Back in mid-October I drove out to 
the Montrose Colorado area to my sister's home. Riding with me were my mother and sister. We made a two day journey out of it with an overnight in Laramie Wyoming. On the first day I met with a customer in Louisville Nebraska and had dinner with a customer in Laramie.
the Montrose Colorado area to my sister's home. Riding with me were my mother and sister. We made a two day journey out of it with an overnight in Laramie Wyoming. On the first day I met with a customer in Louisville Nebraska and had dinner with a customer in Laramie.Joining me for the elk hunt was my brother-in-law, Robert, and his son, Jason. Jason is only 13 years old and this was his first time to join us. This would be my 5th elk hunt. The first day was spent packing into the backcountry of the Lizard Head Wilderness area, near Telluride. Besides the three horses we rode, we also took two horses for packing our gear. 
After sitting up camp we rode around the area to do some scouting. The scouting didn't turn up anything and for the next three days we would hunt in this area. Unfortunately, after covering a tremendous amount of country during those three days only one elk was sighted (by Robert) and it was legal (needs to have 4 points on one side to be legal).
After sitting up camp we rode around the area to do some scouting. The scouting didn't turn up anything and for the next three days we would hunt in this area. Unfortunately, after covering a tremendous amount of country during those three days only one elk was sighted (by Robert) and it was legal (needs to have 4 points on one side to be legal).We packed out the afternoon of the 3rd hunting day and went back to my sister's house. The next morning we hunted
on their ranch property with permission from the outfitter that has the hunting rights for this land. During one period when I was walking through an aspen forest, I had just finished taking a break and was putting my pack back. A loud noise in the timber alerted me to something moving very fast toward me. I grabbed my gun just as I saw a cow elk and a bull following her emerge near the edge of the timber. They quickly made a 90 degree turn and entered the densely wooded area again and by the time I drew my gun and brough the bull into my sights, the timber was obstructing my view. I took one shot, but the bullet was deflected by a tree and I lost my chance for this year.
on their ranch property with permission from the outfitter that has the hunting rights for this land. During one period when I was walking through an aspen forest, I had just finished taking a break and was putting my pack back. A loud noise in the timber alerted me to something moving very fast toward me. I grabbed my gun just as I saw a cow elk and a bull following her emerge near the edge of the timber. They quickly made a 90 degree turn and entered the densely wooded area again and by the time I drew my gun and brough the bull into my sights, the timber was obstructing my view. I took one shot, but the bullet was deflected by a tree and I lost my chance for this year.After returning to the house and getting a 
birthday dinner, we left early the next morning back for Iowa. I normally fly when I make these trips out to Colorado, but had taken my truck this year so I could haul back my trophy from last year's hunt. Last year was my most successful hunt of the 5 years I have been making this trek. I connected with a 6x6 bull elk. My brother-in-law, Robert, had went around behind me and walked through a growth of aspens and scared up a herd of elk. The first bunch had 20-25 elk, including some small bulls that weren't legal. The next bunch followed about 10 seconds later and included a few cows and this big bull following the herd. They were moving fast across the open meadow angling away from me, but I managed to hold
my cross-hairs on the elks right shoulder and connected. I wouldn't know for another 20 minutes that I had connected as the bull never slowed down and vanished across the meadow into the dense timber. Once Robert returned we got on our horses and went down to the area that I made my first shot and found a blood trail that we followed. As we got to the edge of the timber we could see the bull down just 20 feet inside. Now our work was just beginning, as it took us 3 hours to field dress the bull and skin out the hide to preserve the head mount. Then we had to load everything up on our two horses and walk and hour to get back to the truck.
birthday dinner, we left early the next morning back for Iowa. I normally fly when I make these trips out to Colorado, but had taken my truck this year so I could haul back my trophy from last year's hunt. Last year was my most successful hunt of the 5 years I have been making this trek. I connected with a 6x6 bull elk. My brother-in-law, Robert, had went around behind me and walked through a growth of aspens and scared up a herd of elk. The first bunch had 20-25 elk, including some small bulls that weren't legal. The next bunch followed about 10 seconds later and included a few cows and this big bull following the herd. They were moving fast across the open meadow angling away from me, but I managed to hold
my cross-hairs on the elks right shoulder and connected. I wouldn't know for another 20 minutes that I had connected as the bull never slowed down and vanished across the meadow into the dense timber. Once Robert returned we got on our horses and went down to the area that I made my first shot and found a blood trail that we followed. As we got to the edge of the timber we could see the bull down just 20 feet inside. Now our work was just beginning, as it took us 3 hours to field dress the bull and skin out the hide to preserve the head mount. Then we had to load everything up on our two horses and walk and hour to get back to the truck.This year the weather was way to warm and we believe this was the primary reason we didn't find elk at our first location. Elk move to different areas and different elvevations depending upon the prevailing weather conditions. Hopefully, next year we will not have a repeat of this year's experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment