Well this is a first for me to sit and write about a hunt but will give it a shot and see how it turns out.
I left home about 5:45AM to make the drive to his house which is about a 2 hour drive. Got there and unloaded my PU and put my gear etc. into his PU. Went in house to talk a bit before leaving and just as we were about to leave, the dreaded question came up. He asked me if I had my license/tag? A big blank expression came on my face and had to think, then checked wallet and clothes bag, NOTHING. So I called the wife and asked her to check my desk drawer, that is when she said it was still there.
DANG, now I would have to turn around and drive another 2 hours back to get the lic/tag and then another 2 hours back to Bobs.
Better then than later out in the middle of Utard or even worst in Colo.
Well we finally got on the road at just a little after NOON and went to Elko, NV and got there in time to have a late dinner at the STAR HOTEL, can't miss that place, food is too good.
On Sat. we left early and headed to Wendover and had breakfast and then on to Cabela's at Lehi, UT. Finally got out of there and "On the road Again". Got as far as Moab and spent the night there.
Next morning, Sunday Nov.12th we drove across into Colo and the whole area was covered in SNOW. Made it to our destination and got checked in and unloaded the vehicle. Made a call to "HornAddiction" and relaxed. Later that evening had a call on the phone saying he was with Colorado Fish & Game and they were trying to locate me as some changes had came up and ALL ELK HUNTS WERE CANCELLED for some reason I don't remember. Turns out it was "USA" of MM who was outside. Had him for awhile before he headed off to Pagosa Springs to meet up with another fella he was going to hunt with from someplace back east. We had a good laugh and wished each other good luck.
On Tuesday we met up with "HornAddiction" and he gave us a tour of the area and suggested a few places to try, he was tired up with his business and a young daughter in school.
Well on Wednesday, we got out to our first place to hunt after seeing Elk the previous day and yes they were there but about a 1,000 + yards further up the canyon and what a chore it would have been to go down over the rim into the bottom and back up the other side to get to within shooting range. Having listened to "H.A." and an earlier hunt and the aches he went through, 20 years our junior, we passed.
Saw a few hunters, not that many as we would have expected that first day. Tried another area and saw a lot of nice Bucks but no tags as usual but kept looking.
On Thursday we had 5 cows give us the slip in the heavy timber and later about 5 cows and a spike were spooted about another 1,000 to 1,200 yards away from a high knowl. My friend Bob dropped over the side and went after them but slid on his back down the steep hill in the snow. When he came to an opening he signed me and I gave him the dreaded sign, GONE down over the back side of hill they were on.
I went and got the truck and picked him up down the hill aways and we went to another area and saw for the first time ever in Colo. about 4 turkeys out in the sage & JP's.
Well on Friday we got up and went to get coffee and decide where to head for so I said let's go to this other place we were told about. So off we go and locate the road and started up it to get to the area.
As we were driving up to the place a lone Bull came out from one side of a draw and crossed the road about 150 yards ahead of us going into the thicket. Bob stopped and said he was going to climb up the hill there and for me to take the PU further up the road and come back.
Well he took off and I made the slow drive up the road and then heard a shot about 5 minutes later. I heard Bob yelling so I just parked the PU and went looking for him. Found him about 125 yards up the hill and waving his arms.
Turns out that as I was driving up the road the Bull had stopped and was looking back over his rump and watching me drive by and as he turned to go up higher into the thicker timber Bob aimed and shot off hand and nailed the Bull right through the neck, breaking the Bulls neck. He was about 100 yards from the Bull as it was quartering up the hill instead of going straight up the hill.
I took some pictures and the "high5's" and then took the rifle back to PU. Bob said let's try dragging it down hill aways before gutting maybe the FULL PONCH from filling his belly with water will help slide him down hill towards the road. So off we go dragging him, probably 550 lbs. and we did good till I slipped on a branch under some grass/leaves/snow and down I went also stabbing the tip of the right beam into my upper left shoulder area and falling on both knees. When I went to get up the hind leg of the Bull was laying across both of my legs and had me pinned to the ground. Finally got the damn leg off and got up. After a few choice words, we continued down about another 25-35 yards and called it quits. Time to gut this Bull and make it lighter.
Got the Bull gutted and the whole gut pile slide down right to the small area where we wanted to take the Bull to the road. So now plan B went into effect. Back to the PU for the Rope Come-a-Long and rope pulleys and extra rope to get the Bull to another spot where we figured we could get it close to the road bank.
So we done our "rigging" and was able to get it to where we could then get the PU and back it up close to the bank on the road and lowered that heavy sucker onto the tailgate and pulled and pushed till we had in inside except the head and rack wouldn't go, so left him like that and secured him to the inside rings with a rope.
Washed up and headed to Cortez to the meat locker and then Bob decided to find a Taxidermist and leave the head & cape to have a shoulder mount. He decided on a guy who was well recommended and so that is what we did on the 3rd day of the hunt when this Bull was taken. The Taxidermist said he isn't a scorer but figured that the Bull should go around 325-330 but later would have someone who does scoring check it out.
I did measure the right eye guard but with a large tape and it was 14" of the right and 13-1/2" on the left.
Here are the pictures I took, the first 3 were with a "disposal" camera and the others were with my other 35mm camera later.
Brian
Happyness is a GutPile
Later at the Taxidermists Shop
Here is a picture of the shop of the Taxidernist going to do the mount for Bob.
I left home about 5:45AM to make the drive to his house which is about a 2 hour drive. Got there and unloaded my PU and put my gear etc. into his PU. Went in house to talk a bit before leaving and just as we were about to leave, the dreaded question came up. He asked me if I had my license/tag? A big blank expression came on my face and had to think, then checked wallet and clothes bag, NOTHING. So I called the wife and asked her to check my desk drawer, that is when she said it was still there.
DANG, now I would have to turn around and drive another 2 hours back to get the lic/tag and then another 2 hours back to Bobs.
Better then than later out in the middle of Utard or even worst in Colo.
Well we finally got on the road at just a little after NOON and went to Elko, NV and got there in time to have a late dinner at the STAR HOTEL, can't miss that place, food is too good.
On Sat. we left early and headed to Wendover and had breakfast and then on to Cabela's at Lehi, UT. Finally got out of there and "On the road Again". Got as far as Moab and spent the night there.
Next morning, Sunday Nov.12th we drove across into Colo and the whole area was covered in SNOW. Made it to our destination and got checked in and unloaded the vehicle. Made a call to "HornAddiction" and relaxed. Later that evening had a call on the phone saying he was with Colorado Fish & Game and they were trying to locate me as some changes had came up and ALL ELK HUNTS WERE CANCELLED for some reason I don't remember. Turns out it was "USA" of MM who was outside. Had him for awhile before he headed off to Pagosa Springs to meet up with another fella he was going to hunt with from someplace back east. We had a good laugh and wished each other good luck.
On Tuesday we met up with "HornAddiction" and he gave us a tour of the area and suggested a few places to try, he was tired up with his business and a young daughter in school.
Well on Wednesday, we got out to our first place to hunt after seeing Elk the previous day and yes they were there but about a 1,000 + yards further up the canyon and what a chore it would have been to go down over the rim into the bottom and back up the other side to get to within shooting range. Having listened to "H.A." and an earlier hunt and the aches he went through, 20 years our junior, we passed.
Saw a few hunters, not that many as we would have expected that first day. Tried another area and saw a lot of nice Bucks but no tags as usual but kept looking.
On Thursday we had 5 cows give us the slip in the heavy timber and later about 5 cows and a spike were spooted about another 1,000 to 1,200 yards away from a high knowl. My friend Bob dropped over the side and went after them but slid on his back down the steep hill in the snow. When he came to an opening he signed me and I gave him the dreaded sign, GONE down over the back side of hill they were on.
I went and got the truck and picked him up down the hill aways and we went to another area and saw for the first time ever in Colo. about 4 turkeys out in the sage & JP's.
Well on Friday we got up and went to get coffee and decide where to head for so I said let's go to this other place we were told about. So off we go and locate the road and started up it to get to the area.
As we were driving up to the place a lone Bull came out from one side of a draw and crossed the road about 150 yards ahead of us going into the thicket. Bob stopped and said he was going to climb up the hill there and for me to take the PU further up the road and come back.
Well he took off and I made the slow drive up the road and then heard a shot about 5 minutes later. I heard Bob yelling so I just parked the PU and went looking for him. Found him about 125 yards up the hill and waving his arms.
Turns out that as I was driving up the road the Bull had stopped and was looking back over his rump and watching me drive by and as he turned to go up higher into the thicker timber Bob aimed and shot off hand and nailed the Bull right through the neck, breaking the Bulls neck. He was about 100 yards from the Bull as it was quartering up the hill instead of going straight up the hill.
I took some pictures and the "high5's" and then took the rifle back to PU. Bob said let's try dragging it down hill aways before gutting maybe the FULL PONCH from filling his belly with water will help slide him down hill towards the road. So off we go dragging him, probably 550 lbs. and we did good till I slipped on a branch under some grass/leaves/snow and down I went also stabbing the tip of the right beam into my upper left shoulder area and falling on both knees. When I went to get up the hind leg of the Bull was laying across both of my legs and had me pinned to the ground. Finally got the damn leg off and got up. After a few choice words, we continued down about another 25-35 yards and called it quits. Time to gut this Bull and make it lighter.
Got the Bull gutted and the whole gut pile slide down right to the small area where we wanted to take the Bull to the road. So now plan B went into effect. Back to the PU for the Rope Come-a-Long and rope pulleys and extra rope to get the Bull to another spot where we figured we could get it close to the road bank.
So we done our "rigging" and was able to get it to where we could then get the PU and back it up close to the bank on the road and lowered that heavy sucker onto the tailgate and pulled and pushed till we had in inside except the head and rack wouldn't go, so left him like that and secured him to the inside rings with a rope.
Washed up and headed to Cortez to the meat locker and then Bob decided to find a Taxidermist and leave the head & cape to have a shoulder mount. He decided on a guy who was well recommended and so that is what we did on the 3rd day of the hunt when this Bull was taken. The Taxidermist said he isn't a scorer but figured that the Bull should go around 325-330 but later would have someone who does scoring check it out.
I did measure the right eye guard but with a large tape and it was 14" of the right and 13-1/2" on the left.
Here are the pictures I took, the first 3 were with a "disposal" camera and the others were with my other 35mm camera later.
Brian
Happyness is a GutPile
Later at the Taxidermists Shop
Here is a picture of the shop of the Taxidernist going to do the mount for Bob.
