Hey Matt Great read and good pics,done it and enjoyed the comrodryship ,but my knees are in to bad of shape to do the climbs anymore,weight,maybe one more ,LOL thanks for your insight. Now we need to put some Whitetails down for #9. Rocky
Rob: no doubt I'd like to share camp again - regret we didn't have similar tags to get a hunt in together...Alaska's on my list - no doubt I will need your opinions and advice someday...And you might be right - Moose might be my only cure! Tony: I know how bad you want a mulie...wish you would have had a tag. Keep in touch about 2012...Good luck on the lease this year! Will: you lit the fire...thanks again! Heck yes, everyone can piggyback on this thread if they want (or should I say "no worries, mate" after a week with the Brits and Aussies/NZ). A Prongy sounds good...but before I commit I have to let the dust settle and figure out if I can really wait until 2012 to chase Elk again Rocky: I thought this new love of elk hunting might ruin my passion for whitetails, surprisingly the opposite happened. It just fueled my desire to hunt and harvest even more...Team 9 is in just fine shape for this deer contest. Stick a biggin Rocky!!!
Great experience!! Awesome write up Matt!! Loved the pics!! I know this much that I didn't get enough pics, It seems I never do on any hunting trips. I arrived earlier then most to elk camp (September 14th). Rex and excelpoint (Matt from Australia) were there already a few days. Day 1- Rex, Matt and I headed to no name road. Rex went high and Matt and I toured around the meadow that he hunted previously and had saw a spike. On one occasion we had gotten a slight odor of elk but It wasn't too strong of a smell. Nothing was saw but while on our way out I looked at my quiver on my bow and noticed my stump/grouse/small game arrow had fallen out of my quiver. Who knows where the hell that went. Pretty bad, my 1st day there and I'm already loosing arrows and even hadn't shot at anything yet. :D When I got to camp the day before my allergy's/cold hadn't been rid of yet so I was really worried about the thin air and my lungs. That 1st evening hunt was an easy one but my lungs said It was not. That changed quickly though to my surprise. Day 2- I told Matt I wanted to check out some new stuff so I was going out on my own. This hike kicked my but good but was the hike that got my body going. A few hours before dark I spotted 2 cow elk walking the ridge I was hunting. My wind was perfect and I got myself ready. Slowly but steady they came down the trail they were on at 30 yards or so. I lifted my recurve up and tightened the string a tad but that was all I'd do. A tad too far away for my liking. 30 or so minutes later a 3x3 Muley came down the same path at the same yardage. He too got a pass for the same reasons. Eventful day and a good hunt!! Rex went and picked up his good buddy Kodiak (Rob) so I finally got to meet this guy. Been looking forward to this for a long time. Class act all the way!! Rex too Impressed the heck out of me. Great guy he Is too!!! Daryl and Tim (ironranger) showed up also on Thursday. Fellow Minnesotans also so we had something In common. Heard lots of good elk hunting story's from Tim. Seems like he knows his elk hunting well. It was great meeting you Tim. Hope to see you again down the road. Day 3- Matt and I headed to Resolution. Matt turned out to be my hunting buddy on this trip and was also a traditional bowhunter. We put a pile of miles on together, awesome guy!! Anyhow we found an old clear cut with some great sign way down below and set up there the last hour of our sit. Did a few cow calls and such. Nothing showed. On the hike back we found a rub which was Impressive. Down below In the pics you'll see It. The hike back up the mountain to the trucks was a long SOB!!! Just ask Matt. On our drive out we spotted what looked to be a decent bull. I told Matt we gotta set up on him the next day which we tried to do the next day on the evening hunt. When we got back from our hunt the big group was finally at camp and lots of hand shakes and conversations were had. Remembering people's names was a task Itself the whole time from there on. Dave from England was exactly the person I pictured him to be. What a nut and an awesome guy to share camp with. Just wish I could've had more time to BS. Thanks for the pull over sweatshirt Dave. I got to talk with Matt (bz 711) some but again not nearly as much as I would've liked too. Matt's a class act as well. Maybe some day we'll meet up again. I also got to talk with Tony from Texas some as well. Great to meet you too!! Day 4- Will split everyone up In groups and told us all where to go for the morning hunt. Matt, Scotty and myself went back to where we were the night before and put some major miles on. Scotty spotted a nice muley buck as he bounded away. 6 hours later on our long hike back up the mountain to the truck I stopped dead In my tracks just minutes after we had walked by a nice elk rub. The scent was the strongest smell I've ever breathed In from an elk In the 7 years I've hunted elk. This bull had to be close I told the guys. We sat there for a bit a gathered where the wind was coming from. Matt stayed put but Scotty and I slowly put a stalk on looking for this bull. Never spotted him but man the hair on my neck was raised!! Exciting stuff knowing this bull was close to us!! On the evening hunt Matt and I went back to where we saw the bull the night before. We came upon a camp so we had to change our plans up some. We went farther to the east/northeast and sat about 30 yards apart from each other over looking a small meadow. A few hours Into the sit I looked to my left and there I saw elk feat 20 yards away making their way to me. I grabbed my bow and got ready. She was now 17 or so yards directly below me. She needed to take 2 more steps so her vitals were In the open but Instead she stopped one step short behind a small pine tree completely broadside at 17 yards while I had just drawed back my 61 pound recurve. All that was showing was her head and huge neck. The reall sticker was that she was looking the other way the whole time. She never saw me In my Enigma camo once. She then turned to her left and walked away nice and easy showing me her big rump. Frustrating but exciting It was!! When Matt came over to head back to the truck he had no Idea that I had the action I had. He couldn't believe It that he didn't see this elk or see me through out this ordeal. Day 5- Again Matt and I paired up but this time Rex and another guy (can't remember his name, nice fellow) came along too and we went to a different spot off of Resolution road. Our trip on the way there got pretty good. Lets just say there was a nice looking lady catching some sun. How about those stretches she was doing Rex? LMAO!!! Back to the hunt!! :D I hit my highest point on this evening hunt. I started from the very bottom of this mountain and climbed to 12200 feet to the very top of the mountain. I didn't find much for elk sign here but surprisingly the muley sign was good here. A also found loads of coyote tracks. I took a bunch of pics that I've been putting off and slowly made my way back. I spotted a muley at about 1.5 miles away with my Leopold bino's but said the heck with It being light was fading quickly. I spotted another muley on the walk back 40 or so yards In front of me. He has well on his way, I'm sure I spooked him. This hunt was a work out. I figured I put on about 5 miles In about 4 hours of hunting. Day 6- Matt talked with Will the night before and Will told him that Matt and I should head to homestake road and go look for bear the next morning. Off we went that morning to the spot Will said to go to. Matt went down below and I went on top. I'm guessing I was a 1/2 mile or so off of any road when all of a sudden I heard something. Out appears a 4 wheeler on the edge of a very small meadow. I thought what the hell? I talked with him some and headed back knowing this hunt was over. Lots of 4 wheelers were around during this hunt In the area I hunted In most. I wasn't a fan of all the 4 wheeler action. Most weren't hunters but rather joy riders so I guess It's hard to be disappointed with the joy riders. Lots of 4 wheeler roads through out the mountains, made It tough hunting at times. The hunter with the 4 wheeler off of the trail was the last straw for me though. I had enough of the 4 wheelers and figured I'd head back to Minnesota 4 days early and give bear hunting one last try. I figured my chances were better which turned out to be the case.
Huck, I can't say enough good things about you. What you did with all the work and money you stuck Into this hunt for everyone Is absolutely Incredible!! For not knowing many people here on a personal level you stuck your neck out long. I don't know many people who would've done such a thing for people they've never met. It was such an honor to shake your hand the day we finally met. I've never met anyone like you and probably never will again. Your a different breed my friend. About as kind and generous of a person as there will ever be. We WILL meet up again on another hunt. I didn't hardly get to speak with you but the little time I did I enjoyed the hell out of It. You've got drive, that's my kind of hunting buddy!!! It was a pleasure meeting you all. It was just hard getting to talk with everyone being It was a fairly big group. Sorry I didn't get more time to BS. Here are a few pics. I just got this camera and I found out I don't know much about It. Lol!! Matt from Australia helped me allot with It and gave me a good education. Matt Is one knowledgeable mate!! Very Intelligent guy who's been there and done that. Thanks bud for the great time spent hunting!! I sure hope you and I hook up again sometime!!
Hey Matt, It was great to meet and hunt with you on this trip. We eventually arrived home today at about 14:00. I will try and write up an account over the weekend and post it up on here. Will, thanks for the hospitallity of you and your family and all the hard work you put in to make this one heck of a trip!!
Well, here we go. I arrived in CO on Thursday the 16th to the same gorgeous weather and scenery that I left behind in AK the day before. Rex met me at the airport and we made the 2.5 hour drive up to camp, after a quick detour to drop some fine AK cuisine off at Will's freezer... I can't even begin to list all the folks I met over the next 2 days for fear of forgetting someone but my ability to remember names was tested and I actually impressed myself. I think there was 26 guys in camp and I'd share a camp or my house with any one of them any time. A truly great bunch of guys, which I've always found to be the case when surrounded by archers and bowhunters. My only regret was that I wasn't able to spend more time with each of them. Rex drove me around that afternoon to get the lay of the land and orient me to the area. The next few days are a bit of a blur of getting up early and getting to bed late with days of searching vast wilderness that seemed to be devoid of game. (I figured I'd at least be seeing monster bull elk since I only had a deer tag!) All the elk hunters seemed to be seeing lots of deer. Where are they? They were here. But now I seem to be the only mammal bigger than a squirrel in this huge expanse of nature. As usually happens, when you least expect it... We were driving in on day 4 and looking for deer on the way with myself, Will at the wheel and Martyn (bowsmith) riding shotgun when we drive right by the biggest mule deer I've ever seen. After a quick freak out session Martyn gets ready to get out for the 20 yard shot on this HUGE monarch but the deer had other plans. He moseyed on out of Martyn's effective range but made the mistake of remaining within Will's. Will put what looked to be a solid shot on him through a small window of treelimbs. We found the arrow and proceeded to follow the sparse bloodtrail hoping for it to open up at any second. After 2 days of tracking this wiley buck his trail was washed out by rain and our tracking results are summed up below: The best we can surmise is the range was a bit longer than estimated and Will hit him very low in the chest and broke the broadhead off in the offhand upper leg/shoulder. I'm 100% confident that buck will live to see another arrow from Will next season, if he gets past the rifle hunters this fall. Martyn and I continued to hunt in the rain and I took shelter at one point under a large pine with overhanging branches. As I sat there and contemplated life and how blessed we all are to be able to be in those mountains I was graced with my only elk sighting of the trip. A rag horn bull of about 5 points on a side came strolling up past me through the trees about 40 yards out just to reinforce what I had been contemplating. As the days went on we continued to have great camaraderie in camp and amazing days afield. Rex celebrated his 39th birthday (again) which added Martyn to the infirmary the next day from a wee bit too much white wine along with Will's twisted ankle and Tim (ironranger)'s swollen foot. The short nights were taking their toll. Amazingly Davey (Bails/UK) managed to come to an understanding with the Canadian Hunter from the night before (something to do with a system purge) and get out for a little hunting in the morning. Will managed to anchor a doe to score 50 points for team 6 and some meat for his neighbors. Dave and the boys also got a little hands on skinning and quartering lesson out of the deal. The next day was my last and Will and I hit it hard and early that morning. I started the morning out by having one of those slam dunk shots that just doesn't feel right when it goes off. I should have been able to cut the hair I picked on that doe at 30 yards but for some reason I just got the feeling that the shot went high, maybe it was the lack of sleep, or the abundance of wine from the night before kicking me in the head at every heartbeat, in any case I wasn't happy with it. We found the arrow right away with poor blood on it and a little meat. Following the trail up after leaving her for 7 hours or so only turned up the scantest of bloodtrails that eventually vanished without a trace. I can only surmise that I gave her a good back scratching. We took the scenic route back to camp that night with me not being in the best of moods but the scenery being too amazing for me not to appreciate it. The last hour before dark a doe happened across our trail and stopped to pose for us. Will whispered 39 yards as I knocked an arrow, drew, picked a spot and started to settle in for the shot just in time for her to turn tail and head up the 45 degree hill. I came to anchor and waited for her to turn, which she eventually did, giving me a good quartering away, kill or miss, shot. Will gave me the range, I settled the pin and the arrow was away of it's own accord. That was the first deer I've ever had give the classic "mule kick". We got our stuff together, including a hiking pole for Will's bad ankle and off we went up the 45 degree slope. I ranged back to the point I took the shot from and it wasn't a second until Will found the arrow covered in blood. The blood trail was another story; hardly a drop. Will worked the sign while I followed the possible trails out ahead and on the third trail I looked up, much to my relief, to see my deer laying uphill of me stone dead. She had only gone 80 yards or less on a liver and lung shot with leaving only about 10 total drops of blood. I rolled and dragged her the 70 yards downhill to the logging road and my hunt was done. That's my 4th deer species which leaves me only the Coues deer for my deer slam and a redo on the Columbian blacktail for them all to be with a bow. Thanks Will for making it possible and being the kind of friend that'll hobble around on a bum ankle on a 45 degree mountainside to help a brother out and make things happen. You truly are something special among men and one that I'm proud to call a friend! After that it was the parting of ways for many new friends and old, the exchange of contacts, the well wishes for safe travels. And the relief of being able to sleep in the next morning!! Here's the pics in their entirety: http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh22/robswanson/Hunting/CO Elk and Mule Deer/?albumview=slideshow
Hi guys, Ill post next week some time when I get 'proper' Internet access. Blimey! My Uni timetable is chocca! I didn't come here to work! (maybe ill have to reconsider) Spending the time with you guys was fantastic. The fact that I missed my only shot does not dampen the experience in the slightest. All of your guys grammatically incorrect English has rubbed off on me. I may have to request to write my assignments in American so I don't get a poor grade, he he. God bless America! PS.. Ill be back to post properly soon. Thanks once again Guys! What a brilliant bunch, truly an honour to have the privilege to meet and hunt with you guys. And as for Will, well, your a legend in my books! (whoops, gotta run, I have a lecture on soil science...yawn....) Martyn (From England)....."I dont speak English"
MARTYN!! Holy crap! Good to hear from you. You are hilarious my friend! I'm glad to hear all you fellas from overseas made it home safely. Well I'm just now getting time to make my post. Matt, thanks for sharing the thread. (you're welcome and I hope you like the seasoning) Well, we headed north on Friday and swung through Burleson, TX to Russ' house to pick up a couple of bows for Dave. We didn't get to meet him but found the stash. We pulled into a gas station and found a little fella lying in the parking lot. We decided that George would be our mascot for the trip. He hunted with me the entire week. We made it to the camp about noon on Saturday. There were a couple of guys there talking with a DOW officer. No problems, we were mainly getting clarifications on certain regulations. Anyway, we began setting up camp. All went well. We decided to take an easy stroll to the end of the No Name jeep trail. Kinda like a half hunt, half relax and enjoy the view. We got back to camp and met everyone at Will's tent. I asked Will where he thought we should hunt the next morning, he said "Your spot". I was anxious to get in there again. As soon as we left the truck we spotted this little guy snoopin around. The rest of the day we spent slipping quietly along hillside.......sweating! We finally made it to where I made my shot last year and I told Chad my story...again. We made a few steps away and this really nice mulie buck was making his way toward us. I didn't have a tag and wasn't near slick enough to get his picture before he busted me. I would've had a nice 30 yard broadside shot though. The next day we hunted/sweated in the Wurtz Ditch area. We saw a bunch of sign but no elk. The third hunting day, we went to Resolution Mt. There was fresh sign everywhere. Chad and I slipped along and I was in full blown ninja mode! Right after lunch I saw a cow walking toward us and the turn downhill into an area where i knew we'd get a shot. Well, the wind shifted and she ran up the mountain and disappeared. Steve and Jim were hunting near a clearcut area and got close enough to hear a bulls antlers on tree limbs and hear him breathing, but the brush was so thick they couldn't see him. He ended up catching their scent and left without being seen. The 4th day, we went back to the same area. Chad and I didn't see an elk but Steve and Jim saw 3 I think, no shot ops. The 5th day, back again. On our way to our meeting spot in a clearcut for lunch, Chad and I jumped a big bull that was bedded up in an area we had already hunted. I'm gonna guess he was 300+ because he dwarfed my bull from last year. We went after him but never caught sight of him again. The last day we went back again. Nothing! All day long the 4 of us didn't see any elk and no fresh sign. So we started making our way back to the truck empty. After ascending a couple hundred feet and stopping at a spot to catch our breath, one of us got a little too loud with a 4-letter word and spooked a bull. 40 yards away he tore down the mountain to where we had just come from. As much as I wanted to go after him, we decided to let him go and continue to the truck. It was a great trip and I can't wait to do it again. I'd go back tomorrow if I could. Here's my crew: Steve Chad Jim Me Meeting for lunch The group Thanks to everyone in camp. It was a great meeting each of you and I look forward to sharing camp with you again. If you haven't made an elk hunting trip yet, stop wishing and do it! Just make it happen, you won't regret it! Will, Thanks and as usual, you outdid yourself again. BHC, Thanks for the shirts!
My name is Dave and I too am an Elkoholic Myself , Mark and Martyn arrived at DIA on Thursday afternoon early and walked straight past Will ( who was already waiting for us ), but later finding him sat in arrivals ( right where we were 30 minutes before ) , we set off for some retail therapy at Bass Pro .... $1100 later I was done . Anyways we then went for a burger with Will and his Family , Mary , Dani and Cory , before hitting the sack ready for loading up the following Day . Day 1 Friday consisted of loading up the trucks , sighting in bows and wandering around Boulder and having the pleasure of Meeting Scotty and Grant ( Kiwi and Aussie , great guys and entertaining to say the least ) , before setting off into the Mountains and making our way to Camp . The views on the way to camp never cease to amaze me , canyons , rapids and twisty Mountain passes . Upon arrival we met with the rest of the Gang , putting faces to names I had only spoken to over the internet and I can honestly say , what a great bunch of Guys they were . Matt ( bz_711 ) is as honest and genuine guy you could wish to meet , Matt ( STIKBOW ) what a top guy , I could hunt with this guy all year , Rob ( Kodiak ) everything I expected , Funny , friendly , very knowledgable and a deadeye shot at 50yds , Steve ( Schultzy ) very funny guy and a hunting partner of the future for sure as I did not get chance this time , Rex you are a star and entertainer , Tony ( sticknstring ) you bust my gut with your stories and had a great time hunting and chatting with ya , Tim .. it was great to catch up with you again and look forward to 2012 when hopefully we will hunt together again . After meeting everybody , it was time to sleep ready for the following mornings hunt . Day 2 Myself hunting with my Kanga Longbow and eagre to try out my Enigma Camo , Mark and Matt ( bz_711 ) travelled north 2 miles toward Redcliff and parked up ready for the Morning hunt , River crossing , Boulder field and beaver ponds enroute made things enjoyable while getting to the starting point . We decided between us that Matt would go Left of the Meadow , Mark would go Right and I would go through the middle . Right away we saw Mule deer running for cover , hopefully a taste of things to come . After 50-60 minutes of uneventful climbing I came towards the top of a shelf and had one of those feelings where something was about to happen . As i approached the brow I saw Antler tips coming toward me at around 40 yds " oh my god I thought , this is my chance and I ain't gonna screw up " . As the the antlers got closer I drew my bow , knelt on one knee and waited for the shot . My focus was gonna be that front shoulder , that's when I really could have kicked myself . At 18yds full broadside , a huge 4x4 rack , the mule deer of a lifetime came walking by , oblivious to my presence and no care in the world . The reason I could have Kicked myself , I only had an either sex Elk tag . I might never get that chance again , but what a sight to have 18yds from yourself . I waited for him to pass and let my bow down slowly , then laid my bow down and put my head in my hands .... I was gutted , but priveleged to have gotten so close ( Enigma Camo worked a treat , cuz that Badboy had no idea i was there ) . The rest of the day went by quite uneventful , but that there Mule Deer is the luckiest Animal in them woods for sure ..... He was looking at a spot on my wall , but fate let him off ... this time . That Night I got to Meet Waid and the Gang from Texas , I owe Waid a Bug thank you too for Bringing my Diamond Marquis and My Kanga Yarra from Russ's house , which Waid so kindly went out of his way to get for me ...... BIG THANKS BUDDY . Day 3 wuritz Ditch , I'm familliar with this place and new there to be Elk about . Myself and Mark set off at Dawn , although we found a lot of sign and covered a heck of a lot of distance , the Elusive Wapiti was living upto his name . We found a nice wallow and decided to give it a try , waiting till dusk to see if there were any visitors and there was ..... an annoying little squirrel who became my first Trad Bow kill . It was becoming dark so we started to back out , before it came to dark . Again we found more sign , wallows , rubs and such , but nothing regarding sightings of Elk .
Day 5 Decided to give the Top of No Name road a try , after 100yds I bumped a cow and things just got more interesting from there . I found sign everywhere , Rubs , fresh crap and 3 or 4 wallows , one of which looked promising . After carrying on for at least 400yds I bumped yet another Elk , this time he was snapping branches , which told me it was a Bull . How I was supposed to make a quiet spot and stalk while the ground rustled like a a freshly opened packets of crisps I'll never know lol , but I carried on and tried anyway , with no success . Congratulations must go to Justin ( PSE Rep ) on arrowing his 5x4 Bull Elk on this day , the only person to get an elk all trip ..... and he only came for three days Day 6 Saw 7 of us sat on the Mountain side Glassing Elk about 700yds away , so the decision was made to spread out and work our way across the meadow and growth between us in the hiope of bumping an Elk into a waiting Bow , after 300 - 400yds I had to stop to take a pee , as I did the sound of loud Hoofs came Running toward me and I frantically tried to get an arrow nocked , but to no avail , the Elk had Run behind the rocks to my right and I could not locate him ........ Damn . After meeting up the decision was made to make our way back to camp and what a climb it was , man those inclines knock the stuffing out of you when the sun is out , so we killed the time with stories and banter . That day we decided bwe needed a shower and some town food , so we got our shower gear and climbed into Tony's Huge truck and went to Leadville . Showered up we then made our way to town where we were trreated to a mexican meal by Tony " Thanks Buddy " , Then it was back to camp for a evening hunt in Wuritz Ditch , but nothing came of it anyway ....... apart from more mule deer that I could not shoot lol . Day 7 Uneventful morning In Wuritz Ditch , then Mark and Myself decided to go to Leadville for a burger and fries after he'd had a shower ( he missed out the day before ) , then we went out for another try in Wuritz Ditch , This time taking Tim and Daryl , got into Sign and elk bones before finding a nicely used Wallow , which I marked with the GPS for future referance . As I made my way Down the Slope I bumped into Tim and soon after we saw Daryl approaching with A set of Huge antlers on his back , I had to double check and it was only Tims sharp eye that told me that it was a skull off a dead Bull Elk , but still a great find compared to my Cow Elk Skull . Anyway we all got back to the truck and made our way back for Rex's Birthday party in his camper , only to find will had arrowed a Mulie Doe , drink ( wine and Canadian hunter ) and stories took us through to midnight , where a couple of us , Myself , Will , Rob , Rex and Martyn were a little worse for wear ....... Lets just say it was an eventful night for sure .
“Ay-aye-aye”, I thought when I began the preparation for this hunt. I asked myself, “How are you going to logistically deal with all the national and international hunters you’ve invited to Colorado-some 27 of them?” And then I asked, “What will happen if I drag everyone here and they fail to have the time of their lives?” I had the “What ifs” unraveling me. What if we do not get into game? What if there isn’t enough food, water, and spirits? What if people are uncomfortable? What if the weather…? And since I hadn’t personally met everyone in attendance prior to this hunt, the adage “One bad apple can spoil the barrel” loomed heavily in my mind. I worried. I’d be a lair if I said I didn’t. I wanted everything to be just so… It didn’t take long for my fears to subside. This occurred mostly because of the personalities assembled in unit 45-smack dab in the middle of Colorado’s Holy Cross Wilderness Area. The gentlemen before me were beyond incredible-actually phenomenal! They were all willing to pitch in and help wherever help was needed. They mingled as if they had been brothers all their lives. It was an awesome gathering to witness. I will be forever in debt to these men. I look back now and can honestly say this gang made eight days of my life extremely memorable. Yes, I would hunt with any of these remarkable hunters any place, anytime! Not a troublesome person among them. Thanks guys! I regret not getting a group photo! Colorado was unfolding the beauty bestowed upon her by the Creator. This only enhanced our group’s special time afield. When a person is in the thick of this splendor it is easy to feel insignificant and yet tranquil. Now, let me give my account of the events. Saturday, Sept. 18th-day one (find the elk): Like the hundreds of hunts before, I hadn’t a clue where to begin looking for the coveted wapiti. I knew though, I wanted to start by hunting an area I’ve never hunted (for me, that’s part of the challenge). I loaded Grant Bowd (from Australia) into my F-150 and started driving towards Resolution Mountain. Matt Curry (Oz), Steve Schultz (Mn.), Tim Butler (Mn.), and Daryl Grunst (Mn.) followed in another two vehicles. We arrived at a gated access point (the gate was locked in a closed position). The six of us bailed three different directions. Grant and I took the high road, Steve and Matt took the low road, and Tim and Daryl launched themselves westward. Grant and I eventually parted. I spent the rest of the day gathering evidence-boy was there plenty of it! I saw tons of fresh elk sign but never laid an eye on an elk (I had an elk, a deer, and a bear licenses in my pocket). Matt prepares for the day’s hunt. That evening, back at camp, it was fun listening to the day’s recount of Paul Seward’s 12 elk encounters-all very close. Two of the Brits were grinning from ear to ear. Dave Bailey (Eng) was kicking himself for not purchasing a mule deer tag. He had a monster 4x4 mulie walk past at 18 yards-while at full draw with his traditional bow. Sunday, Sept. 19th-day two (find the deer): I spent the day hunting with Rob Swanson (KodiakArcher), Tony Sansalone (Stingnstring1), and Martyn Smith (Bowsmith) in the honey hole Mark Johnson (UKbowhunter) and Dave Bailey (Bails-UK) found the day before. Tony and I split from Martyn and Rob. They climbed into the southern side of Girard Creek while Tony and hiked into Peterson Creek. Tony and I eventually divided. I climbed to 11,000 feet (not sure where Tony finished the day). On my way up, I shot a grouse. The little booger took the shot and landed 25 feet above me on a pine bough. I watched the yummy bird die right there. I advanced to retrieve my arrow. I bent down to examine the shaft. I then stood up and made eye contact with a toad of a mule deer. He was watching me from a distance of 30 yards down the hill. I calmly said,” hello” as I reached for my quiver. He bolted a micro second later. I had no chance to nock an arrow. I spent the next twenty minutes tossing sticks and stones. My efforts to dislodge the dead grouse fizzled. I spent the afternoon and evening (until 6:15 pm) guarding a wallow. The reeking scent of a rutting elk filled the air. I was confident a hyped bull would return. It didn’t happen. My gut feeling let me down. On my way back to the truck I navigated a huge boulder moraine. I careful placed my feet all the way down to the last rock. I was standing there with the truck not more than 100 yards in front of me. I thought, “Cross the beaver flat and dams, wade the river, and your home free!” I leaped from the last boulder and landed in a grass covered beaver trench. I rolled my ankle and planted my face firmly into the ground. I laid there grimacing in pain for the nearly twenty minutes. It was everything I could do to raise myself for the short journey back to the truck. Back at camp, I collapsed onto my cot. The night was spent dealing with the slightest weight of a sleeping bag on a sore ankle. I laughed heartily though as Scottie Bevins (NZ) rehashed his day in the “elk barrel”. I doubt he’ll be pooping with his bow farther than arm’s length in the future. Two bulls paraded past him at 20 yards while he had his pants around his ankles. Monday, Sept. 20th-day three (the recovery): Martyn and I spent the day doing camp chores. When we finished, I took the whipped Brit to Buena Vista, Colorado for a proper shower. On the way, we filmed a small herd of Bighorn Sheep. On the way back, we stopped for Ice cream…lol. Nothing cures ankle pain quicker than ice cream. Ok, maybe old fashion brownies… Martyn missed a muley. His shot was just low from thirty yards. It was a fantastic experience I doubt he’ll ever forget. The two of us had a wonderful evening exploring new territory. Tuesday, Sept. 21st-day four ( No more Mr. Whimpy): I knew I was pushing it, but I couldn’t just lay there and watch a season slip past. I loaded Martyn and Rob into my truck. I took them into the adjacent game management unit (48) and onto a road that circles back into our permitted unit (45). The plan paid dividends. At 8:30 am, a huge black bear was sighted. A shot never presented itself-though we tried. At 9:00 o’clock, a monster muley was located. The buck gave Martyn the slip by stepping out of his effective range. That wasn’t the case for me. I had a perfectly clear 12 x 16 inch window to shoot through. I leveled my 40 yard pin on the buck’s chest and tripped the trigger. The arrow sailed to its mark. I then heard two distinct “thwacks”. The buck crashes downhill. I turned to Rob and said, “That’s a dead deer”. Rob Swanson, Martny, and I tracked the buck for nearly two hours. Sadly, I had to pull off the tracking job to get back to Denver. My wife was attending a conference, and I had to pick up my kids in the early afternoon. I pushed my time afield right down to the last second. Rob and Martyn swore an oath to continue the pursuit. I left knowing the task of finding the deer was in good hands. I prayed the deer would be found. He was a heavy 26" main frame 5x5 with trash and non-typical points protruding everywhere. The next two days were spent wondering, “was my buck recovered?” I had no way of knowing since I left my cell phone packed with my gear. I drove away from camp without it… Thursday, Sept. 23rd-day six (I’m back in time for an evening hunt): I arrived back at elk camp around 6:00pm. I was greeted by Scottie and Grant. The first question from my mouth was, “Has my deer been recovered?” I could read the disappointment in both these bloke’s faces. Scottie, with “no” shakes of the head, said, “Sorry mate, the rain washed away all the sign. He wasn’t found.” My heart sank. I felt so confident my arrow was spot on and that the deer would be found. I also knew Rob, being the robust Alaskan that he is, gave the search his very best effort. If he couldn’t find it, then the deer wasn’t dead. I am thankful to have such a good friend. I decided not to mope over the situation. I grabbed Grant and set out for McAllister Gulch. I was determined to shoot the first deer I saw (back home, I had a neighbor who really needed/deserved the meat. He’s an Army chaplain raising three foster kids and three kids of his own). I crossed paths with a mule deer doe and made short work of bringing her home.
Friday, Sept. 24th-day seven (payback time): I spent this day hunting with Mr. Swanson-he was departing for home the very next day. Rob and I departed from camp early. We decided to hunt the same area where I had lost the buck. Ten minutes after first light, Rob was presented with a shot on a doe. His bow sent an arrow down range, but my view of the deer was hindered by trees. Neither of us knew whether or not the arrow hit home. We searched the area and found his arrow-garnished with meat and very little blood. We followed tracks briefly. We decided to back out and allow for more time. We were both unclear of the situation-“when in doubt, back out”. Six hours later, Rob and I resumed the chase. We advanced a blood trail several hundred yards. They trail eventually began to peter out. Based upon the evidence, we assumed the arrow hit high on the deer’s back. It wasn’t to be…We hiked back to the truck. In the last hour of his last day, Rob made a brilliant shot on a quartering away doe. I was so excited for him. He’s a Coues deer away from completing a North American Deer Slam. How cool is that? Saturday, Sept 25th-day eight (I couldn’t get elk off my mind): Up to this point, I was dealing day to day with the pain caused by a sprained ankle. I was now ready to engage, once again, my beloved elk. Much of my decision was the result of finally being able to pull a boot over my swollen foot. I drove to the top of No Name Road and set off towards my favorite bowl. This was the bowl in which everyone was seeing elk. I figured they all had their chances, now it was my turn. The 1.5 mile hike in was going well as long as I kept my bad ankle on the downhill side of the mountain. The hike out damn near killed me! I had to stop several times on the way back to the truck. The pain was unbearable. I quickly came to the realization, “I wasn’t ready to be doing this, stupid.” I spent the second half of the day, and the next, breaking down camp… Again, thank Goodness for friends! Oh by the way, I think I've photographed a sasquatch! What do you think? LOL...
Great write up Will!!! Your kidding me???? The morning we all went to Resolution and Matt, Scottie and I went down low I had to stop and do a number 2. I knocked an arrow for that and then went back to where they were sitting and knocked an arrow there too while we took a short break. Scottie asked why I had an arrow knocked, I told him you just never know what's going to show. Shame on him!!!! Give him a hard time for me.
Will...Thanks Again! I enjoyed every second of it...and will bowhunt Elk again many times. No Doubt we have to get the group shot next time! I was telling my wife how the camp was with so many different accents going on...and she said that I was probably they one with the weird accent She's probably right! Great Camp - Great CampMates - and just a great time spent in the mountains! Lookin' forward to the next one...
Hey everyone, Heads up on Scottie. After dropping Grant off at DIA this past Tuesday, the boy drove back to South Dakota for more whitetail action. Well, he got a dandy last night. He called around seven o'clock. his voice was cracking. I could tell he was shaken. He said he arrowed a nice nine pointer and could see his arrow sticking out of both sides as it trotted off. He called again tell me he found it-after a night of searching and bumping it twice. I cannot wait to see the pictures or the deer! What I think is cool about Scottie, his drive is absolutely crazy! His passion for hunting is deep! And to think, this kiwi only started bow hunting on September 1st. To date, he has shot an antelope, a mule deer buck, and two whitetails, not bad, eh? Pictures pending!
