Caribou Gear Tarp

Changing Colors Part III............Volleyball and Bulls

ihuntelk

Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
410
Location
SE Wyoming
Elk season the past 3 years has been put on hold during volleyball season. This year was no different. Thankfully I was able to sneak away during archery season and poke an arrow through a bull. If I have to miss a couple games, it's easier early in the season.
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A few more pics and story here if you're interested: http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=265266

Every Saturday in Sept, Oct and early November has my hiney in the hard bleachers. My girls can't miss school or practice to go chase elk so we have applied them for hunts that we can get out after the season. Last year Kenz had an awesome late season tag in NW Wyoming and blew her ankle at State. We tried to give her tag to the Disabeld Vet program but the season had already started so the tag was wasted. I offered to sign 1K affadavits that we had never hunted the tag, but they wouldn't go for it so the tag went in the trash. :mad:

Paige had a late cow tag last year but the elk never moved into the public where we could hunt them. This year she drew an any elk tag in a unit I'd never hunted.

Volleyball ended the first weekend of November with a State Championship for my 2 high school daughters. First title in vball at our school since 1977. Great bunch of girls that were all pretty selfless and played for each other. Made me smile that there were atleast 4 other teams sitting in the stands cheering for our girls during the championship. Several of the parents told me that their girls didn't mind losing to our girls since they were so kind and gracious about it. Those comments definitely meant more to me as a dad than a title. We're raising young women and not olympic volleyball players!

My jr.
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My Freshman had the final kill that solidified the championship. It was awesome that all 6 girls on the court touched the ball on the last volley. Paige just happened to be the last one to touch it and she put it away!
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Fear the freshie! Yes, she can also touch a 10' rim on the basketball court!
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We finally changed colors and traded in the volleyball uni's for camo. We had big plans to go chase elk on Veteran's day since I had work off but she got sick the day before. I took a friend and we went to have a look around. We didn't see an elk in the unit. :(
Saturday found Paige and I on top of a big knob glassing as much country as we could find. I spotted a herd of cows/calves a couple miles away on private. Finally, after a 2 mile hike around some country I pulled out the Vortex again and found 9 bulls - 6.24 miles away. We looked at the maps/aerials/GPS and determined that they just MIGHT be on public. We hiked back to the rig and drove as close as I could before loading up the packs and heading out. 1.5 miles later we were perched 384 yards from 5 - 6 points and 4 - 5 points. According to my maps they were 184 yards onto private! :eek:
We sat there for 3.5 hours until dark hoping they would feed our way. No such luck so we hiked out in the dark.
The next Saturday we were in a new location, on a hunch. First time I stopped the truck to glass, I saw 4 bulls working over a sage hill over a mile away. We drove as close as we could and loaded up the packs again. The first 2 hills we hiked held no elk. Finally we found them feeding away from our location. They had moved over a mile since I had first glassed them. 45 minutes later we were on a rock outcropping looking at 6 bulls - all 6 points. They were 301 yards away and Paige was sitting with the Weaver rifle over my pack. She said she was solid and ready on the biggest bull in the bunch. I pulled out the video camera only to realize the adapter on it was for my tripod that was in the truck. I tried to settle it on a rock but the wind was mach 30 so I just put it away and focused on killing elk! After doping the wind she was ready. 1 shot and he just crumpled in his bed. His buddies jumped up and stood there for 5 minutes looking at him. We finally stood up and they high tailed it over the ridge.
Paige gave me hugs and asked how big her first elk was. She never even looked at his antlers while we were setting up as she was so focused on making the shot. I told her we'd have to walk over and see.

Walking up on her first elk.
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We hiked out to the truck and drove as close as we could. With him loaded in the back we headed for home. Saw a nice mulie buck on the way out and even had her home in time for the school dance. Sure sucks trying to balance all their activities. I hope she still smelled like elk so no boys would ask her to dance................:W:

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Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I know we have much to be thankful for.
1 more cow tag for my 12 year old. With a pronghorn and mulie in the bag this year,
( http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=265583 ) she's adament she gets the Wyoming tri-fecta. We shall see. Maybe the colors will change 4 times this year!
-Cade
 
Awesome thread for many reasons. (1) There are some that would 'convince' themselves that bulls less than 200 yards from the boundary line are 'probably on public,' good job teaching ethics to your daughter. (2) I enjoyed and empathize with your statement, "I hope she still smelled like elk so no boys would ask her to dance." (3) This thread had two very nice looking bulls in it, very nice bulls. (4) Encampment wins state. I went through that area a few years ago and really liked it, I've thought about trying to get back there and hunt someday .......... maybe not what you want to hear from another out-of-stater. Congrats to the whole family & Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Congrats with the volleyball and the elk! Well done! I'm just now getting into the real busy years with my oldest. The juggling act is real tough sometimes as he wants to do both sports and hunts...at the same time!

PS- Your daughter has some mad hops!

PPS- You two killed bigger bulls than I did and I know my tag was harder to get. Well done!
 
What a post!!
Incredible bulls!! Great year, on and off the mountain!
Congrats to all the ihuntelk family! Very blessed, indeed.
Thanks for sharing!
 
That is a great story, Cade. Congrats to your girls on their Championship. And congrats on the elk, also.
 
Awesome thread for many reasons. (1) There are some that would 'convince' themselves that bulls less than 200 yards from the boundary line are 'probably on public,' good job teaching ethics to your daughter. (2) I enjoyed and empathize with your statement, "I hope she still smelled like elk so no boys would ask her to dance." (3) This thread had two very nice looking bulls in it, very nice bulls. (4) Encampment wins state. I went through that area a few years ago and really liked it, I've thought about trying to get back there and hunt someday .......... maybe not what you want to hear from another out-of-stater. Congrats to the whole family & Happy Thanksgiving!

There wasn't even a fence to seperate the private from the public. I always figure if you'll fudge for a critter, especially with your kid there, you'll fudge on just about everything. Not worth it. Not saying I haven't fudged before but it's been a long long time. Thankfully we have the opportunity to grow up and be better.

Look me up if you're ever back this way or have questions about the country, unless you're bringing your boys with you. I've seen pics of the carnage they can leave in their wake! ;)

Very nicely done! You have reason to be a proud father ... of an accomplished and lucky girl.
I think I'm the lucky one. All 4 of them take after their mother! Lucky, indeed.

Congrats with the volleyball and the elk! Well done! I'm just now getting into the real busy years with my oldest. The juggling act is real tough sometimes as he wants to do both sports and hunts...at the same time!

PS- Your daughter has some mad hops!

PPS- You two killed bigger bulls than I did and I know my tag was harder to get. Well done!
Enjoy it now! Enjoy it later too, but it gets crazy.

She does have mad hops. Bets are going around that she'll be the first girl in Wyoming to ever dunk during a basketball game. My bets are on her!

Look at the bright side - you drove several thousand miles further than we had too! Your bull was a beaut and the time with your boys has to be a real pisser. You're doing pretty good to make it west as much as you do!


What a post!!
Incredible bulls!! Great year, on and off the mountain!
Congrats to all the ihuntelk family! Very blessed, indeed.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Festus. Also should thank you for your posts every Wed. I read them but never reply, even though I have much to be grateful for. Keep posting them please! and thank you!

two sweet bools!
Just keep the lizards south of here so they don't mess with our elk herds.
 
Cool post. I have two girls (4 and 8y/o). Trying to get them into hunting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. So far, the 8 y/o has shown potential. Loves venison and has no problem watching me butcher. We'll see.
 
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