing any elk, I wanted to put boots on the ground, see some spots I had researched on GE and look at the intel I got from talking to people.
I didnt want to hunt the LE unit opening weekend of archery [Labor Day], so I went to my OTC area with my B List archery cow tag for a short 3 day hunt.
It was pretty much uneventful, other than calling in a couple spikes
Labor Day Weekend brings out the knuckleheads. Some camper started a small forest a couple miles away.
The Forest Service ordered a helo for water drops, a couple slurry air attacks and it was under control pretty quick. But with all the beetle kill timber around it could’ve got bad real quick
After Labor Day Weekend, it was only a couple days later I headed to the LE unit to start my hunt.
I arrive at my campsite after work on Wednesday Sept 4th, set up my wall tent that evening and began the preparation for the next 10 days of hunting. Deertick wasn’t scheduled to arrive until Friday evening so I would be hunting solo for a couple days.
I spent most of the morning on that ridge, poking around, doing a few call setups and then about mid-morning I dropped down to where I had placed my trail camera earlier on a scouting trip.
About that time, I heard a lazy bugle from across the valley. The wind was wrong to hunt that area, so I made a mental note of where it was and planned to hunt it soon.
Thursday evening was pretty uneventful. I heard some bugles way up on top so I followed them only find a cow bedded out in the open so I was pinned down from getting any closer. As the evening wore on, the elk moved off and I made a mental note in what direction.
So I backed out and I made my plan for Friday morning September 6th - the second morning of my hunt - and that was to go up where I heard the bugle the day before, and in the direction the elk went this evening. But I would hunt my way into the area from a different direction.
This is where I got to when I saw the cow bedded up in front of me
Friday morning, I woke up to fog and mist. It had rained overnight. Everything was wet. Nice and quiet.
Again I rode my atv in the dark a couple miles up to where I started my hike up to 11,000'
The first thing I had to do was cross a small stream, and that meant willows. Lotsa willows. And that meant getting completely soaked while battling my way thru them.
I was so wet when I broke out of the willow bottom, I had to change my wet gloves as my hands were getting cold. And that’s not a good thing!
I made my way up the slope. It was a pretty steep timbered slope for 3/4 mile or so and then popped out on a small meadow. I was only about ½ mile from where I saw the elk last night.
I was at 11,000' – Perfect. The slope I just hiked up was right behind me and it was pulling the thermals down and away.
This is my view. Stay tuned. It gets really good momentarily
Before this hunt started, I had already decided that even tho this was a decent LE unit, if I had had a chance at a solid bull, I’d would take him. I wasn’t going to hold out for the biggest, because as we all know, there is always a bigger one.
I had pre-ranged the distance across the small meadow and it was only 35yds so I knew anywhere the bull appeared, I was going to have a shot opportunity.
He turned and kinda bolted but didn’t run. I immediately cow called a few times, then I didn’t see him momentarily as he went behind some trees, but he re-appeared across the meadow about 70yds away and he stopped. I could see the entry hole with a bit of blood, but it looked like the arrow may had broken off and come out. He then walked to edge of the trees and I lost sight of him.
A short video of right after the shot [may want to turn up the sound]
After about 15 minutes, I went to where he was standing when I shot him. I found his track when he bolted and I followed them a short ways. It was here I found my broken off arrow shaft. I already knew I had plenty of penetration with the Slick Trick but finding part of the arrow is always a plus.
As I mentioned in the video above, I thought I heard the bull crash after 10mins or so but I still waited for my typical 45min before venturing over to where I last saw him...
Another short video when I walked to where I last saw him across the meadow
The first load I carried a front quarter, backstraps and loose meat - all that meat weighed 70lbs, plus the 20lb weight of my daypack, so that 90lbs sure made my toes curl going down 1000' in 3/4mi.
It was about 11am by the time I got the first load back to camp. I sent out a few texts to Deertick and some other buddies, and was preparing to go back for a 2nd load when one of my Bowsite friends said he was in the area and would swing by to help me get the rest of the elk off the mountain.
I readily agreed! Especially since Deertick wasnt to arrive until late that evening.I really didn’t want Deertick have to pack meat on his first day of his hunt!
When my Bowsite friend showed up to help pack, he even brought another buddy so in one trip we went up and packed the rest of the bull off the mountain. It was raining again and we had to cross those damn willows.
They each took a hind quarter and I took the other front quarter and the head - another 80lb pack out.
We got everything back to camp about 6pm. After a couple cold beers and a bit of BSing, the 2 buddies took off and then it was time to relax and prepare for the next day's hunt with Deertick and to help him fill his tag.
Deertick arrived about 1030pm. I was sound asleep at that time but he made sure I was awake in short order.
Its now time for Deertick to add to the story.... :)
After spending the morning trying to recover from Colorado traffic, and also learning the general area, roads, trailheads, etc., we hunted first that first night.
And the first spot we walked in seemed productive. A cow elk startled in front of us ... and then Cnelk tapped my shoulder ... looked up the hill about 60 yards ... and said: "Bull ... BIG bull".
He was casually feeding and he hadn't seen us. Was this happening? I was 35 minutes into my hunt!
The bull fed, head down, 60 yards up a steep hill from us. While grazing, I couldn't see his head -- just his chest. I needed to close at least 10 if not 20 yards ... but ... WIND.
Well hell yeah! I got the giant pronghorn pic text from Deertick, but havent heard the elk story til now! Stop holding out! THose patients can wait. lol
Thanks for taking us along Brad! By any chance could you post the video and instructions on how to make your hip waders agains. The white ones. Your creek crossing story reminded me that i still want to make those but forgot the details.
Below is the video I made about 5 years ago that show the DIY waders I made for stream crossings. In fact, after this hunt was over, I hunted my OTC units for another 10 days and I used them a few times to access a spot that beavers had dammed up the stream
Really enjoying these elk story recaps from you Fort Collins guys (Deertick included). You guys are the "real deal" elk hunters and story tellers. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.........badbull
The hunt from here was a great time ... I’ll summarize, as time is limited:
In spite of Cnelk’s experience, the elk were — overall — quiet that week, slowly getting more likely to bugle as the week went on.
We ran into plenty of elk, though.
Spikes were fun and plentiful. (Brad, you have that video?)
And we played with a Heads-up decoy a bit ... which helped Cnelk get a couple selfies with calves. (Brad ... hint, hint on the photos ... I don’t have on this machine)
Brad/Cnelk left to take his bull down to cold storage for a day, and I was able to call in a 6x7 to 30 yards. Wind held good, and I saw the lane he needed to get to. But a rag got behind me, and winded me. So close! (It was the largest elk I’d ever called in to range.)
And I then caught a big 5x5 out grazing at 6 pm ... he seemed to be ambling in a direction that would take him near me ... I rushed to get to a spot I knew I’d have a shot but missed getting there by no more than 30 seconds ... the bull beat me there, and ... winded again.
There were chances and there were chances over the week, but “third down conversions” were few, and “punting” became the logical thing to do more often, with so much time left on the clock.
So, we had heard a bull in the night, coming off a hill near camp .
And the thought was to try to catch him on that hill as he came down the next night.
There was an “obvious” spot for his descent ... but the window of agreeable wind would be narrow. We thought if we did it right, we may not need to call at all.
We found what we thought was his trail ... the trail they were using. Now, anyone who hunts knows that that is a big assumption.... but ... we were right !
After sitting for no more than twenty minutes, “Elk!”.
Just a rag horn following a cow, but they closed the distance quickly.
Thirty yards and ... “I think he’s going to be broadside” was my thought.
How could it be? But this was the third “no-call” bull of the trip that would be in range — and the smallest ... eh, no matter ... it was the early part of the fourth quarter of the game and I needed points on the board, or so I thought.
He turned broadside and I shot ... angling the arrow through a narrow window (instead of waiting for nerves to settle and trees to get out of the way) ... the arrow looked good, and then ... as Cnelk called it (like a football ref): “No good, wide left”.
The disappointment of a kicker missing a field goal in the 4th quarter is never easy to watch ... or experience.
But we were having fun ... and my MAIN GOAL of the trip — Learning — was going pretty well!
Cnelk ... post some of your photos as I go...
Anyway, I was glad that I’d been getting in shape. High elevation and vertical country and chasing Cnelk and elk was testing my fitness, but I felt good. CrossFit four times a week at 7200’ for a year paid off well.
The fourth quarter, though, was winding down. On our last morning, we knew we had one last chance to take a shot at the end zone. It would be tough, but we had been in the red zone all week. It had to happen soon.
Another morning here comes this big calf so I played with the Headsup. I kept the attention of the elk and it walked within feet of John - who is just in front of me and to the right
Each day we were into elk. It was a total blast. It was a daily grind tho. Side hilling and climbing steep slopes for 5-6 miles each day. On Friday, Sept 13th. Deertick decided it was going to be his last morning to hunt.
So we made a plan, went and hiked up to 11,000' again and we called in another bull.
Deertick will tell you his point of view about this particular morning’s hunt ??
Like we said ... fourth quarter ... time for one last drive.
But the defense was playing well. We set up, called, and after 20 minutes heard hooves ... thump thump thump ... coming in. The defense was making a mistake ... then ... “cow”. She came first, ahead of the bugle. Cnelk hadn’t heard him, but he was there, and after finding us, she returned to him ....
At that point, we had time for “One more play.” It was end-zone or bust. No trick plays now ... just good hard-nosed hunting. Cow calling in deep timber ... the go-to power play.
At 20 minutes, a rag horn emerged at 18 yards in front of me. How do they do that?
Nervous, he turned to go.
I stopped him at an even 40.
Calmly, I shot for the end zone.
A field goal — I mean rag horn — would win ... but ... a damn nest of spruce branches “tipped the ball” ... defense wins again.
John's photo of the arrow in the small tree really depicts what many of us have experienced while hunting elk. Sooo close.... discouragement and exhaustion - knowing the season is over
Damn John! Two years in a row of finding large dead heads! Who would've thought? Great story, glad yall had a good time. How many points did yall burn for that LE unit?
Great job, both of you! John, thanks for mentioning the "hunt softly" concept. If more bowhunters had the patience and discipline to do that, a lot more elk would be killed and the hunting would be better for everyone.
That "run and gun, spook 'em and find some more" strategy sounds really macho and cool on social media. But the guys who kill big bulls on a regular basis these days virtually all hunt "softly"and surgically.
Many other expressions occurred to me at the time (and still do!). My grandmother had quite a few terms, too ... but generally a little more (R)-rated.
I wasn't all that upset, honestly. I have the cow already in the freezer, and a WY general tag good for rifle hunting; antelope are abundant, too.
I told Cnelk before we went down there that my goals were:
1. Enjoy time with a friend 2. Learn more from elk-teachers 3. Kill an elk
2 out of 3 ain't bad. And the two I got, I got in spades. Always a good time to share camp with Brad. Doing so during elk season, with bugling bulls and great scenery, was great.
I saw a lot of bulls that week -- big ones, little ones, in-between ones. If we had done this, that, or the other thing ... if we chose a different week ... if, if, if.
I'm not playing that game. It's hunting, after all ... not life. I've been successful at the important things, and this was for fun!
It's always a success, when you're into the elk every Day. I've experienced the opposite, many times over the Years. Always helps, to have a good Buddy with you...makes it a quality experience.
Hey John, long time no talk! Looks like a great hunt, and very successful. Congrats to both of you!! It's now been 11 years since my last elk hunt, that's crazy. Someday I'll get out there again...
HuntinHabit ... I am pretty sure it's illegal to wait that long between elk hunts, so I don't know that I would post that on the internet ... heh. Hopefully that means you're just too busy with those big NE whitetails.