First Elk finally

[Kevin W]

I was smiling ear to ear reading your story, way to get it done. Congrats!!!! I don't know if you realize it but you are an inspiration for the average Joe with a dream to hunt elk.

 

[longbow51]

Great job, Dustin! I know you've been planning this for a while.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Warming up on a dinky jetboil flame! Boy, I’ve been there!!! Way to stick it out and get it done. Despite being sick and uncomfortable the whole time, I imagine it will still be a gleaming memory for the young buck. Make sure and put that rack up high in the tailgate for everyone to see on the long drive back to OK. Don’t forget to fistpump out the window to anyone you catch lookin’! I love these stories. God bless yall.

 

[WNC2500]

Congrats on your elk

 

[jeff_gibbons]

Let me bore you with my first elk story. I have had tag soup on my first 3 elk tags, all of which were archery. Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming. Idaho was otc, hit a raghorn high in back strap. Watched him run off then turn around and walk away. Arizona my glasses continued to fog up chasing the herd. At full draw I pulled down my glasses to see and shot over the back of a very nice bull. Passed on some dinks because of the nice bulls I had been seeing on hunt and struck out. Wyoming general I needed a bull to take 2-3 more steps to clear but decided to turn and walk away. I only hunted three days in that trip because a good friend drew Idaho moose and I wanted to go with him.
Meanwhile I've been building points and burned 5 points in what took 3 last year to draw in Colorado 1st rifle. I decided since I'm almost 50 years old I would pull out the gun and up my chances to just get down an elk. I've been fortunate to kill 6 black bear, 9 pronghorn, 2 audoud, 1 mule deer, and a pile of whitetail but the elk has been my nemesis.
Once I drew I started planning. Had 2-3 guys say they might guy but what commonly happens people bail on you. Ok so adjust. My son would turn 13 on opening day so him and my 15 year old nephew would be my hunting partners.
I took a family trip in early August to scout/camp a bit to learn the area. Paid off greatly.
I purchased a new tent and wood stove. Can't say enough about both of them. The 16' White Duck never leaked a drop after 3-4 days of off and on rain and snow. The Yukon wood stove by Cylinder Stoves in Utah was our heat and cooking source. At 10,500 ft. anything propane was a joke. 2 burner Camp Chef oy produced 1/2" flame. Mr. Buddy heater wouldn't even light. Loved the wood stove.
Areived sat afternoon and set up camp. 5 minutes of getting out of truck at campsite we heard two bugles in the distance. Plan was to scout 3 days before Wed opener. Unfortunately my son got altitude sickness and vomited Saturday night. Next morning he was still sick. Nauseated, headache, tight chest, weakness. He came along anyway but lagged behind. The three of us made it up a mountain headed to a glassing area. While I paused to wait for Drake to catch up I see a herd heading up the mountain crossways. They were about 100 yards away and had no idea we were there until they caught our wind. They ran straight to us. About 12 elk in the heard with two very nice bulls passed by at 40 yards. That was very exciting. We continued to our glassing point and Drake vomited again. Poor fellow was feeling rough. On our way out that evening we heard another bugle in same area as the morning. Next day I left the boys at camp and went scouting again. I bumped a different herd of near 20 elk. I found a fresh wallow on the way out. Wallow was in a meadow next to the timber. Opening day I glassed a meadow and saw zero elk and no bugles. Did hear three shots not to far away. By Thursday Drake was getting better from the altitude but did something to his lower back. He could barely roll over in bed a.d at one point he couldn't move his toes. Tailbone had shocking pain in it.
Afternoon of second day he felt like he could go with me to hunt. I didn't want to over do it so I decided to sit the wallow I previously found a couple days earlier. About an hour before dark a big Mule deer came into the meadow. With no tag we watched in amazement. Right behind him steps out the first elk seen during season. A quick look through the glass and decision was made to take him. The muley and the elk were about 50 yards apart. The bull stood there like a statue for minutes overlooking the meadow. Bull was only about 70 yards from the wallow. He took a couple steps toward wallow and stopped. I took the 240 yard shot and he dropped in his tracks. (300 win mag with 220 grain eld-x hand load). The muley stood around for a couple minutes looking at the bull. We were beyond excited. Upon approaching the bull I did need to put a finishing shot on him. Took a few pics and the work began. We quartered the bull and got the head off. We got 1 hind quarter, front shoulder, back strap out that night. Drake's back was hurting bad so I took his load of back strap with my load.
We hung up the rest of the meat until next morning. Got in bed about 11:00. I couldn't sleep thinking about it all. Next morning nephew and I went in for more meat. 25° froze outer layer of meat in game bags. We went back for 3rd and last load which was the head and cape. The boys wanted fresh back strap for lunch. So BBQ beans and back strap on a campfire was lunch.
Great memories made with two boys in Colorado elk camp. We stayed 6 nights in the tent. Lots of fun for us Oklahoma boys.
Gear new and used:
Used- 2012 Ford truck with 356k miles (2 front tires were new though)
New- 16' White Duck tent
New- Yukon wood stove
Used- Stone Glacier pack
Used- 2 old junker bass pro shop packs for boys
Used- Christensen Firearms Carbon Classic 300 WM
220 grain eld-x 64 grains H4831 hand loads.
New- Crispi West River boots
Used- junker boots for the boys ( still young and can deal with it)
Used- Old clothes some camo, some not. Usually whatever I find at garage sales, estate sales, goodwill etc.
New- carbon fiber trekking poles from Walmart. First time ever using poles. Will continue.
Used- Garmin inreach borrowed from buddy

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Congratulations!

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats!

 

[Khunter]

Congrats.

Altitude sickness is serious. Surprised you did not take the kid to lower elevation.

 

[okie archer]

Congrats.

Altitude sickness is serious. Surprised you did not take the kid to lower elevation.

I did actually. The afternoon of opening day which was also his 13th bday I drove off the mountain from 10,500 ft to Gunnison around 8000 ft. Took him to eat at Mexican restaurant and shopped around town. Also talked to a doctor about it.
He started feeling better going forward from there. Next day he felt like going hunting, that's when I killed the bull.

 

[Khunter]

I did actually. The afternoon of opening day which was also his 13th bday I drove off the mountain from 10,500 ft to Gunnison around 8000 ft. Took him to eat at Mexican restaurant and shopped around town. Also talked to a doctor about it.
He started feeling better going forward from there. Next day he felt like going hunting, that's when I killed the bull.

Good to hear. A good detail to add to story so not looking like it was ignored. Especially when sharing how sick he was. Too many folks get harmed by altitude sickness each year by not taking proper care.

And congrats again on your first bull!

 

[okie archer]

Good to hear. A good detail to add to story so not looking like it was ignored. Especially when sharing how sick he was. Too many folks get harmed by altitude sickness each year by not taking proper care.

And congrats again on your first bull!

Yea I'm not a great story teller, plus it felt like my story was already chopped up and getting to long anyway. Drake's altitude sickness was definitely not getting ignored. I was really trying to monitor him. As long as he was around camp he seemed decent. If he got up and exerted himself he felt bad. I didn't even hunt evening of first day or morning of second day. In fact I seriously considered pulling the plug on the hunt second day and head home. On top of my son's altitude sickness I got two different text same morning of second day that two people I knew had both passed away.
The trip away from camp to Gunnison afternoon of opening day really seemed to help. Lower elevation, shopping at Gene Taylors Sporting Goods, eating Mexican food for his bday kinda gave some fresh air. There was always a level of stress being responsible for not just myself but a 13 and 15 year old as well. I actually only spent about 5 hours hunting between opening morning and evening of second day. Was very thankful and blessed to be able to fill a tag on a hunt I had done so much preparing for.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Great Hunt with the Boys! What Rack Daniels said, plus if it is night always flip on the bed light so they can see the rack in the back! LOL John