Hatchie Dawg
Well-known member
Started planning my first elk hunt well over a year ago. I was 43 had never been "out west", never seen the Rockies and had never hunted anything bigger than a whitetail but wanted to try some things before I got much older. I originally planned a backpack hunt for the first rifle season in CO because there were units I could get an almost guaranteed tag without any preference points and I wanted to see the "high country". I started working out, running, doing the stepper, squats, bench and row. I changed my diet, lost 10lbs and firmed up all over. I started cyber scouting, lurking on boards such as this one and reading books as well as gathering equipment. I crunched a bunch of numbers on harvest stats the CO DOW is good enough to provide. I was gettin ready.
Several months into my preparation an unavoidable conflict arose for the first rifle season. I reluctantly shelved my plans and went into a bit of a funk. I didn't run another step. After 4-5 weeks of this my wife gave me permission to do a third season OTC hunt. I got stoked, recalculated all the third season stats and resumed preparation full bore. I continued with my plans to hunt out of a pack if at all possible. I made a top three list as far as areas go and then started contacting biologists and wardens.
I planned to carry my Model 70 Featherweight in 6.5x55 and needed better ammo than the standard factory fare. I learned to reload and leaned on some good friends in the process. When I was about ready to wrap the rifle around a tree and toss the reloading stuff into the river they went out of their way to help me day after day at times. I got the gun and loads dialed in and eventually could shoot 5/8" groups all day long.Here is the target I used to dial in for the trip. That's a four shot group up top.
and my first effort at 300yds
The time finally arrived and I packed up too much stuff and headed west. 21 hours later I was in Northwest CO. I must admit I was a little intimidated by the size of the country but tried not to show it. I spent two days organizing and scouting an area the local biologist had recommended highly. He talked me out of my number one spot and guided me to a SWA with two large BLM inholdings. I would have to camp in the campground but had made some truck camping preparations just in case. I really didn't find much sign scouting but chalked it up to inexperience. I met some nice guys in camp as the day approached. Rain turned to snow Friday night before the opener. I was up early and off up the mountain way before first light. It was beautiful up top.
I hunted this bench the first two mornings. I didn't see anything but people.
Monday I switched to a saddle lower and closer to camp. I was seeing lots of mule deer but no elk. It was cool to see the deer though.
The equipment was doing well and I was handling the low temps well enough at night. My Marmot bag and puff jacket were invaluable.
I asked around camp and nobody was seeing much. I had been up on the SWA 5 days in a row and had seen one cow. One cow had been brought into camp as well as one bull. I decided to pull up stakes and head to the area my research had pin pointed. I made the 30 mile move Tues morning and immediately met two guys from Ohio that had killed two cows the day before and had been into elk each day of the season. I was a bit perturbed but also excited. I geared up and headed onto the face of the peak for a two hour climb. There was lots of snow for a guy from TN
The top
There were tracks everywhere
I didn't see any elk but again got into the ever present mule deer. There was so much sign I decided to hunt right there and backed out a bit and set up camp.
It was very cold that night and for the first time I really suffered. I'm not sure if the bag was getting some condensation problems or if it was just the temp but I hardly slept at all. I know it was 8 deg in town and I was well above that. Anyway I was miserable. I got up a little late but hustled on over to a spot near a small saddle. I was freezing and prayed for the sun. About 30 minutes into the legal day the first bull elk I had ever seen walked into a bit of light. He was way out but coming right at me. He eased into some oak brush at about 400yds but came out on my side at 300. He appeared to be a nice 5x5 and had gotten snow on his back coming through the brush. His antlers rocked back and forth and his mane swung as he shook the snow off. The wind was howling and it was still very cold as I tried to steady the crosshairs over his back. All the work, expense, blisters, numbness, burning, aching, and homesickness coming down to that one moment, right there.
I couldn't take the shot. I was too cold and too excited. The wind was too hard and the animal was too big and beautiful. I pulled off and hoped for the better shot that never came.
I finished the day on the mountain but knew I wouldn't spend another. I had been away from home more than a week, up one steep hill or another seven days in a row and been in the tent 5 days. I was homesick and spent. I made it down to the car threw the pack in the back and made it to the interstate before too late. I was on my way home. I was happy and almost in tears at the same time. In the end, for at least a time, the image of that bull rocking his antlers and shaking his mane will have to be enough. I learned a lot. I will be much harder to beat next year.
HD
Several months into my preparation an unavoidable conflict arose for the first rifle season. I reluctantly shelved my plans and went into a bit of a funk. I didn't run another step. After 4-5 weeks of this my wife gave me permission to do a third season OTC hunt. I got stoked, recalculated all the third season stats and resumed preparation full bore. I continued with my plans to hunt out of a pack if at all possible. I made a top three list as far as areas go and then started contacting biologists and wardens.
I planned to carry my Model 70 Featherweight in 6.5x55 and needed better ammo than the standard factory fare. I learned to reload and leaned on some good friends in the process. When I was about ready to wrap the rifle around a tree and toss the reloading stuff into the river they went out of their way to help me day after day at times. I got the gun and loads dialed in and eventually could shoot 5/8" groups all day long.Here is the target I used to dial in for the trip. That's a four shot group up top.
and my first effort at 300yds
The time finally arrived and I packed up too much stuff and headed west. 21 hours later I was in Northwest CO. I must admit I was a little intimidated by the size of the country but tried not to show it. I spent two days organizing and scouting an area the local biologist had recommended highly. He talked me out of my number one spot and guided me to a SWA with two large BLM inholdings. I would have to camp in the campground but had made some truck camping preparations just in case. I really didn't find much sign scouting but chalked it up to inexperience. I met some nice guys in camp as the day approached. Rain turned to snow Friday night before the opener. I was up early and off up the mountain way before first light. It was beautiful up top.
I hunted this bench the first two mornings. I didn't see anything but people.
Monday I switched to a saddle lower and closer to camp. I was seeing lots of mule deer but no elk. It was cool to see the deer though.
The equipment was doing well and I was handling the low temps well enough at night. My Marmot bag and puff jacket were invaluable.
I asked around camp and nobody was seeing much. I had been up on the SWA 5 days in a row and had seen one cow. One cow had been brought into camp as well as one bull. I decided to pull up stakes and head to the area my research had pin pointed. I made the 30 mile move Tues morning and immediately met two guys from Ohio that had killed two cows the day before and had been into elk each day of the season. I was a bit perturbed but also excited. I geared up and headed onto the face of the peak for a two hour climb. There was lots of snow for a guy from TN
The top
There were tracks everywhere
I didn't see any elk but again got into the ever present mule deer. There was so much sign I decided to hunt right there and backed out a bit and set up camp.
It was very cold that night and for the first time I really suffered. I'm not sure if the bag was getting some condensation problems or if it was just the temp but I hardly slept at all. I know it was 8 deg in town and I was well above that. Anyway I was miserable. I got up a little late but hustled on over to a spot near a small saddle. I was freezing and prayed for the sun. About 30 minutes into the legal day the first bull elk I had ever seen walked into a bit of light. He was way out but coming right at me. He eased into some oak brush at about 400yds but came out on my side at 300. He appeared to be a nice 5x5 and had gotten snow on his back coming through the brush. His antlers rocked back and forth and his mane swung as he shook the snow off. The wind was howling and it was still very cold as I tried to steady the crosshairs over his back. All the work, expense, blisters, numbness, burning, aching, and homesickness coming down to that one moment, right there.
I couldn't take the shot. I was too cold and too excited. The wind was too hard and the animal was too big and beautiful. I pulled off and hoped for the better shot that never came.
I finished the day on the mountain but knew I wouldn't spend another. I had been away from home more than a week, up one steep hill or another seven days in a row and been in the tent 5 days. I was homesick and spent. I made it down to the car threw the pack in the back and made it to the interstate before too late. I was on my way home. I was happy and almost in tears at the same time. In the end, for at least a time, the image of that bull rocking his antlers and shaking his mane will have to be enough. I learned a lot. I will be much harder to beat next year.
HD
