g5bowhunter
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2015
- Messages
- 160
We left for Colorado on 6/17/16 from N. Texas and stopped to spend the night in Amarillo with family. In the morning my 5 brothers, dad and hunting partner, Tanner, would leave for S. Colorado. The plan was to spend 4 days with my brothers and new hunting partner, hiking around, checking out the terrain and marking spots off the map we didn't want to waste time on in September.
Day 1-
After leaving Amarillo at 0500 and 5 hours on the road we made to S. Colorado and the unit I'd be hunting in. Cool temperatures, clear skies and a lot less oxygen greeted us as we got out of the truck. All the memories from the year before came back as I remembered the brutal hike into the region that meant 2500 feet in elevation gain in 4.5 miles.
IMG_0296_zpspp50iy5q.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket).
After a couple photos everyone was loaded up and ready to go. We made decent time compared to the year before when we got side tracked and spent 3 hours bushwhacking trying to get back on the trail. Though the hike in this year required many breaks, as all of us are flat-landers trying to adjust to the altitude. Some of our group had not prepared for the magnitude of the adventure and required more frequent and longer breaks than others. I was fine with that as it gave me more time to take photos and study the map. After spending 6 hours on the trail we finally made it to our destination at 11500 feet. The lakes were just as beautiful as I remembered and with us going in a month earlier then the year before the snow was plentiful and added to the beauty. All I could think about was the 10 day trip just 3 months away where I would be hunting Elk for the first time.
IMG_0310_zpswtttzbc7.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Tanner and I were using this trip to also test some of our gear choices. The steep elevation made us both realize that we had packed in too much and we both began to mentally remove gear from our packs for the September hunt.
IMG_0311_zpsevex9hws.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Day 2-
After a long night with sporadic sleep (big guy, little pad) I woke to one of my brothers seeing a deer in camp. The yearling mulie doe was a welcome sight, though not one of our target species. She had been around many hikers and was very comfortable walking around our camp and allowed me with in 15 feet as she fed on the young plants growing through the freshly melted snow.
IMG_0343_zpss1t6jlfk.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
As my brothers went off to fish and explore the area I broke out my bino's and new camera and began to search the tree line north of camp. Tanner had a new Vortex spotter and phoneskope and began to watch the tree line as well. The year before I saw cow elk foraging across the ridge. I quickly saw two shapes too lightly colored to be elk. The new camera brought them into view and for a few minutes I filmed the mulie does running in and out of the tree line. As we continued to look through the morning we didn't see any elk. The rest of the day we spent around camp still acclimating to the altitude. It amazes me every year how simply walking to and from the stream for water left me out of breath and light headed.
Later that evening Tanner spotted the first elk of the trip. 3 cows walking along the tree line at 12,100. By the time I had my camera set up the 3 elk had moved on, but I was able to locate a lonely cow staring intently at the route the other cows had gone. After filming her for several minutes she finally moved off in the opposite direction of the original 3. We had finally seen elk that we had traveled so far to see. We made plans for the next day to hike up to the tree line where we had seen all the elk.
IMG_0330_zpsbc6vtte0.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Day 3-
Once again the sporadic sleep left me exhausted but I was still excited for the days hike (Tanner will tell you I said otherwise). As we loaded our packs for the day trip the same doe was once again walking around the camp. My German Shepherd that had hiked in with us stared intently. Though she was too exhausted to make a move on the doe.
After packing a lunch, cameras and binos, Tanner and I took off up the side of the mountain. We made our way around the 2nd of 4 lakes in the high basin and once again I saw mule deer moving above us through the clearings. We both have decided that next year we will put in for the draw in hopes of getting a mule deer tag.
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0352_zpshpxdzcle.jpg.html
As we hiked through the area gaining elevation we started to see more and more elk sign. The higher we got the more we found. We stopped frequently to glass ahead and to the sides in hopes of seeing the dark hide of an elk. But all we saw were mule deer.
We finally made it to the high tree line at 12100. Elk sign was everywhere! Fresh deep tracks in the snow confirmed what we both had been hoping for. We wanted to climb up another 400-500 feet to the ridgeline so we could see into the northern basin. However the first dark storm clouds of the trip were building to the west and rain had started to fall. Regrettably we decided to move down into the tree line and make our way back to the camp.
Within the first 100 feet into the tree line we came across 2 bedded mulie does. Instantly they were bombing down the mountain. Again we confirmed that next year we are putting in for mulie. As we continued to climb down the hillside the rain had stopped and the clouds had begun to move off. We continued to hear deer moving ahead of us and I came across our first deer with antlers on his head. He was a yearly buck with 6 inch velvet covered spikes. He stared at me while I took photos from 40 yards away. Finally having enough he turned and bounced up the side of the hill. Very cool encounter.
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0357_zpszuvz1pu2.jpg.html
We made it down to the opposite end of the 2nd lake. As I looked down I saw a big week old pile of bear scat. I pointed it out to Tanner and we both were excited to finally see bear sign. Along with our elk tags we both intended to buy the bear tag. The dark pile of poo helped me justify the expense of the tag. (later that evening Tanner would glass a dark black bear above the tree line, as well as half a doz of elk on the opposite side of the basin. Including a forked horn bull)
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0360_zpspcd7vulk.jpg.html
After the long day of hiking and glassing the colorful arrangement of tents was a welcome sight.
Day 4 would be the early hike out and 9 hour drive home. Though we only spent 3 days on the side of the mountain we both learned a lot and gained some new ideas for the September hunt. First and foremost, I was gonna find some horses to hopefully carry our kills off the mountain.
As we hiked off the mountain I couldn't help but want to stay. Both Tanner and I discussed on the way home our desire to get out of the flat lands of Texas and relocate to the mountains.
Gear-
Pack-KUIU ICON PRO 7200-A+ Loved everything about my pack, no complaints
Tent-Cheapo 2 man NoLimits-I will probably replace it with a bivy so I can save weight
Pad-Big Agnes-A little narrow for me but it packs light and I can make it work
Boots-Solomon GTX 4D-A+ Great boots, no complaints. Never took off for the water crossings and after spending the entire trip walking through mud and snow my socks remained dry
Stove-JetBoil-A+ no complaints
Food-variety of Mountain House-A- don't try the breakfast skillet, made everyone sick lol
Clothes-KUIU Teton Verde pants, I wore them all 4 days and they held up great. I also brought my Kenai hooded jacket and wore it at night in the bag or used it as a pillow. Very satisfied with the purchase and impressed with the quality. Definitely will use KUIU in September.
I carried my Glock in my pack. We both decided not to bring them in the fall
With my camera the tri-pod was more then I'd like to carry and will probably replace it in the fall. We've both decided to go the bivy route. Will end up getting a tarp and 2 bivies. The spotter will probably stay behind as well in September and bino's will be used.
Day 1-
After leaving Amarillo at 0500 and 5 hours on the road we made to S. Colorado and the unit I'd be hunting in. Cool temperatures, clear skies and a lot less oxygen greeted us as we got out of the truck. All the memories from the year before came back as I remembered the brutal hike into the region that meant 2500 feet in elevation gain in 4.5 miles.
IMG_0296_zpspp50iy5q.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket).
After a couple photos everyone was loaded up and ready to go. We made decent time compared to the year before when we got side tracked and spent 3 hours bushwhacking trying to get back on the trail. Though the hike in this year required many breaks, as all of us are flat-landers trying to adjust to the altitude. Some of our group had not prepared for the magnitude of the adventure and required more frequent and longer breaks than others. I was fine with that as it gave me more time to take photos and study the map. After spending 6 hours on the trail we finally made it to our destination at 11500 feet. The lakes were just as beautiful as I remembered and with us going in a month earlier then the year before the snow was plentiful and added to the beauty. All I could think about was the 10 day trip just 3 months away where I would be hunting Elk for the first time.
IMG_0310_zpswtttzbc7.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Tanner and I were using this trip to also test some of our gear choices. The steep elevation made us both realize that we had packed in too much and we both began to mentally remove gear from our packs for the September hunt.
IMG_0311_zpsevex9hws.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Day 2-
After a long night with sporadic sleep (big guy, little pad) I woke to one of my brothers seeing a deer in camp. The yearling mulie doe was a welcome sight, though not one of our target species. She had been around many hikers and was very comfortable walking around our camp and allowed me with in 15 feet as she fed on the young plants growing through the freshly melted snow.
IMG_0343_zpss1t6jlfk.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
As my brothers went off to fish and explore the area I broke out my bino's and new camera and began to search the tree line north of camp. Tanner had a new Vortex spotter and phoneskope and began to watch the tree line as well. The year before I saw cow elk foraging across the ridge. I quickly saw two shapes too lightly colored to be elk. The new camera brought them into view and for a few minutes I filmed the mulie does running in and out of the tree line. As we continued to look through the morning we didn't see any elk. The rest of the day we spent around camp still acclimating to the altitude. It amazes me every year how simply walking to and from the stream for water left me out of breath and light headed.
Later that evening Tanner spotted the first elk of the trip. 3 cows walking along the tree line at 12,100. By the time I had my camera set up the 3 elk had moved on, but I was able to locate a lonely cow staring intently at the route the other cows had gone. After filming her for several minutes she finally moved off in the opposite direction of the original 3. We had finally seen elk that we had traveled so far to see. We made plans for the next day to hike up to the tree line where we had seen all the elk.
IMG_0330_zpsbc6vtte0.jpg Photo by Jake_Roy | Photobucket
Day 3-
Once again the sporadic sleep left me exhausted but I was still excited for the days hike (Tanner will tell you I said otherwise). As we loaded our packs for the day trip the same doe was once again walking around the camp. My German Shepherd that had hiked in with us stared intently. Though she was too exhausted to make a move on the doe.
After packing a lunch, cameras and binos, Tanner and I took off up the side of the mountain. We made our way around the 2nd of 4 lakes in the high basin and once again I saw mule deer moving above us through the clearings. We both have decided that next year we will put in for the draw in hopes of getting a mule deer tag.
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0352_zpshpxdzcle.jpg.html
As we hiked through the area gaining elevation we started to see more and more elk sign. The higher we got the more we found. We stopped frequently to glass ahead and to the sides in hopes of seeing the dark hide of an elk. But all we saw were mule deer.
We finally made it to the high tree line at 12100. Elk sign was everywhere! Fresh deep tracks in the snow confirmed what we both had been hoping for. We wanted to climb up another 400-500 feet to the ridgeline so we could see into the northern basin. However the first dark storm clouds of the trip were building to the west and rain had started to fall. Regrettably we decided to move down into the tree line and make our way back to the camp.
Within the first 100 feet into the tree line we came across 2 bedded mulie does. Instantly they were bombing down the mountain. Again we confirmed that next year we are putting in for mulie. As we continued to climb down the hillside the rain had stopped and the clouds had begun to move off. We continued to hear deer moving ahead of us and I came across our first deer with antlers on his head. He was a yearly buck with 6 inch velvet covered spikes. He stared at me while I took photos from 40 yards away. Finally having enough he turned and bounced up the side of the hill. Very cool encounter.
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0357_zpszuvz1pu2.jpg.html
We made it down to the opposite end of the 2nd lake. As I looked down I saw a big week old pile of bear scat. I pointed it out to Tanner and we both were excited to finally see bear sign. Along with our elk tags we both intended to buy the bear tag. The dark pile of poo helped me justify the expense of the tag. (later that evening Tanner would glass a dark black bear above the tree line, as well as half a doz of elk on the opposite side of the basin. Including a forked horn bull)
http://s61.photobucket.com/user/Jake_Roy/media/IMG_0360_zpspcd7vulk.jpg.html
After the long day of hiking and glassing the colorful arrangement of tents was a welcome sight.
Day 4 would be the early hike out and 9 hour drive home. Though we only spent 3 days on the side of the mountain we both learned a lot and gained some new ideas for the September hunt. First and foremost, I was gonna find some horses to hopefully carry our kills off the mountain.
As we hiked off the mountain I couldn't help but want to stay. Both Tanner and I discussed on the way home our desire to get out of the flat lands of Texas and relocate to the mountains.
Gear-
Pack-KUIU ICON PRO 7200-A+ Loved everything about my pack, no complaints
Tent-Cheapo 2 man NoLimits-I will probably replace it with a bivy so I can save weight
Pad-Big Agnes-A little narrow for me but it packs light and I can make it work
Boots-Solomon GTX 4D-A+ Great boots, no complaints. Never took off for the water crossings and after spending the entire trip walking through mud and snow my socks remained dry
Stove-JetBoil-A+ no complaints
Food-variety of Mountain House-A- don't try the breakfast skillet, made everyone sick lol
Clothes-KUIU Teton Verde pants, I wore them all 4 days and they held up great. I also brought my Kenai hooded jacket and wore it at night in the bag or used it as a pillow. Very satisfied with the purchase and impressed with the quality. Definitely will use KUIU in September.
I carried my Glock in my pack. We both decided not to bring them in the fall
With my camera the tri-pod was more then I'd like to carry and will probably replace it in the fall. We've both decided to go the bivy route. Will end up getting a tarp and 2 bivies. The spotter will probably stay behind as well in September and bino's will be used.
