DIY CO OTC Elk 7x7
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: SixLomaz
20-Sep-18
7 x 7 bull in a CO OTC unit taken at 30 yards on magic Monday, September 17, 2018, with 70 lbs Bear BR33 compound bow launching 515 grain FMJ arrows tipped with slick trick BH. The bull ran 60 yards before it expired due to double lung shot. I covered 1000 yards in about 15 minutes to get in shooting position. My first elk hunt and my first elk bull. I walked a little over 60 miles in 10 days. It took me 2.5 hrs, from 5:30pm to 8pm to quarter the elk, extract the backstraps, neck, and other meat. Finally the 5 game bags, each easily over 50lbs were hung from a nearby tree about 6 feet off the ground for cooling and some protection against coyotes. I had no bear, mountain lion or coyote issue as I left plenty equipment on the ground and hung a really sweaty shirt near the meat bags. The pack out was 5 trips of 4 miles round trip, for a total of 20 miles. Every pack out trip started with 200 yards up a steep mountain slope then the rest on a trail downwards to the trailhead. Plenty water and focus on the task made meat extraction bearable from 8am to 6pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2018. On Wednesday, September 19, 2018, I butchered the meat and wrapped it in thick butcher paper, then stored it in a freezer.
Just as a side note, I had no issues with altitude sickness but the dry air, humidity level was and still is below 30%, gave me nose bleeds every day. This trip was first initiated by a Bowsite member, FishStu, early 2018. We made the trip and hunted together the same CO OTC unit. Because of that we split the meat from the bull. He had his chance to take a shot at an elk cow at 38 yards which unfortunately did not finalize in our favor. We did have a great hunt and trip as we both did not expect to see that many elk and only hoped for a cow to take home.
From: SixLomaz
20-Sep-18
It was Monday, September 17, 2018, around 3pm when I started talking to a local guide just to pass time. The guide was very patient and listened carefully while hanging around 3 feet away at eye level. At some point I mentioned that it would help if he knew the location of a good looking elk, male or female. Suddenly he broke the silence and darted up the tree chattering a storm. I got upset and started throwing sticks to make it shut up. Then I realized he was actually looking down in the valley. When I turned my head I saw the elk herd in the distance. The binoculars made the picture crystal clear. A bull and 4-5 cows were milling around and I knew I only had a short time to get above their location before they went up the mountain for a nap. Here is a picture of the local guide.
From: jax2009r
21-Sep-18
Nice work
From: Tony121
21-Sep-18
Congrats. Sounds like an epic hunt
From: Notme
21-Sep-18
HOLY CRAP BUD!!!!..I was wondering where you've been..congrats!!!
From: Ct-z7
21-Sep-18
Great shot and beautiful animal. Congrats!
From: steve
21-Sep-18
Congrats !!!!!
From: travistroop
21-Sep-18
On my bucket list, did you drive or fly out? Did you do all spot and stalk or call him in?
From: tompolaris
21-Sep-18
Congrats on a n incredible accomplishment, That's a difficult and rewarding challenge you made.
From: Bigbuckbob
21-Sep-18
You and bigern har harvested really nice elk. I'm making plans for next year.
From: soapdish
21-Sep-18
Sweet
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
@travistroop: I drove all the way from CT. It took 2 days to cover 1900 miles. I drove 16 hours every day and rested in a motel along the way. It was a combination spot and stalk and light calling that brought the bull close to 30 yards. More importantly I had time on my side as I started hunting on September 4th, camped on the mountain 5 days every week, and got familiar with the area and how animals move. I believe one week is not enough to get an elk. The wilderness is quite large and offers elk the ability to hide their presence very well. Time and boots on the ground were contributing factors to me being able to launch an arrow. Given I had all equipment needed the cost of this DIY hunt was around $2800, to include CO OTC either sex tag, transportation, food, drinks, hotel, etc. Other hunters like Scott from Wisconsin are actually keeping their costs even lower by sleeping in the car / tent, bringing food and drinks from home, etc.
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
SixLomaz's Link
Scott, is a young hunter from Wisconsin who got it done in 4 days after he drove to CO on September 15th. He started hunting for 2 days in a different CO OTC unit where he logged 30 miles hikes looking for elk. Seeing my bull (we kept in touch via text messaging) decided to join me and arrived at my location on Tuesday, September 18th to help with my pack out and get some intel about the area. The next morning around 6:39 am he shot a really nice 6 x 6 bull 1 mile closer to the trailhead. See his story at the link above. It really was an epic hunt and I am honored to have been able to participate.
From: spike78
21-Sep-18
Very nice congrats!
From: SmoothieJonez
21-Sep-18
Thanks for sharing and congrats on an awesome bull
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
On September 6, 2018, while scouting / hunting elk I managed to call in from about 200 yards this moose. He came on a string on a cow call sequence to about 25 yards from me and about 11 yards from FishStu. We just played and danced for few minutes before we moved on. It is hard to get a moose tag in CO and we had none. No tag, no shot.
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
I probably had 7-8 elk encounters before I sealed the deal. All these encounters contributed heavily to gaining experience and an understanding of elk behavior. Here is a 4 x 5 bull at 120+ yards with cow and calf, and surrounded by other 30 - 40 cows. Hard to get closer from my location due to lack of cover.
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
On September 13, 2018, I stalked close to 90 yards from this bull and his 50+ elk cows harem. I tried few lost cow and assembly calls, which made him take 3 steps my way, then he looked back at his cows and decided one cow is not worth loosing the other 50+ already under his control. He walked away unharmed.
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
On the evening of September 8th due a sudden wind direction change I got barked out of the valley by an elk cow closing in my direction at 60 yards. Before I could blink she was at 100 yards and after few more barks the distance grew to 400 yards. Every elk in the valley just vanished in a matter of seconds.
From: Grate-ful-draw
21-Sep-18
Congrats Six! Lifetime hunt.
From: Heartshot
21-Sep-18
Congrats six
From: Heartshot
21-Sep-18
Next yr six I’m going
From: ctbowhunter
21-Sep-18
Congrats awesome bull
From: Will
21-Sep-18
Amazing! congrats man!!!
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
One day the whole day, FishStu and I hunted this long riparian meadow, next to an impressive elk bedding area on a North - East facing slope. Around 6:30 pm the air flow on the mountain changed from upwards to downwards. The air getting colder started rolling down the slope. Instead of stepping to my left into the forest, leaving the trails unscented, I made the mistake to go right and join FishStu at his location at the edge of the meadow. Around 6:50pm we decided to walk back to our camp site and FishStu started removing his rain gear. The pants brushed against a pine tree and made light noise. At that moment I heard an animal noise in the forest on the trails, same a deer makes when they are not sure of what it is but they know there is something not right. We started stalking and the elk caught the movement immediately. Few leaps and bounds put them from 40 yards to well over 80 yards safe in the thick forest. One however, a spike stayed behind and let us get close to about 45 yards. He did not have 4 points on one antler and his tine brows were not over 5 inches long per CO regulations. He too leaped away when he saw us. A great hunt and a valuable lesson was provided to us that day.
From: Ct-z7
21-Sep-18
Great pictures that moose is my favorite
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
Around 500 yards away picture taken thru binoculars
Around 500 yards away picture taken thru binoculars
Two more pictures taken yesterday evening, September 21, 2018, as I walked into the wilderness to recover my tent and some gear. Nature is great and I was overwhelmed being so close to elk while they were bugling all around me. The first picture is taken at 20 yards with a handheld camera. The wind was in my favor but somehow I think this 6 x 6 elk bull knew I did not have a weapon in hand. The second picture was taken with the camera thru binoculars at 500+ yards. He was moving fast and I could not get a clear shot. This elk bull was bugling his lungs out looking for elk cows. FishStu had decided to stay home that evening.
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
That is it for elk hunting 2018. We are leaving tomorrow morning for CT. I encourage everyone to think about such hunt and prepare seriously as the wilderness is endless and the challenges are there awaiting. It is a true hunt done in a rugged country requiring physical and mental preparation. I am 53 and FishStu 65 and managed to survive. You can do it too.
P.S. Please save us some CT deer.
From: PeteO
21-Sep-18
Wow six that is awesome! Beautiful elk you got, unbelievable moose too! You could probably sell the gps coordinates for that bull to whoever has a tag. That sounds like a hunt of a lifetime.
From: GF
21-Sep-18
Crap, man! You'd better quit now!
What part of the state were you in??
From: ctbowhunter
21-Sep-18
How are you two going to hunt Connecticut after Colorado. To help you out I'll gladly take your private land spots.
From: Notme
21-Sep-18
Damn bud, moose last year,elk this year!!! what's next a friggin baby whale..lol..cool story for sure
From: jdrdeerslayer
21-Sep-18
very cool congrats!
From: Tall 1
21-Sep-18
So awesome!!! Congrats!
From: Ridgehunter
21-Sep-18
What an awesome hunt and story. Congrats!
From: Gene
21-Sep-18
Awesome bull and an awesome hunt on a OTC area. Where were you hunting (only if you care to tell)?
From: SixLomaz
21-Sep-18
We hunted in GMU 28 and GMU 18. The bull was taken in GMU 18. Time spent in the field was the hunt component that dictated my success.
From: N8tureBoy
23-Sep-18
Congrats! Great pics. Did you tip the guide?
From: SixLomaz
23-Sep-18
Yes I did tip the guide. I gave him the nuts. In Colorado they call that Mountain Oysters
From: N8tureBoy
23-Sep-18
HaHa!
From: Zack
24-Sep-18
Awesome report... I was hoping you guys would get one or two.. enjoyed getting the pictures and updates from Fishstu.. congrats on a great trip!!
From: Treeline
24-Oct-18
Awesome hunt for sure! Congratulations on a great experience!
From: spikehorn
24-Oct-18
Well done and congratulations!!! Quite the experience for an east coaster!
From: Brian M.
24-Oct-18
Great bull Six, congrats.
From: SixLomaz
24-Oct-18
Thank you. It was by far the best hunting experience one hunter can ask for. I put myself in a new environment expecting little, I changed tactics on the fly to adapt, and I persevered in hunting the hard to reach corners of the mountain. It worked for me and I have the boots to show as proof. Next year I am ready to go after an Oregon or Colorado elk with a traditional bow.
