Is it Fall Yet??????

pushin_30

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Its been a little slow around here lately. As we are all anticipating the upcoming hunts this fall and start to plan out our HOPE to draw hunts this year. I thought i would share a little high light of my last season spike elk hunt.

As a family tradition my dad, little brother and I always get each year on the spike hunt to get our little fix of elk hunting for the year. With the big bull tags few and far between this hunt allows us the opprotuntiy to see these majestic bulls rutting around with their cows with hopes of finding a spike in the mix of things and filling the freezer each year. With the odds of harvesting one fairly low with the amount of hunting pressure and popularity of these hunts and others out trying to do the same we have been fairly fortunate of at least one person in our camp filling a tag!

This is one hunt I look forward to each year!! I always think back to the days when i was a kid and my dad taking me along on his hunts each year! My first hunt was at age 4 when my dad saddled up the horses and packed in the the wilderness on my first elk hunt. Been hooked EVER SINCE!!!

To pass along the addiction I have been blessed with my children tagging along with me on some of my adventures! Whether it be shed hunting or high country mountain goat hunts! My daughters are HOOKED also!!

This year was my youngest first time in elk camp. At the age of 3 most would think i was crazy but I knew that it was more about experience of the hunt and seeing nature in all it's beauty!!! Knowing that my little brother was bringing along his 3 year old as well it was going to be an adventure.

We arrived at camp the day before the opener and got camp all set up!! We set off about an hour before dark to do a little scouting and make a plan for the next morning! We didn't see a whole lot a animals that night but about a mile from camp on our way back we had 7 elk cross the road right in front of us. So we opted to hunt close to camp just knowing that elk were near by and hope for the best!

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Opening morning with an hour before light we all split up and went our separate ways. I asked my 3 year old which way she wanted to go and she pointed that way daddy!!! So we set off!! It was a perfect morning no wind and the temp was in the mid 30's. After taking in the beautiful sunrise and listening to the mountains come back to life in the morning. I could tell it was going to be a PERFECT day whether we got into the elk or not!! With my daughters leading to way we began our climb to out designated look out point.

As we made our way up the trail animals were beginning to move and feed all around us! It was well into daylight before we made it to the look out due to having to pick through all the deer feeding in the area that morning!! Just as we settled in and began to get the spotter out of the pack my oldest daughter spotted an elk just below us! As i through up the binos i was shocked to see that is was not only a spike elk but there was two of them feeding just 300 yards straight below us in a small 10 yard opening in the cedars!! Still breathing heavy form packing my 3 year old up the brushy hill side i dialed in the scope for the 300 yard shot and steadied down on my pack for the shot! As i carefully squeezed the shot off, only to hear my daughter say there still just standing there. Again i steadied and squeezed the trigger once more, NOTHING!! They both just stood there looking down hill trying to figure out what was going on!! I again ranged the elk, 303 yards, I must just be excited!! I steadied once more and touched off the 6.5wsm. Once again, NOTHING!!! This time the elk decide they had better get moving and began walking to the right of us and back to feeding. How ever due to the thick trees not shot opportunity presented itself! In total disbelief of missing 3 times at a mere 300 yards my daughter says you didn't get one did you?? We packed up and headed down the hill to check for blood just in case and with no sign of a hit. We headed back to the truck. After getting back to camp I set up a target at 300 yards to see if something had been knocked of on the way to camp the day before. First shot was 1/2" right of bulls eye, gun was still on target!!! I just missed!!!! After exchanging stories of the days hunts with everyone i had misjudged the angle of the shot and was clearly shooting over the spike that morning!! I didn't realize it in all the excitement that morning! Learn from your mistakes and don't let it happen again!

After the mid day down pour!!! And with the others not seeing much elk that morning we set back out to where i had missed the spike early that morning with the hopes of a sighting once again! We did turn up some cows in the area but no sign of the spikes! My uncle was able to capture this cool picture of my dad and I doing a little glassing!!

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The next couple of days would lead to vary little elk sightings and LOTS of rain!! The kids were troopers and loved building forts and having fun back at camp when it wasn't pouring rain!

Tuesday morning came and with clear starry skies i knew this morning would be elk action packed. We once again split up with hopes of finding the honey hole hiding place of the elk.
That morning as the sun began to rise there where sounds of the bulls bugling all over the place. Which way to go!! We blazed off down the road in hopes trying to cut off the herds as they made there way to their bedding areas for the morning. As I came around the corner there as a herd crossing about 500 yards up the road, we hurried hoping to catch them before they hit the trees. Only to see the last ones butts hitting the thick cedars, however will bulls still screaming up ahead. We exited the truck and ran down the hills towards the bugles. Just as we hit the edge of the ridge the shots started firing. We had been beat to the herd!! Dang the LUCK!!!!!

As we started back towards the truck i noticed an elk gleaming in the morning sun about a mile away!! Dropped the spotter and low and behold its a spike!! We headed off to cut the distance. Finally getting to the draws edge i could make out a small herd still feeding in the trees. While glassing and trying to turn back up the spike we had seen earlier I finally spotted him once again! With the shot being a lot further than the opening mornings miss!!! I dialed the turret on the 6.5wsm and settled the cross hairs! Not wanting to blow this opportunity with my girls by my side i waited for what seemed like forever slowing my breathing, I dried fired my gun twice just to settle the nerves and then loaded and steadied for the shot! BOOM!!! THWACK!!!!! that sound we all lot to hear as the bullet hits it mark. As looked back through the spotter only to see the entire herd still just standing there i turned up the spike again and could tell as soon as he went to step forward he was packing his front shoulder! I steadied again and BOOM!! THWACK!!! I hear my oldest daughter who was watching through the spotter the whole time, YOU GOT HIM!!! He just crashed into the trees below!

We packed up everything and made our way back up to the truck and drove around to where the bull would be easier to get out, and made our way off to go find him! While on the way over to get him the bulls where still fired up and screaming all around us!!! Wanting to take advantage of an opportune time in hopes of calling in a bull close, i started cow calling again and again. Between each calling sequence the bull just kept getting closer and closer! Finally after about 15 minutes of calling this bull was in our laps. I look up at a mere 15 yards and can see the tops of his rack coming up the hill right as us, I tell my daughter to stand up so see can see him before he runs us over! She stands up and stops him, the look on both there faces was priceless!!! THATS what being in the mountains is all about!

Now back to hiking down to our elk, as we rounded the next clearing and tree and there he is piled up in the pines just below us!!! I couple high fives from the girls and some setting up for a couple pictures! Then is was time for the work to begin. Ayda helped me quarter him up while Esmee played around doing what 3 year olds do!! Then it was time to start the grueling task of packing him out to the truck! After making my way back to the the truck with the first quarter and all my gear i opted to head back to camp in hopes of finding some help to come pack the rest out!! It was now almost noon and no one was back at camp! Luckily a good friend was camped out just below us and i could hear his generator running so i set off to see if he was awake and up to the task! 2 hours later we had him all back to camp and ready to hit the ice chests.

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Thanks to great friends and family this hunt will always be one to remember!!!!
 
cool story and pics. that is way cool to have your daughters with you. kinda hard to hunt with a 3 yr old? that is an accomplishment enough keeping them entertained.
 
Awesome story, Love the whole deal.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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