This fall was my nineth elk hunt out west. I also turned 50 this year. My elk hunting buddy that I normally go with had back problems and my son did not have the vacation time - so - I went by myself on a DIY hunt. I enjoy being with friends and family on a hunt, but I also enjoy some alone time out in God's country. I seem to feel closest to God when I'm outside in a beautiful, quite place - so I was pretty ok going by myself. I got in shape for the hunt loosing 40 lbs over the coarse of the year and picked a new area in Colorado to hunt that I hadn't been in before. After a lot a research and time on google earth, the day came to leave Mississippi and head west.
Once arriving at the trailhread, I hiked in 4 miles, found some decent elk sign and made camp. The following morning I found a heavily used game trail and started following it. At about 8:30 a.m. I walk up on aridge immediately smelled elk. The wind was shifting direction every 2 minutes it seemed like - but I had definately caught the smell of elk in my nostrils - so I got out my cow call and made a few suductive chirps. Shortly after calling, I heard a bull bugle about 300 yards away above me on the mountain. After a couple of minutes I heard the bull bugle again. After assessing the wind conditions closely, it became clear there was no way I was going to be able to get near that bull unless I got above him - which would take a considerable amount of time. I finally decided I would circle up above him that aftrernoon and try again for him in the evening when the wind was right.
At about 5:00 p.m., after getting up above the last place I had heard the bull earlier in the morning I started down the mountain making a few subtle cow chirps. Soon, the bull started answering me about 300 yards below me. I closed the gap to about 100 yards and heard the bull bugle again - this time with a few cow chirps that were coming from his direction as well (bull had a cow with him). I began looking for a place to set up for s shot, got situated, and within minutes saw elk antlers appear above some oak brush about 40 yards away. As I drew my bow to get ready for the shot, I heard another bull budgle to my right about 70 yards away (two bulls!). In my mind I knew the bull 70 yards away was probably bigger, but I was in no position to be selective. After all - I had one standing in front of me already! As the bull in front of me walked out from behind the oak brush at 40 yards, I let my arrow go. WHAT THE.......over the bulls back the arrow went! How did that happen? The bull immediately jumped and ran about three steps and stopped as the cow (real cow elk) started chirping. After a minute, the bull calmed down as he stood behind a tree in front of me. I proceeded to take out another arrow, knock my bow and draw. Then as if on "que", the bull started walking toward me. Straight toward me! I was mentally begging him to turn so I would have a broadside shot as he closed the distance between us to 25 yards. Then, once again, God answered my prayer as the elk quartered. That was enough - I let the second arrow go and this one found it's mark! The bull turned and ran off out of sight. After a few minutes, I snuck around some trees and looked down the mountain. To my amazement, the bull that I had shot was standing, but leaning on a downed tree breathing heavily about 70 yards away with his back facing me. The cow was still close by chirping every 5 seconds. Then as was looking at my bull, the cow walked out next to him, looked up at me, and ran off down the mountain. A calf then came out and followed mom down the mountain. Then, to my amzement, a 7 x 7 bull ( the one I had heard bugle earlier) walked out and looked up at me right before running off. Wow! That's was the biggest bull I've seen in the wild! A few more minutes after all of the elk had left, my bull, which had acted as if he would fall over at any minute, turned, and ran down the mountain out of sight. What the.........I spent the next 2 hours looking for him in the dark with no luck. I headed back to camp for the night.
The next morning I woke up early, grapped my frame back, meat bags and parachute cord and headed back up the mountain to the last place I had found blood the night before. As I started getting close to the area, my senses became more alert - wanting so badly to stumble upon this bull I had shot the night before. Once again my prayer was answered. As I stopped to catch my breath I looked up the mountain and found my bull laying over a log dead! I quickly ran up to him and examined him. A dandy 3 x 4 bull! Now the work began! I boned him out and placed the meat into meat bags. Loaded 100 pounds in my pack and hung the rest. It was a rough one person meat hauling exercise the next 1.5 days - but while it was rough physically, it was also at complete blast! Hauling elk meat out of the beautiful mountains having just completed one of my hunting goals of doing a DIY archery elk hunt in a wild and beautiful place! Man, words just don't do that feeling justice do they?
When I arrived back in Mississippi I processed the elk meat myself. The meat is extremely tender and good.! Way better than the bull I called in for my buddy4 years ago. I'm now in the beginning stages of planning my 2018 elk hunting adventure. Just thought I'd share. You guys have been fun to read - hopefully you find this post enjoyable as well. God bless you all!
Once arriving at the trailhread, I hiked in 4 miles, found some decent elk sign and made camp. The following morning I found a heavily used game trail and started following it. At about 8:30 a.m. I walk up on aridge immediately smelled elk. The wind was shifting direction every 2 minutes it seemed like - but I had definately caught the smell of elk in my nostrils - so I got out my cow call and made a few suductive chirps. Shortly after calling, I heard a bull bugle about 300 yards away above me on the mountain. After a couple of minutes I heard the bull bugle again. After assessing the wind conditions closely, it became clear there was no way I was going to be able to get near that bull unless I got above him - which would take a considerable amount of time. I finally decided I would circle up above him that aftrernoon and try again for him in the evening when the wind was right.
At about 5:00 p.m., after getting up above the last place I had heard the bull earlier in the morning I started down the mountain making a few subtle cow chirps. Soon, the bull started answering me about 300 yards below me. I closed the gap to about 100 yards and heard the bull bugle again - this time with a few cow chirps that were coming from his direction as well (bull had a cow with him). I began looking for a place to set up for s shot, got situated, and within minutes saw elk antlers appear above some oak brush about 40 yards away. As I drew my bow to get ready for the shot, I heard another bull budgle to my right about 70 yards away (two bulls!). In my mind I knew the bull 70 yards away was probably bigger, but I was in no position to be selective. After all - I had one standing in front of me already! As the bull in front of me walked out from behind the oak brush at 40 yards, I let my arrow go. WHAT THE.......over the bulls back the arrow went! How did that happen? The bull immediately jumped and ran about three steps and stopped as the cow (real cow elk) started chirping. After a minute, the bull calmed down as he stood behind a tree in front of me. I proceeded to take out another arrow, knock my bow and draw. Then as if on "que", the bull started walking toward me. Straight toward me! I was mentally begging him to turn so I would have a broadside shot as he closed the distance between us to 25 yards. Then, once again, God answered my prayer as the elk quartered. That was enough - I let the second arrow go and this one found it's mark! The bull turned and ran off out of sight. After a few minutes, I snuck around some trees and looked down the mountain. To my amazement, the bull that I had shot was standing, but leaning on a downed tree breathing heavily about 70 yards away with his back facing me. The cow was still close by chirping every 5 seconds. Then as was looking at my bull, the cow walked out next to him, looked up at me, and ran off down the mountain. A calf then came out and followed mom down the mountain. Then, to my amzement, a 7 x 7 bull ( the one I had heard bugle earlier) walked out and looked up at me right before running off. Wow! That's was the biggest bull I've seen in the wild! A few more minutes after all of the elk had left, my bull, which had acted as if he would fall over at any minute, turned, and ran down the mountain out of sight. What the.........I spent the next 2 hours looking for him in the dark with no luck. I headed back to camp for the night.
The next morning I woke up early, grapped my frame back, meat bags and parachute cord and headed back up the mountain to the last place I had found blood the night before. As I started getting close to the area, my senses became more alert - wanting so badly to stumble upon this bull I had shot the night before. Once again my prayer was answered. As I stopped to catch my breath I looked up the mountain and found my bull laying over a log dead! I quickly ran up to him and examined him. A dandy 3 x 4 bull! Now the work began! I boned him out and placed the meat into meat bags. Loaded 100 pounds in my pack and hung the rest. It was a rough one person meat hauling exercise the next 1.5 days - but while it was rough physically, it was also at complete blast! Hauling elk meat out of the beautiful mountains having just completed one of my hunting goals of doing a DIY archery elk hunt in a wild and beautiful place! Man, words just don't do that feeling justice do they?
When I arrived back in Mississippi I processed the elk meat myself. The meat is extremely tender and good.! Way better than the bull I called in for my buddy4 years ago. I'm now in the beginning stages of planning my 2018 elk hunting adventure. Just thought I'd share. You guys have been fun to read - hopefully you find this post enjoyable as well. God bless you all!
