All Alone

So Bill cashed in all of his luck for the year last night when he shot his elk.  He and Jared are engaged in the daunting task of packing 200+ pounds of meat down the mountain.  The two of them are doing the butchering and hauling and have left me alone to hunt.  This morning I hiked across the mountain before sunrise to hunt the  north facing aspect.  Shortly after sunrise, I was into some really fresh sign and before I realized it, I had managed to sneak into the middle of a small herd of elk moving down the mountain.  Still committed to shooting the first legal elk I could, I found myself ranging a cow at 31 yards from behind a tree.  While I was getting situated for a shot, the cow suddenly went on alert and looked downhill.  Peeking around the tree, I could see another animal charging uphill.  It didn't take long to realize this was a large bull elk, at first all I could see was a massive 6x6 rack advancing through the timber.  The bull bugled once directly below me then began to hook a tree.  At this point I did not have a clear shot at the bull, but before I could even stop shaking he bolted uphill and stopped exactly where I had just ranged the cow I originally intended to shoot.  There he hooked another tree and turned quartering towards me, presenting a decent shot.  I was shaking so bad I could not even get my release attached to the bowstring.  As I drew, the bull spotted me and froze quartering towards me at exactly 31 yards and I shot.  Hearing the noise from the shot the entire herd of animals (9-10) took-off down the mountain.  The bull bucked and surged forward 10-15 yards and stopped.  At this point, all I could see was his head and rack, he began licking his front quarter then disappeared below me.  This would be the last time I laid eyes on him.  After collecting myself and calming my nerves, I walked down to where the bull was standing when I shot.  I found my arrow about five yards beyond the spot.  My heart sank when I saw the arrow.  I had hit the bull and had decent blood and hair on the arrow, but only 7-8" of penetration.

A quiver of well used arrows!  Left arrow was shoulder shot on elk (note 7-8" of blood) .  The rest helped to reduce the grouse population.

        
After about 30-40 minutes, I started down the mountain and immediately picked up a blood trail.  Hoping for the best, but expecting the worse, I began to track the bull.  For the first half mile, things looked promising, the blood trail was steady with the occasional small pool.  Down the mountain, across the creek, through a swamp and along side a mountain park (sounds like Bears in the Night..eh dad!) I found decent blood.  After several hours and nearly a mile of tracking it just stopped!  The last spot was a half-dollar sized splash of  blood on a deadfall.  I made several casts in all directions praying to find more blood or the animal.  No luck!!!  As evening set in, it was at that moment, I realized my poor shot was going to haunt me for a long time.  I am guessing if the shot had been 4-5" to the right, this story would have a happy ending and horns on the wall.        

Lotto Winner

You hear stories all the time about first-time hunters having sweet luck, well this is one of them:

After arriving at camp and setting gear it was about 6 PM and we starting hearing several bugles.  The three of us struck off in different directions to do an evening spot and stalk.  With the exception of a close encounter with an immature bull my evening was uneventful.  The last one to return to camp, as I approached, I could hear the excitement and full volume of voices.  Expecting to see an animal in camp, I was instead greeted with Bill's cell phone displaying a picture of his quiver and he asked. "What's wrong with this picture?".  The picture had 6 arrows, five looked brand new and one was trademark blood-red!  After elk hunting for a lifetime total of 2 hours, Bill smoked a 450 lb. cow elk with an amazing 61 yard downhill shot!! 

To fully appreciate this shot you have to see the location...61 yards down a steep hill, in-between two trees about 5 yards apart, double lung pass through!   

Up the Mountain

After freezing all night because we could not keep the fire lit in the stove, we starting packing our frame packs to head up the mountain for a few days at our remote camp.  Weather was cool, but sunny and very plesant.  

See Bill hike...see Bill hike some more...see Bill get a blister!

After about 3 1/2 minutes of hiking Bill wore blisters on his feet and we halted our mountain assault for some first-aid.  Jarod seized the opportunity to down a brew, strangely enough this 9am break was not his first beer of the morning.  

Nothing says good morning like Budweiser! 

On the move for about 3 hours, we finally made "Andy's Camp".  Andy (Jim Shockey's Brother) maintains a camp deep in the woods from about July until the snow runs him down.  The camp is pretty amazing and well stocked.  Upon arrival we were invited into camp and treated to a chili-dog lunch (not recommended when sharing a small tent!).  After a brief rest, some words of "woods wisdom" from Andy and some additional first-aid for Bill, we thanked Andy for the hospitality and continued on our way.  Now at 11,800 feet of elevation we are at the tree line and sucking wind.  Five more hours of trekking across a couple of passes along the tree line found us at our remote camp.

Remote camp and hunting outpost deep in the woods!  

Day 1 & 2

After driving about 9 hours we finally made it to Durango, CO.  Just love the smells of Western Kansas feedlots in Dodge City & Garden City!

Scenic turn-out just outside Durango

Thursday night we met up with Brad Roach for BBQ dinner, Brad "Buddy Holly" was nice enough to let us crash at his cabin for the night.  Elevation of 9,890 is kicking my butt!

Brad's cabin....sweet!!!  He built the whole thing with his two hands!  

After a good nights sleep, it was goodbye to civilization (beds, toilets and showers).  We met up with Jarod and headed up the mountain.  The drive took forever, but provided some entertainment when we picked up some hitchhikers!

These two jokers were "hiking across America" pretty sure they were common hippies looking for hand-outs.  After a short ride up the mountain, we dumped them for fear they were pocketing our Snack Pack Puddings.

Finally after a long drive on a 4x4 jeep road we staked our claim and set-up base camp.  Our WWII edition canvas tent weighed 2-tons and was complete with antique wood burning stove!  

Go West Young Man

Just got word that Bill is on the road heading to Great Bend, KS from Omaha,NE.  We plan to meet-up around 7am tomorrow and chart a course to Durango,CO.  Word from our camp is encouraging!  There are several elk in the area and there has been a couple of monster bull sightings in the past couple of days.  The rut is heating-up and the bugles are becoming more frequent.

Just read this quote about the area we will be hunting:

"The San Juan Mountains, located in Southwestern Colorado, are reported to have some of the best elk hunting anywhere. It is estimated that Colorado's elk population is just under 300,000, and it is also estimated that Colorado has two times more elk than any other state. This makes San Juan Mountain elk hunting popular for those elk hunters looking to bag that record bull. However, since some of the peaks of the San Juan Mountains rise to 14,000 feet and there are many slopes and ridges, it is important for elk hunters to be in good physical condition before heading into the San Juan Mountains. Covering about 12,000 square miles in Colorado, much of the San Juan Mountains are very remote with some areas, approximately 40 square miles, having no paved roads. Much of the area is accessible only by jeep or by foot. The San Juan Mountains are located in Game Management Units 70 through 78."


I am ready to roll!

White pony loaded and Colorado bound!

Rounding Up Gear

Last night I started rounding-up my gear for the trip.  Talk about a mess!  Seems like my hunting/camping stuff breaks camp during the summer and spreads out to a hundred locations...some in garage, some in storage shed, some in basement and a small contingent takes refuge in camper.  My favorite part is discovering the lost tote which has gear I forgot I even had.  We have developed a crude "gear list" (will post later) and I am taking stock of what items will need to be purchased and formulating a plan to have packages shipped in a manner as to not draw attention from my better-half.    

Scouting Report

A few weeks ago Bill and his friend Dan set out on a scouting trip in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado (20 miles N. of Durango).  Dan has hunted the area the past couple of years and attempted to show the navigationally challenged Bill where to go this fall.  Time will tell if Bill was paying attention, they did locate a site for our camp which was being occupied by this elk calf.