My daughter drew a Colorado 1st rifle bull tag in the secondary draw. This was her first elk hunt, though she spent a week hunting Mulies in the same unit last year, unfortunately on that hunt we just couldn’t turn up a mature buck.
This year her elk hunt would take place over her 16th birthday and to say she was stoked would be an understatement. We made the 1000 mile drive Thursday night, rolled in Friday AM. Found some elk Friday evening and made a plan to go after them Saturday morning.
The herd came through a saddle with bulls bugling, 800 yards away so we made a move to get on them. Just as we got to bottom of a draw cows started coming over the top, she got ready, 110 yards. Another hunter above us starting shooting at another group of elk and they ran the other way. We went around just in time to see the big herd too the main ridge at 12,000 feet.
I told her we should go over to where they came from and see if there were any stragglers. We waited a bit and I saw I had phone service and a missed call from my brother in law who was hunting in New Mexico. Called him back, and talked for a minute when a couple cows came down the trial, I set the phone down and told her to get ready. After about 5 minutes I realized my brother in law was still on the phone listening to the play by play,he said “don’t hang up, I want to hear the play by play!” About 5 minutes later a bull came up from the bottom, two quick shots to the lungs from her 7mm-08 and the bull went 10 yards and was done.
View attachment 41680
What a great morning and she has been all smiles for the last couple days. It was her uncle got to hear the whole thing “live”. Heck of a pack out, 10 miles total, we got him out in two loads. (Dad packed extra heavy).
View attachment 41681
View attachment 41682
now I can focus on second season deer for me, my son, my Dad and my brother in law. Saw a great buck this morning, so hopefully more excitement in the coming weeks.
