CO Elk 2014 – It doesn’t get much better than this I know I’ve made it clear to many that I’m absolutely addicted to hunting elk with my bow. In 2013, I was lucky enough to fulfill a longtime dream of mine by bagging a decent 6x6 with my bow…all that did was fuel my desire to do it more. Going into the 2014 season I knew odds were against me to go “back to back” on archery elk, especially with only 5 days to hunt, but I’ll take that chance any time I can…for me, it truly cleanses the soul to pursue elk in the CO mountains with bow in hand. 2014 meant that my friend Will would be hosting his large bi-annual camp, and we’d be bringing a group of 5 from my hometown to be their neighbors. My dad would be making his 3rd straight trip with me which I always enjoy, as well as 2 returning hunting mates, Greg & LB, and one friend on his first trip with us, Shaun. Each of my 4 returning years I have brought someone new and it is such a joy to share this beautiful country…especially when they all agree that they want to come back again. We hit the road a little after 5:30pm on Friday Sept 19th for the approx 15 hour drive to camp. As usual I drive as far as I can into the night, then hand the wheel off for a quick nap…well, we got our first laughs of this trip early in the morning hours of Sat as I awoke to the “Low fuel level” chime going off in the car. We had pushed our first 2 tanks of gas already and I knew that chime meant about 20 miles left…the next sign said Limon, CO 24 miles…both figures were spot on! After a few phone calls to law enforcement and road side assistance – we were basically told we were SOL at 3:30am. So, I got in one last hunting workout and jogged 4 miles to Limon. I was fooled about 1 mile into my jog by this sign: Thinking I only had a mile to go, this ends up being a highway junction east of town. Not surprised that nobody wanted to stop and help a guy in camo along side of interstate at 4:00am…I rolled into gas station little before 5:00am. With nobody heading back east, the attendant phoned the sheriff dispatch to get me a ride as they don’t want people walking along interstate. Sheriff’s office called back…and…State trooper, county sheriffs, and Limon police had Nobody on duty! The attendant graciously offered to run me back when he got off a little before 6:00, I figured that beat 4 miles with gas can in my hand…I gave him a nice tip – Thanks Ian! Back on the road with about 3 hour delay – all we could do was laugh – heck, that’s all we did almost the whole trip, great company. We were setting up camp about 11:00. Always enjoy that first day acclimating to the altitude, taking a ride to show everyone around, then grilling out in the Rockies! I tried a free time lapse app on my phone of setting up camp – didn’t get centered very good. And the fall colors could not have been better. We had a plan for day 1 and sleep would come easy…but as we prepared for bed, I see neighbor Rob moose calling…at first I think he’s messing with the newb hunters in camp…but ends up we had a front row show to a dandy Shiras moose just 100 yds behind our tent, great way to kick off our week! We always plan to put some miles in the first 2 days to find the elk. Saw some great looking country on day 1, but no elk sightings for me and two others. The remaining two both spotted one elk which boosted hopes. That night the others all wanted to try a new spot we had not done before, and since I also had a spot I’d been eyeing during the offseason that was along the way I had them drop me off en route. That ended up being the best move I could have made…and put us on elk for the remainder of the hunt. My original plan was to come in low and work my way straight up to find a different way into some country we always like to hunt. I climbed until after 5:00 and was beginning to “cliff out” with no way to go higher, I took a seat to cool off and enjoy the view from the climb. At 5:20 I hear my first bugle down below me. After hearing it again I figure I need to descend as it’s my best chance to see something. I make my way down about 800 ft. to a rock opening in which I can see below. I now hear 2-3 different bugles, most of which sound on opposite hillside. I cow call and the bugle response I got was so terrible, shrill, and broken that I just knew it had to be a hunter. Seconds later a dandy bull steps out below me for me to see…I cannot believe he sounded so terrible. But he was fired up and heading away, I got the wind right and kept after him. He would answer my cow calls but was moving at a good clip and even crossed in front of me and gained elevation on me in no time. I got close and cow called again, he came back over ridge, gave me a bugle as if to tell me I needed to come to him, and went back over ridge. I chased closer again as it was near 7:00 and by now we were on rock formations. I could hear him around 30yds away breaking sticks, but he would not come to cow call. I was not real confident in my bugle, so I just gave some chuckles on the bugle tube…that was it, he did not like that. His head poked around a rock formation at 25yds, and I was up against a large boulder, but wide open to him. As I was ready draw when he walked out, he swung his head my way and came straight at me with head down…I’ll never forget those big brow times coming right at me…I have no shot being head on, and I’m thinking when do I scream like a little girl and run for cover? He then begins to go around the large boulder I’m behind and I slowly swing with him and draw slowly…he sensed the draw, and I could just see antler tops above the rock looking straight my way (6-8 yds from me). We both froze, he then bolted back the way he came with me jumping out at full draw – and giving my loudest deer bleats that I’m so used to doing on whitetails…that didn’t work. He stopped just up the hill and was walking around, I continued to call, and hear a twig snap behind me, I turn to see an elk rump…and then it begins to walk and was a small legal bull going under rock ledge I’m on. I quietly go over to edge and look and he disappeared…those big elk amaze me. By now it’s almost 7:20 and I’m sure the guys are on the radios waiting for me to check in. I get back to the Suburban and tell the guys “I know where we are going in the morning.” At the time, that encounter ranked as the greatest I have had in the elk woods – really even better than taking my elk the year before as that was only about a 1 min encounter. Day 2 we headed back to same spot I was night before and split up on both sides of the valley as I actually heard more bugles from the opposite side. That morning I saw blue sky then rain showers 3 times in a matter of a few hours – taking my rain jacket on/off 3 times. I did hear a couple different bugles but was unable to close on either before they stopped. 2 of the others did call a nice bull into 65 yards and was getting close to shooting lane but wind switched and bull took off. Love the different weather that rolls in and out of camp. We took quick trip for showers and some Pizza/wings…good food always boost the happiness meter. Back to same area for evening hunt and took my Dad with me to set up on some decent sign I found…had a great view while waiting for action to heat up but I think the change in wind direction could have hurt us that night…ended up with nothing but a pretty night on the mountain…and I enjoy those too. Being that was first hunt none of us 5 saw or heard any elk, we opted for different plan for morning 3…man, we put down some miles and I saw two different mountain sides and crossed road multiple times…but only one buddy jumped some elk and tried catching up to them with no luck.
Back to camp for another Rocky Mountain lunch and make plans for evening hunt. 3 of the guys decided they needed a break from the mountain and decided to trout fish for the evening. I had them drop me off and told them to get me at dark. I made my way up mountain about ¾ mile to a good lookout rock area in hopes of waiting for dusk and hopeful to hear bugles again that I could pursue. A little after 5:00 I hear some faint sticks snapping behind me, as they continued I got up and nocked an arrow and got up behind large pine for concealment. Next thing I know I can make out a large brown body coming directly at tree, once I know its elk I get ready to draw – again not believing it is coming directly at me and getting too close. All of sudden I realize there are two together and a legal bull steps off to my right at less than 15yds with only some small saplings in the way to save his life. As I ready to draw for when he steps forward, I feel the wind blow directly to him, he smells the air but remains rather calm…just as I think I have him beat the other elk (later see was a cow) had made her way up to about 5 yds on other side of tree…she didn’t like the smell of this hunter/camper and bolted in a flash taking the bull with her. They stopped uphill, and both answered my calls over next hour. I hear one other bugle but ended up having to sneak out at dark. 2 close calls now with 4 elk…and no arrows fired. They guys sure ribbed me hard that night with the “shoulda, woulda, coulda” insults. I could only wonder if my luck had run out or not. Morning of day 4 was another pretty one. I covered some good ground in the same area, got into the best sign of the week, and had a bugle and cow calling just below me…so spent most of morning waiting for wind to start uphill so I could pursue the elk sounds. I ended up still hunting as quiet as I ever had into those spots but turned up nothing…overall a great morning hunt though as all the others heard or saw elk, with 2 different guys having a cow & calf in range…and another bull moose spotted. I did enjoy the great views that morning though. Took this pic as the pines looked like Christmas trees with the Aspen leaves stuck in them. Found a surveyor marker on one of the rock outcroppings as well. My dad decided to hang at camp for the evening hunt of day 4, and the rest of us made our way back to the same area we have been hearing the bugles…and I went with the same plan as the night before making my way up to a good listening vantage, and also hopeful the bull/cow may return. As it neared 6:00 I had only heard a couple bugles down below me…and decided if I heard that bull again I would pursue. Sure enough I did, but the winds had begun moving downhill. By 6:05 I decided I really needed to make about a ¾ mile loop out, around, and come in below the bull…so off I took on a quick walk. Once closer to the spot I heard bugle again and made my way closer…as I neared a small clearing I saw a skinny tree swaying back and forth…and once I spotted the bull I decided to video a little just to make believers out of the guys at camp (bull is very small in video but you can see him rubbing the tree – approx 90yds away – 6:32). After videoing a bit I told myself…it’s time to kill this bull. I got myself in a better position uphill some to be able to shoot over top of much of the cover/brush that was between us. I had about 45 minutes of light left so I decided to hold off on calling to see what bull did by himself, my other close range encounters with elk coming in head on this week had not paid off. A bugle rang out in the distance behind me and my bull made his way in my direction. Over the next 12 minutes I got to see the greatest elk show I could imagine. It took over 10 minutes for this bull to cover 70yds. He would stop and bugle back to the other bull anytime he called…and gave me a variety of bugles, chuckles, and other high pitched noises…what an education I was getting. At approx 30 yards there is nothing but air between the bull and I and multiple times he looked right thru me toward the other bugle, I’ll never forget looking at how big his brow tines were, and then never counting points or looking at his tops after that, just knew he was a shooter…all the while I have bow up and release attached…and also a mosquito that was drill mining on my right cheek (boy, did I want to swat that thing away). As the bull neared there was one clump of brush with an aspen about 20 yards that I drew back as he walked behind…he stopped…I’m thinking “NO WAY he heard that…and NO WAY I can tell the guys I let 3 opportunities get away this week.” I must admit I was tempted to squeeze an arrow thru the brush being at only about 17yds…but there was a small opening just two steps in front of bull, I put my pin in the opening and waited. Even at full draw, this bull let out another long high pitched squealing bugle…it seriously cannot get better than this! The bull began to step forward and WHACK…he’s off and my arrow is sticking out slightly high lung area. I take off running after him to not lose view and make the loudest cow calls I can with my mouth. He barely goes 70 yards, stops…and in seconds his back end wobbles and over he goes…6:46. Man, did I have a moment with God right then… I realized I wasn’t to meet the others till 7:30, and being I was a whopping .25 mile from the road at this point (I almost felt guilty)…I hightailed to the Suburban and sped to camp to get Dad. Boy, was I flying high. We gathered the other 3 at dark and made our way toward where I saw the bull go down…man, was he a beautifully colored 5x5 bull. We also think the “other bull” behind me was buddy LB calling…so he gets the assist. He’s also sure he heard my obnoxious cow calls I was yelling during the bull’s death run (we did have a problem with nearly all the pics having “snow” in them and not sure if it was moisture or pollen causing this) And the group self timer shot. Just like last year, I was blessed to be able to have the whole party help me retrieve my bull, and have my Dad along…deboning an elk by yourself would be one heck of a chore. Having 5 guys also meant I only had to carry the head out…I was spoiled! Got back late, had some yummy Elk Stew (from last year’s bull) around a big fire…then drove up road late to post some pics and share some texts. Made it to bed a little after 1:00am…the High just starting to wear off. Dad and I stayed in camp the next morning while the others went after the elk again. Took a few more photos of the elk head in daylight before I’d skin it for euro mount. We decided we’d hit the road and get the meat home after that evenings hunt. Mild depression setting in as we await ride to hook trailer up to. Even witnessed a beautiful rainbow over camp before sundown.
My hunt could have ended after Day 1 and I had already got my monies worth. What a great week, great hunt, and great company. Got to see some old friends from past camps as well, and I hope we can run into each other there for years to come. I’ve gotten lucky 2 years in a row – but I also try to learn a little bit each time I go and each time I’m around guys that have been successful. My friend Will should take pride in each of my elk kills (and any future kill) as he most definitely has a hand in me being successful. The many tips over the years: Be positive, lay down boot leather, be positive, always be ready, be positive, you only have about 8 seconds to make it happen, be positive, be aware-look-listen-smell, and of course remain positive! The only thing I feel has added to my success is being almost crazy about wind direction…I had to laugh one morning when I look down at my bow and it was half covered in white powder…I guess I had checked the wind a few times that morning The Elk fire in me is burning more than ever – can’t wait to do it again!
You got me all fired up now! Congrats on sucess, great adventure and friendship. Im going in 2016 for the first time in Colorado.
I love EVERYTHING about this thread. Congratulations... I would have been singing "Rocky Mountain High" all the way home.
What broadhead did you shoot? And I forgot to say congrats! Great bull! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
