B
bucksandbullsbroderick
Guest
What a great opening weekend!
I started out in a deep, dark, pine-filled, north facing canyon and planned to stay there all day. My idea was to get on some nice game trails with the wind in my favor and take a step every 30 seconds followed up by glassing the new field of view.
A couple hours into my enjoyable hike (gorgeous day), I started to hear cow mews and calf chirps along with a few spike bugles and other immature bugles. I found this odd because it was 10:45 in the morning and August 15th! I thought the elk would have been in their beds and not vocal.
I advanced on a nice game trail and came to the edge of a slide in the canyon (slide happened 20 years ago and has grown in well). The elk were on the other edge of the slide, 90-130 yards away. I spotted a 280? 6 point, small five point, rag-horn, two 2x2?s, 6 spikes and one 1x2 along with over 35 cows and calves! Wow! The only problem was I had no way to move any further due to the opening in the slide and the sun. The elk would have definitely caught my movement. So, I hung back in the shadows and enjoyed the next 25 minutes by taking photos and observing these amazing animals up close and personal.
The elk started to move into the pines on the West side of the slide. As they did this, I thought I might have a chance to work my way through the slide slowly and try to make my way to the pines on the other side where they walked in.
With each step I would try to watch all the elk to make sure they weren't noticing my movement. I would count to 20 seconds before each step to keep my movement at a minimum. One hour passed and I was in a position where I could take off my shoes and pack. I spotted one of the spikes laying down at 85 yards. I had to get closer. The only problem was the amount of eyeballs and ears around me. Luckily the trail I entered the pines on continued into the pines even further. I had plant life and lots of green 3 ? feet tall around this trail. So, I crawled the next 22 yards and was in position to range the spike with a nice shooting lane.
I ranged 63 yards and had a nice broad-side shot. I drew my bow and steadied my pin. With a clean release, my 445 grain FMJ loaded with a 100gr Striker head and lit up by a Tracer nock, was on its way. Thwaaack! I knew I had made a good shot but still gave the bull 3 hours. The blood trail was strong and shortly into tracking my Dad and I found him.
There is nothing like getting a bull elk with your bow and sharing the moment with your best friend. My Dad was with me to help track and pack-out this bull and has been there for every animal I have harvested. I want to send a special thanks to my Dad! Check out the photos. Honestly, do you know any other 51 year old who has a more hardcore photo than two front quarters and a bull head on his shoulders with bow in hand? I also want to say thanks to my younger brother, Landon, and his friends who hiked a few miles to meet us and help pack-out. Now it's time to hunt the grey ghost!
"Hunt hard or go home!"
I started out in a deep, dark, pine-filled, north facing canyon and planned to stay there all day. My idea was to get on some nice game trails with the wind in my favor and take a step every 30 seconds followed up by glassing the new field of view.
A couple hours into my enjoyable hike (gorgeous day), I started to hear cow mews and calf chirps along with a few spike bugles and other immature bugles. I found this odd because it was 10:45 in the morning and August 15th! I thought the elk would have been in their beds and not vocal.
I advanced on a nice game trail and came to the edge of a slide in the canyon (slide happened 20 years ago and has grown in well). The elk were on the other edge of the slide, 90-130 yards away. I spotted a 280? 6 point, small five point, rag-horn, two 2x2?s, 6 spikes and one 1x2 along with over 35 cows and calves! Wow! The only problem was I had no way to move any further due to the opening in the slide and the sun. The elk would have definitely caught my movement. So, I hung back in the shadows and enjoyed the next 25 minutes by taking photos and observing these amazing animals up close and personal.
The elk started to move into the pines on the West side of the slide. As they did this, I thought I might have a chance to work my way through the slide slowly and try to make my way to the pines on the other side where they walked in.
With each step I would try to watch all the elk to make sure they weren't noticing my movement. I would count to 20 seconds before each step to keep my movement at a minimum. One hour passed and I was in a position where I could take off my shoes and pack. I spotted one of the spikes laying down at 85 yards. I had to get closer. The only problem was the amount of eyeballs and ears around me. Luckily the trail I entered the pines on continued into the pines even further. I had plant life and lots of green 3 ? feet tall around this trail. So, I crawled the next 22 yards and was in position to range the spike with a nice shooting lane.
I ranged 63 yards and had a nice broad-side shot. I drew my bow and steadied my pin. With a clean release, my 445 grain FMJ loaded with a 100gr Striker head and lit up by a Tracer nock, was on its way. Thwaaack! I knew I had made a good shot but still gave the bull 3 hours. The blood trail was strong and shortly into tracking my Dad and I found him.
There is nothing like getting a bull elk with your bow and sharing the moment with your best friend. My Dad was with me to help track and pack-out this bull and has been there for every animal I have harvested. I want to send a special thanks to my Dad! Check out the photos. Honestly, do you know any other 51 year old who has a more hardcore photo than two front quarters and a bull head on his shoulders with bow in hand? I also want to say thanks to my younger brother, Landon, and his friends who hiked a few miles to meet us and help pack-out. Now it's time to hunt the grey ghost!
"Hunt hard or go home!"
