No elk, but here's a story

[Scoot]

Great write up! Your daughter sounds like she's tough and a trooper- that's awesome! Congrats on making some really wonderful memories. I predict you'll be back, and hopefully with your girl too.

 

[midwestcowboy]

Really good write up, thanks for sharing.

 

[cnelk]

There are some real gems of information in your recap.
Many should read it, several times

Thanks for sharing

 

[Chris in TN]

FWIW, we just returned from checking zero on the rifle (Tikka lite 6.5cm, NF SHV in sportsmatch rings) and letting the middle child shoot a few times to get ready for this weekend's youth deer season. Zero held perfectly after 3000 miles of cross-country and USFS wet road driving. Both girls shot at 225 yards then I shot it at ~390. All off shooting sticks. All shots from all shooters ~2moa, centered, on a fishtail-breezy day with no shooting mat, just two trek poles and an arrow shaft for a front tripod rest and two arrows shafts for the rear, shooters seated on the ground.

 

[Chris in TN]

A few pictures:
Saturday the 11th, hiking in the rain.

Thursday the 9th, first hike. This was taken on an overlook about a mile from the car. I'd been wanting to look across there all summer.

The only decent mule deer we saw the whole trip. Saw numerous does and 1-2 year old bucks.

Our little makeshift ground blind where we saw the spike and the bull after dark:

The spike. About 225 yards away, right where the bull came out later.

Man, Colorado is pretty:

Saturday the 11th. Right before we bumped the bull that bugled near us:

 

[Chris in TN]

So.....ten days.

We've been home ten days. That's how long it has taken me to start looking at things I would do different if I could do this hunt again.


Maybe I can. I'd almost do it again just to see if I could leverage what I learned the first time. I could take either daughter or both of them depending on whether either of them could get a tag in the secondary draw, and there's a decent chance one of us could draw a tag in the primary draw. Might even get a cow tag (which I'd prefer).

 

[va_to_co]

Thanks for the write up! I had my first CO (archery) experience this year as a new resident, coming from out east. All of your commentary gives me lots of food for thought. One quick thing I'm curious about--any more info on aging poop? I can tell relatively fresh from hard and old, but what is the nuance in color/texture/smell of some that is a day old vs 5 days old?

 

[Chris in TN]

Thanks for the write up! I had my first CO (archery) experience this year as a new resident, coming from out east. All of your commentary gives me lots of food for thought. One quick thing I'm curious about--any more info on aging poop? I can tell relatively fresh from hard and old, but what is the nuance in color/texture/smell of some that is a day old vs 5 days old?

Five days is going to be pretty crusted over in dry conditions. Coarser outer texture.

I can't tell the difference in fresh and one day old. I think I could make an educated guess by smearing it, but it's not something I do regularly and on purpose. After maybe 1-2 days you will start to notice it's drying a bit.

This winter I should follow our goats around a few days and take pictures of some just-dropped poop, block the spot off, then go back and take pictures every day. That would make a great thread. Of course someone could do the same with elk poop if they lived out west.