I just wrapped another season of rosie hunting. I have been doing this for about 7 years on elk , I used to do everything but elk, until my dad who almost exclusively hunts elk talked me in to going. I was hooked it’s rugged , its tough and if done right can weed out a lot of competition since I hunt public lands.
That first season I didn’t give enough respect to the animal I was pursuing. I thought it would be just like a blacktail. I was wrong and easily got busted the one and only opportunity I had that season. The first few seasons I had similar endings, trying to break bad habits. Usually only getting one opportunity a year. Then last year I shot my first bull solo. I had three interactions last year and thought it was a fluke or dumb luck. The bull I shot sadly was never recovered. We spent a solid week looking for him in the dense rain forest. Even this season I still went to the same spot and combed the ridge several times looking for a possible clue that possibly might still remain.
Fast forward to this year I called in 9 bulls, got one to come at me just by charging in on him in the thick stuff. Of all the bulls I never got a shot off. I even had one bull at 15 feet, not yards. It was thick with huckleberry and wind didn’t give much wiggle room. He pushed downwind faster then I could move through the tangle of brush over my head . I wrapped up my last day with two bulls that were being shy and not wanting to play. One lingered but was not really excited , the other was just as shy. Neither had cows , I’m assuming the herd bull gave them a spanking the night before.
Rosie hunting is tough physically, but mentally it’s soul crushing mostly. The long drive home on the last night of season I think about all the should’ve could’ves. I say I’m done doing this and gonna chase the Rockies next year or just give up all together. Thinking maybe a rosie just isnt in the cards for me. But the day after season ends I’m already looking at maps again and planning my strategies for the next year.
I don’t know if it was good luck that I called in so many bulls, or bad luck that I got so many to come in and never got an arrow off. Maybe I will give up the shooting part and just start guiding haha. Hopefully this will motivate someone to keep pushing and not give up.
That first season I didn’t give enough respect to the animal I was pursuing. I thought it would be just like a blacktail. I was wrong and easily got busted the one and only opportunity I had that season. The first few seasons I had similar endings, trying to break bad habits. Usually only getting one opportunity a year. Then last year I shot my first bull solo. I had three interactions last year and thought it was a fluke or dumb luck. The bull I shot sadly was never recovered. We spent a solid week looking for him in the dense rain forest. Even this season I still went to the same spot and combed the ridge several times looking for a possible clue that possibly might still remain.
Fast forward to this year I called in 9 bulls, got one to come at me just by charging in on him in the thick stuff. Of all the bulls I never got a shot off. I even had one bull at 15 feet, not yards. It was thick with huckleberry and wind didn’t give much wiggle room. He pushed downwind faster then I could move through the tangle of brush over my head . I wrapped up my last day with two bulls that were being shy and not wanting to play. One lingered but was not really excited , the other was just as shy. Neither had cows , I’m assuming the herd bull gave them a spanking the night before.
Rosie hunting is tough physically, but mentally it’s soul crushing mostly. The long drive home on the last night of season I think about all the should’ve could’ves. I say I’m done doing this and gonna chase the Rockies next year or just give up all together. Thinking maybe a rosie just isnt in the cards for me. But the day after season ends I’m already looking at maps again and planning my strategies for the next year.
I don’t know if it was good luck that I called in so many bulls, or bad luck that I got so many to come in and never got an arrow off. Maybe I will give up the shooting part and just start guiding haha. Hopefully this will motivate someone to keep pushing and not give up.
