2012 Colorado Elk Hunt

Heck of a bull there!.Great writeup and pics showed you had a awesome hunt,albeit tough conditions
and hunting,Good job sticking to it and thanks for sharing as it will help some of us hunters out.My
trip to there ended with a lost bull,thick timber and all made it a quick shot.But I cant wait to go back next year!Thanks again for sharing and congrats on a great bull,he looks huge body wise.
 
Excellent story - thanks for posting. A good read and lots of help and encouragement for less experienced (and successful) hunters like me. This confirms Fin's formula of 70% effort, 25% skill, and 5% luck. Congratulations.
 
Oak said:
Nice job, Hummer. Glad to see you had another successful season.
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Big Fin said:
Wow, that is a great story, and a great track record of filling elk tags. Congrats on a super bull. Thanks for sharing the story and the great pics with us.
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Thanks to everyone for the kind comments. Obviously a lot of bigger bulls are taken and grace the pages here. But I'm feeling very lucky, this is a once in a lifetime bull for me. I'm mostly a meat hunter and draw a cow elk tag every year. Elk steak makes for great meals and we rely on it. I also get a bull tag for the increased chance to take an animal home.

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten my elk in the last hours of the last day or two of season, but it's happened a lot. Part of beating the odds is using every day to the fullest. Many hunters return to camp for lunch every day, or even head home early, after 4 or 5 days of hunting before the migrants move in. I've often thought that they'd have better success by hunting the end of the season rather than the beginning. Of course, the best chance is to hunt every day, from dark to dark, which is what I try to do. It doesn't make much sense to anxiously await elk season all year only to quit half way through.


Though I haven't posted much, I enjoy reading the hunt stories and admire the many dedicated and skilled hunters who frequent the forum. The on-your-own adventures theme neatly challenges the trend toward high dollar hunts that cater to those unwilling to earn their place among real hunters. You guys (and gals) are first rate.
 
Great story and pics hummer! I really enjoyed them. Congrats - that is a fantastic bull for that area!

I have hunted the White River the last 10-12 yrs probably the same general area as yourself. This year I was out the 3rd season and found success on day 7. Elk sightings were probably the least I had ever experienced. The snow was present for day 1 but disappeared as the days went by. Did get fresh snow on days 7,8, and 9 but I don't think it did much for moving elk. By day 6 most hunters had pulled out and the outfitters seemed to be breaking their camps and packing them out of the forest for various reasons. Had some relatives / friends out for season 4 and elk hunting seemed to still be poor at best. Starting to wonder if the elk will migrate at all??
 
Congrats on a well-deserved trophy! I am hunting that area next fall and hope to have similar results. Great story as well! Nice work!
 
walnuttree said:
Great story and pics hummer! I really enjoyed them. Congrats - that is a fantastic bull for that area!

I have hunted the White River the last 10-12 yrs probably the same general area as yourself. This year I was out the 3rd season and found success on day 7. Elk sightings were probably the least I had ever experienced. The snow was present for day 1 but disappeared as the days went by. Did get fresh snow on days 7,8, and 9 but I don't think it did much for moving elk. By day 6 most hunters had pulled out and the outfitters seemed to be breaking their camps and packing them out of the forest for various reasons. Had some relatives / friends out for season 4 and elk hunting seemed to still be poor at best. Starting to wonder if the elk will migrate at all??
Click to expand...

Walnuttree, glad you got your elk. Day 7 probably qualifies as a late-in-the-season save. Stick-tuitiveness usually gets the job done. An old outfitter friend always said the second season is the hunting season, the third season is the killing season. It was about snow accumulations spurring migration.

It's still warm here. I was in the mountains last weekend where ice was melting off the high country lakes. It will be interesting to see this years harvest statistics.

NDHunter, good luck on your hunt next year. If harvest really was down this year, the remaining bulls will be bigger, and waiting for us....
 
That was a good story with lots of nice pics. I liked the never quit attitude and perseverance. I think I'll end my nighttime reading with this story of the spirit of on your own adventures.
 
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