bz_711
WKR
- Joined
- May 7, 2012
- Messages
- 832
Rocky Mountain High - 2017 CO Elk
I’m already missing the mid-20 degree wake ups and that smell of pine all day long. This year’s elk hunt started off with planning in early spring as usual…but this year my dad mentioned this might be his last time bringing the bow along…so I really wanted to get him an opportunity at his first archery elk. Plans came together nicely and we ended up having one of our smallest groups in years…my Dad and I with elk tag, long-time friend Shawn with a mule deer tag, and new friend Bill joining us in camp to assist in any way needed in filling tags. Dad and I would be hunting a new area and I have to thank those on rokslide that graciously offered any tips or advice…a couple even reaching out via phone or text…truly living by the golden rule…each little piece of the puzzle helped point us in the right direction.
The drive into camp was cold and snowy…but as soon as we began setting up camp the sun poked out as usual in Colorado…we nailed the campsite…our view for the week was perfect.
And no wonder why I always love my time in the mountains…I don’t remember seeing the mountains any prettier than the week of our hunt…the high peaks were dusted with snow 3 times to go along with the turning aspens…sometimes you just have to stop and soak it in.
The week was progressing perfectly. We were into elk each day and my dad was getting some good encounters. Unfortunately his best encounter did not end up with the arrow being released…he was able to come to full draw on a spike bull at 25 yards and as often happens with archery gear, the vitals were behind a tree and he needed the bull to take 1 more step…which did not happen. Overall we were happy with the numbers we were seeing…but we had still yet to lay eyes on anything bigger than spikes. A couple different times we chased bugles and got near a small heard but again only saw bodies moving thru the thick timber, never actually laying eyes on the bulls making the bugles.
By Tuesday afternoon I knew I needed to try a high mountain basin I had good info on so I planned to give it a try…but half way up the mountain the winds were gusting 40+ and it felt like it was 70+ degrees out…my mind was not right for pushing on so I backed out and tried another spot.
Mid-day on Wed I get a text from another rokslide member who I’d shared emails and messages with throughout the summer…and this intel could not be ignored. Big bull spotted just couple days prior in the high basin I was wanting to hunt…so Dad and I made off on Wed afternoon to try it. The climb was a little brutal but I did manage to get on 2 bulls bugling, closed the distance, jumped 1 cow…and managed to get the “growler” all fired up and answering my calls near sundown. He was not coming in and wind was starting to change as I ran out of light…I decided to back out the last 15 min and get away to avoid the elk winding me. Dad made it up to the basin as well that night and on the long walk down he said he thinks he would have to sit out the next morning to give his hips and knees a break. This meant Bill would be coming out of the bullpen on Thurs morning to make the trek back up the mountain with me. Little did we know it would turn into an EPIC day of elk hunting.
I’m already missing the mid-20 degree wake ups and that smell of pine all day long. This year’s elk hunt started off with planning in early spring as usual…but this year my dad mentioned this might be his last time bringing the bow along…so I really wanted to get him an opportunity at his first archery elk. Plans came together nicely and we ended up having one of our smallest groups in years…my Dad and I with elk tag, long-time friend Shawn with a mule deer tag, and new friend Bill joining us in camp to assist in any way needed in filling tags. Dad and I would be hunting a new area and I have to thank those on rokslide that graciously offered any tips or advice…a couple even reaching out via phone or text…truly living by the golden rule…each little piece of the puzzle helped point us in the right direction.
The drive into camp was cold and snowy…but as soon as we began setting up camp the sun poked out as usual in Colorado…we nailed the campsite…our view for the week was perfect.
And no wonder why I always love my time in the mountains…I don’t remember seeing the mountains any prettier than the week of our hunt…the high peaks were dusted with snow 3 times to go along with the turning aspens…sometimes you just have to stop and soak it in.
The week was progressing perfectly. We were into elk each day and my dad was getting some good encounters. Unfortunately his best encounter did not end up with the arrow being released…he was able to come to full draw on a spike bull at 25 yards and as often happens with archery gear, the vitals were behind a tree and he needed the bull to take 1 more step…which did not happen. Overall we were happy with the numbers we were seeing…but we had still yet to lay eyes on anything bigger than spikes. A couple different times we chased bugles and got near a small heard but again only saw bodies moving thru the thick timber, never actually laying eyes on the bulls making the bugles.
By Tuesday afternoon I knew I needed to try a high mountain basin I had good info on so I planned to give it a try…but half way up the mountain the winds were gusting 40+ and it felt like it was 70+ degrees out…my mind was not right for pushing on so I backed out and tried another spot.
Mid-day on Wed I get a text from another rokslide member who I’d shared emails and messages with throughout the summer…and this intel could not be ignored. Big bull spotted just couple days prior in the high basin I was wanting to hunt…so Dad and I made off on Wed afternoon to try it. The climb was a little brutal but I did manage to get on 2 bulls bugling, closed the distance, jumped 1 cow…and managed to get the “growler” all fired up and answering my calls near sundown. He was not coming in and wind was starting to change as I ran out of light…I decided to back out the last 15 min and get away to avoid the elk winding me. Dad made it up to the basin as well that night and on the long walk down he said he thinks he would have to sit out the next morning to give his hips and knees a break. This meant Bill would be coming out of the bullpen on Thurs morning to make the trek back up the mountain with me. Little did we know it would turn into an EPIC day of elk hunting.
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And then other trucks that you could tell were hunters, as we passed them...they must have already seen rack in mirrors...because they were all giving thumbs up and had cameras ready...
