BLooDTRaCKeR
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This years elk hunt was very enjoyable. For the past 6 years we have hunted this area, dad and I have pulled one out every year but one. We have also alternated tagging out every year. Dad would get one, then the next year I would get one. We still joke about that because it is still happening in this same pattern each year. We only hunt until one of us taggs out and then we call it a hunt. two elk is too much meat/work for my dad who is 62.
We started preparing for the hunt two weeks before the opener, doing a little scouting and hanging tree stands in areas where we have saw elk in past years.
Elk camp sunday morning, opening day in the tree stands was nothing but a COLD start to an elk hunt. did not see an animal. We did spen the evening watching my favorite area for elk on top of the mountain. The problem is, the elk come out too late to get a shot. That happened this time too, I could see an elk with a huge rack at 100 yards through binos but could not see him through the scope. He bugled a few times before we pulled out of there. Our plan was to hunt that spot every night until our hunt was over. The weather kept us hunkered down in the trailor all of sunday. lightning storms everywhere, (thats a story worth hearing on another post).
Monday morning, woke up to this beautiful weather and scenery. The sunshine did not last long before a storm rolled in and forced us to hunker down from 10:30 am until 5:30 pm. We watched the snow pile up on top of the mountain as dad and I sat around a nice fire we built to stay dry. We planned on sticking out the storm in hopes of seeing something in the evening....
We put our fire out and startd out to our "cheese hole" clearing close to 6:00 pm. It was still snowing hard and we were wondering what the crap we were doing out in this weather because visability was 50 yards. We were too far in to just walk out. A chance you take in unpredictable weather. Well it was amazing what happened next. The clouds parted and you could see sunshine as far as the eye could see. We then cut a big set of FRESH elk tracks going the same way we were. There was maybe 50 minutes of shooting light left. Dad stayed high on the tracks and I dropped down to my clearing where I saw the big bull saturday night. I set up in my blind and waited for dark.
At 6:45 pm out walks this guy and the rest is history. He fed right at me out of the thick timber by himself at 150 yards. he did not turn broadside for a shot until he was within 100 yards. I had to watch him feed for five minutes as shooting light faded quickly. He wasn't the big bull I saw saturday night, but I don't hunt for antlers on a general season tag. I hunt for meat and he is an excellent bull!
hats off to dad for helping me get the bull off the mountain! He is the best hunting partener I could ask for. Together we have enjoyed many hunts. Dad got me into hunting when I was 4. I have never regretted taking interest in such a fun hobby/activity.
We packed the elk up to the top on frame packs and then used a sled to pull it downto the gated logging road. From there it was a couple mile pull on our deer cart/mountain bike contraption we made a few years ago.
What do y'all think of that red neck engineering??
This is my Dad. Hunting as a family is what it is all about! he surprises me every year with what he can do. A big thanks to my hunting buddy and best freind! Love ya Dad! We Had a very memorable year. Thanks monster Muleys for providing a place for hunters to share their passions/experiences with the great outdoors.
We started preparing for the hunt two weeks before the opener, doing a little scouting and hanging tree stands in areas where we have saw elk in past years.
Elk camp sunday morning, opening day in the tree stands was nothing but a COLD start to an elk hunt. did not see an animal. We did spen the evening watching my favorite area for elk on top of the mountain. The problem is, the elk come out too late to get a shot. That happened this time too, I could see an elk with a huge rack at 100 yards through binos but could not see him through the scope. He bugled a few times before we pulled out of there. Our plan was to hunt that spot every night until our hunt was over. The weather kept us hunkered down in the trailor all of sunday. lightning storms everywhere, (thats a story worth hearing on another post).
Monday morning, woke up to this beautiful weather and scenery. The sunshine did not last long before a storm rolled in and forced us to hunker down from 10:30 am until 5:30 pm. We watched the snow pile up on top of the mountain as dad and I sat around a nice fire we built to stay dry. We planned on sticking out the storm in hopes of seeing something in the evening....
We put our fire out and startd out to our "cheese hole" clearing close to 6:00 pm. It was still snowing hard and we were wondering what the crap we were doing out in this weather because visability was 50 yards. We were too far in to just walk out. A chance you take in unpredictable weather. Well it was amazing what happened next. The clouds parted and you could see sunshine as far as the eye could see. We then cut a big set of FRESH elk tracks going the same way we were. There was maybe 50 minutes of shooting light left. Dad stayed high on the tracks and I dropped down to my clearing where I saw the big bull saturday night. I set up in my blind and waited for dark.
At 6:45 pm out walks this guy and the rest is history. He fed right at me out of the thick timber by himself at 150 yards. he did not turn broadside for a shot until he was within 100 yards. I had to watch him feed for five minutes as shooting light faded quickly. He wasn't the big bull I saw saturday night, but I don't hunt for antlers on a general season tag. I hunt for meat and he is an excellent bull!
hats off to dad for helping me get the bull off the mountain! He is the best hunting partener I could ask for. Together we have enjoyed many hunts. Dad got me into hunting when I was 4. I have never regretted taking interest in such a fun hobby/activity.
We packed the elk up to the top on frame packs and then used a sled to pull it downto the gated logging road. From there it was a couple mile pull on our deer cart/mountain bike contraption we made a few years ago.
What do y'all think of that red neck engineering??
This is my Dad. Hunting as a family is what it is all about! he surprises me every year with what he can do. A big thanks to my hunting buddy and best freind! Love ya Dad! We Had a very memorable year. Thanks monster Muleys for providing a place for hunters to share their passions/experiences with the great outdoors.
