Went out for the archery opener here yesterday. Had one giant cow at 38 yards broadside but she saw me fiddling with my rangefinder. We stared at each other for a long time and eventually she decided I just didn't blend in with the short grass and 2" quakies well enough and she walked off. There was another cow and two calves with her also at 40 yards but bad angles. Then I moved a few yards, squatted down on steep hillside so I could see under the canopy of the little quakies and the pines... when out popped another cow and calf. I could hear something in there, but there's lots of cattle around so I assumed it was a moo not an elk This cow and calf are headed down a trail that puts them 20 yards, broadside. When the cow goes behind a pretty thick aspen I try to stand and draw in one motion... Nope, she totally busts me and stomps off. Maybe if I had one of those elk hats. :D It was fun anyway. Also had a long tailed weasel hop within five yards of me and a doe and fawn mule deer within ten yards.
Christine are you and your husband going to make it to the camp this year? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Dang that's too bad! Was looking forward to seeing you again and meeting him. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Really wish I could go but can't afford it this year. I'm definitely going to plan on it for next year. I've always wanted to go do something like this but I don't know the first thing about it other than shooting the bow. This looks like the ticket. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Walked up on a bedded calf today. 23 yards. I was trying to decide if a calf in the freezer was worth two cows on the mountain when the wind switched and the little elk took off. Saw a cow bedded a bit farther down the trail. She was 65 yards away and I managed to get to about 45 yards before the wind foiled my ninja approach. :D Lots of rubs from the bulls and I heard a half-hearted bugle this evening.
Went out yesterday afternoon. Wind was being a turd so I just picked a spot below where I thought the elk would bed and hoped they feed down towards me. A herd of cattle came feeding up towards me. Including this big bull moo who fed past me at 15 feet. I wasn't sure if he was going to be ornery or not, so I did my best shrubbery impersonation until he ever so slowly worked his way past me. Figuring there would be no way elk would come down into this sea of cattle, I picked up my pack and started to move. Not 35 yards away is a cow elk. The low hanging branches rule out a shot because my set up keeps the 'arch' in archery. I see there's a bull pushing her. She moves in, now 25 yards away but with trees in front of her. The wind has been blowing straight at her this whole time and she decides it's too much and walks off. Too much angle for a shot. The bull follows. He was a smallish 5x5 I think. Hard to see antlers very well. My husband who was hunting a few hundred yards away had a bigger 5x5 feed by him well within bow range... but he only has a buck tag. I heard at least two bugles. You guys should be getting pumped. It's really cooling down up up high too.
I lam loving the extended forecast! Should be a good week and a half of hunting! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Best of luck out there, I'm getting pumped for ya, and extremely jealous. Work got in the way this year and will again next, but I hope to join the elk ranks in 2018 (either Colorado or Idaho??). In the meantime, I'm trying to keep the elk hunting bug at bay with another trip to Arizona for coues in January and maybe black bear in Alaska next spring. Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk
Update on the weekend opener.... Woke up Saturday morning to temps below 32 degrees. Bring warm layers and a sleeping bag for the temps. The tents will have heaters, but it is best to be prepared. day tempers were perfect for hunting. On Saturday I did a little exploring and found an area that looks awesome. If nothing else, the streams are full of dandy cut throat trout. I saw one doe deer just driving. This morning I tried another new area. I hiked in about two miles. In the process I saw 4 elk, seven deer, and five bear. At around four this afternoon, some pretty crazy rain/hail/lighting storms moved in. When it was all finished, the mountains looked like an inch of snow had fallen. I'm getting excited....cannot wait for ya'll to be here! Next weekend I am going to explore some more.
Good luck with your elk hunt gents. My buddy greg went last year and got a nice 6x7 bull. He invited me this year but I used my leave time in Ireland again, next year though i'll be up there in the mountains with youguys
Thanks for the report Will...it helps for those of us itching to get out there! 5 bear...that's pretty cool...I would love to get another chance to see a bear and have some time to just watch it. It does appear forecast is for some nice hunting temps (and cool nights)...sounds great to me - sweltering humidity here right now.
Good luck to everyone that is making the trip. Will, you are a hell of a guy to put this together for everyone!
This may have been asked before. Do you guys take bear pepper spray with you when hunting in Colorado? Was wondering if I really needed to buy this.
