singleshot1
Well-known member
After a successful antelope hunt in Wyoming http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=256782, we were on our way to Colorado for a 2nd season rifle elk hunt. This is by no means a trophy hunt, my buddy and i both drew cow tags for this unit. This trip was about learning the area, doing it on our own, and hopefully bringing some meat home. Simple goals we thought.
We arrived on Thursday shortly after noon, we repacked our gear, loaded up the packs and hiked into where we planned to camp (approx. 4 miles in according to the GPS). We finished setting up camp Friday, collected firewood and water and got in a little scouting.
Camp pictures:
Saturday morning season opened and we were perched high above camp glassing a nice meadow when i caught movement way above us, we tried to make a move to get in front of the herd of elk that had been spooked out of the next drainage over but either the elk move faster than they look or we are slow, i'm guessing we were slow. We spent the rest of the morning scouring the basin we were in for more sign and activity with out much luck.
Did find my first elk shed:
Back in camp for lunch we started hearing some bugles but couldn't exactly pinpoint the location since we were down in a hole and the sound was bouncing all over. We made a plan to split and go up each side of this dark blown down nasty forest and see if we can find this noise maker and hopefully he has some cows with him.
Well about 2:30 I had made my way about half mile from camp and 500' up in elevation, i just crested the hill into a little populated aspen meadow when I spotted a cow feeding, I quickly drop and range her when i notice another one bedded behind her. I drop my range finder and grab the binoculars and soon realize is was smack dab in the middle of a herd of approx. 40 elk. After 10 minutes of getting my composure and taking in the sights, sights included a dandy 6x6, two 5x5's and spikes and cows, i put the range finder on a big cow the the big 6x6 had just finished doing his thing on. Range: 129 yards, pulled up the rifle and took aim, squeezed trigger and the 7mm 160grain Federal Trophy Bonded Tip did it's thing!
This was my third attempt at elk hunting and my first elk, it was well earned.
After the shot the herd split and three hours later my buddy connected on a cow also. Tagged out on the first day. Then the real work began, we spent the next two and a half days packing elk meat and camp out.
One of the most exhausting and at the same time rewarding things i have done.
Now time to start planning again, this time for a bull.
We arrived on Thursday shortly after noon, we repacked our gear, loaded up the packs and hiked into where we planned to camp (approx. 4 miles in according to the GPS). We finished setting up camp Friday, collected firewood and water and got in a little scouting.
Camp pictures:
Saturday morning season opened and we were perched high above camp glassing a nice meadow when i caught movement way above us, we tried to make a move to get in front of the herd of elk that had been spooked out of the next drainage over but either the elk move faster than they look or we are slow, i'm guessing we were slow. We spent the rest of the morning scouring the basin we were in for more sign and activity with out much luck.
Did find my first elk shed:
Back in camp for lunch we started hearing some bugles but couldn't exactly pinpoint the location since we were down in a hole and the sound was bouncing all over. We made a plan to split and go up each side of this dark blown down nasty forest and see if we can find this noise maker and hopefully he has some cows with him.
Well about 2:30 I had made my way about half mile from camp and 500' up in elevation, i just crested the hill into a little populated aspen meadow when I spotted a cow feeding, I quickly drop and range her when i notice another one bedded behind her. I drop my range finder and grab the binoculars and soon realize is was smack dab in the middle of a herd of approx. 40 elk. After 10 minutes of getting my composure and taking in the sights, sights included a dandy 6x6, two 5x5's and spikes and cows, i put the range finder on a big cow the the big 6x6 had just finished doing his thing on. Range: 129 yards, pulled up the rifle and took aim, squeezed trigger and the 7mm 160grain Federal Trophy Bonded Tip did it's thing!
This was my third attempt at elk hunting and my first elk, it was well earned.
After the shot the herd split and three hours later my buddy connected on a cow also. Tagged out on the first day. Then the real work began, we spent the next two and a half days packing elk meat and camp out.
One of the most exhausting and at the same time rewarding things i have done.
Now time to start planning again, this time for a bull.
