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 wasnt disappointed in the scenery.
Also plenty of snow lingering at 12,000'
Plus, the weather is crappy today and I decided to stay home!
The scouting trip was also a 'more than gentle' reminder that I needed to up my workouts
I hiked up to this meadow and really liked this area
It was pretty much uneventful, other than calling in a couple spikes
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
Hmm, I was in CO for Labor Day last year:)
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.
The starting elevation was about 10,300' and the intent was to hunt up around 11,000', a mile or so hike.
I made my way in the pre-dawn light uphill.
About a 1/2 mile later, I selected a likely spot to set up and do a cold call, just to see what the temperament of the elk was in the area.
Not 3 minutes later here comes a cow elk!
She even posed for a photo
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.
Hmmm......
I went back to camp and had some lunch
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
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 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
Says the guy that always kills them next to the road!
I let out a slight bugle and mew within a few seconds, a bull responded off to my right side, a few hundred yards away!
Due to the position of the bugle, I didn’t like my spot so I adjusted about 50yds and then let out a cow mew.
Immediate bugle response and he was closer
The bull cut me off and he was committed. I put my calls away and latched up my release.
I immediately knew he was a shooter for me.
I drew.
I remember my pin hovering on the center of his chest, almost thumping him with a frontal
But then he bugled right in my face and turned mostly broadside – more broadside than quartering to me.
I settled my pin and Thwack!!! I saw my 465gr arrow sink to the fletching behind his shoulder at 20yds.
Great story!
A short video of right after the shot [may want to turn up the sound]
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
Gotta have the backstraps pic
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.... :)
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!
Oh, well ... nock an arrow ...
More later.
-Mitch
Thanks
Congratulations!
And more please.
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
Congrats
Good luck, Robb
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.
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”.
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.
Fort Collins Killers
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 ??
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.
I sent Cnelk to the site ... any chance at blood?
Nope ... but what did he find?
Show em, Cnelk.
I then looked to my left and see a last years deadhead just laying there!
What a game. A defensive struggle. I’m just glad it wasn’t played in snow.
I learned a ton:
Pick better shooting lanes.
Cold calling works better if you wait longer ... 20, 30, 40, 60 minutes.
Hunt areas “softly” and you can hunt them all week.
Enjoy the game. “I ain’t here for a long time, I’m here for a good time.” That’s the attitude that makes it worth it.
Looking forward to 2020, but not sure what that holds yet
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.
Thanks for the stories!
"Dag nabbit"? My grandma used to say that, Nick. She was cool too.
ElkNut/Paul
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!
Thanks for sharing
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.
