New here and to hunting, been meaning to post my recap and takeaways from my first elk hunt. Antlered 1st rifle, CO, public land. This turned long so TLDR is: got lucky, tagged out with a nice 6x6 the 2nd night. Great outcome, learned a lot, lots to build on this year. Now I’m addicted, can’t wait for next hunt (archery elk this fall).
Day 1 – Glassing – spot a herd at sunset
Day 2 – 4:00, bumped into a bull moose at 40 yards. Fortunately more interested in his dinner than stomping us. Hear a bugle, buddy bugles back, bull bugles again, this time loud, angry, & close. Head back to camp, stoked there are elk nearby.
Day 4 (opener) - Leave at 6. Move ¼ mile in 20 min. Mentally note limitations of e-scouting. Hear a shot 15 min. pre-sunrise and figure someone from my group already filled his tag. Find a game trail and follow it all morning. Compare notes with others at camp. The shot was a local the other guys knew from prior hunts – got a cow. Local told them elk here will travel diagonal/across the mountain vs. straight up/down, interesting and contrary to a lot of what I assumed beforehand.
PM – Set up near the top of a meadow. After an hour, hear bugling from adjacent meadow, increasing interval for an hour, assume it’s a desperate hunter. At sunset I see a cow standing 80 yards in front of me, then several more. I didn't hear or see them, they just teleported in. Re-range some spots, get in position. Hear a racket in the trees 50 yards uphill across the meadow. Sounds like a big rock tumbling down. Realize it’s not a rock when more elk appear. I count 8 cows plus a little spike with double tines at the top. Watch until end of shooting light then wait for my partner and head back. In the treeline where I heard bugling earlier, we hear another ripper uphill. This time definitely a bull and question earlier assessment that it was a hunter. Back at camp, others herd bugling and called back and forth with him for 45 minutes. Discuss AM plans, dinner, bed.
Day 5 – Out at 6. Bump others from my group, change course. Find a game trail with fresh sign, follow all morning ending where I started. Put some pieces together on the movement pattern, plan to go back there that evening. Get back to camp and three of the other guys are discussing a plan for the evening.
PM: Ringleader of other guys talks me into going out with them. Seasoned hunter, I figure his plan is better than mine. 5th guy decides to join, then the 6th. I’m thinking too many people in one area, should have stuck with my original plan. Reach destination at 4:45, 3 meadows in close proximity. Two people occupy each meadow, one high/one low. Set up next to a small bunch of aspens, other guy 80 yards behind me in a dip in the terrain. He will bugle every 10 minutes from 5:30 to sunset. Next hour getting bored/cold, negativity bubbling, checking watch every two minutes, imagining elk all over the area I planned to hunt and here I am staring at nothing. Response from uphill to the 6:20 bugle. Shortly thereafter, another bugle this time closer, response, then nothing back. Probably another hunter or the elk changed direction. Uphill I see a cow's head come over the rise ~100 yds away, walking towards me, I freeze. Instantly regret setting my rifle down to keep my hands warm. Then another cow 20 yards back. Lead cow stops 8-10 yards to my right, second cow above/left. Straining to look out the side of my eye but can't see, slightly turn my head in slowmo. She must have picked up movement, flinches but doesn't run, snorts 2x and gives me the stink eye...she must know something is off. Both cows proceed, I think I'm clear to slowly pick up my rifle. Wrong, lead cow sees movement and gallops off, second cow follows. They stop behind the guy below me and go back to feeding, huge relief. I set up the same way as last night, arm braced on tree, rifle over arm and look uphill hoping a bull will appear. Two cows emerge up to the right. branches moving in the treeline, then realize they are antlers. Remaining light catching the tips of his antlers, appearing like glowing torches on top of his head. Confirm safety off, confirm he’s legal. Realize he's big, disbelief, don't blow it. Notice there's a cow on his far side. He pauses, cow proceeds, now he's isolated, mostly broadside/slightly quartered towards. Reticle behind shoulder, try to hold steady. Two deep breaths, slowly squeeze, BANG. Red flash, feel like I got punched in the face, forehead feels hot. Rifle seated poorly and was rewarded with scope bite. Cycle the bolt, back on the scope, don’t see him...how did I miss? Scan the trees and see cows looking confused. Hear 3 loud knocks. Thought the bull was running through the trees, then realize he's behind a rise in the meadow and is smacking his antlers on a rock. Give him a few minutes. Feel blood on my forehead and nose. Check my watch, 10 min left of shooting light. The whole deal happened within a couple minutes but felt like an hour, weird how time slowed down. The guy behind me walks up, we approach. Turns out he’s 6x6. Bull is expiring, facing opposite direction, moving but immobile so I aim and finish him. Adrenaline wears off, feel semi-dazed (or concussed). Take some pics, build a fire, and quarter and hang meat in a tree. Text a packer to meet the following day. While quartering, imposter syndrome kicks in - too easy, didn't pick this spot, almost blew it, all I did was pull the trigger, any of the other guys deserved it more… Also glad I am not alone, this would have taken all night solo. Finish up at 10:20, back at 11:45, give a toast, tenderloin for dinner and turn in.
Day 6 – Sleep in, imposter syndrome wears off, fired up to bring home meat for the family along with a nice trophy. Confidence boost that I didn’t get target panic. Hear bugling in the morning. Meet up with packer and load up the meat and antlers. I range from the carcass back to my shot location - 92 yards.
Day 7-8 - uneventful aside from more bugling and one of the guys wounding a bull on day 7 PM. He saw two bulls fighting and took a shot at one from ~300. We search for 3+ hours finding minimal blood, then 6+ hours the next day finding nothing new.
Day 9 - hit the meat processor and taxidermist. 18 hour drive home, feeling fortunate and thinking about to build on it moving forward.
Takeaways:
- Thermals/scent most important (Day 2).
- Make time to physically scout
- Leave way earlier in the AM.
- Keep focus & positive attitude
- Stay out all day = more knowledge & opportunities.
- De-conflict with hunting partners.
- Sound/distance - elk may be closer than they sound.
- Ensure solid shooting position. Practice more.
- Learn to bugle, bugle at night to locate.
- Read internet with grain of salt - everything I read about unit was negative/wrong.
- Maintain conditioning.
- Make use of small game license, try to get deer tag in addition to elk.
- Hunting 1x/year not enough.
Topics to investigate:
- Learn more about prevailing wind vs. thermals. On paper should have gotten winded both times close to elk. Learn more about elk vision.
- What size area does a herd occupy? How many herds were in the area?
- Elk more vocal than expected - secondary rut or typical behavior?
Day 1 – Glassing – spot a herd at sunset
Day 2 – 4:00, bumped into a bull moose at 40 yards. Fortunately more interested in his dinner than stomping us. Hear a bugle, buddy bugles back, bull bugles again, this time loud, angry, & close. Head back to camp, stoked there are elk nearby.
Day 4 (opener) - Leave at 6. Move ¼ mile in 20 min. Mentally note limitations of e-scouting. Hear a shot 15 min. pre-sunrise and figure someone from my group already filled his tag. Find a game trail and follow it all morning. Compare notes with others at camp. The shot was a local the other guys knew from prior hunts – got a cow. Local told them elk here will travel diagonal/across the mountain vs. straight up/down, interesting and contrary to a lot of what I assumed beforehand.
PM – Set up near the top of a meadow. After an hour, hear bugling from adjacent meadow, increasing interval for an hour, assume it’s a desperate hunter. At sunset I see a cow standing 80 yards in front of me, then several more. I didn't hear or see them, they just teleported in. Re-range some spots, get in position. Hear a racket in the trees 50 yards uphill across the meadow. Sounds like a big rock tumbling down. Realize it’s not a rock when more elk appear. I count 8 cows plus a little spike with double tines at the top. Watch until end of shooting light then wait for my partner and head back. In the treeline where I heard bugling earlier, we hear another ripper uphill. This time definitely a bull and question earlier assessment that it was a hunter. Back at camp, others herd bugling and called back and forth with him for 45 minutes. Discuss AM plans, dinner, bed.
Day 5 – Out at 6. Bump others from my group, change course. Find a game trail with fresh sign, follow all morning ending where I started. Put some pieces together on the movement pattern, plan to go back there that evening. Get back to camp and three of the other guys are discussing a plan for the evening.
PM: Ringleader of other guys talks me into going out with them. Seasoned hunter, I figure his plan is better than mine. 5th guy decides to join, then the 6th. I’m thinking too many people in one area, should have stuck with my original plan. Reach destination at 4:45, 3 meadows in close proximity. Two people occupy each meadow, one high/one low. Set up next to a small bunch of aspens, other guy 80 yards behind me in a dip in the terrain. He will bugle every 10 minutes from 5:30 to sunset. Next hour getting bored/cold, negativity bubbling, checking watch every two minutes, imagining elk all over the area I planned to hunt and here I am staring at nothing. Response from uphill to the 6:20 bugle. Shortly thereafter, another bugle this time closer, response, then nothing back. Probably another hunter or the elk changed direction. Uphill I see a cow's head come over the rise ~100 yds away, walking towards me, I freeze. Instantly regret setting my rifle down to keep my hands warm. Then another cow 20 yards back. Lead cow stops 8-10 yards to my right, second cow above/left. Straining to look out the side of my eye but can't see, slightly turn my head in slowmo. She must have picked up movement, flinches but doesn't run, snorts 2x and gives me the stink eye...she must know something is off. Both cows proceed, I think I'm clear to slowly pick up my rifle. Wrong, lead cow sees movement and gallops off, second cow follows. They stop behind the guy below me and go back to feeding, huge relief. I set up the same way as last night, arm braced on tree, rifle over arm and look uphill hoping a bull will appear. Two cows emerge up to the right. branches moving in the treeline, then realize they are antlers. Remaining light catching the tips of his antlers, appearing like glowing torches on top of his head. Confirm safety off, confirm he’s legal. Realize he's big, disbelief, don't blow it. Notice there's a cow on his far side. He pauses, cow proceeds, now he's isolated, mostly broadside/slightly quartered towards. Reticle behind shoulder, try to hold steady. Two deep breaths, slowly squeeze, BANG. Red flash, feel like I got punched in the face, forehead feels hot. Rifle seated poorly and was rewarded with scope bite. Cycle the bolt, back on the scope, don’t see him...how did I miss? Scan the trees and see cows looking confused. Hear 3 loud knocks. Thought the bull was running through the trees, then realize he's behind a rise in the meadow and is smacking his antlers on a rock. Give him a few minutes. Feel blood on my forehead and nose. Check my watch, 10 min left of shooting light. The whole deal happened within a couple minutes but felt like an hour, weird how time slowed down. The guy behind me walks up, we approach. Turns out he’s 6x6. Bull is expiring, facing opposite direction, moving but immobile so I aim and finish him. Adrenaline wears off, feel semi-dazed (or concussed). Take some pics, build a fire, and quarter and hang meat in a tree. Text a packer to meet the following day. While quartering, imposter syndrome kicks in - too easy, didn't pick this spot, almost blew it, all I did was pull the trigger, any of the other guys deserved it more… Also glad I am not alone, this would have taken all night solo. Finish up at 10:20, back at 11:45, give a toast, tenderloin for dinner and turn in.
Day 6 – Sleep in, imposter syndrome wears off, fired up to bring home meat for the family along with a nice trophy. Confidence boost that I didn’t get target panic. Hear bugling in the morning. Meet up with packer and load up the meat and antlers. I range from the carcass back to my shot location - 92 yards.
Day 7-8 - uneventful aside from more bugling and one of the guys wounding a bull on day 7 PM. He saw two bulls fighting and took a shot at one from ~300. We search for 3+ hours finding minimal blood, then 6+ hours the next day finding nothing new.
Day 9 - hit the meat processor and taxidermist. 18 hour drive home, feeling fortunate and thinking about to build on it moving forward.
Takeaways:
- Thermals/scent most important (Day 2).
- Make time to physically scout
- Leave way earlier in the AM.
- Keep focus & positive attitude
- Stay out all day = more knowledge & opportunities.
- De-conflict with hunting partners.
- Sound/distance - elk may be closer than they sound.
- Ensure solid shooting position. Practice more.
- Learn to bugle, bugle at night to locate.
- Read internet with grain of salt - everything I read about unit was negative/wrong.
- Maintain conditioning.
- Make use of small game license, try to get deer tag in addition to elk.
- Hunting 1x/year not enough.
Topics to investigate:
- Learn more about prevailing wind vs. thermals. On paper should have gotten winded both times close to elk. Learn more about elk vision.
- What size area does a herd occupy? How many herds were in the area?
- Elk more vocal than expected - secondary rut or typical behavior?
