After my first fix of elk hunting my son and I are hooked!
Long story short we were supposed to have made this trip a year ago but between my primary area being closed due to fire and then having a flash flood at home that totaled 2 cars we were delayed by a year. I used the extra time to learn by listening to as many podcasts as possible, watching who know how many videos and reading this forum! This extra time gave me the opportunity to learn so much more that most of the areas I had as the top of my list to hunt I ended up eliminating.
Fast forward to the Wednesday before the Colorado archery opener and we left from the NJ Shore at 6 am. We drove through the night and the next day pulling over for 2 naps of an hour each ultimately arriving at 4pm at our base camp. Before we set camp my son wanted to explore the woods near camp and we found an unbelievable amount of elk tracks and poop but it was all old. We went down the hill bout a 100 yards from camp and found a rock outcropping overlooking the drainage I had highlighted as our #1 spot to hunt. As I pulled my Bino's out of their case we heard a bugle from the next ridge. It was confirmation that my e-scouting was on point!
The next day we climbed down the hillside which turned out to be a 900 foot elevation change from our 8400 ft. base camp down to 7540 at the creek creek crossing we found with tons of fresh poop and rubs. We didn't go up the other side since the next day was the opener and we didn't want to bump them out of their sanctuary. We backed out and went to check out our a 2nd and 3rd plan areas and found some good sign but it was within 200 yards of a major trail head and the farther we got back the less sign we found.
Finally it was opening morning and we heard in the dark a bugle from the next ridge over and our hopes were at a high. It took an hour and a half to make it to the creek crossing and we only covered 1/3 of a mile according to my OnX Maps. Between the steepness and the fact we were bushwhacking through 4-6' foot ferns trying to trip us at every step it was slow going. I let out a bugle a few minutes after light and got a response across and down stream from the creek crossing. We had originally planned on going upstream based upon what we had heard the previous two days. We crossed it and got cliffed out where the ridge went up probably 70 feet straight up and we couldn't find a place that we could cross the creek again safely so we were forced to back track to where we crossed the creek in the first place as we were regrouping we see a guy coming down the creek with an elk quarter sticking out of his pack. He sees us across the creek and comes to us as he gets near he says "Oh shit you're not my friends!" As we talk it turns out he is a local who has been hunting this drainage for the last ten years and even though it is right next to a major highway he has never seen anyone else there but my son and I. He goes on to say that his name is Ben and he's a local teacher and cross country coach. Because of coaching he only bow hunts the opening weekend. In the ten years he has hunted that drainage he has taken 3 bulls and 2 cows including the one he got that day! Let that sink in for a minute he is batting .500 with only one weekend a year! when the average success rate is 10%! We compare notes and I tell him the general areas and either the name of the creek or the trails and features I was able to pick out on the Topo's and he tells me I really did my homework and confirms he has killed elk in 4 of my first 5 spots I picked out. Since his friends show up to help him pack out the rest of his Cow we go back to camp.
On day two we go to a spot that Ben suggested near a spot that I had picked on OnX. As we are walking my OnX freezes and I couldn't get it to work again. We end up doing a big semi circle and by pure luck we come out on a hill overlooking our camp. Unfortunately I now have to walk 3 miles up the highway to get my truck. So the morning hunt ended up being a waste. We have a quick lunch and now go to another pull off that Ben said is where he goes in during the rifle season to get to where he got the cow the day before. It's much less steep but it's a 5 mile hike as we get into the woods we end up passing 10 camps most are other hunters and some regular campers for the holiday weekend. It took a while to figure out a safe crossing and by then it's nearly dark so we back out with plans to come back in the morning.
Day 3 we get to the pull off and meet three guys getting ready to walk in from Michigan. One guy has been coming for 5 years and seen 1 elk in that time the other two have been coming for the last three years and they haven't seen or even heard one in that time but they are still super optimistic. We wish them luck and as I go to put my pack on I throw my back out! I can't describe how upset I am because I think our hunt may be over. My son helps me into the truck and we drive into town and get some breakfast. Sitting in the diner I can feel the knot in my back loosening. We decide to drive to my number 3 spot which is almost across the highway from where we were in the morning. We hike in on a "trail" in name only. There was only a very infrequent marker on a tree and no visible trail on the ground. We get about 3/4 of a mile from the road and come upon 3 water holes two are in an open meadow and all of the tracks are dried out. The third is about 50 yards into the timber at the base of a ridge and there are tracks all around it. We split up and set up about 40 yards apart to be able to cover multiple trails coming down the hill to the water. We set up about 10 am and a few minutes before noon we hear a cow call up the hill and it's close! We both stand and get ready when we see a single cow coming down towards the water 80 yards away! Excitement is building in us only to have the wind switch direction and blow our scent right up to her and she runs back up the hill. We decide to wait about 10 minutes and loop up the ridge on the downwind side. We still hunt almost to the top of the ridge and find a trail that is a virtual highway connecting dark timber with open grassy hillsides. We set up a few times and call but get no response and don't see anything but a grouse. We decide to go back to the waterhole and sit for the final 2 hours of light. As we get near where we were in the morning out jumps a huge Mule Deer buck in velvet. At first I thought it was a bull elk and I just wanted to shoot myself for leaving the water! I quickly realize my mistake and calm down. We hunted until sundown without seeing any elk. As we turn to leave in the waning minutes of light I get a picture of a small Mulie Buck walking on the other side of the meadow and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Back at camp while preparing dinner my son and I make plans to go back down into the drainage we met Ben on the opener and hunt the area he got the cow.
Day 4 I wake up early and can't wake my son up. I get so mad I almost left him to sleep and text him that I went to where we discussed the night before. I am glad I didn't because when he finally woke up after 8 am he was complaining of a pounding headache, stomach cramps and I notice his eyes are all bloodshot and his face is puffy. I realize that he has Altitude Sickness. I take him into town which is 2000 feet lower. After 4 hours he isn't feeling any better I realize that our trip had to come to an early end or he may end up in the hospital. We drive back up to base camp, pack up and are on our way home by 2 pm. All he was concerned about was that he "ruined my hunt". I kept telling him that his health was more important than any elk and reminded him of our small wins. We were able to confirm my plans of where to hunt had elk both by the responses to my bugles and Ben's cow having never done it before, we almost had an opportunity the day before and reminded him that most people don't have the kind of trip we did in a full week their first time as we did in 3 days of hunting. I am confident now that given enough time with just e scouting and executing our plan once we get there we can be successful elk hunters!
We ended up making it to Sydney Ne. and we visited the first Cabelas. By now he is feeling much better with a dull headache and we start talking over dinner what we are going to cut off the list of things we brought this year. What we are going to bring different and identified some of the mistakes we made and what we will do differently in the future. We plan on making this a yearly trip for as long as my body holds up. We will most likely stay the first two days in the future in town before going up to where we had our base camp to better acclimate to the elevation.
We are elk addicts!
Long story short we were supposed to have made this trip a year ago but between my primary area being closed due to fire and then having a flash flood at home that totaled 2 cars we were delayed by a year. I used the extra time to learn by listening to as many podcasts as possible, watching who know how many videos and reading this forum! This extra time gave me the opportunity to learn so much more that most of the areas I had as the top of my list to hunt I ended up eliminating.
Fast forward to the Wednesday before the Colorado archery opener and we left from the NJ Shore at 6 am. We drove through the night and the next day pulling over for 2 naps of an hour each ultimately arriving at 4pm at our base camp. Before we set camp my son wanted to explore the woods near camp and we found an unbelievable amount of elk tracks and poop but it was all old. We went down the hill bout a 100 yards from camp and found a rock outcropping overlooking the drainage I had highlighted as our #1 spot to hunt. As I pulled my Bino's out of their case we heard a bugle from the next ridge. It was confirmation that my e-scouting was on point!
The next day we climbed down the hillside which turned out to be a 900 foot elevation change from our 8400 ft. base camp down to 7540 at the creek creek crossing we found with tons of fresh poop and rubs. We didn't go up the other side since the next day was the opener and we didn't want to bump them out of their sanctuary. We backed out and went to check out our a 2nd and 3rd plan areas and found some good sign but it was within 200 yards of a major trail head and the farther we got back the less sign we found.
Finally it was opening morning and we heard in the dark a bugle from the next ridge over and our hopes were at a high. It took an hour and a half to make it to the creek crossing and we only covered 1/3 of a mile according to my OnX Maps. Between the steepness and the fact we were bushwhacking through 4-6' foot ferns trying to trip us at every step it was slow going. I let out a bugle a few minutes after light and got a response across and down stream from the creek crossing. We had originally planned on going upstream based upon what we had heard the previous two days. We crossed it and got cliffed out where the ridge went up probably 70 feet straight up and we couldn't find a place that we could cross the creek again safely so we were forced to back track to where we crossed the creek in the first place as we were regrouping we see a guy coming down the creek with an elk quarter sticking out of his pack. He sees us across the creek and comes to us as he gets near he says "Oh shit you're not my friends!" As we talk it turns out he is a local who has been hunting this drainage for the last ten years and even though it is right next to a major highway he has never seen anyone else there but my son and I. He goes on to say that his name is Ben and he's a local teacher and cross country coach. Because of coaching he only bow hunts the opening weekend. In the ten years he has hunted that drainage he has taken 3 bulls and 2 cows including the one he got that day! Let that sink in for a minute he is batting .500 with only one weekend a year! when the average success rate is 10%! We compare notes and I tell him the general areas and either the name of the creek or the trails and features I was able to pick out on the Topo's and he tells me I really did my homework and confirms he has killed elk in 4 of my first 5 spots I picked out. Since his friends show up to help him pack out the rest of his Cow we go back to camp.
On day two we go to a spot that Ben suggested near a spot that I had picked on OnX. As we are walking my OnX freezes and I couldn't get it to work again. We end up doing a big semi circle and by pure luck we come out on a hill overlooking our camp. Unfortunately I now have to walk 3 miles up the highway to get my truck. So the morning hunt ended up being a waste. We have a quick lunch and now go to another pull off that Ben said is where he goes in during the rifle season to get to where he got the cow the day before. It's much less steep but it's a 5 mile hike as we get into the woods we end up passing 10 camps most are other hunters and some regular campers for the holiday weekend. It took a while to figure out a safe crossing and by then it's nearly dark so we back out with plans to come back in the morning.
Day 3 we get to the pull off and meet three guys getting ready to walk in from Michigan. One guy has been coming for 5 years and seen 1 elk in that time the other two have been coming for the last three years and they haven't seen or even heard one in that time but they are still super optimistic. We wish them luck and as I go to put my pack on I throw my back out! I can't describe how upset I am because I think our hunt may be over. My son helps me into the truck and we drive into town and get some breakfast. Sitting in the diner I can feel the knot in my back loosening. We decide to drive to my number 3 spot which is almost across the highway from where we were in the morning. We hike in on a "trail" in name only. There was only a very infrequent marker on a tree and no visible trail on the ground. We get about 3/4 of a mile from the road and come upon 3 water holes two are in an open meadow and all of the tracks are dried out. The third is about 50 yards into the timber at the base of a ridge and there are tracks all around it. We split up and set up about 40 yards apart to be able to cover multiple trails coming down the hill to the water. We set up about 10 am and a few minutes before noon we hear a cow call up the hill and it's close! We both stand and get ready when we see a single cow coming down towards the water 80 yards away! Excitement is building in us only to have the wind switch direction and blow our scent right up to her and she runs back up the hill. We decide to wait about 10 minutes and loop up the ridge on the downwind side. We still hunt almost to the top of the ridge and find a trail that is a virtual highway connecting dark timber with open grassy hillsides. We set up a few times and call but get no response and don't see anything but a grouse. We decide to go back to the waterhole and sit for the final 2 hours of light. As we get near where we were in the morning out jumps a huge Mule Deer buck in velvet. At first I thought it was a bull elk and I just wanted to shoot myself for leaving the water! I quickly realize my mistake and calm down. We hunted until sundown without seeing any elk. As we turn to leave in the waning minutes of light I get a picture of a small Mulie Buck walking on the other side of the meadow and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Back at camp while preparing dinner my son and I make plans to go back down into the drainage we met Ben on the opener and hunt the area he got the cow.
Day 4 I wake up early and can't wake my son up. I get so mad I almost left him to sleep and text him that I went to where we discussed the night before. I am glad I didn't because when he finally woke up after 8 am he was complaining of a pounding headache, stomach cramps and I notice his eyes are all bloodshot and his face is puffy. I realize that he has Altitude Sickness. I take him into town which is 2000 feet lower. After 4 hours he isn't feeling any better I realize that our trip had to come to an early end or he may end up in the hospital. We drive back up to base camp, pack up and are on our way home by 2 pm. All he was concerned about was that he "ruined my hunt". I kept telling him that his health was more important than any elk and reminded him of our small wins. We were able to confirm my plans of where to hunt had elk both by the responses to my bugles and Ben's cow having never done it before, we almost had an opportunity the day before and reminded him that most people don't have the kind of trip we did in a full week their first time as we did in 3 days of hunting. I am confident now that given enough time with just e scouting and executing our plan once we get there we can be successful elk hunters!
We ended up making it to Sydney Ne. and we visited the first Cabelas. By now he is feeling much better with a dull headache and we start talking over dinner what we are going to cut off the list of things we brought this year. What we are going to bring different and identified some of the mistakes we made and what we will do differently in the future. We plan on making this a yearly trip for as long as my body holds up. We will most likely stay the first two days in the future in town before going up to where we had our base camp to better acclimate to the elevation.
We are elk addicts!
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