2023 OFFICIAL ELK MEAT POLE THREAD

[Cirlin Crowe]

View attachment 598649Opening day here in Montana. Talked back and forth with this guy for about an hour, slowly moving in on him. Finally he committed and came in to check me out. Thankfully the wide open country made it easy to find a clear shot.

Nice going!

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

Struck big last night in Montana

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome , I like the kicker.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

DIY OTC CO bull I shot Sunday night solo 6.5 miles back. Set up camp 15 min before dark in a saddle near a peak I figured elk were bedding on the north side of during the day. After not hearing a bugle since 8:30 am, heard a light bugle decently close (within 300), decided to rip one back a minute later and he fired back within 200 yards. Put my gear back on, walked 20 yards from my tarp, threw out a growly bugle and a cow goes nuts mewing and he bugles. I cut him off with one more and they come running in, I took 10 quick steps behind some cover and knock an arrow. Cow comes to 10 yards on the left of the cover and looks at me, bull ends up coming in to the right and sees me finish drawing but stops at 13 yards. Sent one through the ticker and he went 90 yards and piled up. Entire situation happened in less than 4 minutes from the first time I bugled to when I shot. Prof it only takes one.
20 miles of packing yesterday and a good friend who was dumb enough to hike in and take a heavy load, got it out in 14 hours. Now I’ll spend the rest of my week of vacation recovering from the pack out and debating if I’m dumb enough to go back in after a bear.

Nice Bull, worthy of your efforts.

 

[CMF]

Sep 2nd- Got it done opening day archery in Colorado! The morning started off quick, I planned to stalk for mule deer. But a bull bigger than this bugles just a few hundred yards from the ridge I was sitting waiting on daylight. He came straight to my calls but ended just as quick when he got my wind just 80 yds away.
I went back to looking for mule deer, and after covering a couple miles came across this bull feeding a few hundred yards out in a mix of meadows, timber and brush. As I made an approach to him I spotted three smaller bulls in the brush just a hundred yards in front of me. Without many options for getting around the small bulls without getting busted, I decided to try and take one. While stalking into position on the others the bigger bull fed down and around and came into 48yds bugling. He made eye contact and looked like he was going to bust out, so I took a frontal shot. He didn’t bleed for over a hundred yards but I found him piled up 200 yards away.
I called in reinforcements and my wife and kids showed up to help skin and pack out. Shot at 820am, let sit and found at 10am, skinned some while waiting on kids then went to work hard around 2pm, we had a 3.2 mile hike out with some surrounding lightning storms to keep us on our toes. We made it to the truck for 7pm with about 160lbs of meat . By then we had inlaws to take the kids and drop us an atv. Me and the wife had to take an hour drive around, then 30 minute atv trail, then hike up .8 miles/500ft+ el.(and stupid steep) to the remaining two bags and antlers. We made it to the truck with last load around 2 am.



My daughter got her first elk this season. On the second evening of the muzzy season we spotted this bull feeding and not moving much about 3/4 mile across the mountain. We made our way over there and with light fading we found ourselves only 50 yards away with a few trees in between us. As we eased around the trees, my daughter said she saw him run. I ease up and see him standing away at 90 yards, looking back. Not sure if he saw or heard us, but he didn't get our wind. I get her set up on the trigger stick at the edge of tree and give a few cow calls. It piques his curiosity and he turns and makes a few steps towards us. He stops head on then quarters to, then back head on, then quartering again. As he turns sideways, slightly quartering to us at 45, I'm about to call to stop him, but he stops on his own, and BOOM! She shoots, she said "I was on him the whole time". He runs off. We eased up to where he was standing to look for blood, but don't see any. We hear something run off. We decided to wait until morning. We find him piled up less than 100yds away. I think what we heard run off were some mule deer does that were nearby. With me, my daughter, buddy, wife, and fil we made quick work of the bull and were out the 2.5 miles to the truck by lunch.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

Sep 2nd- Got it done opening day archery in Colorado! The morning started off quick, I planned to stalk for mule deer. But a bull bigger than this bugles just a few hundred yards from the ridge I was sitting waiting on daylight. He came straight to my calls but ended just as quick when he got my wind just 80 yds away.
I went back to looking for mule deer, and after covering a couple miles came across this bull feeding a few hundred yards out in a mix of meadows, timber and brush. As I made an approach to him I spotted three smaller bulls in the brush just a hundred yards in front of me. Without many options for getting around the small bulls without getting busted, I decided to try and take one. While stalking into position on the others the bigger bull fed down and around and came into 48yds bugling. He made eye contact and looked like he was going to bust out, so I took a frontal shot. He didn’t bleed for over a hundred yards but I found him piled up 200 yards away.
I called in reinforcements and my wife and kids showed up to help skin and pack out. Shot at 820am, let sit and found at 10am, skinned some while waiting on kids then went to work hard around 2pm, we had a 3.2 mile hike out with some surrounding lightning storms to keep us on our toes. We made it to the truck for 7pm with about 160lbs of meat . By then we had inlaws to take the kids and drop us an atv. Me and the wife had to take an hour drive around, then 30 minute atv trail, then hike up .8 miles/500ft+ el.(and stupid steep) to the remaining two bags and antlers. We made it to the truck with last load around 2 am.

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My daughter got her first elk this season. On the second evening of the muzzy season we spotted this bull feeding and not moving much about 3/4 mile across the mountain. We made our way over there and with light fading we found ourselves only 50 yards away with a few trees in between us. As we eased around the trees, my daughter said she saw him run. I ease up and see him standing away at 90 yards, looking back. Not sure if he saw or heard us, but he didn't get our wind. I get her set up on the trigger stick at the edge of tree and give a few cow calls. It piques his curiosity and he turns and makes a few steps towards us. He stops head on then quarters to, then back head on, then quartering again. As he turns sideways, slightly quartering to us at 45, I'm about to call to stop him, but he stops on his own, and BOOM! She shoots, she said "I was on him the whole time". He runs off. We eased up to where he was standing to look for blood, but don't see any. We hear something run off. We decided to wait until morning. We find him piled up less than 100yds away. I think what we heard run off were some mule deer does that were nearby. With me, my daughter, buddy, wife, and fil we made quick work of the bull and were out the 2.5 miles to the truck by lunch.
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That is a great hunting story. Love the smiles. Love the family affair. Looks like luck was looking upon you with favor.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

My dad and I have been archery hunting elk together every year for the last ten years. It has always been my favorite trip of the year. He drives from Iowa to my place in CO and stays with us for a week or two depending on whatever else we have going on in our lives. He has had a hand full of opportunities, but the stars never aligned to close the deal. Over the last few years, I have tried to convince him to switch to using a rifle or muzzleloader, but he flat out refuses to put down his bow.

Last night we charged into the woods as we normally do. This time it was a little different though. For the first time ever, my five year old son got to join. He had been begging to go every day of the season. Before we left last night my son took it upon himself to go upstairs to his room, put on his camoflauge, strap on his shoes, and fill up a water bottle. He took the initiative to do it. I was busy getting my own gear ready and loaded up. When I walked in the house to grab one last thing, he was standing in the living room and said "Dad, I am ready. Can I please come? I want to go real life elk hunting." He made it impossible to say no.

As we walked up the trail to our spots, my dad took off ahead for a tree stand while my son and I walked at a slower pace. Before my son and I got to our spot about 1.3 miles in, I could hear my dad yelling for me from about 600 yards away. He had already climbed the stand, shot, and recovered his first elk. The bull was at 15 yards within minutes of being in the stand.

My son and I walked directly for him. When we saw my dad, my son took off on a sprint to give him a hug. After some hooting and hollering, we let my son follow the blood trail and find the bull (it was only about 30 yards from the stand). The excitement was overwhelming. It still is. So many miles, trips, spots, and years finally paid off for my dad and my five year old got to be a part of the whole thing. After about 1,000 pictures and high fives, my dad and I got to work while my son held his little flashlight that we grabbed out of the junk drawer before we hopped in the truck.

When we got down to the truck well after bed time, my son's final words before he fell asleep were "This is the best day ever."

Its not huge, but it means everything.

I guess your son is the good luck charm so he's going to have to come on the hunt from now on, eh. So nice to see the family affair. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

Bonus grouse double on the pack out! What’s another pound when you’re solo
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Got to love the grouse hunting, I'm impressed that you took the effort to shoot them while packing out. Kudos

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

congrats Kurt on Stud bull!! gotta love the Beaver Mtn

That is a giant bull, congrats.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

Idaho Wilderness Bull

It looks like you sure earned that one. Some steep looking country there. Nice job.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

My smallest bull to date...but still got the full experience...it'll never get old.View attachment 609304

Love that sentiment.

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

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I only bowhunt, but that is about the sexiest lever gun I've ever seen.

Caliber?

 

[Hoosker Doo]

I only bowhunt, but that is about the sexiest lever gun I've ever seen.

Caliber?

Haha thanks. It's actually a Ruger #1 falling block single shot.

7mm Rem Mag

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Sept 8, solo. Amazing experience.

 

[Sadler]

Caught one over the weekend. The 77gr TMK is my new favorite bullet.

 

[mtnbiker208]

Not the best photo
Packing a spike out on a bike.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

solo backcountry sorry for the lack of pics meat hunter at heart!

That's a very heavy looking rack, congrats.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

After deciding I wasnt going to get an elk very close to the road in a heavily pressured low point draw unit, I glassed up some bulls sunday morning. Got my stuff together and headed 5 miles into the wilderness by myself on monday at about 10am. by 7pm I had this guy in the bag. Shot him at 80 yards with my muzzle loader, he ran 100 yds and dropped dead. My first elk, and he isnt huge, but I dont care. 5x6 with one broken off on the passenger side. he has a really cool curled brow tine as well. Couldn't be more stoked my 2nd year elk hunting and getting a bull down solo. Met an awesome guy who helped me with 2 loads on the packout. meat pole pic is after I carried out one load.

Way to go.

 

[Cirlin Crowe]

Not the best photo
Packing a spike out on a bike.

I recognize that bike setup T.

 

[ChrisAU]

That feeling when you set everything down and take the boots off after packing for 2.5 days.

 

[elkhunterUT]

My 14 year old boy’s first ever bull killed on Oct 10th in Utah on a Wasatch LE midseason tag. The hunt was tough with the masses of spike elk hunters out and about. Despite the orange army madness, my son got it done. 220 yard shot